The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

The Le^e7id of the Dark Loch. 743
And what had become of poor Morag ? This was the
unspoken question that could be read in the eyes of the
group that now stood helpless in the shieling. They could
do nothing for their lost friend. They had not the least
doubt that she was carried off by one or both of the
monsters. A general move was made into the open air,
the women now leading. No sooner was the foremost out-
side than she uttered a piercing scream and fell back into
the arms of the nearest of her friends. Almost simultane-
ously another woman's voice was heard—it was Molly's
not shrieking with terror like the first, but imploring the
succour of the Almighty. Her words, which rose clear and
distinct on the midnight air, were " Lord help us all !"
Only four simple words, but they were enough. As the men
hurried out they saw the cause of the scream and prayer of
their more timid companions. A gigantic form, bearing all
the outward semblance of a man, stood towering above
them a few yards from the door. This form grinned
hideously on hearing the shriek of the first girl, but the
expression of his face changed instantly to one of extreme
terror on hearing the simple prayer of the second. The
Power of Darkness shrank and cowered before that simple
but sincere appeal to the Almighty, and the huge figure,
assuming the form of a horse, disappeared in the direction
of the Dark Loch and was seen by the terrified party no
more.
Next day all the cows were driven home from the
mountains, and the shielings in the neighbourhood of the
dark loch were never utilised again. Search was made for
the body of Morag, but in vain. No trace of her could be
discovered.
Years passed, and the friends and companions of the
lost girl had all died. A new generation had sprung up in
this township, and the tragedy of the Dark Loch was all but
forgotten, when one summer evening a shepherd, walking
by the shores of the loch, found the dead body of a young
girl lying in the water. No one was able to recognise it,
and it was buried in a green knoll a short distance from
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