124 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



thefts began to make people think these outrages 

 might in some way be connected with the missing 

 MacNivens. Therefore it happened that one 

 Alexander Macpherson, a heavy loser by these 

 constant depredations, determined to try to find 

 out something about the inhabitants of this mysterious 

 house ; accordingly he feigned illness until his beard 

 had grown, and then disguising himself in other ways, 

 he arrived at the suspected house late in the evening, 

 pretending he had lost his way and was starving. 

 The door was opened by an old woman, who freely 

 offered him plenty of food, while sternly refusing 

 shelter. But Macpherson proved such a good beggar, 

 that at length he got leave to lie down in a corner, 

 where, curling himself up, he feigned sleep. Towards 

 midnight the eighteen MacNivens returned from a 

 foraging expedition, and not noticing Alexander, 

 they pulled back the slab by which they gained 

 the secret room. Alexander having been a witness 

 of the whole thing, then slipped off and returned 

 to his home with all speed, and summoning the 



