, wherever found. He was
unpopular enough in the country as it was. He could not afford to be
"ill seen" at headquarters as well.

Patsy found herself left alone in the bothy. But she knew that the two
men who had not spoken would certainly leave some hidden spy to watch
whether the young men returned, or if she attempted to communicate with
them.

Therefore she did not hasten. Jean would arrive before long with the
garments in which she had left home, and which she had shed, as it were
providentially, to be able to run the better across the sands of
Killantringan and the heathery fastnesses of the Wild of Blairmore.

Hardly had Patsy gotten the bothy to her liking--or something like
it--when Jean arrived, full of wonder and joy. She carried a parcel
under her arm, done up carefully in her neckerchief.

"It is a pity to change," she said, "you will never look so pretty
again!"

And she detailed with the admiration of generous youth the beauty of the
black locks, waved tightly about the small head, the pale blue linen
gown girt with the sash of scarlet silk, and the cross-gartered sandals,
showing Patsy's brown skin and pretty ankles half-way to the knee.

"It is a great shame," she repeated, "that you can't go about like that
all the time."

"I shall think it over," said Patsy; "but if I went to the kirk on
Sabbath dressed as you would have me, I believe Mr. MacCanny would have
me turned out."

"Yes," said the loyal Jean, "because nobody would be able to attend to
his sermon for looking at you!"

"But what are the lads going to do?"

"Oh," said Jean, "they have two or three places handy for lying up in.
They are snug by this time. At least Fergus and Agnew are. Stair I met
on my way here. He was lurking in a moss-hag with his gun ready for the
first red-coat or blue-jacket who should lift a hand to you."

"Send him off to join the rest," said Patsy more seriously. "I never was
in the least danger, and there is no doubt but that the man McClure has
left some of his rascals to watch the bothy."

"Then High Heaven help them if they come across Stair and his
blunderbuss. He will bring them down like so many partridges. Not even
father can manage Stair. He will take orders from no one, except in
matters of the farm. He is a good boy, and has great influence among the
young fellows, for he will stick at nothing. But he is easily angered,
proud, and often both reckless and desperate. You may be sure that he
wil