Page 7 (1/2)

"Ah, I expect he’ll be that busy," Hayes said coreat deal to do for a "

"Yes I expecteryes"

The conversation died, and I was left in a state of increasing disco the Lieutenant to breakfast Even an Englishwo food without exciting remark

"ErCorporal MacNair said you wanted to see Farquard Ca the bull by the horns "Perhaps Jaone to talk with him Mr Campbell, I mean" I waved helpfully toward the Campbells’ family campsite, which lay on the far side of the slope, nearly a quarterfrom his lashes down his cheeks

"Aye," he said "Perhaps that’s so" He stood a er, then tipped his cap to me "Good day to ye, mum" He turned away up the path--toward Jocasta’s tent I stood watching hio, all sense of peace destroyed

"Damn," I said under my breath, and set off to see about breakfast

2

LOAVES AND FISHES

WE HAD CHOSEN A SITE well off the ood view of the wide creekbank below Glancing doard through a scrireen-and-black tartans as the last of the soldiers dispersed; Archie Hayes encouraged his , and lad to obey

I wasn’t sure whether this policy of Archie’s was dictated by guile, penury, or si, separated frolad of the chance to hear Scottish voices again, to be welcomed at a homely fireside, offered brose and parritch, and to bask in the momentary warmth of familiarity

As I ca a s soldier who had fished Gerus stood close to the fire, wisps of stea in French as he rubbed Germain’s head briskly with a towel, one-handed His hook was braced against the little boy’s shoulder to keep him steady, and the blond head wobbled back and forth, Gerard of his father’s scolding

Neither Roger nor Brianna were anywhere in sight, but I was rather alar on the far side of the clearing, nibbling a bit of toasted bread on a stick Jamie was already back with the borrowed supplies, which he was unpacking on the ground next to the fire He was frowning to hiht ofto his feet "What kept ye?"

"OhI nificant look toward the young soldier It was evidently not significant enough, since Jamie knitted his brows in puzzle close to him

"Well, I kent that, Sassenach," he said, in a norh"

"Yes, butahe pointedly fro soldier Jauests dragged away from under his rooftree, and I would have supposed that the sa soldier ht find it aard to arrest MacLennan, but I was sure the Lieutenant would have no such hesitation

Ja his own brows, he tookman

"My dear," he said forilvie, late of the village of Kilburnie? Private Ogilvie, ilvie, a ruddy-faced boy with dark curly hair, blushed and bowed

"Your servant, ilvie was just telling inia--there to take ship for Scotland Ye’ll be glad to see home, I expect, lad?"

"Oh, aye, sir!" the lad said fervently "The regiment will disband in Aberdeen, and then I’i to join the conversation, a towel draped round his neck and Germain in his arin’ your pardon, sir--and the Indians safe, there’s naught for us to do here, and the Croillna pay us to sit at ho, all in all, and I’ as it’s hard on a soldier"

"Almost as hard as war, aye?" Ja as he was, he couldn’t have seenThe Seven Years War had been over for nearly ten years--at which tiilvie would likely still have been a barefoot lad in Kilburnie