neck and clinging to him). You love me, don't you, David? KEENEY (in amazed embarrassment at this outburst). Love you? Why d' you ask me such a question, Annie?

MRS. KEENEY (shaking him fiercely). But you do, don't you, David? Tell me!

KEENEY. I'm your husband, Annie, and you're my wife. Could there be aught but love between us after all these years?

MRS. KEENEY (shaking him again - still more fiercely). Then you do love me. Say it!

KEENEY (simply). I do, Annie.

MRS. KEENEY. (Gives a sigh of relief - her hands drop to her sides. KEENEY regards her anxiously. She passes her hand across her eyes and murmurs half to herself.) I sometimes think if we could only have had a child. (KEENEY turns away from her, deeply moved. She grabs his arm and turns him around to face her — intensely.) And I've always been a good wife to you, have n't I, David?

KEENEY (his voice betraying his emotion). No man ever had a better, Annie.

MRS. KEENEY. And I've never asked for much from you, have I, David? Have I?

KEENEY. You know you could have all I got the power to give ye, Annie.

MRS. KEENEY (wildly). Then do this, this once, for my sake, for God's sake - take me home! It's killing me, this life the brutality and cold and horror of it. I'm going mad. I can feel the threat in the air. I can hear the silence threatening me- day after gray day and every day the same. I can't bear it. (Sobbing.) I'll go mad, I know I will. Take me home, David, if you love me as you say. I'm afraid. For the love of God, take me home!

(She throws her arms around him, weeping against his shoulder. His face betrays the tremendous struggle going on within him. He holds her out at arm's length,

his expression softening. For a moment his shoulders sag, he becomes old, his iron spirit weakens as he looks at her tear-stained face.)

KEENEY (dragging out the words with an effort). I'll do it, Annie for your sake - if you say it's needful for ye. MRS. KEENEY (with wild joy-kissing him). God bless you for that, David!

(He turns away from her silently and walks toward the companionway. Just at that moment there is a clatter of footsteps on the stairs and the SECOND MATE enters the cabin.)

MATE (excitedly). The ice is breakin' up to no❜th'rd, sir. There's a clear passage through the floe, and clear water beyond, the lookout says.

(KEENEY straightens himself like a man coming out of a trance. MRS. KEENEY looks at the MATE with terrified eyes.)

KEENEY (dazedly — trying to collect his thoughts). A clear passage? To no'th'rd?

MATE. Yes, sir.

KEENEY (his voice suddenly grim with determination). Then get her ready and we'll drive her through. MATE. Aye, aye, sir.

Ms. KEENEY (appealingly). David!

KEENEY (not heeding her). Will the men turn to willin' or must we drag 'em out?

MATE. They'll turn to willin' enough. You put the fear o' God into 'em, sir. They're meek as lambs.

KEENEY. Then drive 'em - both watches. (With grim determination) They's whale t'other side o' this floe and we're going to git 'em.

MATE. Aye, aye, sir.

7

(He goes out hurriedly. A moment later there is the

sound of scuffing feet from the deck outside and the MATE's voice shouting orders.)

KEENEY (speaking aloud to himself — derisively). And I was a-goin' home like a yaller dog!

MRS. KEENEY (imploringly). David!

KEENEY (sternly). Woman, you ain't a-doin' right when you meddle in men's business and weaken 'em. You can't know my feelin's. I got to prove a man to be a good husband for ye to take pride in. I got to git the ile, I tell ye. MRS. KEENEY (supplicatingly). David! Aren't you going home?

KEENEY (ignoring this question-commandingly). You ain't well. Go and lay down a mite. (He starts for the door.) I got to git on deck.

(He goes out. She cries after him in anguish, “David!" A pause. She passes her hand across her eyes then commences to laugh hysterically and goes to the organ. She sits down and starts to play wildly an old hymn. KEENEY reënters from the doorway to the deck and stands looking at her angrily. He comes over and grabs her roughly by the shoulder.)

KEENEY. Woman, what foolish mockin' is this? (She laughs wildly, and he starts back from her in alarm.) Annie! What is it? (She does n't answer him. KEENEY's voice trembles.) Don't you know me, Annie?

(He puts both hands on her shoulders and turns her around so that he can look into her eyes. She stares up at him with a stupid expression, a vague smile on her lips. He stumbles away from her, and she commences softly to play the organ again.)

KEENEY (swallowing hard — in a hoarse whisper, as if he had difficulty in speaking). You said you was agoin' mad - God!

(A long wail is heard from the deck above: "Ah bl-0-0-0-ow!" A moment later the MATE's face appears through the skylight. He cannot see MRS. KEENEY.) MATE (in great excitement). Whales, sir - a whole school

of 'em - off the starb'd quarter 'bout five mile away big ones!

KEENEY (galvanized into action). Are you lowerin' the boats?

MATE. Yes, sir.

KEENEY (with grim decision). I'm a-comin' with ye. MATE. Aye, aye, sir. (Jubilantly) You'll git the ile now right enough, sir.

(His head is withdrawn and he can be heard shouting orders.)

KEENEY (turning to his wife). Annie! Did you hear him? I'll git the ile. (She does n't answer or seem to know he is there. He gives a hard laugh, which is almost a groan.) I know you're foolin' me, Annie. You ain't out of your mind - (anxiously) be you? I'll git the ile now right enough — jest a little while longer, Annie - then we'll turn hom❜ard. I can't turn back now, you see that, don't ye? I've got to git the ile. (In sudden terror) Answer me! You ain't mad, be you?

(She keeps on playing the organ, but makes no reply.

The MATE's face appears again through the skylight.) MATE. All ready, sir.

(KEENEY turns his back on his wife and strides to the doorway, where he stands for a moment and looks back at her in anguish, fighting to control his feelings.) MATE. Comin', sir?

KEENEY (his face suddenly grown hard with determination). Aye.

(He turns abruptly and goes out. MRS. KEENEY does not appear to notice his departure. Her whole attention seems centred in the organ. She sits with half-closed eyes, her body swaying a little from side to side to the rhythm of the hymn. Her fingers move faster and faster and she is playing wildly and discordantly as the Curtain falls.)

CAMPBELL OF KILMHOR1

J. A. FERGUSON

CHARACTERS

MARY STEWART

MORAG CAMERON

DUGALD STEWART

CAPTAIN SANDEMAN

ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL

JAMES MACKENZIE

SCENE: Interior of a lonely cottage on the road from Struan to Rannoch in North Perthshire.

TIME: After the Rising of 1745.

MORAG is restlessly moving backwards and forwards. The old woman is seated on a low stool beside the peat fire in the centre of the floor.

The room is scantily furnished and the women are poorly clad. MORAG is barefooted. At the back is the door that leads to the outside. On the left of the door is a small window. On the right side of the room there is a door that opens into a barn. MORAG stands for a moment at the window, looking out.

1 Included by special permission of the publishers, Messrs. Gowans and Gray, Glasgow.