 It was with this view that he laboured to reconcile the
Highlanders among themselves, and augmented his own force to the utmost, to be
prepared for the first favourable opportunity of rising. With this purpose also
he conciliated the favour of such Lowland gentlemen in the vicinity as were
friends to the good cause; and for the same reason, having incautiously
quarrelled with Mr. Bradwardine, who, notwithstanding his peculiarities, was
much respected in the country, he took advantage of the foray of Donald Bean
Lean to solder up the dispute in the manner we have mentioned. Some, indeed,
surmised that he caused the enterprise to be suggested to Donald on purpose to
pave the way to a reconciliation, which, supposing that to be the case, cost the
Laird of Bradwardine two good milch-cows. This zeal in their behalf the House of
Stuart repaid with a considerable share of their confidence, an occasional
supply of louis d'or, abundance of fair words, and a parchment, with a huge
waxen seal appended, purporting to be an Earl's patent, granted by no less a
person than James the Third King of England, and Eighth King of Scotland, to his
right leal, trusty, and well-beloved Fergus Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich, in the
county of Perth, and kingdom of Scotland.
    With this future coronet glittering before his eyes, Fergus plunged deeply
into the correspondence and plots of that unhappy period; and, like all such
active agents, easily reconciled his conscience to going certain lengths in the
service of his party, from which honour and pride would have deterred him had
his sole object been the direct advancement of his own personal interest. With
this insight into a bold, ambitious, and ardent, yet artful and politic
character, we resume the broken thread of our narrative.
    The Chief and his guest had by this time reached the house of Glennaquoich,
which consisted of Ian nan Chaistel's mansion, a high rude-looking square tower,
with the addition of a lofted house, that is, a building of two storeys,
constructed by Fergus's grandfather when he returned from that memorable
expedition, well remembered by the western shires, under the name of the
Highland Host. Upon occasion of this crusade against the Ayrshire Whigs and
Covenanters, the Vich Ian Vohr of the time had probably been as successful as
his predecessor was in harrying Northumberland, and therefore left to his
posterity a rival edifice, as a monument of his magnificence.
    Around the house, which stood on an eminence in the midst of a narrow
Highland valley, there appeared none of that attention
