in blood to me as any in the house are to you, and therefore I
will be as kind to him as you are to them." He then called upon
Hector to surrender and come forth from the burning pile, assuring
him of his life. This he did; but Donald Dubh MacGillechriost Mhic
Gillereach, a Kenlochewe man, made for the door with his two-edged
sword drawn, whereupon Hector seeing him called out to John that he
would rather be burned where he was than face Donald Dubh. John
called the latter away, and Hector rushed out into his nephew's arms
and embraced him. That same night John and Hector, without "Dysman,"
saving God and such commons as were then present, agreed and
condescended that Hector should have the estate till John was
twenty-one years of age, and that John should live on his own
purchases till then, Hector was to set the whole estate immediately,
as tutor to John, which next day he went about. "I cannot forget
what passed betwixt him and the foresaid Donald at the set of
Kenlochewe, who was one of the first that sought land from him, which
when he sought, Hector says to him: 'I wonder, Donald, how you can
ask land this day, that was so forward to kill me the last day.'
Donald answered that 'if he had such a leader this day as he had that
night he should show him no better quarters, for Kenneth's death
(meaning Kenneth Aack) struck nearer my heart than any prejudice you
can do me in denying me land this day.' Hector said, 'Well Donald, I
doubt ye not if you had such coildghys (coldhaltas - fosterage) to me
as you had to that man but you would act the like for me. Therefore
you shall have your choice of all the land in the country.' Hector
having set the whole estate as tutor, all things seemed fair, only
that Allan and his faction in Kintail, who previously urged John
to possess himself of Ellandonnan Castle, were not satisfied with
the arrangement, as John was still kept out of the stronghold,
'which Hector would not grant, not being condescended on (and as