162 THREATENING WEATHER. 



keep the muzzle to the rear in future, and fight like the 

 wily Parthian." 



Why, the same thing chanced to Glengarry, and he 

 said naething ava anent it." 



" Very likely, Sandy ; but you see I am of a more 

 talkative disposition ; but I must tell you, that in by-gone 

 times, when a warrior came into a strange country, if he 

 kept the point of his spear forward, he was supposed to 

 come as an enemy, and was treated as such ; but if he kept 

 the point behind him, it was a token of friendship, and 

 they feasted him, and gave him venison and whiskey." 



" I ken that war when I was a callan, for I didn't hear 

 aething anent it ; but as the neb of the rifle is ahent, and 

 as there is nae venison, I must tak aff the Loch Rannoch 

 without it." 



" As in duty bound ; very well, Sandy, I find thee apt." 



A considerable space of ground had now been traversed 

 without any appearance of deer, in spite of the quick and 

 sagacious glance of the hill-man ; the air had turned hot 

 and close, and the weather was brewing up dark and 

 heavy. Each man raised his eyes to the south and to the 

 east, but still in silence. 



"Whish whish down low I had a gliffof them 

 in the sun blink ; hey, now the shadow is come owr : draw 

 ahent a wee bit, we shall spy them again in the clearing ; 

 Ou, what a dtmner ! They wunna bide there lang." 



The clouds were now advancing in dark volumes, with 

 their hard masses rent, as it were, from top to bottom : the 

 thunder travelled sullenly amongst the distant chain of 

 mountains ; darker and darker still grew the huge form of 

 Ben-y-gloe ; slowly, determined, but still onward came the 



