Fiction > Book editions > London, 1886 - Kidnapped

204                                    KIDNAPPED.
There, there are living many friends of mine whom I
could trust with my life, and some that I am no just so
sure of. Ye see, David, there will be money set upon
our heads; James himsel' is to set money on them; and
as for the Campbells, they would never spare siller
where there was a Stewart to be hurt. If it was other-
wise, I would go down to Koalisnacoan whatever, and
trust my life into these people's hands as lightly as I
would trust another with my glove."
"But being so ? " said I.
"Being so," said he, "I would as lief they didnae
see me. There's bad folk everywhere, and what's far
worse, weak ones. So when it comes dark again, I will
steal down into that clachan, and set this that I have
been making in the window of a good friend of mine,
John Breck Maccoll, a bouman* of Appin's."
"With all my heart," says I; " nd if he finds it,
what is he to think ?"
"Well," says Alan, "I wish he was a man of more
penetration, for by my troth I am afraid he will make
little enough of it ! But this is what I have in my
mind. This cross is something in the nature of the cross-
tarrie, or fiery cross, which is the signal of gathering in
our clans; yet he will know well enough the clan is not
to rise, for there it is standing in his window, and no
word with it. So he will say to himself, The clan is not
to rise, but there is something. Then he will see my
* A bouman is a tenant who takes stock from the landlord and
shares with him the increase.