John MacNab by John Buchan Page A

it just as completely as Charles, only it doesn’t matter about me, and it matters the devil of a lot about him. I don’t stand an earthly chance of winnin’ the seat, if, first of all, I mustn’t canvass because of smallpox, and, second, my big meetin’, on which all my fellows counted, is wrecked by Charles playin’ the fool.’
    Lamancha’s dark face broke into a smile.
    â€˜Don’t worry, old chap. I won’t let you down. But it looks as if I must let down John Macnab, and just when I was gettin’ keen about him . . . Hang it, no! There must be a way. I’m not going to be beaten either by Claybody or this damned Tory rally. Ned, you slacker, what’s your advice?’
    â€˜Have a try at the double event,’ Leithen drawled. ‘You’ll probably make a mess of both, but it’s a sporting proposition.’
    Archie’s face brightened. ‘You don’t realise how sportin’ a proposition it is. The Claybodys will be there, and they’ll be all over you – brother nobleman, you know, and you goin’ to poach their stags next day! Hang it, why shouldn’t you turn the affair into camouflage? “Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise,” says the hymn . . . We’ll have to think the thing out ve-ry carefully. - Anyway, Charles, you’ve got to help me with my speech. I don’t mind so much lyin’ doggo here if I can put in a bit of good work on the 5th .. . Now, Benjie my lad, for your report.’
    Benjie, not without a certain shyness, cleared his throat and began. He narrated how, following his instructions, he had secured Macpherson’s permission to cut heather for besoms on the Raden haugh. He had duly taken up his post there, had remained till four o’clock, and had seen such and such people and heard this and that talk. He recounted what he could remember of the speeches of Macpherson and the gillies.
    â€˜They’ve got accustomed to the sight of you, I suppose,’ Palliser-Yeates said at length.
    â€˜Aye, they’re accustomed right enough. Both the young lady and Macpherson was tellin’ me to keep a look-out for poachers.’ Benjie chuckled.
    â€˜Then tomorrow you begin to move up to the high ground by the Carnmore peat-road. Still keep busy at your besoms. You understand what I want you for, Benjie? If I kill a stag I have to get it off Glenraden land, and your old fish-cart won’t be suspected.’
    â€˜Aye, I see that fine. But I’ve been thinkin’ that there’s maybe a better way.’
    â€˜Go ahead, and let’s have it.’
    Benjie began his speech nervously, but he soon warmed to it, and borrowed a cigar-box and the fire-irons to explain his case. The interest of his hearers kindled, until all four men were hanging on his words. When he concluded and had answered sundry questions, Sir Archie drew a deep breath and laughed excitedly.
    â€˜I suppose there’s nothing in that that isn’t quite cricket ... I thought I knew something about bluff, but this – this absolutely vanquishes the band. Benjie, I’m goin’ to have you taught poker. You’ve the right kind of mind for it.’

FIVE
The Assault on Gknraden
    Shortly after midnight of the 28th day of August three men foregathered at the door of Macpherson’s cottage, and after a few words took each a different road into the dark wastes of wood and heather. Macpherson contented himself with a patrol of the low ground in the glen, for his legs were not as nimble as they once had been and his back had a rheumaticky stiffness. Alan departed with great strides for the Carnbeg tops, and James Fraser, the youngest and the leanest, set out for Carnmore, with the speed of an Indian hunter . . . Darkness gave place to the translucence of early dawn: the badger trotted home from his wanderings: the hill-fox barked in the cairns to summon his household: sleepy pipits awoke: