The Scottish Chiefs

his pressure, and discovered a large monastic cell, into which the daylight shone through one long narrow window. A straw pallet, an altar, and a marble basin,

s of a little chalice, which stood upon the altar, he poured some into her mouth. At last opening her eyes, she recognized the figure of her young kinsman leaning over h

cousin! you are now on holy ground; this is the cell of the prior of St. F

Lady Mar?" And aga

the castle, is allowed to accompany your father to Dumbarton Castle, there to be tr

that were to be sent to him! And without succors, how can he,

e patriot! Convinced of that, can you still fear for you father? I will join Wallace to-morrow. Your own fifty warriors await me at the bottom of Ca

victim to royal revenge; and so sad were her forebodings, that she hardly dared to hope what the sanguine disposition of her

itted to my care by the earl, your uncle,

?" demanded Murray; "

eturned the soldier; "it bel

"If it be treasure, why wa

id you escape with it, and Halbert, too! I

and one or two men, who had known him in former expeditions, readily reported that he had been drafted into the present one. Their recognition warranted his truth; and he had no difficulty, after the carnage in the state apartment, to make his way to the bed-chamber where Lord Aymer de Valence had ordered Lord Mar to be carried. He found the earl alone, and lost in grief. He knew not but that his nephew, and even his daughter and wife, had fallen beneath the impetuous swords of the enemy. Astonished at seeing the soldier walking at large, he expressed his surprise with

part of the conference, Murray in

nce late last night at Dumbarton Castle. Soulis was then there; and he immediately set off to Glasgow, for the followers he had left in that town. Early t

ntioned, the heart

im?" excla

same moment in which De Valence gave orders for his troops to march on Bothwell, he

astle must have written it. Whence else could have come the double information? And if so," ad

ul malediction was echoed by the voices of H

ir vigilance, and join his friend. This discourse reminded him of the iron box. 'It is in that closet,' said his lordship, pointing to an opposite door; you will find it beneath t

will admit you to a flight of steps; descend them, and at the bottom you will find a door, that will convey you into a range of cellars. Lift up the largest flag-stone in the second, and you will be conducted through a dark vault to an iron door; draw the bolt, and remain in the cell it will open to you till the owner enters. He is the prior

wn misery on his head! Ill-omened trust! whatever it contains, its presence carried blood and sorrow in its tra

ticipations of freedom to Scotland? Alas, Andrew," said she, taking his hand, and weeping ove

ged in. We must expect occasional disappointments, or look for miracles every day. Such disasters are sent as lessons to teach us pr

dued spirits of her cousin, "why, my good soldier, di

ing would leave his wife and babes in unprotected captivity. 'No,' added he, 'I w

r having seen since the funeral obsequies, I supposed had fallen during the carnage in the state-chamber. He was still kneeling by the tomb of his buried mistress. I did not take lon

former, in a loud voice, gave orders that, as Lady Helen Mar could nowhere be found, the earl and countess, w

; "my father will then be consol

he countess to Dunglass Castle, near Glasgow, while the sick earl was to have been carried alone to Dumbarton, and detained in solitary confinement. Lord Soulis was in so dreadful a

and the violator of every private tie. Helen Mar had twice refused his hand: first, during the contest for the kingdom, when his pretended claim to the crown was disallowed. She was then a mere child, hardly more than fourteen; but she rejected him with abhorrence. Though stung to the quick at being denied the objects both of his love and ambition at the same moment, he did not hes

s imparted to him, "if I once get that proud minion into my grasp, she shall be m

e, though she shrunk at the sound of a name so generally infamous, yet, not aware of all the evils she had escaped, she

angers. Murray took off his helmet, and approached him. On recognizing the son of his patron, the prior inquired his commands; and

ad compelled them to thus seek the protection of St. Fillan. "Lady Helen," continued he, "must share your

ith the iron box; repeating the message

, he had no suspicion that these were other than the Bothwell soldiers. He took the box, and laying it on the altar, pressed the cross to his lips. "The Earl of Mar shall find that fide

irtuous Southron, I will give you a pilgrim's habit. Travel in that privileged garb to Montrose; and there a brother of the church, the

told her that a cell should be appointed for her, and some pious

avenly country! He had best put on the cowl of the holy brotherhood, and, in the arms of reli

of blood and hardship, I will at least devote my last hours to uniting my prayers with his, and all good souls, for the repose of his sainted lady. I accept your

len looked fearfully at her cousin, and grasped his hand; Murray clasped his sword with a firmer hold. "I will protect you with my life." He spoke

cried Helen, covering

o popular a nobleman." This assurance, assisted by the consolations of a firm trust in God, caused her to raise her head with a meek smile. He continued to speak of the impregnable hopes of the Christian who founds his confidence on Omnip

And Helen, comforted by holy meditations, allowing her cousin to

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