The mother's thoughts flew instantly to Ian. "Oh, it's nothing about Ian!" said the chief, answering her look. Its expression changed; she hoped now it was some fresh obstacle between him and Mercy. "No, mother, it is not that either!" said Alister, again answering her look--with a sad one of his own, for the lack of his mother's sympathy was the sorest trouble he had. "It is only that uncle's money is gone--all gone." She sat silent for a moment, gave a little sigh, and said, "Well, it will all be over soon! In the meantime things are no worse than they were! His will be done!" "I should have liked to make a few friends with the mammon of unrighteousness before we were turned out naked!" "We shall have plenty," answered the mother, "--God himself, and a few beside! If you could make friends with the mammon, you can make friends without it!" "Yes, that is happily true! Ian says it was only a lesson for the wise and prudent with money in their pockets--a lesson suited to their limited reception!" As they spoke, Nancy entered. "Please, laird," she said, "Donal shoemaker is wanting to see you." "Tell him to come in," answered the chief. Donal entered and stood up by the door, with his bonnet under his arm--a little man with puckered face, the puckers radiating from or centering in the mouth, which he seemed to untie like a money-hag, and pull open by means of a smile, before he began to speak. The chief shook hands with him, and asked how he could serve him. "It will not be to your pleasure to know, Macruadh," said Donal, humbly declining to sit, "that I have received this day notice to quit my house and garden!" The house was a turf-cottage, and the garden might grow two bushels and a half of potatoes. "Are you far behind with your rent?" "Not a quarter, Macruadh." "Then what does it mean?" "It means, sir, that Strathruadh is to be given to the red deer, and the son of man have nowhere to lay his head. I am the first at your door with my sorrow, but before the day is over you will have--" Here he named four or five who had received like notice to quit. "It is a sad business!" said the chief sorrowfully. "Is it law, sir?" "It is not easy to say what is law, Donal; certainly it is not gospel! As a matter of course you will not be without shelter, so long as I may call stone or turf mine, but things are looking bad! Things as well as souls are in God's hands however!" "I learn from the new men on the hills," resumed Donal, "that the new lairds have conspired to exterminate us. They have discovered, apparently, that the earth was not made for man, but for rich men and beasts!" Here the little man paused, and his insignificant face grew in expression grand. "But the day of the Lord will come," he went on, "as a thief in the night. Vengeance is his, and he will know where to give many stripes, and where few.--What would you have us do, laird?" "I will go with you to the village."