strongly in times of ordeal than
in times of tranquillity, perhaps because the moral reins governing
them have grown worn, and so become slacker.

It should be said, however, of the Scottish Highlands, that the chiefs,
at least, those of the northern ridge of the Grampians, were humane in
their doings, even kindly, and certainly they were never fond of taking
a clansman's life on the gallows-tree. Their whole code was against
that ignoble death, unless when an enemy had played them unfair, or a
vassal had proved himself traitor, and then they swiftly slipped a life
to the other world, holding this world to have no use for it.

Possibly, too, they found the sight of a corpse dangling from a tree
uncanny, a vision armed with threats which made them hold their
hangman's hand, for, while crafty enough, they were superstitious to a
degree. They let the gallows-tree stand grim and expectant on the
hill-side, a terror to foes and a clan discipline, and, when necessary,
found a way to their desires by the short dirk or the long sword.

Moreover, at the time of my writing, we were between the immediate
butchery of Culloden, a red and rueful business, and the insecurity of
tenure in life and home, which was to follow. It was a rough marking
of time, when national elements were in the mill, as well as those
which go to the chronicle of the Black Colonel, Marget Forbes, and
myself.

Here was I, on the edge of such happenings as assail one when he finds
subtle intrigue on the one side and innocent misunderstanding on the
other. It is always hard enough to manage such elements, but let them
get out of hand and a miracle is needed for salvation. Also you have
to find the miracle, and I composed myself to search for it in the
little things, the natural things of the situation. They have a knack
of conducting you to the heart of a problem, if you will only have
simple faith and follow them, and be not otherwise, which is
presumption.

Faith and miracles go hand in hand, in story as in fact, and when one's
mind, working rapidly, if unconsciously, has got an issue down to a
point where it can be expressed in a word, a decision has been taken.
If it be a human decision, the hills, which grow strangely mothering
and kind to their people, seem to know it, for they talk to each other
of everything but their own secrets; and they knew that I had decided
upon my course of action.

_VII.--A Parley and a Surprise_

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