I A Gossip on a SiUherland Hillside 2 5 i 



need to mind the wind, for his nose was no' so 

 sharp as an old hind's, and so they got close up to 

 him before he was well aware, — so close that he saw 

 it was too late to mak' out, and so he stood steady 

 on the craig. By luck they neither of them knew 

 Chisholm by sight, and so did not like to dirk him 

 at once, and maybe they didna like the chance of a 

 dig of a dirk in their ain wames ; so when they got 

 up to him one said, " It's a fine day ! " " 'Deed is 

 it," said Chisholm, " a nice saft day." " Ye haena 

 seen Chisholm ? " said one of the Guns. " No, 

 indeed I have not," said Chisholm ; and I'm 

 thinking it was nae lee, for there was nae wale o' 

 looking-glasses in the cave. " We are looking after 

 him over the muir, and cannot forgether with him." 

 " What will ye gie me if I pit a wrist o' his into 

 each of your hands ? " " All the white silver in our 

 pouches, and as much nlore as you will from Clan 

 Gun, for we hae bluid-feud with him, and his blood 

 we'll ha'e." " Weel, then, tak' you this wrist and 

 tak' you this ane, for I'm Chisholm ! " And when 

 they gripped his wrists he kept his arms clenchit, 

 and just made a jerk forward and sent the pair o' 

 them over the craigs towards Loch Furon, but 

 whether they reached it whole I dinna ken. But 

 Chisholm went back to his cave and said to him- 

 self— 



' " Weel, I hae keepit my promise ; but deil burst 

 me if I didna forget to tak' the siller ! " 



' Weel, it so happened that some other Guns who 



