But with a cry of expectation from the crowd, Hamilton’s second stone left his hand and came spinning over the ice, right in the track of its predecessor. A roar went up from the players, as the Muirburn men rushed forward, and distributing themselves over the path which the stone had to traverse, polished it till the ice was like glass. The stone came in beautifully, displaced the best stone, and took the first place, by cannoning off another of the enemy. A loud hurrah greeted this feat, and Lord Bantock stepped forward, determined to do something to redeem his reputation, which he knew had suffered from the result of his former effort. An old farmer ran as fast as his years would permit to offer his lordship a word of advice before the last shot was fired. ‘All right, Blackwater,’ said Lord Bantock, with a nod, as he planted his feet firmly on the ice, and gripped the handle of his stone, as if he would bend the brass. Away went the stone with a rush, and a roar from the crowd. Crash--crash--it struck against one and another; but it had force enough to go on. Smash it came among the group of stones, sending them flying in all directions, while everybody jumped aside to avoid a collision. It was not a first-rate shot; but it was successful. The first, second, third, fourth, and fifth stones were knocked, or rather knocked one another, out of the way. Lord Bantock’s stone itself went right ahead, ploughing a path for itself in the snow beyond the rink. Alec’s second stone, long since considered to be out of the running, was found to be half an inch nearer the tee than any one belonging to the other side; and the Muirburn men accordingly scored one towards the game. At the other rinks, meanwhile, subsidiary contests were in full progress, and the scene was a very animated one. It was, however, very cold work for bystanders, and Cameron, as he saw that his companion was shivering in spite of her winter clothing, proposed to Alec that Margaret and himself should set out at once for the farm, leaving Mr. Lindsay to overtake them when he returned. To this arrangement Alec of course assented, and Margaret and Cameron set off together. Most young men would have been glad to be in Cameron’s place; but the Highlander felt very ill at ease. He began to seek for a subject which might be supposed to be interesting to a girl, and dismissed one after another as totally unsuitable. The silence continued, and the young man was nearly in despair, when Margaret, totally unconscious of any embarrassment, came to his assistance. ‘That is the way to Drumclog,’ she said, pointing to a moorland road which crossed their path; ‘Alec and you ought to walk over some day.’ ‘Is there anything to see there?’ inquired her companion. ‘Have you never heard of the Battle of Drumclog?’ asked the girl in surprise. The Highlander was obliged to confess that he had not.