The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Scc/ies of Long Ago.
would be safe from this loss and vexation to which I am
exposed from these thieving M'llvaines of Anard."
" The M'llvaines of Anard," cried James Macbride,
angrily, " there is scarcely a holding in the county that does
not suffer damage at their hands. The scoundrels have
robbed me of man}^ a fat wether, and glad am I, and every
honest man in Keilangus, to hear that one of them is likely
to be brought to the gallows for his misdeeds. Nothing
short of this would check them, for they are fearless alike
of God and man."
" Yes," said Teviot, ' Torquil ]\I'Ilvaine was caught by my
shepherds in Corrie Goblin in the very act of sheep-stealing.
On his house being searched there were found proofs of
extensive robberies, not only from my stock, but also from
half a dozen others. He is now in prison in Goyburgh
awaiting his trial at the next Circuit Court. For a single
act of sheep-stealing I would not have reported him to the
Fiscal, but he and his brothers ha\-e made a regular practice
of this thieving, and they have a special liking for the
Glenbeltane stock, or rather, I should say, a special ill-will.
Yet they have no just cause for enmity against me or mine.
As you are aware, their family were removed from Corrie
Goblin by Lord Duncairn long before I came to the country,
on account of their evil courses. Then your uncle of
Drumblankit, in order to show his power and independence,
must needs give them a footing on the opposite side of the
hill, at the shealings of Anard. The foxes will not interfere
with any man or beast on the estate of their patron, but
they have declared war to the knife against the property of
Duncairn, and, as I have said, especially against Glenbeltane.
Nae doot they'll hae a kind o' spite against me, as holding
the land where they once had their hame. To be sure, in
the auld cattle-lifting days they were Macindrui's close
followers in many a foray. Since Torquil has been put in
jail their conduct has been so disgraceful and intolerable
that I intend lodging a formal complaint against Drum-
blankit for harbouring a nest of vagabonds upon his estate.