eing the
penalty of the law inflicted upon a young girl for fanaticism: two of
her kinsmen had already suffered. As a party of soldiers were preparing
to carry the girl, bound hand and foot, to a river, Rob Roy interposed;
and, receiving an insolent reply, he sprang upon the soldiers and in an
instant released the young woman, by plunging eight of her guards into
the water. He then drew his claymore, and cut the cords which bound the
intended victim. A short skirmish left him master of the field.

Rob Roy now prepared to remove from his dwelling at Inversnaid, into one
more remote, and protected by its natural position. This was Craig
Royston, or, as it is sometimes spelt, Craigrostan, whither Rob Roy
removed his furniture and other effects. A tract, entitled "The Highland
Rogue," published during the lifetime of Rob Roy, contains a striking
description of this almost inaccessible retreat. It is situated on the
borders of Loch Lomond, and is surrounded with stupendous rocks and
mountains. The passages along these heights are so narrow, that two men
cannot walk abreast; "It is a place," adds the same writer, "of such
strength and safety, that one person well acquainted with it, and
supplied with ammunition, might easily destroy a considerable army if
they came to attack him, and he, at the same time, need not so much as
be seen by them." For this romantic scene, Rob Roy quitted Inversnaid;
henceforth his occupation as a grazier and drover, and his character as
a country gentleman, were lost in that of a freebooter. Many anecdotes
have been related of his feats in the dangerous course which he
henceforth adopted: but of these, some are so extraordinary, as to be
incredible; others are perfectly consistent with the daring spirit of a
man who had vowed to avenge his wrongs.

The Duke of Montrose was the first object of his wrath; accordingly,
hearing that the tenantry of the Duke had notice to pay their rents, he
mustered his men, and visiting these gentlemen, compelled them to pay
him the money, giving them, nevertheless receipts, which discharged them
of any future call from Montrose. This practice he carried on with
impunity for several years, until a more flagrant outrage drew down the
anger of his enemy.

This was no less than the abduction of the Duke's factor, Killearn, who
had formerly expelled the family of Rob Roy from Inversnaid. Killearn
had gone to Chapellaroch in Stirlingshire, for the purpose of collecting