Produced by Al Haines. [Illustration: Cover] [Illustration: "HERE HE IS! TAK’ HIM AND FINISH HIM" Page 44] The Starling A Scottish Story BY NORMAN MACLEOD Author of "Reminiscences of a Highland Parish" "Character Sketches" "The Old Lieutenant and his Son" &c. &c. BLACKIE & SON LIMITED LONDON AND GLASGOW BLACKIE & SON LIMITED 50 Old Bailey, London 17 Stanhope Street, Glasgow BLACKIE & SON (INDIA) LIMITED Warwick House, Fort Street, Bombay BLACKIE & SON (CANADA) LIMITED 1118 Bay Street, Toronto Printed in Great Britain by Blackie & Son, Ltd., Glasgow BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Norman Macleod was born, in 1812, at Campbeltown, in Argyllshire, where his father was parish minister. Educated in Campbeltown and Campsie for a time, he entered the University of Glasgow in 1827, and in 1837 became a licensed minister of the Church of Scotland. From 1838 to 1843 ne was minister of Loudoun parish in Ayrshire, from 1843 to 1851 of Dalkeith parish, and from 1851 till his death in 1872 of the Barony Parish, Glasgow. He was appointed chaplain to Queen Victoria in 1857, and next year received the degree of D.D. from Glasgow University. He edited _Good Words_ from its foundation in 1860 till his death, and he also gained great literary success with the following books: _The Gold Thread_ (1861), _The Old Lieutenant and his Son_ (1862), _Parish Papers_ (1862), _Wee Davie_ (1864), _Eastward_ (1866), _Reminiscences of a Highland Parish_ (1867), _The Starling_ (1867), _Peeps at the Far East_ (1871), _The Temptation of Our Lord_ (1872), and _Character Sketches_ (1872). Contents CHAP.