Ossian Collection > Romance of the Highlands

WANDERINGS OF PRINCE CHARLIE.
239
and sea. Arrived in the misty isle, the lirst house they
went into was Sir Alexander MacDonald's. He was
absent, but a warm welcome was extended to Flora by his
lady. Flora's future father-in-law, MacDonald of Kings-
burgh, joined them at dinner, and a Lieutenant
MacLeod, commanding the local militia in the search for
the Prince, was also present. Flora had to sit out this
meal and reply to MacLeod's searching questions, the
Prince all the time remaining in hiding at a little distance.
It was not safe for Charles to remain here. Lady
MacDonald — faithful Jacobite as she had been — was
ready to declare that they would all be hanged if they
harboured him. Kingsburgh replied that he was an old
man now, and he might as well die by hanging as in his
bed, and that he would conduct his Prince to his own
house.
Charles had a happy time at Kingsburgh. Here he
enjoyed the luxury of a bed : the first he had slept in for
months. Kingsburgh gave him a new pair of shoes
and, taking away his old "bauchles" as a keepsake,
threatened, in his good humoured way, that he would
appear some day at one of the Royal Palaces when the
King came to his own again, wearing these worn footgear,
which would remind him of that night at Kingsburgh.
The good lady of the house was in the same position
as Lady MacDonald, and, like her, felt that they would
all suffer and be killed, so dreadful had the terror of the
Duke become. Kingsburgh was immovable. "Never
mind," he would say, "we can only die once. Bring out
some supper." And so time passed merrily enough
considering all the circumstances.
When the Prince left the house the sheets of his bed
were carefully folded away, the one to become a winding
sheet for Mrs. MacDonald and the other to serve a like
purpose for the heroic Flora.