iles off among the mountains, at a place called Loudon-hill,"
was the young nobleman's reply. "I dispersed the conventicle against
which you sent me, and made prisoner an old trumpeter of rebellion,--an
intercommuned minister, that is to say,--who was in the act of exhorting
his hearers to rise and be doing in the good cause, as well as one or two
of his hearers who seemed to be particularly insolent; and from some
country people and scouts I learned what I now tell you."

"What may be their strength?" asked his commander.

"Probably a thousand men, but accounts differ widely."

"Then," said Claverhouse, "it is time for us to be up and be doing
also--Bothwell, bid them sound to horse."

Bothwell, who, like the war-horse of scripture, snuffed the battle afar
off, hastened to give orders to six negroes, in white dresses richly
laced, and having massive silver collars and armlets. These sable
functionaries acted as trumpeters, and speedily made the castle and the
woods around it ring with their summons.

"Must you then leave us?" said Lady Margaret, her heart sinking under
recollection of former unhappy times; "had ye not better send to learn
the force of the rebels?--O, how many a fair face hae I heard these
fearfu' sounds call away frae the Tower of Tillietudlem, that my auld een
were ne'er to see return to it!"

"It is impossible for me to stop," said Claverhouse; "there are rogues
enough in this country to make the rebels five times their strength, if
they are not checked at once."

"Many," said Evandale, "are flocking to them already, and they give out
that they expect a strong body of the indulged presbyterians, headed by
young Milnwood, as they call him, the son of the famous old roundhead,
Colonel Silas Morton."

This speech produced a very different effect upon the hearers. Edith
almost sunk from her seat with terror, while Claverhouse darted a glance
of sarcastic triumph at Major Bellenden, which seemed to imply--"You see
what are the principles of the young man you are pleading for."

"It's a lie--it's a d--d lie of these rascally fanatics," said the Major
hastily. "I will answer for Henry Morton as I would for my own son. He is
a lad of as good church-principles as any gentleman in the Life-Guards. I
mean no offence to any one. He has gone to church service with me fifty
times, and I never heard him miss one of the responses in my life. Edith
Bellenden can bear witness to it as well as I. He always rea