Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series - 1819.djvu/266

256 Neither gun, dirk, nor dourlach, they said, availed aught against him. They imputed this to the remarkable circumstances under which he was born; and at length five or six of the stoutest Caterans of the Highlands would have fled at Allan's halloo, or the blast of his horn. In the meanwhile, however, they carried on their old trade, and did the M'Aulays, as well as their kinsmen and allies, as much mischief as they could. This provoked another expedition against the tribe, in which I had my share; we surprised them effectually, by besetting at once the upper and under passes of the county, and made such clean work as is usual on these occasions, burning and slaying right before us. In this terrible species of war, even the females and the helpless do not always escape. One little maiden alone, who smiled upon Allan's drawn dirk, escaped his vengeance upon my earnest entreaty. She was brought to the castle, and here bred up under the name of Annot Lyle, the most beautiful little