Chapter 11 James Stewart

 

Alan got up first. He looked out from the trees.

' The soldiers are going away,' he said, when he came back to me.

'Alan,' I said, 'we have to go different ways.'

'Why? 'he said.

'That Campbell man is dead in the road,' I said. 'It was murder, and I don't want- '

' Murder!' cried Alan.' Listen, Mr Balfour of Shaws. When I want to kill a man, I won't do it in my country. It makes things difficult for my clan. I didn't kill him.'

I was very happy about that.

' But they'll look for us for the murder,' he said.' And you'll have to stay with me because you don't know the country.'

' I don't have to run away,' I said.' I'm not afraid of the law. I didn't do anything wrong. But I want to go to Stirling. I want to talk to my uncle's lawyer. He has some papers for me.'

'You're in the Highlands,' he said. 'The "law" here is the law of the Campbells. The dead man is a Campbell. So somebody will have to die for his murder. And you, Mr Balfour of Shaws, will be the right person.'

' Oh,' I said.

' We'll have to run,' said Alan.' It will be hard in the sun and rain and wind. But I'm not going to die. And I will take you to Stirling.'

 

We walked over the hills and mountains. Sometimes we had to move on our stomachs. Then it was dark. After a time, we saw a light.

'That's James's house,' said Alan. 'It's late for a light. Something's wrong.'

He was right. James Stewart knew about the murder.

Men and women moved quickly.' The soldiers are coming,' they said. They took guns and swords from under the floor of the house. They carried them outside and put them into the ground. James's wife looked at a large number of papers and put some of them into the fire.

' It's dangerous for you here, 'James said to Alan.' You can leave Ardshiel's money. My son will take it tonight. You two have to go away now — and fast! A long way away.'

One of James's sons gave me some clothes and some good Highland shoes. He gave me a sword and guns and food.

Alan and I ate quickly, and then James Stewart said,' Now go. It will be light in an hour or two, and the soldiers will come.'

 

Sometimes we walked; sometimes we ran. When it was light, we ran faster. We were between the mountains, but there were not many trees.

' That rock!' said Alan.' Over there!' The big rock was about half a mile away. 'We'll have to run.'

We ran to it. I was very tired and I nearly fell. I call it' a rock', but it was really two big rocks.

' Help me up,' said Alan. And I pushed him on top of the rocks. Then he put his coat down and pulled me up.

It was a good place. We could sleep between the tops of the two rocks. Nobody on the ground could see us.

' I was stupid,' said Alan suddenly.' First I took the wrong road, so we are in a really bad place. And worse, we're going to be here on a long hot summer day without a water-bottle.'