horse proceeded to the meeting from Clydesdale.
Preliminary services, conducted by Mr. Blackadder and Mr. Welsh,
were held near Dumfries on the Saturday, but at these the place of
meeting on the Sabbath was only vaguely announced as "a hillside in
Irongray," so anxious were they to escape being disturbed by their
enemies, and the secret was kept so well that when the Sabbath arrived
a congregation of above three thousand had assembled round the
Communion stones in the hollow of Skeoch Hill.
Sentinels were posted on all the surrounding heights. One of these
sentinels was the farmer Andrew Black, with a cavalry sword belted to
his waist, and a rusty musket on his shoulder. Beside him stood a tall
stalwart youth in shepherd's costume.
"Yer ain mother wadna ken ye," remarked Andrew with a twinkle in his
eyes.
"I doubt that," replied the youth; "a mother's eyes are keen. I should not
like to encounter even Glendinning in my present guise."
As he spoke the rich melody of the opening psalm burst from the great
congregation and rolled in softened cadence towards the sentinels.
CHAPTER THREE.
THE TRUE AND THE FALSE AT WORK.
The face of nature did not seem propitious to the great gathering on
Skeoch Hill. Inky clouds rolled athwart the leaden sky, threatening a
deluge of rain, and fitful gusts of wind seemed to indicate the approach
of a tempest. Nevertheless the elements were held in check by the God
of nature, so that the solemn services of the day were conducted to a
close without discomfort, though not altogether without interruption.
Several of the most eminent ministers, who had been expelled from
their charges, were present on this occasion. Besides John Welsh of
Irongray, there were Arnot of Tongland, Blackadder of Troqueer, and
Dickson of Rutherglen--godly men who had for many years suffered
persecution and imprisonment, and were ready to lay down their lives
in defence of religious liberty. The price set upon the head of that
"notour traitor, Mr. John Welsh," dead or alive, was 9000 merks. Mr.
Arnot was valued at 3000!
These preached and assisted at different parts of the services, while the
vast multitude sat on the sloping hillside, and the mounted men drew
up on the outskirts of the congregation, so as to be within sound of the
preachers' voices, and, at the same time, be ready for action on the
defensive if enemies should appear.
Andrew Black and his companion stood for some time listening, with
bowed heads, to the slow sweet music that floated towards them. They
were too far distant to hear the words of prayer that followed, yet they
continued to stand in reverent silence for some time, listening to the
sound--Black with his eyes closed, his young companion gazing
wistfully at the distant landscape, which, from the elevated position on
which they stood, lay like a magnificent panorama spread out before
them. On the left the level lands bordering the rivers Cairn and Nith
stretched away to the Solway, with the Cumberland mountains in the
extreme distance; in front and on the right lay the wild, romantic
hill-country of which, in after years, it was so beautifully written:--
"O bonnie hills of Galloway oft have I stood to see, At sunset hour,
your shadows fall, all darkening on the lea; While visions of the buried
years came o'er me in their might-- As phantoms of the
sepulchre--instinct with inward light! The years, the years when
Scotland groaned beneath her tyrant's hand! And 'twas not for the
heather she was called `the purple land.' And 'twas not for her
loveliness her children blessed their God-- But for secret places of the
hills, and the mountain heights untrod."
"Who was the old man I found in what you call your hidy-hole?" asked
Wallace, turning suddenly to his companion.
"I'm no' sure that I have a right to answer that," said Black, regarding
Will with a half-serious, half-amused look. "Hooever, noo that ye've
ta'en service wi' me, and ken about my hidy-hole, I suppose I may trust
ye wi' a' my secrets."
"I would not press you to reveal any secrets, Mr. Black, yet I think you
are safe to trust me, seeing that you know enough about my own secrets
to bring me to the gallows if so disposed."
"Ay, I hae ye there, lad! But I'll trust ye on better grunds than that. I
believe ye to be an honest man, and that's enough for me. Weel, ye
maun ken, it's saxteen year since I howkit the hidy-hole below my
hoose, an' wad ye believe it?--they've no fund it oot yet! Not even had a
suspeecion o't, though the sodgers hae been sair puzzled, mony a time,
aboot hoo I managed to gie them the slip. An' mony's
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