FORESTER AND POACHERS. 121. 



concealed. Though this sentiment was not greeted 

 with applause by his companions, who, bad as they 

 might be, were yet not prepared for such an extreme, 

 the determined tone in which it was uttered, and the 

 sudden action of the speaker, quite overcame the 

 keeper. Assured from previous knowledge of the man, 

 that he was one who would execute his threat as readily 

 as he had given utterance to it, Donald remained, as it 

 were, spell-bound, though his limbs tottered beneath 

 him, and the heart in his bosom palpitated almost 

 audibly. For some moments he stood thus rooted to 

 the spot ; and then, the conversation taking another 

 turn, he slowly and silently withdrew from his dangerous 

 position; and once fairly out of sight and hearing, took to 

 his heels and never even paused until his own door, 

 doubly bolted and barred, intervened between himself 

 and the forest. 



That night the slumbers of Donald Oag were 

 troubled and feverish. Again he trembled beneath the 

 fierce eye of the poacher glaring upon him ; again his 

 ears rang with those angry tones and the threat they 

 conveyed. His anxious spouse at length drew from 

 him a reluctant recital of the cause of his uneasiness ; 

 and it is said, that such was the effect of her bitter 

 taunts, and the contempt with which she upbraided him 

 for the want of spirit he had exhibited, that, convinced 

 of his previous shortcomings, he became thenceforward 

 a totally altered being. 



" What !" cried she, " shall ilka stane i' the forest be 

 red wi' the bluid o' deer ? An' will ye bring us a' till 

 poverty an' shame, forby yer ain cowardly heart 

 daresna' do its duty ? " 



That day proved the turning-point in Donald's 

 career. Henceforth it became the object of his life to 



