The Earl turned in his chair with a flash of steel and gold. “One of those thieves!” he cried. “What did he do?” A deep color came into her face. “He showed me the way,” she said. “He showed me also Campbells he’d slain—he showed plunder from your house—he named you devil—and—” “Ah, he didna’ ken ye were a Campbell?” asked Breadalbane. “Why no, Jock—I told him I was a Fraser—I didna’ desire to be murdered.” “Ye will have deceived him,” remarked the Earl. “Ye are a bonnie liar, Peggy.” He gave the strange compliment in all sincerity and so she took it. “But ye hav’na’ heard the finish,” she said. “Jock—will ye ever forgive me?” She lifted eager glowing eyes and laid her hand on his arm. Breadalbane put down his wine-glass. “Weel?” he questioned. “Ye look ower serious, Peggy.” She gave a great shudder as at the remembrance of something loathly. “I have broken bread with a Macdonald,” she cried bitterly. “And—” “Weel?” he insisted. “And then—by force—he kissed me, Jock.” The Earl’s hollow face flushed scarlet. “A Macdonald o’ Glencoe kissed ye!” he cried. “Ay,” she answered passionately. “But I dinna think he’ll live to boast of it. I left him on the mountain, shot through the ankle.” “It should have been his heart,” said Breadalbane grimly. “Yes, I ken, but I couldna’—’tis work for you, Jock, not for me—I just shot to prevent his following me—’tis likely he’ll die of hardship.” She rose restlessly to her feet. “I wish he hadna’ kissed me,” she cried. “A Macdonald o’ Glencoe!” Breadalbane’s pale eyes flashed and narrowed, but he spoke quietly: “The Macdonalds and I will come to issues yet, Peggy—and then—by Heaven! I shallna’ forget this.” “Ah, I ken, Jock—but I would he hadna’ kissed me.” Her face flushed and trembled; the Earl set his mouth dangerously as he marked her wrathful distress; he held his hand out to her and she very passionately caught hold of it. “We’ve taken enough from these Macdonalds,” she cried. “I saw the plunder of a house of yours to-day—and murdered Campbells feeding the eagles—” She swung round on him with tears gathering in her eyes: “Jock, ye are almost master in the Hielands; are ye going to leave this knot of thieves in your midst to harry and insult ye?” “Nay,” cried Breadalbane fiercely. “I’m only waiting, ye ken—ye canna touch the Glencoe men openly—ye might as weel try to hunt the eagles off Ben Cruachan as the Macdonalds out o’ Glencoe—but if they dinna take the oaths—” He finished with one of his sudden smiles. “Yea,” said the Countess Peggy breathlessly. “Ye’ll have the government behind ye then, they’ll be rebels and proscribed men—ye’ll have them in your hand, Jock. Ah, but do ye think they willna’ take the oaths?” Breadalbane drew her down beside him and kissed her flushed forehead. “Dinna fear, Peggy; not ane of the Hielanders will take the oaths—or if Glengarry or Lochiel do, the Macdonalds willna’.” “Ah!” she took a deep breath. “And then ye will have the law to help ye.”