AsRanaldMacEaghwastobeplacedunderMajorDalgetty\'sprotectionandsuperintendence,itwasnecessaryheshouldpresenthimtothosepersonswithwhomhewasmostlikelytoassociate。Thedressoftheoldmanhad,inthemeantime,beenchangedfromthetartanofhisclantoasortofclothingpeculiartothemenofthedistantIsles,resemblingawaistcoatwithsleeves,andapetticoat,allmadeinonepiece。Thisdresswaslacedfromtoptobottominfront,andboresomeresemblancetothatcalledPolonaise,stillwornbychildreninScotlandofthelowerrank。Thetartanhoseandbonnetcompletedthedress,whicholdmenofthelastcenturyrememberedwelltohaveseenwornbythedistantIslesmenwhocametotheEarlofMar\'sstandardintheyear1715。
MajorDalgetty,keepinghiseyeonAllanashespoke,introducedRanaldMacEaghunderthefictitiousnameofRanaldMacGillihuroninBenbecula,whohadescapedwithhimoutofArgyle\'sprison。
Herecommendedhimasapersonskilfulintheartsoftheharperandthesenachie,andbynomeanscontemptibleinthequalityofasecond—sightedpersonorseer。Whilemakingthisexposition,MajorDalgettystammeredandhesitatedinawaysounliketheusualglibforwardnessofhismanner,thathecouldnothavefailedtohavegivensuspiciontoAllanM\'Aulay,hadnotthatperson\'swholeattentionbeenengagedinsteadilyperusingthefeaturesofthepersonthusintroducedtohim。ThissteadygazesomuchembarrassedRanaldMacEagh,thathishandwasbeginningtosinkdowntowardshisdagger,inexpectationofahostileassault,whenAllan,suddenlycrossingthefloorofthehut,extendedhishandtohiminthewayoffriendlygreeting。Theysatdownsidebyside,andconversedinalowmysterioustoneofvoice。MenteithandAngusM\'Aulaywerenotsurprisedatthis,forthereprevailedamongtheHighlanderswhopretendedtothesecond—sight,asortofFreemasonry,whichgenerallyinducedthem,uponmeeting,toholdcommunicationwitheachotheronthenatureandextentoftheirvisionaryexperiences。
\"Doesthesightcomegloomyuponyourspirits？\"saidAllantohisnewacquaintance。
\"Asdarkastheshadowuponthemoon,\"repliedRanald,\"whensheisdarkenedinhermid—courseinheaven,andprophetsforetellofeviltimes。\"