Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 3

426 THE CELTIC MAGAZINE.
ceeded, lay along their route, as well as tlie stories and legends, in which
he was well versed, connected with each of the suV>jects he touched upon.
Some places not actually on the route received a sliure of ]">onald's atten-
tion. Among others — Druuunond Castle, aiid tlie celebrated lioman
Camp at Ardoch, places of great antiquity, and rich in historical associa-
tions. Aberuchil Castle was, however, the country-seat on which Donald
dwelt longest. It is a high square structure standing on the south side
of the river Earn, and avcDs built originally in 1602. The legends which
Donald related to his daughter regarding the many sanguinary scenes be-
tween the Grigors and the Campibells witnessed in the neighbourhood of
this castle, were of the most thrilling description ; and while thus
engaged they entered the wood at tlie west end of St Fillan's, the thick
copse and brushwood darkening the already hardly discernable path,
when they were accosted by three men, the foremost of whom, in a stern
defiant voice, requested Donald to deliver up his purse or his life. The
latter replied in his usual quiet, easy manner, that he had no money — not
even a plack upon his person • and that even if he had they (for he recog-
nised them) ought to be the last to take it from him. " What ! where is
the money you got to-day at Crieff?" demanded the robber, as he knocked
the poor man down to the ground with a blow of his club. JSTo sooner
did the unfortunate man fall than the three ruffians jumped upon him ;
seeing which, and supposing that her father was already dead, the
unhappy girl, knowing that she would be next attacked, rushed in
through the wood, and ran, for a long time, not knowing whither. At
last, almost exhausted, she noticed the glimmering of a light, towards
which she made as fast as she was able. She found on getting near it,
that it proceeded from a rude dwelling house, the door of which she im-
mediately opened, and, without either warning or ceremony, went in.
The sole occupanl of the cabin she found to be an old woman, to whom
she, in her innocence and despair, told the events of the early evening
already described, and added,
" But it is I who has the money, for my father gave it to me before we
left Crietf, and I have it carefidly put away in my breast."
" 0, poor creature," said the old crone, " I am so glad that you escaped
with your life from those cruel thieves. They are all of the clan Gregor;
and sure I am that, when they did not find the money on your father,
they would, had you not escaped from them, have fallen upon you, and
after taking the money from you, abuse you, and afterwards kill you."
" Surely no one could be so wicked as to act so," observed Jessie Mac-
gregor bluntly, "it is fortunate for me that I got away from them, and
found my way here."
"And here," said the deceitful crone "you are not only welcome, but
perfectly safe — you will remain all night, and go home in the morning."
It is scarcely necessary to say that, though neither of them knew any-
thing of the other, the apparently kind offer to remain in the old
woman's house all night was reailily accepted by the unfortunate Jessie
who after receiving supjier, retired to bed. Mut tired though she was, she
was too excited and frightened to fall asleep. The thoughts of the sudden
death of her father banished sleep from her eyes.
Her bed, of the rudest description, was in a small closet opposite