His desire to see Barcaldine, and explain the cause of his absence at the appointed time, urged him to the one course; his fear of the degrading punishment, and of his mother's bitter upbraidings, strongly instigated the latter and the more dangerous purpose.

He left it to chance to decide when the crisis should arrive; nor did he tarry long in expectation of the catastrophe.
Evening approached; the gigantic shadows of the mountains streamed in darkness towards the east, while their western peaks were still glowing with crimson and gold.

The road which winds round Ben Cruachan was fully visible from the door of the bothy, when a party of five Highland soldiers, whose arms glanced in the sun, wheeled suddenly into sight from the most distant extremity, where the highway is hidden behind the mountain.

One of the party walked a little before the other four, who marched regularly and in files, according to the rules of military discipline.

There was no dispute, from the firelocks which they carried, and the plaids and bonnets which they wore, that they were a party of Hamish's regiment, under a non-commissioned officer; and there could be as little doubt of the purpose of their appearance on the banks of Loch Awe.
"They come briskly forward"-- said the widow of MacTavish Mhor;--"I wonder how fast or how slow some of them will return again! But they are five, and it is too much odds for a fair field.