Bonnie Prince Charlie

m over the shop, the viands were on the table, and round it were standing Bailie Anderson and his wife, his foreman John Gillespie, and his two apprentices. The latte

finished his grace, before which tim

wn below and see who knocks so impatiently; look through the grille before you op

The door was opened, and they heard an exclamation of surprise at the answer

g the stairs, and without introduction a tall man, wrapped in a cloak and carrying a child of some two years old, strode into the

u know me

the bailie exclaimed

visitor repeated, "so

and and wrung it warmly. "I had thought you dead years and years ago. J

other has spoken the truth concerning me. I was ever a ne'er do

Janet Anderson said. "The bailie is not given to spe

l talking to a fasting man. When you have done you shall tell me what you have been doing for t

asleep and dead tired out. Elspeth, roll up my cloak and make a pillow for him. That's right, he will do nicely now. You are changed less than any of us, Elsp

the newcomer's appetite was prodigious; but at last he was satisfied, and after a

e tires of it; and many a time when I have been lying down supperless on the sod, after marching and fig

. Elspeth went off to prepare the guest's cha

story; but, first of all, perh

ied, "if Mistress Janet h

that tobacco, like other things, was given for our use, and methinks that with a pipe b

pipes and a jar of tobacco, placed two tumblers

d in this good city of Glasgow there are many, even of those so placed that they should be an example to their fellows, who

re backward than the rest; but my hand wouldn't be as steady as it is if I had been one of those who are never so happy as when they are filling themselves with liquor. And now, Andrew, to my story. You know that when I saw you last--just when the troubles in '15 began--in spite of all your warnings to the contrary, I must needs thro

" Janet said mildly, "that a

uld remain fixed in their bed. Of course we have not the pleasures of home, of wives and children; but the life of adventure has its own

clansmen from Inverness shire, the Marquis of Huntly had five hundred horse and two thousand foot, and the Earl Marischal had a thousand men. The Laird of Glenlyon brought five hundred Campbells, and the Marquis of Tullibardine fourteen hundred, and a score of other chiefs of less power were

rwentwater, Kenmure, and Nithsdale. Lord Derwentwater had risen with a number of other gentlemen, and with their attendants and friends had marched against Newcastle. They had done nothing there but r

y incompetent, but proved to be a coward, if not, as most folks believed, a traitor. So dissension soon broke out, and four hundred Highlanders marched away north. After a long delay it was resolved to move south, where, it was said, w

Brigadier Mackintosh; the others were horse. There were two troops of Stanhope's dragoons quartered in Preston, but these retired when we neared the town, and we entered wit

thing in the end, but never were things so

a half away, and this could have been held by a company against an army. From the bridge to the town the road was so narrow that in several places two

e churchyard, and this was commanded by Brigadier Mackintosh. In support of this was the volunteer horse under Derwentwater and the three other lords. Lord Charles Murray

er we reached the town we heard that General Wilde was approaching. Colonel Farquharson was sent forward with a portion of Mackintosh's battalion to hold the bridge and the pass; but Mr. Forster, who went out on horseback, no sooner s

lodging and took his bed, where he remained till all was over. The enemy came on slowly. They could not understand why strong posts should be left undefended, and feared falling in an ambuscade. I was at the post commanded by Brigadier Ma

struggle went on. At each of our posts we beat them back over and over again. The town was on fire in half a dozen places, but luckily the night was still and the flames did not spread. We knew that it was a hopeless fight we were making; for, from some prisoners, we learned that three regiments of dragoons were also coming up against us, and ha

t safe about himself, and that was all he cared for; and the end showed that he knew what he was about, for while all the brave young noblemen, and numbers of others, were either executed or punished in other ways, Forster, who had been the leadi

if he had appeared in the streets he would have been hewn to pieces. However, it was useless to resist now; the English troops marched in and we laid down our arms, and our battalions marched

e of our men rushed out and carried him in. He was not badly hurt, the sword having turned as it cut through his bonnet. My action won his regard, and from that time until a month since we have never been separated. Under a strong escort of soldiers

arnet we fell out as usual when the march was over, and I went up to the door of a house and asked a w

to slip in here after it is dark we will furnish you with a disguise,

for two?' I asked. 'I will

aid, 'for two

ter dark,' I said as I

e might befall us in London; and, indeed, the very next morning severities commenced, the whole of the troops

country people would have seized and handed us over. The woman was on the watch, and as soon as we neared the door she opened it. Her husband was with he

passed on until we reached the coast, where we lay hid for some days until an arrangement was made with the captain of a fishing

to an end here. The Earl of Mar's army lay week after week at

field, but on the left they beat us badly. So both parties claimed the victory. But, victory or defeat, it was fatal to

ur hopes rose. He did nothing, and our hopes fell. At last he took ship and w

ery best troops of France were never before us, and many a tough field was decided by our charge. Leslie was a cornet. He was about my age; and you know I was but twenty when Sheriffmuir was fought. He rose to be a colonel, and would have given

as precisely one of the women he oughtn't to have fallen in love with, though I for one couldn't blame him, for a prettier creature wasn't to be found in France. Unfortunately she was the only daughter of the Marquis de Recambours, one of the wealthiest and most powerful of French nobles, and there was no more chance of his giving his consent to her thr

ntil her father came round. Leslie would have got her out somehow; but his regiment was ordered to the frontier, and it was eighteen months before we returned to Paris

go at once and get the child, and make your way with it

eau, and transferred the bag of louis there to m

arrest you by order of his gracious majesty;

for me to dispute his orders;' thereupon he unbuckled his sword and handed it to the officers. 'You will look after the things til

aid; 'the official with me will take charge of everythi

ajor. 'Colonel Leslie has been arrested, sir, on what charge I know not. He has intrusted a commission to me.

e knew me well, as I had often been there with messages from the colonel. When I showed them the signet ring, and told them that I had orders to take the child to his father, they made no opposition. I said I would

ge in the first ship sailing for Leith. I arrived there two days ago, and have walked here, with an occasional lift in a cart; and here I am, brother Andrew, to ask you for hospitality

g as you choose to stop; but I trust that

France as well as I do you would not feel very sanguine ab

s committed no crim

nage at court, without his consent, it is a different affair altogether, I can tell you. Leslie has powerful friends, and his brother officers will do what they can for him; but I can tell you services at the court of France go for very little. Influence is everything, and

ased, does he know where

m Glasgow, but that is all. Still, when he is freed, no doubt he will come

est, Malcolm. At any rate I am in no haste for the colonel to come. Now I have got

in exhortation in season and out of season. His wife was kindly but precise, and as outspoken as Andrew himself. For the first day or two the real affection which Andrew had for his younger brother, and the pleasure he felt at his return, shielded Malcolm from comment or rebuke; but after the very first day the b

hout saying a word of grace. He stamped about the house as if he had cavalry spurs still on his heels; talked in a voice that could be heard from attic to basement; used French and Flemish oaths which horrified the good lady, although she

bailie with a freedom and roughness which scandalized her. Andrew was slow to notice the incongruity of his brother's demeanour and bearing with the atmospher

rent preparation for a man as an inmate of a respectable household. I did not quite know myself how thoroughly I had become a devil may care trooper until I came back to my old life here. The ways of your house would soon be as intolerable to me as my ways are to your good wife, and therefore it is better by far that before any words have passed between you and me, and while we

rely be going as a

would I go back if Leslie were again at the head of his regiment, but I have been spoiled by him. He ever treated me as a companion and as a friend rather than as a trooper in his regiment, and I should miss him sorely did I enter any other service. Then, too, I would fain be here to

at all, Malcolm,"

t. I doubt not that ere this your wife h

complaints and remonstrances on the part of his wife as to his brother

a wolf in a sheepfold. As to the droving, I shall not mention to all I meet that I am brother to one of the bailies of Glasgow. I shall like the life. The rough pony I shall ride will differ in his paces from my old charger, but at least it

t of a respectable household, and that Janet's complaints were not altogether unreasonable. He had seen many of his acquaintances l

so many years of absence his brother should so soon quit his hou

. "There is a purse of a hundred louis, which will, I should sa

of its father again. It will have a hearty welcome. It is a bright little fellow, and in time I doubt not that Janet will take greatly to it. The charge of a child is a serious matter, and we cannot hope that we shall not have trouble with it, but there is trouble in all things. At any rate, Malc

te of Andrew's entreaties he refused on these occasions to take up his abode with him, but took a lodging not far off, coming in the evening for an hour to smoke a pipe with his brother, and never failing of a morning to come in and take

would be sure to be opened by the authorities. He also wrote to the major, giving him his address, and begging him to communicate it to Colonel Leslie whenever he should see him; that done, there was not

hild, to give them his address in case the colonel should ever appear to inquire of them. He found, however, the house tenanted by other people. He learned that the last occupants had left years before. The neighbors remembered that one morning early some officers of the law had come to the house, and