The Standard Bearer

ncerning my changes of opinion and stresses of spiritual conflict. But of these things I have written in extension elsewhere, and those wh

was fled and his son-in-law, William of Orange, landed I could not contain myself, but bade Hob and David to come with me and light a beacon-fire on t

shire and county, called and presided over by Duke Hamilton. But it was the bruit of the countryside that this

with dripping hill-caves and with sleeping out in the snell winds and biting frosts of many

le West is marching to Edinburgh!" cried in at the door the e

e of calm resolve and indomitable courage-the proven face of a soldier. He was in a fair{71}

brother of Earlstoun, who is come directly from the Prince of

ed in my heart, blazed up

ed the banner at Sanquhar and fought shoul

y mother's f

bow, the like of which for grace I had never seen in our land. It had so much of f

ears older since then-I fe

asant, yet it was indubitably t

h," said he, watching{72} my father's face, "to march with me

sharp, like the blade of a dagger which is drawn just an inch from its sheath and then returned. "There are three of us on th

but let me also strike a blow. I am as fit of my body as either Hob or

"there are your mother and sister to look aft

of powder and lead," cried my mother. "Anna and I shall be safer, aye, and the fuller of gladness

her eye on the ground, "let Quintin go, fathe

y father, "having John MacClell

arroch, give the lad his will. In time past I had my share of biding by the house while my eld

at Ardarroch a great polishing of accoutrement and grinding of swords, for during the late troubles the arms had been searched for over and over again. So it befel

gest straw, and I took the musket and a broad-bladed dagger, because I knew that our madcap David had set his heart on the basket-hilted sword to swing by his side, and

after its occupation by troops in the troubles-but at a farmhouse near by, where at the time were abiding M

ordon that no more than two of us were to go to Edinburgh on horseback, owin

draw lots!"

on of that, for that he and David must r

de on Kittle Kate, I will drown myself in the first six-inch

ts. Wider horizons beckoned us on. Intents and resolves, new and strange, thrilled us. I for one felt for the first time altogether a man, and I said within my heart as I looked at the musk