line of march, "que mon metier de prince errant est ennuyant, par fois. Mais, courage! c'est le grand jeu apres tout."

CHAPTER XII.

A Skirmish.

THE reader need hardly be reminded, that, after a council of war held at Derby upon the 5th of December, the Highlanders relinquished their desperate attempt to penetrate farther into England, and, greatly to the dissatisfaction of their young and daring leader, positively determined to return northward. They commenced their retreat accordingly, and, by their extreme celerity of movement, outstripped the motions of the Duke of Cumberland, who now pursued them with a very large body of cavalry.

This retreat was a virtual resignation of their towering hopes. None had been so sanguine as Fergus Mac-Ivor, none,

consequently, were so cruelly mortified at the change of measures. He argued, or rather remonstrated, with the utmost vehemence at the council of war; and, when his opinion was rejected, shed tears of grief and indignation. From that moment his whole manner was so much altered, that he could scarcely have been recognised for the same soaring and ardent spirit, for whom the earth seemed too narrow but a week before. The retreat had continued for several days, when Edward, to his surprise, early upon the 12th of December, received a visit from the Chieftain in his quarters in a hamlet, about half way between Shap and Penrith.

Having had no intercourse with the Chieftain since their rupture, Edward waited with some anxiety an explanation of this unexpected visit; nor could he help being surprised, and somewhat shocked, with the change in his appearance. His eye had lost much of its fire; his

cheek was hollow, his voice languid, even his gait seemed less firm and elastic than it was wont; and his dress, to which he used to be particularly attentive, was now carelessly flung about him. He invited Edward to walk out with him by the little river in the vicinity; and smiled in a melancholy manner when he observed him take down and buckle on his sword. As soon as they were in a wild sequestered path by the side of the stream, "Our fine adventure is now totally ruined, Waverley, and I wish to know what you in tend to do:-nay, never stare at me, man. I tell you I received a packet from my sister yesterday, and, had I got the information it contains sooner, it would have prevented a quarrel, which I am always vexed when I think of. In a letter written after our dispute, I acquainted her with the cause of it, and she now replies to me, that she never had, nor could have, any purpose of giving you encouragement; so that it seems I have acted like a

madman.-Poor Flora! she writes in high spirits; what a change will the news of this unhappy retreat make in her state of mind!"

Waverley, who was really much affected by the deep tone of melancholy with which Fergus spoke, affectionately entreated him to banish from his remembrance any unkindness which had arisen between them, and they once more shook hands, but now with sincere cordiality. Fergus again enquired of Waverley what he intended to do. "Had you not better leave this luckless army, and get down before us into Scotland, and embark for the continent from some of the eastern ports that are still in our possession? When you are out of the kingdom, your friends 'will easily negociate your pardon; and, to tell you the truth, I wish you would carry Rose Bradwardine with you as your wife, and take Flora also under your joint protection."-Edward looked surprised-"She loves you, and I believe you love her,