His
plan was to leave her and his children with certain friends at Port
Gordon; he would not hear of going to the Partans to bring them
into trouble. He would himself set out immediately after for the
Lewis fishing.
Few had gone to the Hebrides that year from Scaurnose or Portlossie.
The magnitude of the events that were about to take place, yet more
the excitement and interest they occasioned, kept the most of the
men at home--to content themselves with fishing the waters of
the Moray Frith. And they had notable success. But what was success
with such a tyrant over them as the factor, threatening to harry
their nests, and turn the sea birds and their young out of their
heritage of rock and sand and shingle? They could not keep house
on the waves, any more than the gulls! Those who still held their
religious assemblies in the cave called the Baillies' Barn, met
often, read and sang the comminatory psalms more than any others,
and prayed much against the wiles and force of their enemies both
temporal and spiritual; while Mr Crathie went every Sunday to
Church, grew redder in the nose, and hotter in the temper.
Miss Horn was growing more and more uncomfortable concerning
events, and dissatisfied with Malcolm. She had not for some time
heard from him, and here was his most important duty unattended to--
she would not yet say neglected--the well being of his tenantry,
namely, left in the hands of an unsympathetic, self important underling,
who was fast losing all the good sense he had once possessed! Was
the life and history of all these brave fishermen and their wives
and children to be postponed to the pampered feelings of one girl,
and that because she was what she had no right to be, his half
sister forsooth? said Miss Horn to herself--that bosom friend to
whom some people, and those not the worst, say oftener what they
do not mean than what they do.
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