The Standard Bearer

the north. Immediately beneath us, already filling in with the oozy peat, I saw the ploughing steps of the successful fugitive, where he had leaped and

er down on the lake-shore, as the soldiers drew near their camp. Even the clamorous peewits had returned, and were already sweeping and complaining fool

stood awhile and

lly enough; "I am sure he will be looking, and then he w

Gordon of Earlstoun against Lag and all his troopers. But

es not see his little Ma

king off her red cloak she waved it, crying out, "Fa

I was well persuaded. The Bennan top had been without doubt the hiding-place of many besides Alexander Gordon. But at this time none were sought for in the Glenkens save{32} the man upon whose head, because of the late plot anen

ary burst

k that his little girl dared not come to find him! Besides, all the

her. And, being an ignorant landward lad, I could not find the fitting wor

e, and take the basket and go our way back again. For the lady my

ed by she cast her eyes curiously over at the poor lad who la

" she said; "it looks mor

f the birch and alder bushes. And when we came nearer to her I saw that she, too, had been weeping. Now this also went to my heart with a heavy sense of the beginning of unknown troubles. Ever since, from my

usly to Anna, as she came near. For that

anion; "but there are soldiers in the house, and they have turned everything

ould only do harm, she said. She had been sent to keep Hob and David on the hill, my mother

Anna, looking kindly dow

and then she went directly up to her and put her hand into that of my sister. There was ever, indeed, that about Anna which dre

not?" she said, nestling contentedly with

r answered, heartily, "if ye will tell me who

Anna look suddenly blank, and

in apprehension{35} in her voice. For my sister Anna's voice was like a str

g by its signalling that she wished to speak with me apart, I allowed the little girl to

hat she came to the water foot to meet her husband," whispered Anna. "You must take the little

t the notion that my two brothers could carry out such a commission better than I. "I

" said Anna, and I knew that she was as good a herd as any one, a

ley bread and also a few savoury crumblings she had discovered i

o home to my mother!" cried the imperious little maid, stamping her foot and

t you," I said, "but she has left word that you

a little, ragged, silly boy," she answered

aled t

not so?

ently to litt

y and leave you. My brother will bring you safe. Quintin is a good lad

e deep,{37} untroubled brown eyes of

boy anywhere if yo

ition by me,

ther of t

eresting documents that belonged to him. In time I shall leave them to his son Quintin, but ere they pass out of my han

as a mother doth a bairn that learns to walk, holding it by the coaties behind-this Quintin whose fame is in all Scotland was a man too wrapt and godly to

atch o' Quintin. For though he may stir up the world and have the care of all the churches, yet like a bairn he needs

h we differed ofttimes, ever paid me in love and the bond of an unbroken brotherhood. Also what he had I had, hand and siller, bite or sup, poverty and riches. I tilled his glebe. I brought home his kye and milke

ttle to say, or dull in that I mixed not with their pothouse jollity, or prou

ets a man, or a man a bonny lass, nor yet the merry meeting about the ingle in t

folk had no fear, but would speak freely before me. Whereas, so soon as Quintin came in, there passed a hush over every face and a silence

ron was put down in red-running blood on the Moss of Ayr, yet I am free to admit that Quintin often saw things withou

oo hardly, and let them press upon his spirit when he had better have been on the ice{40}

he doctrines for which our Quintin fought seemed to me as the thin wind-clouds streaked like mare's tails high in the lift, the hear

set forth for the edification of men and women, I recommend whoever has the perusal of it to read over also my few chapters of o

s, in fact, the son of one Edgar of Milnthird, and reported a clever lad at his trade, which was that of a saddler in Dumfries. He had in his time great fights with the devil, who beset him roaring like a lion in the caves of Cri

airds and Highlandmen in order-well, in my opinion we both marched to Edinburgh because my father bade us. And at that time even Quintin did not disobey his