The Scottish Chiefs | Page 7

already devoted country?"
"Relics or no relics," replied Wallace, "it would be an equal sin against
good faith to invade what is forbidden: but from the weight I am rather
inclined to suspect it contains gold; probably a treasure, with which the
sordid Baliol thinks to compensate the hero who may free his country
from all the miseries a traitor king and a treacherous usurper have
brought upon it."

"A treasure!" repeated Monteith; "I never thought of that;-it is indeed
heavy!-and, as we are responsible for the contents of the box, I wish we
were certain of what it contains; let us consider that!"
"It is no consideration of ours," returned Wallace. "With what is in the
box we have no concern; all we have to do is, to preserve the contents
unviolated by even our own eyes; and to that, as you have now
transferred the charge to me, I pledge myself-farewell."
"But why this haste?" rejoined Monteith, "indeed, I wish I had
thought-stay only a little."
"I thank you," returned Wallace, proceeding to the courtyard; "but it is
now dark, and I promised to be at home before the moon rises. If you
wish me to serve you further, I shall be happy to see you at Ellerslie
to-morrow. My Marion will have pleasure in entertaining, for days or
weeks, the friend of her husband."
While Wallace spoke, he advanced to his horse, to which he was
lighted by the servants of the castle. A few English soldiers lingered
about in idle curiosity. As he put his foot in the stirrup, he held the
sword in his hand, which he had unbuckled from his side to leave space
for his charge. Monteith, whose dread of detection was ever awake,
whispered: "Your loosened weapon may excite suspicion!" Fear
incurred what it sought to avoid. He hastily pulled aside Wallace's plaid
to throw it over the glittering hilt of the sword, and thus exposed the
iron box. The light of the torches striking upon the polished rivets,
displayed it to all lookers on, but no remark was made. Wallace, not
observing what was done, again shook hands with Monteith, and
calling his servants about him, galloped away. A murmur was heard, as
if of some intention to follow him; but deeming it prudent to leave the
open and direct road, because of the English marauders who swarmed
there, he was presently lost amid the thick shades of Clydesdale.
Chapter II.
Lanark.

The darkness was almost impenetrable. Musing on what had passed
with Monteith, and on the likelihood of any hero appearing, who, by
freeing his country, could ever claim the privilege of investigating the
mystery which was now his care. Wallace rode on till, crossing the
bridge of Lanark, he saw the rising moon silver the tops of the distant
hills; and then his meditations embraced a gentler subject. This was the
time he had promised Marion he should be returned, and he had yet
five long miles to go, before he could reach the glen of Ellerslie; he
thought of her being alone-of watching, with an anxious heart, the
minutes of his delay. Scotland and its wrongs he now forgot, in the idea
of her whose happiness was dearer to him than life. He could not
achieve the deliverance of the one, but it was his bliss to preserve the
peace of the other; and putting spurs to his horse, under the now bright
beams of the moon he hastened through the town.
Abruptly turning an angle leading to the Mouse River, a cry of murder
arrested his ear. He checked his horse and listened. The clashing of
arms told him the sound had issued from an alley to the left. He
alighted in an instant, and drawing his sword, threw away the scabbard
(prophetic omen!), then, leaving his horse with one of his servants
hastened, with the other three, to the spot whence the noise proceeded.
On arriving he discovered two men in tartans, with their backs to the
opposite wall, furiously assaulted by a throng of Edward's soldiers. At
this sight, the Scots who accompanied Wallace were so enraged that,
blowing their bugles to encourage the assailed, they joined hand to
hand with their gallant leader, and attacking the banditti, each man cut
his opponent to the ground.
Such unexpected assistance reanimated the drooping strength of one of
the two, with whom the cry had issued. He sprung from the wall with
the vigor of a tiger, but at the moment received a wound in his back,
which would have thrown him at the feet of his enemies, had not
Wallace caught him in his left arm, and with his right, cleared the way,
while he cried to his men who were fighting near him-"To the Glen!"
As he