oud, "Young man, your life is for the present safe, owing
to the interference of your friends." So Morton was hurried down to the
courtyard, where three other prisoners remained under an escort of
dragoons; soon they were all pressing forward to overtake the main body,
as it was supposed they would come in sight of the enemy in less than
two hours. It was obvious, when they did so that there were old soldiers
with the rebels from the choice of the ground, and the order of battle
in which they waited the assault. Cornet Grahame was sent with a flag of
truce to offer a free pardon to all but the murderers of the archbishop
if they would disperse themselves. On his persisting in addressing the
people themselves in spite of the warning of their spokesman, Balfour of
Burley, whom he recognised. "Then the Lord grant grace to thy
soul--amen!" said Burley, and fired, and Cornet Grahame dropped from his
horse, mortally wounded.

"What have you done?" said one of Balfour's brother officers.

"My duty," said Balfour firmly. "Is it not written 'Thou shalt be
zealous even to slaying?' Let those who dare now venture to talk of
truce or pardon!"

Claverhouse saw his nephew fall; with a glance of indescribable emotion
he looked at Evandale. "I will avenge him, or die," exclaimed Evandale,
and rode furiously down the hill, followed by his own troop, and that of
the deceased cornet, each striving to be first in revenge. They soon
fell into confusion in the broken ground. In vain Claverhouse shouted,
"Halt! halt! This rashness will undo us." The enemy set upon them with
the utmost fury, crying, "Woe, woe to the uncircumcised Philistines!
Down with the Dagon and all his adherents!" Though the young nobleman
fought like a lion, he was forced to retreat, and soon Claverhouse was
compelled to follow his troops in their flight; as he passed Henry
Morton and the other prisoners just released from their bonds,
Evandale's horse was shot, and Morton rushed forward just in time to
prevent his being killed by Balfour himself in hot pursuit.

_III.--The Presbyterian Insurgents_

John Balfour of Burley, a man of some fortune and good family, a soldier
from his youth upwards, aspired to place himself at the head of the
Presbyterian forces then in arms against the English government. On this
account he was particularly anxious to secure the accession of young
Henry Morton to the cause of the insurgents, for the memory of Morton's
father was est