" Maclise stood
gazing in amazement at him.
"They accused me of crime!"
"Of crime, Mr. Allan?" Maclise stiffened in haughty surprise.
"Yes, of base crime!"
"But this letter completely clears him," cried Martin eagerly.
Maclise turned upon him with swift scorn, "There was no need, for anyone
in this Glen whatever." The Highlander's face was pale, and in his light
blue eyes gleamed a fierce light.
Martin flashed a look upon the girl standing so proudly erect beside
her brother, and reflecting in her face and eyes the sentiments of the
schoolmaster.
"By Jove! I believe you," cried Martin with conviction, "it is not
needed here, but--but there are others, you know."
"Others?" said the Highlander with fine scorn, "and what difference?"
The Glen folk needed no clearing of their chief, and the rest of the
world mattered not.
"But there was myself," said Allan. "Now it is gone, Maclise, and I can
give my hand once more without fear or shame."
Maclise took the offered hand almost with reverence, and, removing his
bonnet from his head, said in a voice, deep and vibrating with emotion,
"Neffer will a man of the Glen count it anything but honour to take
thiss hand."
"Thank you, Maclise," cried Allan, keeping his grip of the master's
hand. "Now you can tell the Glen.
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