soliciting his attention by pulling his cloak, put into his hand the
scroll, and added, it was designed for that of Nixon.

Redgauntlet read--and, dropping it on the ground, continued to stare
upon the spot where it fell, with raised hands and fixed eyes. Sir
Richard Glendale lifted the fatal paper, read it, and saying, 'Now all
is indeed over,' handed it to Maxwell, who said aloud, 'Black Colin
Campbell, by G--d! I heard he had come post from London last night.'

As if in echo to his thoughts, the violin of the blind man was heard,
playing with spirit, The Campbells are coming,' a celebrated clan-march.

'The Campbells are coming in earnest,' said MacKellar; they are upon us
with the whole battalion from Carlisle.'

There was a silence of dismay, and two or three of the company began to
drop out of the room.

Lord ------ spoke with the generous spirit of a young English nobleman.
'If we have been fools, do not let us be cowards. We have one here more
precious than us all, and come hither on our warranty--let us save him
at least.'

'True, most true,' answered Sir Richard Glendale. 'Let the king be first
cared for.'

'That shall be my business,' said Redgauntlet 'if we have but time to
bring back the brig, all will be well--I will instantly dispatch a party
in a fishing skiff to bring her to.' He gave his commands to two or
three of the most active among his followers. 'Let him be once on
board,' he said, 'and there are enough of us to stand to arms and cover
his retreat.'

'Right, right,' said Sir Richard, 'and I will look to points which can
be made defensible; and the old powder-plot boys could not have made a
more desperate resistance than we shall. Redgauntlet,' continued he, 'I
see some of our friends are looking pale; but methinks your nephew has
more mettle in his eye now than when we were in cold deliberation, with
danger at a distance.'

'It is the way of our house,' said Redgauntlet; 'our courage ever
kindles highest on the losing side. I, too, feel that the catastrophe
I have brought on must not be survived by its author. Let me first,'
he said, addressing Charles, 'see your Majesty's sacred person in such
safety as can now be provided for it, and then'--

'You may spare all considerations concerning me, gentlemen,' again
repeated Charles; 'yon mountain of Criffel shall fly as soon as I will.'

Most threw themselves at his feet with weeping and entreaty; some one
or two slunk in confusion from