ace, his eyes gleamed with an inner
fire, and the wind that had arisen drave among his black locks. I could
see, as it had been, the storm gather to break.

"There ayont us are the Bennan and Cairn Edward, and the Muckle Craig o'
Dee--look over at them--I take them to witness this day that I have
preached to you the whole counsel of God. There be some great professors
among you this day who have no living grace--of whom I only name Black
MacMichael and Muckle John, for their sins are open and patent, going
before them into judgment. There are also some here that will betray our
plans to the enemy, and carry their report of this meeting to the
Malignants. To them I say: 'Carry this word to your masters, the word of
a wiser than I, "Ye may blaw your bag-pipes till you burst, we will not
bow down and worship your glaiks--no, not though ye gar every heid here
weigh its tail, and the wind whistle through our bones as we hang on the
gallows-tree."'"

Here he held up his hand and there was a great silence.

"Hush! I hear the sound of a great host--I see the gate of heaven beset.
The throng of them that are to be saved through suffering, are about it.
And One like unto the Son of Man stands there to welcome them. What
though they set your heads, as they shall mine, high on the Netherbow
Port; or cast your body on the Gallows' dunghill as they will Sandy's
here? Know ye that there waiteth for you at the door One with face more
marred than that of any man--One with His garments red coming up from
Bozrah, One that hath trodden the winepress alone. And He shall say, as
He sees you come through the swellings of Jordan, 'These are they that
have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb.' 'Lift up your heads, O ye
gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, for the redeemed of the
Lord shall also enter in!'"

So he made an end, and all the people were astonished at him, because
they looked even then for the chariot which it had been foretold should
come and snatch him out of mortal sight.

CHAPTER XXII.

PEDEN THE PROPHET.

(_Being the concluding of the conventicle by the Dee Water._)

Yet the chariot of fire came not, for the time was not yet, though the
grinding of its wheels was even then to be heard at the door. But the
Lord had yet a great day's darg to do in Scotland with Richard Cameron.

Then after silence had endured for a time, another mini