Stevenson was plagued from childhood with poor health, specifically tuberculosis. In his travels he was on the lookout for a better climate, also for the romance and adventure he always felt were just around the corner. When excitement lagged, he invented it.THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE is a case in point. Set against the background of Scotland's revolt against England in the 1740s, the story concerns a lifelong family feud between the Master of Ballantrae and his younger brother.