land appear a new place, and changed entirely the life of the
inhabitants. The brave enjoyed all this: the timid sickened at it; and
Lady Carse wept over it as coming too late for her.

"The lady looks ill," the steward observed to the Widow Fleming, one day
when, as often happened now, he came without notice. "She is so shrunk,
she is not like the same person."

Annie told how she had lost strength and spirits of late. She had not
been down even to the harbour for two months.

"Ay, it is a change," said the steward. "I was saying to Macdonald just
now that we have been rather careless of late, having had our heads so
full of other matters. I almost wondered that she had not slipped
through our fingers in the hurry and bustle: but I see now how that is.
However, Macdonald will keep a somewhat stricter watch; for, as I told
him, it concerns Sir Alexander's honour all the more that she should not
get loose, now that those who committed her to his charge are under
suspicion about their politics--Ah! you see the secret is getting out
now,--the reason of her punishment. She wanted to ruin them, no doubt,
by telling what she knew; and they put her out of the way for safety."

"Is her husband with the Pretender then? And is Lord Lovat on that
side? They are the two she is most angry with."

"Lord Carse is safe enough. He is a prudent man. He could not get into
favour with the king and the minister:--they knew two much harm of him
for that. So he has made himself a courtier of the Prince of Wales. He
has no idea of being thrust upon the dangers of rebellion while the
event is uncertain; so he attaches himself in a useless way to the
reigning family. And if Prince Charlie should succeed, Lord Carse can
easily show that he never favoured King George or his minister, or did
them any good.--As for Lovat, he is ill and quiet at home."

"Which side is he on?"

"He complains bitterly of his son being disobedient to him, and put upon
his disobedience by his Jacobite acquaintance. If the young man joins
Prince Charlie, it is thought that his father will stand by King George,
that the family estates may be safe whichever way the war ends,--Bless
me! what a sigh! One would think--Come now, what's the matter?"

"The wickedness of it!" said Annie.

"Oh! is that all? Lovat's wickedness is nothing new; and what better
could you expect from his son? By the same rule, I have great
expectations of your son. As you are