ng your good people in the town
drink the king's health too deeply."

CHAPTER III

BETWEEN MOTHER AND LOVER

For no less a time than fourteen days did Claverhouse and his men
remain in Paisley, to the amazement of the district and the fierce
indignation of Lady Cochrane. During that time the soldiers made
sudden journeys in various directions, but if they arrested any
Covenanters they were never brought to Paisley, and although Lady
Cochrane prophesied the murder of the saints every day, no new
atrocity was laid to her guest's charge. Once or twice he went out
with his men himself, but he mostly contented himself with directing
their operations, and he occupied his time with writing long
despatches on the case of Sir John Cochrane and the state of affairs
in Scotland. He was not so busy, however, that he had no leisure for
the duties of a guest, and now that he had missed Pollock and had
found out all he wanted about Sir John, he never came a thousand miles
within controversy. He was studiously courteous to the servants at
the castle, who had regarded his coming with absolute terror; he
calmed and gentled the timid old earl, and drew him out to tell
stories of the days of the Commonwealth, when one of Cromwell's
troopers pulled the minister out of the pulpit of the Abbey kirk, and
held forth himself on the sins both of Prelacy and Presbytery,
declaring that he was as good a priest as any man. Claverhouse made no
objection when the minister of the Abbey, who had taken the indulgence
and was on good terms with the government, but whom Lady Cochrane
detested and considered to be a mere Gallio, came up to hold family
worship in the castle. He attended the service himself, and explained
that he always had prayers when he was at home, and that he generally
had a chaplain with him. When he was not shut up in his room reading
or writing despatches, he mingled freely with the family and suited
himself to each one's taste with great tact and good nature. It was
not long since he had returned from Court at London, where he was now
a popular and influential person, and he had many good tales for young
Lord Cochrane, about hunting with the Duke of York, cock-fighting and
other sports in vogue, and all the doings of the royal circle. For
Jean he had endless interesting gossip from the capital about the
great ladies and famous men, and the amusements of the Court and the
varied life of London. But he was careful never to t