"Now--now!" she exclaimed, as Duncan, with methodic accuracy, finished his operation on one side of Mr. Fitzherbert's fiery countenance, "that will do now--let him go." The operators looked up in disappointment. "Do let him go; let me see him released before I leave you." Duncan and Angus looked at each other. "Weel," said Angus, smiling grimly, "he's gey weel; ye'll think again, my lad, before ye offer to lay your filthy fingers on a Macalpine, or ony ither lass in the countryside. Now, Duncan--" They began to free him from his bondage. Angus took one end of the plaid which confined his arms--Duncan the other. The process was satisfactory, but by no means gentle; over and over they rolled him, and when the hapless Fitzherbert found himself at last at liberty, he was lying within the green verge of the Oran--the soft waters embracing him. His first struggle threw him further in; and when he rose at last, spluttering with wrath and water, his clothes wet, his face scarred with the pebbles, and shorn of its hirsute glories--all his tormentors were gone. Light of foot, and conversant with all the by-ways, they had dispersed, considerably against the will of the Macalpines, but in obedience to the command of Miss Falconer, and the entreaties of Flora. In burning rage and mortification Mr. Fitzherbert stalked back to Strathoran. In the distance, upon the other side of the river, he could see the retreat of the Macalpines; it was a fruitless thing vowing vengeance upon them. He had done his worst; they were out of his power. But Mr. Fitzherbert's mortification and rage reached a climax when he looked upon his sad mutilation--cruel as Hanun the son of Nahash, and his artful counsellors of the children of Ammon, the scissors of the remorseless Duncan had swept away one entire half of Mr. Fitzherbert's adornments. It must all go, cherished and dearly beloved as it was--the flowing luxuriance of the one side must be sacrificed to the barbarous stubble of the other.--Alas the day! How should he meet Lord Gillravidge! how account for the holocaust! Mr. Fitzherbert was fitly punished--he was in despair.