The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

424
The Highland Monthly,
flattery and applause which arose on all sides. A sad^
dreary smile is theirs at best, though, such as might make
angels weep."
Mark Teviot had numerous reminiscences of former
trysts to relate, which Macewen was anxious to hear ;
for he hoped one day to stand the market with
a drove of his own.
In due course they reached the Inn where they had put
up on the night before proceeding to Teith Muir. Here
Teviot thought it best to remain for this night also, as from
that place two days journey, would bring them home. The
landlord expressed surprise that the two travellers had not
returned from the tryst as they had intended, and he
mentioned to Glenbeltane that two men who professed to
be his drivers had, at a late hour, made eager inquiries as
to whether he had arrived at the inn, and, on being informed
that he had not, they appeared ill-satisfied and left. The
tacksman had no doubt but that these were Gillies and
Farquhar Macilvaine, whom he had so neatly thrown off
the scent at the tryst. But he made no remark to that
effect in the landlord's hearing.
Next day he resumed his journey, thankful that he
had taken his trusty henchman, as, otherwise, he would
have been entirely alone, all those belonging to the
North, who had attended Teithmuir, being then more
than a day's journey ahead. The weather continued
to be very unfavourable. A good deal of snow had
fallen, and the road was covered with mud and slush.
Notwithstanding this, the riders managed to make con-
siderable progress for some hours. Then the storm
increased, and the wind veered round so as to drive the
sleet right in their faces. Their plaids, even their clothes,
were soon soaked through and through. Considering these
circumstances, coupled with the shortness of the day, Glen-
beltane judged that it would be foolhardy to press on to
the stage house where he was in the habit of lodging, as he
journeyed to and from Teithmuir.