, and the devil on the roof-tree, McBride.
What seek ye o' the Red Laird? The _Gull_, say ye; the Preventives--to
hell wi' the Preventives; there's a bonny cove at the Rhu Ban, lads;
but ye're in good time to see the devil coming for Red Roland."

A terrible squall struck the house and moaned round the gables, and the
lowes blew into the room.

"D'ye hear him, the laughing o' him, and his blackbirds spying all
day--ay, the Ravens from the Red Rocks; but they have nae terrors for
Roland McDearg."

A long time he was silent, and then slowly the words came--

"McRae, McRae (for the McRaes were all pipers), play me back, back till
I hear my mother laughing, in the evening, till I see the grass, green,
green and beautiful in the sun, and the golden ben-weeds swaying to the
breeze, and I am a boy again--I, Red Roland, searching among the
heather, with the scent o' wild honey around me, searching for the shy
white heather to bring coyly to my lass, and bravely the sun shines
among the hills, and the hawk's brown wings flutter in the blue vault.
Play me back, McRae, till I hear the water wimpling on the hill burns,
when I lie flat to drink, the brown peaty water, McRae, and the sheep
looking at me before they run. The sun and the sea and the wild winds
o' my youth, McRae; bring them back to me before I go."

As he spoke, the Red Laird lolled his head on the back of his chair.
His eyes were closed, and his mind looked backwards; and as he cried
for the sun and the growing grass and the wave of the wind in the hay,
his hand rose and fell. And McRae, McRae the piper, looked long into
the glowing fire, looked till his harsh face softened and the smiling
came round his eyes, and softly, softly he played. And in his playing
I saw the goodman bend over his wife and whisper. I saw her face glow
in the evening sun, and I heard her laughter, clear and sweet like
diamonds ajingle, as she struck him playfully, and walked stately and
slow to the green where her children played on the lush grass, and ever
and ever she looked over her shoulder for her man, because he was her
lover still. And I saw a boy moving among the crags, the honey dust
round his knees, and ever and ever his eyes searched the heather, and I
heard his cry of gladness as he fell down beside the lucky heather,
white and chaste as a virgin.

And I looked at Dan and saw him far away in his youth, and even
McKelvie looked not comfortable. But the Laird was all hap