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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (June 2, 1895)
THE OM.AITA DAILT BEE : SUNDAY , JUNE 2 , 1895. CHAPTER xvin. TUB SANQUH'S DECLARATION. I think It was during the week I lay thus In the burn at the Uuohrac , often with Richard Cameron or Ills young brother Aflcl.aol at my back In the nulet of the corn mew , that first I got within me the true iplrlt of the covenant. I heard all the sins nd the sins of Scotland redd * up and made plain ; for In the night watches Cameron Mid his brother had great communlngs to gether. Richard was all for bolns done with the authority of llio king , and making but one cast of It. Michael thought that the time was not ripe nor the men ready. Now these two youths were they who chiefly set Scotland In a lowe at thla time , when Laudcrdalo had nearly trampled out the red clndera of the flre of the Presbytery. It was strange to think that he who should blow them aialn Into a flame had once been but Prelatlst. and that from the wlckod shire of Klfe , When ono cast it up to him , lllchard Cameron said : "Ayo , It humbles us all to remember the pit from which wo were dragged ! " Then one night In the barn we gave In very BOlemnly our adhesions to the disowning of Charlca Stuart and his brother James all save my cousin Wet , who said : "I canna bide to cast off the blood of Druce. I had rather kiss Argyll's maiden. " And with that , early In the morning ho left us , which was a grief to me , for ho and I had been brothers In peril during many months. Whither ho went I knew not then , but It thall bo related In Its proper place , and all that befell him In his lonely wander ing * after he parted from me. "We must not do thl ? thing lightly or gladly , " Mild Richard1 Cameron to u that nboilo with him In the turn.Ve have laid our account * with the worst that the govern mcnt may do to us. Wo count not our lives dear to uo. We see plainly that naught Is to be gained save by defiance any more. The Indulgence Is but a dish of sowens with a muirlo thereafter to make us forever dumb dogs that will not bark. Who shall hinderer or hlnino If we choci'e to Iny down our lives In the high places of the field that the old faith bo not forgotten , neither the old cove nant engagements to our Lord Christ forever abrogated ? " Yet I think there was not ono of us that was not heart-sorry to break with the House of Stuart , for , after all , wo were In Scotland , nnd had vlood for the Scots house aiU the Scots king against Cromwell and * thu sup- plantcrs. At any rate , let It not be said of us that wo did thU thing lightly , but rather with heavy ho&rlo that the Ulng had been BO far left to hlmielf as to forswear am abandon the solemn engagements which ho had tin lorlakcn. So It came to pass In the middays of th year that ono afternoon wo rods nwo ; through the lonely hills by Mlnnyhlvo , an turned north up the fair valley of the water of Nlth. Here and there we gathered ono to whom the word had been passed , finding thorn waiting for us nt some loaning too or at the mouth of some clen. Llttlo we said when a friend Joined us ; for our work via sad nnd solemn , and to bo done once and for all. Wo rode as it wcro under the shadow of the. scaffold. Vet I think we thought not so much of ourselves as of the women folk that abode nt homo. I know tha't I reared for my mother , who was now llko to loao her two sons as she bad afore time lost her husband , and sometime * thought of the l.tss Malslc Lennox , and wha she would do wanting her father. I3ut this I put from mo , for , after all Covenanting was man's business , and a lllchard Cameron said : "They that are trystcd to the Master' work must talglo themselves with no othiv marriage engagements ! " At the Mcnlck foot , where that long pas begins , there met us ton men of the uppe word , all deuce and stalwart men , armci nnd horsed as well as any of our men out o Galloway. I w.is the youngest of them al there , and IndeoJ the only ono that was no a mighty man of his arms. There wa some talk of leaving mo at Duchrao to keo ; the place which I knew to bo bnt an ex cuso. nut one Jame * Gray of Chryston , laird's son nnd a strong man , cried out "Let the lad come , for his brother ( Sandy' sake ! " A saying which nettled mo , nnd I re piled Inttontly : "Let any man stand out against > n with the pistol and small sword and I wl' show him cause why I should conio to mlno own ! " At this Cameron rebuked me : "Ah , William , I BCO well that thou has the old Adam In theo yet. Was there cvo a Gordon that would not go ram-stam a the boar , whatpvcr his religion ? " And I who knew that I had spoken as carnal man wus somewhat shamed , Ye was I glad also that no man took my cha k.f A HEAD AT EVEHY WINDOW. > . lengo , tor Indeed I had small skill ot the word , and with the shearing ( word , cspo- clally , my blows were as rat-tall licks to the dead btrlkea ot Hlchard Cameron , or even my brother Sandy. Uut nevertheless only to xay the thing did mo good like medicine. So Into the town of Sanquhar we rode two * nd two , \ory Blow and quiet , for Cameroi had forbade us to rlJo with a tight reli * nd the horses clmrnplng , as Indfcd . longed to do for prldo. "For tloa do the king's troopers when they enter a town to taka tb eye * of tbe unthinking. Hut contrariwise wo are to come to do a deed In Scotland that shal not bo forgotten whlla Kith water runs nnd to tU a band which shall not be broken though. We oursahea nbtll fall and th * Bpfledily that know w well but th * which wn do thla day Khali ono tay ! brlnK th * tyrant'i downfall ! " And 10 , Indeed , It proved to be. Banquhar In ever a itlll place , at though tber * were no other < 3 y thare bat Ui * Sab Cleared up. bath only. Also the Inhabitants are deuce and grave and so remain to thla day buyw Ing and selling , eating nnd drinking , ns though they were alone on Godls universe , But that ( 'ay an wo came riding on up the street there was a head at every window and I heard the wives cry : "Tho hill folk have risen and come riding Into Sanquharl" And this pleased mo In the heart , though I know well I should have haJ my mini set on other matters. At the crow wo formed up , setting our hort-os ten on olther sldo and Richard Cam eron In the midst , dismounted and standing on the steps of the cress. Wo sat still and ulot , all being bareheaded. Tor show I had ilucked my brand out of Its scabbard. But Cameron sternly bade me put It back again , nil gave ijits his ho o to hold Instead. Which grieved nnd Phamcd mo at the time adly enough , though now I am both proud and glad of It. The tlmo for drawn steel Is yet to como , Vllllam. Be sure that thou art then ns ready as now , " he said. Then wo sang our psalm of Covenant koop- nfj , and the hills gave It back to us. though .he angels were echoing the singing of It softly In hcavtn along with us. After that Jamcron flood up very strlght , and on his ftco , which was as the face of a lion , there tai a great tenderness , albeit of the sterner iort. iort.The The townsfolk stood about , but not too lear. being careful anJ cautious lest they should be called In question for compliance with the deed , and the strange work done by us that day ; for the king's ibcoopnct gath ered wide. Alw the Innocent were often called to Judgment , especially If they had something to ioso in goods or gear , as was the case with many of the well-doing burgh ers of Sanquhar. "This dny , " crlod Cameron , solemnly , after ho had prayed , "do wo como to this town of Sanquhar to cost off our allegiance to Charles Stuart and his brother James. Not hastily , neither to make ourselves to be spoken about , but with solemnity ns men that enter well knowing Into the antecham ber of death. And wo desired our own lives , wo should receive tests and Indul gences thankfully , nnd go alt In our kennels llko donco tykes that are ready to run at the whlstlo. But for all that , we arc loyal men and no rebels , though today we cast oft Charles Stuart aye , and will do our best to make nn end of his rule , BO that he shall no more reign over tills' realm. This wo shall do , not by private assassination , which we abhor her and abominate , but by levying open war. Yet wo are loyal to any covenanted king aye , nnd had Charles Stuart kept his en- gagementB , plighted and sworn , thuro Is no man here that would not right gladly have laid down his llfo for him. "All 3e 4hat stand by , hear the word of Richard Cameron ! There are these behind me , who heard with tholr ears the oath that tha klng.sws.roiat Perth , when before the solemn convocation ho spako these words : 'I , Charles. King of Great Brltalnand Ire land , do assure and declare by my solemn oath In ( the Yiresenco of Almighty God , the Searcher''oT ' th"e hearts , my allowance and approbation of the national covenant nnd of the solemn league and covenant above written , and faithfully oblige myself to pros ecute the ends thereof In my station and calling. ' "Tho king , " cried Cameron , "who swaro those oaths hath cast us off. We have not cast oft the Iring ! There Is ono waiting In the low countries whence I came and lookIng - Ing toward the hills of Scotland , to see II there be any faithful. Shall the fortress be utterly broken down , with none to build her up ? Are there no watchmen to tell the towers thereof none to cry from rampart to rampart. 'What of the night ? ' Ay. there be at the least twenty men here that have not bowed the knco to Baal , This day wo como to lay down our lives , as happily as children that have spent tlclr ) play day In the fields , and , being tired , lay them down to sleep. But ere we go , because the time cannot be long , wo come to give the banner of the Lord once more to the winds the banner of that other kingdom In Scotland that Is Christ's. Behold ! " And with that ho lifted up the banner staff which ho held In his hand , and there floated oot upon the pqual blowing wind the blue banner of Christ's covenant. And as the golden scroll of It took the air there came that Into the hearts of most of ns , that which filled them to the overflow. The tears ran down and fell upon our horses' necks. "For Christ's crown and covenant , " ran the legend , Then we gathered ourselves closer about the battle flag , for which wo had como out to die. An ono man wo drew our awards , nor did Cameron now gainsay us , and lifting them high up , till the sun glinted bonnlty upon them , wo sang our solemn banding song. I never felt my heart so high or heaven so near , not oven at the great field preaching by the water of Dee , when 1 aat by the aide of Malale Lennox. Even thus we sang1 God la our rcfugo and our strength , In strnlts n present aid ; Therefflreuplthousli the earth remove , We will not bo afraid. Then wo' rode out , for once gallantly enough , having solemnly sst ourselves to face the king In open field that were but twenty men against three kingdoms. Well we knew that wo should be put down , but we knew also that so lone as there were men In Scot land to do aa we had dona that day , the cause and the flag would never be wholly put down. So the deuce Uurghers of Sanquhar watched u ride away , our swords gleaming naked be cause we had apptaled to the aword , and were prepared to perish by the sword , as the word Is , Also , our blue banner of the Cove nant waved bravely over our heads In token of our dependence on Jehovah , the God ot battles. And as we rode It was I , William Gordon of EarUtoun , who carried the banner ataff , for Richard Cameron had given It Into my hands. So I had not lived In rain , and Sandy would never again bid me sow bairn clouts and bide at homo among the women. I wished my father had been alive to see me. CHAPTER XIX. THE LAST CHARGE AT AYRSMOSS. The morning of the 2d ot July dawned solemnly clear. U promlaed to be a day ot hent , for the haze lay long In the hol low * , hesitating to disappear , and there was the brooding of thunder In the air. i We that wcro of Cameron's 1'ltlo company found ourselves In , , wild place on the moors. Most of our Galloway men bad betaken themselves home , and they that had como out ot LanarVahlro.'ttniJ ' Ayr were the greater part of the scanty company. The name of the place where we sojourned was Ajrrs- moss. We had Iain sleepless and anxious all night , with watchers posted among tbe mosshaBS. Richard Cameron spoke ofteq to ns , nod told us that the matter bad come to the narrow and bitter pass. "It la the day ot the Lord's anger , " ho said , "and It la expedient that some men dta tor tha people ! " Wo told him that wo were ready and that from the beginning via had counted on noth ing else. Hut I felt within me desperately Ill-prepared ; ret , tor the sake of the. banner I carried. I raid nothing. It was about 10 of the day , anil because vre heard not from our folk who had been posted to give warning , vre cent oat other two to find thoui. Then , having uke-n a mesl ol meat' 'for Ui * trailer lUitaJOlar of our bodies , we lay down to sleep for an hour on a pleasant green place which Is all surrounded by morasses , for we had gotten no rest the night before. Now , I think wo wcro all fey at this time , for wo laid us down on the edge of the moss In a place that la open to all. And this when we might have withdrawn ourselves deep Into the bog , and so darned ourselves among the "quahklng quaii , " tbe dangerous and Impassable floxvcs , so that no dragoons In the world could have como at us. Dut this wo did not , for the word and doom were written. U was our enemies' day. Aa Cameron nald that mornlnff as we passed the house of William Mitchell Jn Meadow- head , and when they brought htm out a basin and water to wash hla hands , also a towel wherewith to dry them * "This Is their last washing. My head and hands are now cleaned for the offering ! " So we laid us down among a great swirlIng - Ing of whaups and crying of peesweeps.'for the season of their nesting was hardly over , and all the moorland was astir with their plaintive notes. After a long tlmo I awoke , dreaming that Malslo Lennox steed by my 'bedside ' and took my hand , raying , ' /The kyo nro In the corn ! " I sat up , and , lo' ' there within half a mile , and beating the moor In search of us , were two great companies of dragoons of the number of about 120 , aa near as at a glance I could reckon. My heart gave a stoiind , and I said to myself. "This Is surely thy death-day. William Gordon ! " And the word Bounded strangely In my heart , for I J had begun to think my llfo worth living In these latter doya , and was none BO keen upon the dying as were some other of our company. But I awakened Cameron and his brother Michael , and also David Hackstoun of Rath I- Ict , that was a soldier most stern , but a Just man according to hla lights. And they sat np and saw the soldiers sweeping the moor. Uut , ns I cay , -no were all toy. for even then It was within our power to have escaped the violence of the men of war. Very easily could we have left our horses and betaken us Into the deepest parts of the bottomless , shaking bogs , where no man could have followed us. But the thought came not to us : at the time , forGed God had so ordered It that Scotland was best to be served that day by the death of many of His servants. There were In our company twenty-thrco that had horses and forty that had none. But wo were all armed In some sort of fa&hlon. Now , this lllchard Cameron had In him both the heart of a fighter and the fear- Ussr.eas of a man assured of his Interest. Ho cried out to Inquire of us If we were flrmly set In our minds to fight , and with one volco we answered "Aye ! " We were of one heart and one mind. Our company and converse had been sweet In the darkness , and now we were set to dlo together In the noorday as men that have made them ready. So In that sullen morning , with the birds crying and the mist drawing down Into thunder clouds , wo rose to make our last stand. I had given up all thought of escape , and was putting in hard sleeks nt the pray ing , for the Bins that were on my soul were many , and I had , too , recently taken to that way of thinking to have the absuranco of my elders. Now , the soldiers that came against us wore the finest companies of Alrly's and Strachan's dragoons gallant lads all newly brought to that countryside and not Inured to the cruel riding and ( shotting as other companies wore. I have not a word to say against the way they fought , though as their duty was they came against us with haste and fury. Our quarrel was not with them , but with their master. They rode gallantly this way and that through the morasses , and came on bravely. Bruce of Earshall wan over them , but John Crichton was their best fighter. A stark and cmel man ho was , that would have hunted us all down If he could. Ho fought that day with his blade swinging , damning and cursing between every blow. Hut , Mr all , ho was sick nnd sorry ere he left this field. Tor If over man did , ho met his match-when he crossed swords with the Lion of the Covenant. It was Rathlllet who chose the place of strength for us to make our stand , and as It seemed and mostly proved , take our deaths upon. There was llttlo ttrao for the word nnd prayer. But , as was our custom , wo Hans ; a cheerful psalm , and lifted up our bonnets whllo Cam eron prayed. "Lord , spare the greeVi , and take the ripe ! " That was the whole matter of this supplication. "Wo may never bo In better cafe to die. I sec the gates of heaven cast wide open to receive us. " And I noted that all the time ot our sing ing David Hackstoun of Hathlllet waa look ing to the priming of his pistols , and drawIng - Ing the edge of his sword blade along the back of his hand , as one who tries a razor ere he sets It to his chin. Then the com panies of the enemy halted on the edge ot the mots where the ground was yet firm. They seemed not disinclined for a parley. "no you own the king's authority ? " cried one among them. It was Bruce of Earl- shall , a bulrdly" chiel and not one greatly cruel ; but rather like Monmouth , anxious to let the poor remnant have its due. "Aye ! " cried Cameron. "We own the king's authority. " "Wherefore , then , stand ye there In arms against hU forces ? ' cams the answer back. "Yield , and ye shall have quarter and fair ccr.duct In Edlnburg1" Tbe man spako none so evlly for a per secutor , and In my heart I liked him. "I thank you. Captain Bruce , for your fair speech , " cried Cameron , "but I wet well yon mean fair passage to the Grassmarket. The king we own Is not King Charles Stuart , and It Ilketh us to go to our king's court through the crash ot battle rather than through the hank of the hangman's rope. " "This preacher's no man of straw fight he will , " I heard them say ono to the other , for they were near to us , even at the foot of the opposite hill. Then our horsemen , of whom I was one. closed In order without further word , and our foot drew out , over the moss in readiness to fire. David Hackstoun was with us on our1 left , and Captain Fouler on the right. But Richard Cameron was always a llttlo alieacl ot us all. with his brother Michael with him on one side , and I , riding my Gallpway nag , close upon hla right flank which waa an honorable pcot for ono so young aa I , and served withal to keep my spirits up. Just before he gave the word to charge he cried out to us , pointing with his sword "Yonder Is the way to the good soldier's crown ! " The day had been clouding over , tbe heat growing almost Intolerable. It was now about 2 In tbo afternoon. It was easy to see , had we had the eyes to observe It , that a thunder storm was brewing , and even as Richard Cameron stretched out his sword over hla horse's head and cried on to us to charge In the name of the Lord , the first levin-bolt shot down glittering Into the moor like a forked silver arrow , and over our head the whole firmament ralretl and crashed , "Tho captain of our salvation calls for us ! " cried Cameron. "Who follovrs after when the Son of God rides forth to war ? " So with that we lowered our sword points and drave at them. I think I must have ridden with my eyes shut down that little green knowe with the short grass under foot. I know that even as we rode the thunder began to roar about us , girding us In a continuous ring of llghtnjng flashes. Yet at the time I seemed to lido through a world of empty allencet'.even when I atruck tha red broil of battle. I could see Cameron crying out anil waving his sword before ua as our horses .feathered way , but I remember no more till the shock came and wo found ourselves threshing headlong among them. I fired my pistols right and left , and .set them In my belt again , though the habit was to throw them away. I had my sword dangling by a llngel or tag at my right wrist , for I had learned from Wat Gordon how to fight upon horseback when It came to the charge. The first man that I came against was a great dragoon on a gray horse. He shouted an oath of contempt , seeing me so slender and pnny. Yet tor all bli bulk I bad him on tbe wrong side , ao that he could not use bla aword arm with advantage. And aa I passed on my atout little nag I got my sword well home under hla armpit and tumbled him off In tbe mire. The stcntrifs * of oar charge took the enemy entirely by surprise. Indeed.atterward they Cave ns all the testimony of being brave , resolute elute men ; and , Uk soldtera and gentlemen aa they were , they used them that wera taken very civilly. I could aea Cameron before me , smiling and allying , allying and smiting , ris ing In hla stirrup at every blow and calling on hU men. It was a wild , flero * time , all Sturdy , toe short , a happy tunrtoll of blows wherein I drank < for the first time the heady delight ofgr battle. AH over the wild moss ot Ayr that great day the swords flickered llko lightning ( lashes. Oh. how many quiet times would I not give for such another wager of bitlle. Overhead i all the universe roared as wo fought ! , but I had no thought save of the n ed to keep the point np , thrusting , parrying , and striking as God gave me ? ability. . Right In the midst oft th press there came two at mo from opposite sides , and I saw very well that , If I got no help , there was no more of life fpr me. "Richard ! " 1 cried , and the shout must have gone to our leader's car _ , though I iny.'i-lf could not hear It , so great waa clangor nnd the din , Cameron was smiting with the strength of ten Immediately In my front. In a moment moro he cleareilalitt point , pierced his man , and turned. Tiio man on my left swerved hla her o out of-Ms-war , for he came with a surge ; but the' ' lotlwr , whom I took to be Crichton , met.dilm fair , blade to Wade. The III at clash of ( he swords were mighty. These two lowering black men met nnd knew each other as theyt looked ono another In t'no . . eyea. -n , But I could SPO that Cameron was ever the stronger and swltttr , though Crichton had somewhat the rh'brA'kklll , Crichton tried to pass him a little , that he might get arm play for his famous1 badU strokes , wlierewlCii he was renouned tfVMmre' cut off a man's head at a blow ; but Cameron measured his gturd and the blow whetted harmless past his ear. Then camp the return. The preacher's sword streaked put straight and level , and for a moment seemed to stand full mid-blade In the dragoon's side. The next moment iwe found ourselves out side the first line. We had broken our way through , nnd the enemy were In confusion behind us. I saw many single combats go Ing forward , and In especial a most noble light between David Hackstoun of Rathlltet and ono of his own acquaintances , by name David Ramsay , a gentleman of his country As they fought I could hear Hackstoun whom nothing could daunt or disturb , ask- liead high In the air casting U from him Into the aky , till It seemed to enter Into tha dark , cloud trhero the thunder brooded and the smoke ot powder hung. "God of battles , receive my sinful soult" ho cried. And with that ho Joined his hands like a man that dlvea for swimming ; and , unwounded - wounded , unhurt , dgfencelesR , Richard Cam eron sprang upon a hundred sword points. Thus dle < l tha bravest man In broad Scot land , whom men callrd , and called well , the Lion of the Covenant , And , even as lip passed , the heavens cptned , and the whole flrmancnt seemed but one g roil lightning Hash , to that all stcod aghast at the marvellous brlghtncsj , which occasioned the saying Ihnt OoJ sent a chariot of flre with hones ot whiteness to bring ' .uino to Him the soul of Richard Cameron. Whereof some men bear testimony that they saw ; but Indeed I saw nothing buta won- dtous lightning flash over the whole heaven. Then , a moment after , the thunder crashed , like thoi breaking up of the world , and there was an end. CHAPTER XX. WITH THE HEATHER-CAT As for me , when I had seen tills , thinking It to be enough , I put spurs to my little Gal loway , and wo were soon at speed over the moss-hags , My boast was well acquainted with moss running , for It had not carried me so often over the moor to Lochlnvar for nothing. J heard tempestuous crying , as of men that pursued , and behind me the roar of battle sank Into silence. Once I glanced behind and saw many footmen running and horsemen rising and falling In tholr sad dles. But. all being last , I left the Held of Ayrsmoss bihlnd me as fast as I might , and set my horse's head over the roughest and boggiest country , keeping toward Dalmelltng- ton , for the wilderness was now to be my home. For the time I had had enough of ubelllon under arms , I wait not unfaith ful to the cause , nor did I regret what I had done. But I judged that , for some tlmo THE UNIVERSE ROARED AS WE FOUGHT. Ing Ramsay all the news of the country side , and how such a one did , what wlfo had gotten Another child , and whether It were a lad or a lass. 'Which Is a thing I should never have believed If any man had told mo ; and when I set It down hero I ex pect not to be believed of any , save by these who have been lii the thick of a civil war themselves. Dut all that know David Hackstoun of Rathlllet will bellovo that tbls thing Is true of him. So ho fought , clashing swords and talking at Ills cato , without change of countenance , till he waa stricken down with throe coming on him at once from btlilnd. Then , seeing car horsemen scattered. Cameron - oren cried them to him , and we galloped toward their second line that came riding un broken toward us. Now , It was our mltfor- tuiio that the dragoons wcro stark fellows and had seen service , so that they gave not back as othera might have done , aeolng us coma on o determinedly. Rather lliey re served their flre till we were almost at the sword's length. Then they fired , nnd I saw our men falling over In twos and threes. Dut Richard Cameron still rode steadily , with Michael and myself behind him. His horse had been once white , but now was mostly dripping red a fearful sight to see. I heard afterward from old soldiers that had been In the flgtits of the ancient days , that no such terrifying Hsure had they ever seen In the wars since Nell led on the Ironsides at Mar- ston Moor. But Cameron's case was far more des perate than had ever been that of Oliver. "Smite ! Smite ! " he cried ; "tha sword of the Lord and of. Gideon. " Over all the field there was only tbo whinnying of swords'as they whistled through the aJr and at the edges the dropping rattle of the musketry. As we touched their iiecond line wp seemed to ride upon a breast- high wavs of flame , which might have been Earlshall'a flashing muskets or God's own level lightnings. I rode as I could behind Cameron , striking when I had opportunity and warding as I had need. Dut , though I was hero In the forefront of the battle , I was In the safest plapo ; for Richard Cameron ploughed a lane through their company , send ing them < o right and left before him as the foam U ploughed by a awlft vesiel. But our desperate rldera were now wearing few. I locked behind us , and only two oemed to bo In the saddle , James Gray of Chryston and Michael Cameron , who had promised to ding the Btoor that day out of his majesty's red clouts. I could see Chryston striking , and grunting as he struck , exactly like a man bagging hard wood with a blunt axe. So I found1 myself out at the side of the fltftit ; but , just as I thought myself clear , there came a blow on my steel cap that nearly dang me out of the saddle , and I drew out further again. Cameron had also won clear ; but seeing hu brother Michael hard beset he turned rein and drave In among the smother again/raging like the lion he was. How his horse kept bis feet on the moil I know not. fir Cameron aeernetl to be standing up In bis atirrups constantly , leanIng - Ing forward to give'his blade more play. So he rode Into tha ) midst of them till he was brought to a stand In what icemed a ring of foes. Even thera I could see his arm rise and fall as steadily as a man that flalli corn In a , barn. And wherever he struck there was a gap , { or there n/man went down. But more and more gathered about , threshing at him with their swords , "pome on borsa and some on foot llko boys'klntnff waips at tti * taking of a byke. Than when Tllctiatd Cameron saw that he tould do no more ; rfrtd that all tbe men were down that had followed him , hla brother Ulcha l also dying at hi * feet , ha swept bis iword about bio to clear a space for a moment , Thin be iwung the brand 'over hl to come , It were better for me not to see company , for I had no pleature In It. Now , In further tetlng my tale I must put together all the Incidents of my fleeting to the heathen , for that being a thing at the time rery frequently resorted to , It became at last a word In Ccotland that "to take to he hcaher was o be In ho way of getting grace. " Now , when I sped away to the southeast from Ayrsmoss , the folk I loved were all killed and I had no hope or hold ot any present resistance to the king. But my Galloway sheltle , being nimble on it feet , took me braTely over the moss-hags , carrying mo lightly and willingly as If I had been hare coursing on the green helms of the Ken. As I fled I kept glancing behind me and seeing the soldiers In red clothes and Mashing arms still pursuing after. I raw also our foot ( fhat had stood off when wo charged , and only fired as they saw need , scatter ing through the moss ) and the enemy riding about the borders wherever their hordes could go , firing at them. Yet I think that not many ot them were hurt In the pursuit , for the moss at that place waa very boss and full of bottomless bogs Illco that from which Patrlc Lalng drew t'jnt redoubtable persecu tor , Captain Crichton. Tlil Incident , In deed , bred In the breasts of the dragoons a wholesome fear of the soft hoggish placM , which made greatly In many Instances for the preservation of the wanderers , and In especial favored mo In my present enter prise. In a llttlo after two of the four dragoons that followed mo , seeing a man running llko to burst through the mesa , turned aside and spured their horse * after him , leaving but two to follow me. Yet after fhla I waa harder put to It than ever , for the sun was excedtngly hot above and the moss as difficult beneath. But I kept to Itthinking that , after all , by compari son , I waa In none such an evil case. For though my head ached with the steel cap upon It and my horeo sweated , yet It must have been much more doleful for the heavy beasti and completely accoutred dragoons toll ing In the rear. So over the broken places of the moor I went faster than they , though on the level turf they would doubtless scon have ridden me down. But , after all , they were but riding to kill ono whig the more , while I to save rny neck which made n mighty dif ference In , the earnestness of our Intents on that day 'of swltherlng lieat. Many a time It came to me to cast myself from my beast and run to the side , trusting to finding a , moss-hag whsre I might lie hidden up to my neck among tbe water with my head among the rushes. I saw many good and safe places Indeed , but I remem bered ( hat my iheUfo would be an adver tisement to the pursuers , so 1 held on my way. Besides , Donald had been a good friend to me , and was the only one of our company that tiad ever been on the bonny helms of EarUtoun. So that I waa kindly affectloncd to the beast , and kept htm to hli work though tbe country wag very moorish and tlio sun hot on my head , Once I was nearly taken. For aa I.rent , not knowing the way , I came to a morats wbero In the midst there waa a secure place , aa U seemed to me. I put Donald at It , and when , I reached the knoll to , It was only some nine or ten yards iquara Hie bottomless swelter of ahaklng bogs girding It ou all sides. Donald went to the girths at the first stride on the othar fide , xo that thera was nothing for It but to dismount and pull him out. Then up came the dragoons , rldlne heavily and cursing the sun and me. They rods round skirting the moan , for seeing tha evil case I was In , they dared not como nearer for fear of the same or worse. They kept wldo about me , crying , "Como out , dog , and bo shot I" Which , being but poor encouragement , I was In no wise eager to obey their summons. But by holding on to the heather ot the iilos by the kind providence of God , It was very long and tough I managed to get Donald out ct his peril. Ho was a biddable enough brast , and , being a llttlo deaf , ho < now not fear. For reestlng and terror among ' horse ) Is mostly but over-"iarpness 'n hearing , and an Imagination that they were better without. But Donald had no Rood hearing and no bad foreboding * . 80 when I pulled him among the long hcath-r and put his head dawn , he lay llko a scent log. cowered nlons by the side of the mrns- hags. Then the pair by the ettRe of the morass begin to shoot at IMP. for the dlstanc" was within the reach of n pistol ball. The first bullet that came clipped so clojo to my left ear that It took nwny a lock of my hair , which , contrary to my custom , had now grown longtsh. All this time they C'ased not for a moment to cry , "Como out , dog , and be shot ! " They wcro ill.mannered , ramping ( owns with few Ideas , and I desired no comings and goings nlth them. So In no long time I tired of LliU , and also of lying still to b ? shot at. [ bethought ma that I might show them n better of It and afford some sport. S3 very carefully I charged both my pistols , and the next time they came near , riding the bog edge to fire at me , I took careful aim nnd shot at the first of "them. The ball wont through the calf of his leg , which caused him to light off the far side of his horse with a great roar. You have killed me ! " h cried over tome mo complalningly , as If ho had been a good friend como to pay mo n visit , to whom 1 hod tlono a treachery. He then cursed me very resentfully , because , forsooth , as he said , he was about to bo made a sergeant In the company , and. what with lying up with his wounded leg , some other ( whom he mentioned ) would get the post by favor ot the captain. "Sea what you have done , " said ho , hold- In ; ; up his leg. But I took aim with the other pistol and sent a ball singing over his head , very * close. "Trip It. my bonny lad , " I cried , "or there will be a hole of th ? same size In your thick head , which will bo as good aa a cornet's commission to yon li ) J he place to which It will send you ! " Then I charged my plstoli ngnln and or dered them away. The trooper's companion made bold to leave his horse and come toward me , crawling upon the moss. But I trained my pistols si > stralghtly upon him that ho was convinced that I must bo a marksman by trade , and so desisted from tlm attempt. All this made me proud past reasoning , and I mounted In their sight , nnd made n work of fastening my accoutrements and tlf/iiter.lng / Donald's girths. "So good day to you ! " I cried to them , "and'glvo my coinpllmqnta to your captain , and tell him from mo that he hath a couple of varlets In his company very careful of their sklnx In this world which Is , maybe , as well seeing that In the nret tlicy are se cure of getting them well paid. " Now this was fald with the word of a silly boy , and I was sorry for taunting the men before ever I rede away. But I set It down H.S It happened , that all may come In Its due place , nothing In tliU history being either altcreJ or oxtenuited. So all that night I fled , and the next day also , till I came Into my own country of the nienklns , where , near Carsphalrn , I lef ( Donald with a decent man that would keep him safe for my mother's sake. For the little beast was tiled , having come bo far and ridden so hard. Yet , when I left him out In the grass park , there was not so much as the mark of a spur upon Mm , so willingly had he come over all the leagues of heather lands. While life lasts shall I not forget Donald. My father used often to tell us what Max well of Monrelth said when he lit off his gray horse at the stable dogr > and turned him out after riding him lionie from Rulllon Grcsn : "Thou hast done thyday's work , Pcntland. There is a park for thee to fill thy belly Infer for the rest of thy days. No leg shall ever cross thy back again ! " So when I came to my own In the better days I made It my care that Donnld was not forgotten ; and all his \abort \ In the future , till death laid him low.'wai no more than a gpntle exercise to keep him from overeating himself on the menilay lands of txfton. After the great day 6f'dule ' , when Cameron was put down nt Ayrsnioss. and I escaped In the manner I have told of ; I made my way by the little ferry port pf Creo. which Is a sweet and still little t6'wi ] , to Mayport , on the other side of the Sohlay , and thence In another ship for the Low Countries. When we came within sight of the land we found that It uaa dismally gray , weari some looking , and flat , The shlpmen called It the Hook cf Holland. But this was not thought right for the rort of our destination , so we put to frca again , * where we were too much tossed about tb\r \ the comfort of my stomach. Indeed , every one on board the ship felt the Inconvenience , and two exceed ingly pious women Informed mo that It Interfered with their religious duties. U was upon a Thursday night , at 6 o'clock , that we arrived at an outlandish place called , as I think , Zurlchsec , where we met with rr.ueh Inhumanity and unconrtcousncs * . Indeed , un less a Scots merchant , accustomed to adven turing to the Low Countries , had b'tn of our company. It might have gone hardly with us , for the barbarlous folk had some custom ot 111 treating strangers who arrive upon a day of carnival. They entered our bark and began to 111 treat us even with blows nnd taking from us what of money we had. But mercifully they were restrained before I had put my sword Into them , which. In their own country , and engaged In un godliness. It had been a. folly to io. Then alto It grieved us very sere that we had five noldlors who had como from Scot land with us tbe very scum ot tbe land. They called themselves Captain Somcrvlllc's band ; but If , Indeed , they were any soldlen of his majesty's , then God help him In his command , for such a pack of unwashed rut flans It never was my hap to * ee. Specially did these men dUrjulct ua upon the Sabbath day. So fearful were their oaths and curses that we feared that the boit would sink because of their Iniquities. They carried themselves so exceedingly wickedly but more , as I think , that we , who desired not their company , might take note of them. For at least three of them were sullen , loutish boys , but the other * led tln'tn on , and praised them when they Imitated their blasphemies and iculduddery At last , about 8 o'clock In the evening , we come to Rotterdam , 'tthiro wo quartered with a good merchant , Mr , Donaldson , and In the morning wo went to a Mr. Hay's , wbore from that good man ( whom may God preserve ) , wo met with inexpressible kind ness. Thence we went to Gronlngcn , where Sandy already wai. To be brief that part ot my life for the present not coming Into the his tory I spent four years there , the most part of It with a young man nameJ James Ilenwlck , a good student , and one very full ot great Ideas , which wcro to make Scotland strong against the house of Stuart. Ho came from Mlnnyhlvo , a vlllago on the borders of Galloway and Dumfries , anJ was a very decent lad though apt , before ho learned modesty on the moors , to take too much upon him. Wo wcro finally summoned homo by a letter from the United Societies , for they had made me a covenanted member of itanJ- Ing because ot Ayrsmoss and the carrying ot the banner at Samiuhar. While at Gronlngcn I got a great deal of civility because of Sandy , my brother , whoso name took mo everywhere. But I think that In time I also won some love and liking on my own account. While I was awayI * got many letters from Malslo Lennox , chlclly In name ot my mother , who was not good at writing , for her father , though a lord of session , would not have his daughters taught overly much , lest It mnde them vain and neglectful of these things which are a wom an's work , and ought to be her pleasure so long as the world last. But though I wenf to the university 1 could not bring myself to think that I had any call to the ministry. I went , therefore , for the name of It , to study tha l.iw , but read Instead many and diverse booki. For the study of the law U In Itself BO dreary that all other literature Is "but entertainment by comparison. So that ono book being easy to substltut * for another , I Hot through a vail deal of excellent literature while I studied law at the University ol Gronloctn. So did also , even as I , all the students of law whom I knew In Holland and elsewhere , ( or that U their custom. Dut when I was called hem , I received a letter from tbe United Societies , written In thtlr namt , from a pUce called Panbreck , where their meeting was held. First It told mo of the udnaia that was on Scotland , for the many headings , hangings , hidings , clias Ings , outcaitlngs and weary wanderings. Then the letter called me , as the branch cf a worthy family , to como over and take my part , which. Indeed , 1 was tomeTfhat loathe | o to , But with tbe Utter there came line from Malslo Lennox , which Raid that thny wcro In sere trouble at the Karlstoun , sometimes altogether dispossessed , and again liormltted to abide In safety. Yet for my Mother's snko slio asked mo to think ot re turning , for she thought that for mo the shower was surely flacked and the ondlng over past. So I took my way to shipboard with some deslro to set my foot again on Lho heather and see the hills of Kelts run > luo against the lift of heaven , from the links of the Ken to the head end ot Camp- hatrn. It uas the high tltno ot tbo killing when I cnme again to Scotland , nnd landed nt Newcastle. I made on foot for Galloway the tops of lh Cheviots and the Border tills. Nor did I bldo more than a night anywhere , and that only In herd's huts , till saw from the moors abe > o Lochlnklt , the round top of the Mlllyta , uhlcli some Ill-set icoplo call an ugly mountain , but which s to me the fairest hill that the * sun shlnoi on. So nt least It appeared now returning from abroad , where ono ran make the high * rst hill with a spado. Aye. for I know that t looked on Earlstoun , wbero my mother \vaa whom I greatly desired to see , as was most natural. Yet It was not right that I would reck- essly go near Earlstoun to bring trouble on my mother without knowing how the land lay. So I came down the west sldo ol the water of Ken , by the doachs , or roaring Inn , where the salmon leap ; and looking at : lie house from afar till my btart filled , thinking : that I should never more dwell there , nor look any moro from my mother's window In the quiet hour of even when the maids wcro out milking the kye. Even as I looked I could see the glint ot scarlet cloth , and the sun sparkling on shin ing arms , as the sentry paced from the wall gate : to the corner of the wall ami back igaln. Once I saw him go within the well aihi louse for a drink , and a great access of deslro took mo within. I remembered the coolness that was thero. For the day waa exceedingly hot , and I weary and weak with travel. ( To bo continued. ) A bottle of Cook's Extra Dry Imperial Champagne with jotir dinner makes It com plete. It plcaies everyone. PATRONIZE By purchasing goods rrudt at the following Nebraska factories. 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