their chief, macgregor of macgregor, was in exile; the more immediate leader of that part of them about balquhidder, james more, rob roy's eldest son, lay waiting his trial in edinburgh castle; they were in ill-blood with highlander and lowlander, with the grahames, the maclarens, and the stewarts; and alan, who took up the quarrel of any friend, however distant, was extremely wishful to avoid them.