THE FLIGHT OF THE HERON _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ “MR. ROWL” THE WOUNDED NAME THE YELLOW POPPY SIR ISUMBRAS AT THE FORD THE FLIGHT OF THE HERON BY D. K. BROSTER “But the heron’s flight is that of a celestial messenger bearing important, if not happy, tidings to an expectant people.” —“V.”, _As You See It_. 1925 London: William Heinemann Ltd. _First published . . . 1925_ Made and Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London TO VIOLET JACOB IN HOMAGE CONTENTS PAGE _PROLOGUE_. A PROMISE OF FAIR WEATHER. . . . . . . . . . . 11 I THROUGH ENGLISH EYES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 II FLOOD-TIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 III THE EBB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 IV ‘YOUR DEBTOR, EWEN CAMERON’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 V THE HERON’S FLIGHT IS ENDED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 _EPILOGUE_. HARBOUR OF GRACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 PROLOGUE A PROMISE OF FAIR WEATHER THE FLIGHT OF THE HERON PROLOGUE A PROMISE OF FAIR WEATHER (1) The sun had been up for a couple of hours, and now, by six o’clock, there was scarcely a cloud in the sky; even the peaked summit of Ben Tee, away to the north-east, had no more than the faintest veil floating over it. On all the western slopes the transfiguring light, as it crept lower and lower, was busy picking out the patches of July bell-heather and painting them an even deeper carmine; and the mountains round were smiling (where sometimes they frowned) on Loch na h-Iolaire, to-day a shining jewel which to-morrow might be a mere blot of grey steel. It was going to be a very fine day, and in the West of Scotland such are none too plentiful.