Kidnapped | Page 2

in the trial that point to Alan's fiery spirit and Highland
quickness to take offence. One witness "declared also That the said Alan Breck
threatened that he would challenge Ballieveolan and his sons to fight because of his
removing the declarant last year from Glenduror." On another page: "Duncan Campbell,
change-keeper at Annat, aged thirty-five years, married, witness cited, sworn, purged and
examined ut supra, depones, That, in the month of April last, the deponent met with Alan
Breck Stewart, with whom he was not acquainted, and John Stewart, in Auchnacoan, in
the house of the walk miller of Auchofragan, and went on with them to the house: Alan
Breck Stewart said, that he hated all the name of Campbell; and the deponent said, he had
no reason for doing so: But Alan said, he had very good reason for it: that thereafter they
left that house; and, after drinking a dram at another house, came to the deponent's house,
where they went in, and drunk some drams, and Alan Breck renewed the former
Conversation; and the deponent, making the same answer, Alan said, that, if the deponent
had any respect for his friends, he would tell them, that if they offered to turn out the
possessors of Ardshiel's estate, he would make black cocks of them, before they entered
into possession by which the deponent understood shooting them, it being a common
phrase in the country."
Some time after the publication of Kidnapped we stopped for a short while in the Appin
country, where we were surprised and interested to discover that the feeling concerning
the murder of Glenure (the "Red Fox," also called "Colin Roy") was almost as keen as
though the tragedy had taken place the day before. For several years my husband
received letters of expostulation or commendation from members of the Campbell and
Stewart clans. I have in my possession a paper, yellow with age, that was sent soon after
the novel appeared, containing "The Pedigree of the Family of Appine," wherein it is said
that "Alan 3rd Baron of Appine was not killed at Flowdoun, tho there, but lived to a great
old age. He married Cameron Daughter to Ewen Cameron of Lochiel." Following this is
a paragraph stating that "John Stewart 1st of Ardsheall of his descendants Alan Breck had
better be omitted. Duncan Baan Stewart in Achindarroch his father was a Bastard."
One day, while my husband was busily at work, I sat beside him reading an old cookery
book called The Compleat Housewife: or Accomplish'd Gentlewoman's Companion. In
the midst of receipts for "Rabbits, and Chickens mumbled, Pickled Samphire, Skirret Pye,
Baked Tansy," and other forgotten delicacies, there were directions for the preparation of
several lotions for the preservation of beauty. One of these was so charming that I
interrupted my husband to read it aloud. "Just what I wanted!" he exclaimed; and the
receipt for the "Lily of the Valley Water" was instantly incorporated into Kidnapped.
F. V. DE G. S.

DEDICATION
MY DEAR CHARLES BAXTER:
If you ever read this tale, you will likely ask yourself more questions than I should care to
answer: as for instance how the Appin murder has come to fall in the year 1751, how the

Torran rocks have crept so near to Earraid, or why the printed trial is silent as to all that
touches David Balfour. These are nuts beyond my ability to crack. But if you tried me on
the point of Alan's guilt or innocence, I think I could defend the reading of the text. To
this day you will find the tradition of Appin clear in Alan's favour. If you inquire, you
may even hear that the descendants of "the other man" who fired the shot are in the
country to this day. But that other man's name, inquire as you please, you shall not hear;
for the Highlander values a secret for itself and for the congenial exercise of keeping it I
might go on for long to justify one point and own another indefensible; it is more honest
to confess at once how little I am touched by the desire of accuracy. This is no furniture
for the scholar's library, but a book for the winter evening school-room when the tasks
are over and the hour for bed draws near; and honest Alan, who was a grim old fire-eater
in his day has in this new avatar no more desperate purpose than to steal some young
gentleman's attention from his Ovid, carry him awhile into the Highlands and the last
century, and pack him to bed with some engaging images to mingle with his dreams.
As for you, my dear Charles, I do not even ask you to like this tale. But perhaps when he
is older,