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A FRIENDLY OFFER
It was agreed between mother and son to submit the matter to Ian,
and if he should, be of the same mind, at once to negotiate the sale
of the land, in order to carry the clan to Canada. They wrote
therefore to Ian, and composed themselves to await his answer.
It was a sorrowful thing to Alister to seem for a moment to follow
the example of the recreant chiefs whose defection to feudalism was
the prelude to their treachery toward their people, and whose
faithlessness had ruined the highlands. But unlike Glengarry or
"Esau" Reay, he desired to sell his land that he might keep his
people, care for them, and share with them: his people safe, what
mattered the acres!
Reflecting on the thing, he saw, in the case of Ian's approval of
the sale, no reason why he should not show friendliness where none
was expected, and give Mr. Peregrine Palmer the first chance of
purchase. He thought also, with his usual hopefulness, that the time
might come when the clan, laying its savings together, would be able
to redeem its ancient homesteads, and then it might be an advantage
that they were all in the possession of one man. Such things had
been, and might be again! The Lord could bring again the captivity
of Clanruahd as well as that of Zion!
Two months passed, and they had Ian's answer--when it was well on
into the spring, and weather good for a sea-voyage was upon its way.
Because of the loss of their uncle's money, and the good prospect of
comfort in return for labour, hard but not killing, Ian entirely
approved of the proposal. From that moment the thing was no longer
discussed, but how best to carry it out. The chief assembled the
clan in the barn, read his brother's letter, and in a simple speech
acquainted them with the situation. He told them of the loss of the
money to which he had looked for the power to aid them; reminded
them that there was neither employment nor subsistence enough on the
land--not even if his mother and he were to live like the rest of
them, which if necessary they were quite prepared to do; and stated
his resolve to part with the remnant of it in order to provide the
means of their migrating in a body to Canada, where not a few old
friends were eager to welcome them. There they would buy land, he
said, of which every man that would cultivate it should have a
portion enough to live upon, while those with trades should have
every facility for following them. All, he believed, would fare well
in return for hard work, and they would be in the power of no man.
There was even a possibility, he hoped, that, if they lived and
laboured well, they might one day buy back the home they had left;
or if not they, their sons and daughters might return from their
captivity, and restore the house of their fathers. If anyone would
not go, he would do for him what seemed fair.
Donal shoemaker rose, unpuckered his face, slackened the
purse-strings of his mouth, and said,
"Where my chief goes, I will go; where my chief lives, I will live;
and where my chief is buried, God grant I may be buried also, with
all my family!"
He sat down, covered his face with his hands, and wept and sobbed.
One voice rose from all present:
"We'll go, Macruadh! We'll go! Our chief is our home!"
The chief's heart swelled with mingled gladness and grief, but he
answered quietly,
"Then you must at once begin your preparations; we ought not to be
in a hurry at the last."
An immediate stir, movement, bustle, followed. There was much
talking, and many sunny faces, over which kept sweeping the clouds
of sorrow.
The next morning the chief went to the New House, and desired to see
Mr. Palmer. He was shown into what the new laird called his study.
Mr. Palmer's first thought was that he had come to call him to
account for firing at him. He neither spoke nor advanced a step to
meet him. The chief stood still some yards from him, and said as
pleasantly as he could,--
"You are surprised to see me, Mr. Palmer!"
"I am."
"I come to ask if you would like to buy my land?"
"Already!" said Mr. Palmer, cast on his enemy a glare of victory,
and so stood regarding him. The chief did not reply.
"Well!" said Mr. Palmer.
"I wait your answer," returned the chief.
"Did it never strike you that insolence might be carried too far?"
"I came for your sake more than my own," rejoined the chief, without
even a shadow of anger. "I have no particular desire you should take
the land, but thought it reasonable you should have the first
offer."
"What a dull ox the fellow must take me for!" remarked the new laird
to himself. "It's all a dodge to get into the house! As if he would
sell ME his land! Or could think I would hold any communication with
him! Buy his land! It's some trick, I'll lay my soul! The infernal
scoundrel! Such a mean-spirited wretch too! Takes an ounce of shot
in the stomach, and never says 'What the devil do you mean by it?' I
don't believe the savage ever felt it!"
Something like this passed with thought's own swiftness through the
mind of Mr. Palmer, as he stood looking the chief from head to foot,
yet in his inmost person feeling small before him.
"If you cannot at once make up your mind," said Alister, "I will
give you till to-morrow to think it over."
"When you have learned to behave like a gentleman," answered the new
laird, "let me know, and I will refer you to my factor."
He turned and rang the hell. Alister bowed, and did not wait for the
servant.
It must be said for Mr. Palmer, however, that that morning Christina
had positively refused to listen to a word more from Mr. Sercombe.
In the afternoon, Alister set out for London.
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