‘But to be the daughter of a cattle-stealer—­a common thief!’ ’Common thief!—­no such thing:  Donald Bean Lean never lifted less than a drove in his life.’

‘Do you call him an uncommon thief, then?’

’No; he that steals a cow from a poor widow, or a stirk from a cotter, is a thief; he that lifts a drove from a Sassenach laird is a gentleman-drover.  And, besides, to take a tree from the forest, a salmon from the river, a deer from the hill, or a cow from a Lowland strath, is what no Highlander need ever think shame upon.’

’But what can this end in, were he taken in such an appropriation?’

’To be sure he would die for the law, as many a pretty man has done before him.’

‘Die for the law!’

’Ay; that is, with the law, or by the law; be strapped up on the kind gallows of Crieff, [Footnote:  See Note 16.] where his father died, and his goodsire died, and where I hope he’ll live to die himsell, if he’s not shot, or slashed, in a creagh.’

‘You hope such a death for your friend, Evan?’

’And that do I e’en; would you have me wish him to die on a bundle of wet straw in yon den of his, like a mangy tyke?’

‘But what becomes of Alice, then?’

’Troth, if such an accident were to happen, as her father would not need her help ony langer, I ken nought to hinder me to marry her mysell.’

‘Gallantly resolved,’ said Edward; ’but, in the meanwhile, Evan, what has your father-in-law (that shall be, if he have the good fortune to be hanged) done with the Baron’s cattle?’

‘Oich,’ answered Evan,’they were all trudging before your lad and Allan Kennedy before the sun blinked ower Ben Lawers this morning; and they’ll be in the pass of Bally-Brough by this time, in their way back to the parks of Tully-Veolan, all but two, that were unhappily slaughtered before I got last night to Uaimh an Ri.’

‘And where are we going, Evan, if I may be so bold as to ask?’ said Waverley.

’Where would you be ganging, but to the Laird’s ain house of Glennaquoich?  Ye would not think to be in his country, without ganging to see him?  It would be as much as a man’s life’s worth.’

‘And are we far from Glennaquoich?’

‘But five bits of miles; and Vich Ian Vohr will meet us.’

In about half an hour they reached the upper end of the lake, where, after landing Waverley, the two Highanders drew the boat into a little creek among thick flags and reeds, where it lay perfectly concealed.  The oars they put in another place of concealment, both for the use of Donald Bean Lean probably, when his occasions should next bring him to that place.

The travellers followed for some time a delightful opening into the hills, down which a little brook found its way to the lake.  When they had pursued their walk a short distance, Waverley renewed his questions about their host of the cavern.