them with selfishness, or being bent only on promoting their own courtship, for they eagerly wished for the encouragement of the other young couple's, which would also be a good cloak for their own.
Among other plans which were suggested, and which they proposed to put into execution whenever Charlie Stuart arrived on his annual visit, was to telegraph that joyful event, that Donald on the same evening, while playing his round of pibroch on the lawn before Mr. Stuart's mansion, would include that popular air, "Prince Charlie's Salute," or, as it is better known in Gaelic by the name of "Isabail nic aoi"—(Isabella Mackay)—a name given to that prince when the air was first composed, and which ran in the following parable:—
| Gaelic. Isabail nic aoi, 'M bun a chro laoi 'Munadh na fri, Gun duinue mar ri, Si na haonaran, &c. |
Anglice. Isabella Mackay, 'Tending the kye 'Along mountains high, With nobody nigh, So lonesomely, &c. |
Thus, as will be seen, the pibroch was applicable to each of the young couple, Charlie having long been nick-named Prince Charlie, and Bella's name also being included in the air.
True to his promise, on Charlie's arrival Donald gave vent to the favourite air in his masterly style, wending the thrilling strains through hill and glen, and over the serene waters of Lochlinn.
Bella, who was ignorant of the plan, or that her young neighbour had arrived, was sitting in her room, and her maid, Mary Grant, bustling about the apartment, chattering away as usual some local gossip, but hearing the sound of the distant pibroch, in a pause in her own conversation, through the open window, advancing quickly she leant out, and listened attentively for a few seconds, when instantly recognising the favourite air, she bounded back in transports of joy, gave a couple of turns on the floor, clapping her hands, and exclaiming, "He's come! He's come!"
Bella stared with astonishment at this unaccountable conduct of her maid, and thought she was taking leave of her senses, and on inquiring the cause of her hilarity, and
