In he steps , and gets papers from King George , to be so-called King 's factor on the lands of Appin . And at first he sings small , and is hail-fellow-well-met with Sheamus -- that 's James of the Glens , my chieftain 's agent . But by-and-by , that came to his ears that I have just told you ; how the poor commons of Appin , the farmers and the crofters and the boumen , were wringing their very plaids to get a second rent , and send it over-seas for Ardshiel and his poor bairns . What was it ye called it , when I told ye ? '' `` I called it noble , Alan , '' said I. `` And you little better than a common Whig ! '' cries Alan . `` But when it came to Colin Roy , the black Campbell blood in him ran wild . He sat gnashing his teeth at the wine table . What ! should a Stewart get a bite of bread , and him not be able to prevent it ? Ah ! Red Fox , if ever I hold you at a gun 's end , the Lord have pity upon ye ! '' -LRB- Alan stopped to swallow down his anger . -RRB- `` Well , David , what does he do ? He declares all the farms to let . And , thinks he , in his black heart , ` I 'll soon get other tenants that 'll overbid these Stewarts , and Maccolls , and Macrobs ' -LRB- for these are all names in my clan , David -RRB- ; ` and then , ' thinks he , ` Ardshiel will have to hold his bonnet on a French roadside . ' '' `` Well , '' said I , `` what followed ? '' Alan laid down his pipe , which he had long since suffered to go out , and set his two hands upon his knees . `` Ay , '' said he , `` ye 'll never guess that ! For these same Stewarts , and Maccolls , and Macrobs -LRB- that had two rents to pay , one to King George by stark force , and one to Ardshiel by natural kindness -RRB- offered him a better price than any Campbell in all broad Scotland ; and far he sent seeking them -- as far as to the sides of Clyde and the cross of Edinburgh -- seeking , and fleeching , and begging them to come , where there was a Stewart to be starved and a red-headed hound of a Campbell to be pleasured ! ''
`` Well , XXXXX , '' said I , `` that is a strange story , and a fine one , too .
Alan Campbell Clyde Edinburgh Macrobs Roy Scotland Sheamus Stewart second