The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

476
THERE
The Highland Monthly.
SCENES OF LONG AGO.
[all rights RE-iERVED BY THE AL'THOR.]
VI.—THE TRYST OF TEITH MUIR.
[continued.]
was a changehouse known as the House of
Logroy, which stood at the opening of the mountain
pass that led into Goyshire. Here Mark Teviot decided
that he and his companion would seek shelter for the night ;
but as he drew near this establishment, he would fain have
altered his arrangement ;
for the house and offices presented
a wretched appearance. They were in the last degree of
dilapidation, and evidently tottered to their fall. As the
tacksman reined his horse at the door, he could see that in
many cases articles of clothing occupied the space in the
windows that had once been filled with glass. The door
was rotten, and fitted badly into the crazy posts on either
side. The blasts of successive winters had removed the
mortar from the walls, and even from the interstices
between the stones. The whole scene was one of desola-
tion and neglect. Teviot's eye took in all these details at
a single glance, and no wonder though he turned his face
instinctively onwards towards the pass. But its aspect was
far from being inviting. The whole gorge was occupied
by a storm cloud, and the road wrapped in gloom. The
Gtagehouse stood at the further extremity of the pass,
which extended for six or seven Scotch miles ; and Mark
Teviot, as an old shepherd, being skilled in reading the
signs of the sky, was satisfied that their journey thither
could only be prosecuted with great danger. Slowly shak-
ing his head, he forthwith dismounted and led his horse to
the door. Here he was met by an ill-favoured and slightly
deformed man, who appeared to be the owner of the