"They say," he observed, "that king's chaff is better than other folk's corn; but I think that canna be said o' king's soldiers, if they let themselves be beaten wi' a wheen auld carles that are past fighting, and bairns that are no come till't, and wives wi' their rocks and distaffs, the very wally-draigles o' the countryside. And Dougal Gregor, too--wha wad hae thought there had been as muckle sense in his tatty-pow, that ne'er had a better covering than his ain shaggy hassock of hair!--But say away--though I dread what's to come neist--for my Helen's an incarnate devil when her bluid's up--puir thing, she has ower muckle reason." I observed as much delicacy as I could in communicating to him the usage we had received, but I obviously saw the detail gave him great pain. "I wad rather than a thousand merks," he said, "that I had been at hame! To misguide strangers, and forbye a', my ain natural cousin, that had showed me sic kindness--I wad rather they had burned half the Lennox in their folly! But this comes o' trusting women and their bairns, that have neither measure nor reason in their dealings. However, it's a' owing to that dog of a gauger, wha betrayed me by pretending a message from your cousin Rashleigh, to meet him on the king's affairs, whilk I thought was very like to be anent Garschattachin and a party of the Lennox declaring themselves for King James. Faith! but I ken'd I was clean beguiled when I heard the Duke was there; and when they strapped the horse-girth ower my arms, I might hae judged what was biding me; for I ken'd your kinsman, being, wi' pardon, a slippery loon himself, is prone to employ those of his ain kidney--I wish he mayna hae been at the bottom o' the ploy himsell--I thought the chield Morris looked devilish queer when I determined he should remain a wad, or hostage, for my safe back-coming. But I _am_ come back, nae thanks to him, or them that employed him; and the question is, how the collector loon is to win back himsell--I promise him it will not be without a ransom." "Morris," said I, "has already paid the last ransom which mortal man can owe." "Eh! What?" exclaimed my companion hastily; "what d'ye say? I trust it was in the skirmish he was killed?" "He was slain in cold blood after the fight was over, Mr. Campbell." "Cold blood?--Damnation!" he said, muttering betwixt his teeth--"How fell that, sir? Speak out, sir, and do not Maister or Campbell me--my foot is on my native heath, and my name is MacGregor!"