arose, till the wild birds rose screaming over our heads, in untuned,
yet exciting chorus. Nor did the fact that the king, strengthened as he
was by his own glorious soul, had in reality not bodily force enough to
mount his horse without support, take from the enthusiasm of his men,
nay, it was heightened and excited to the wildest pitch. 'For Scotland
and freedom!' shouted the king, as for one moment he rose in his
stirrups and waved his bright blade above his head. 'For Bruce and
Scotland!' swelled the answering shout. We formed, we gathered in
compact array around our leaders, loudly clashed our swords against our
shields; we marched a brief while slowly and majestically along the
plain; we neared the foe, who, with its multitude in terrible array,
awaited our coming; we saw, we hurled defiance in a shout which rent the
very air. Quicker and yet quicker we advanced; on, on--we scoured the
dusty plain, we pressed, we flew, we rushed upon the foe; the Bruce was
at our head, and with him victory. We burst through their ranks; we
compelled them, at the sword's point, to turn and fight even to the
death; we followed them foot to foot, and hand to hand, disputing every
inch of ground; they sought to retreat, to fly--but no! Five miles of
Scottish ground, five good broad miles, was that battle-field; the enemy
lay dead in heaps upon the field, the remainder fled."

"And the king!" exclaimed the knight of the mask, half springing up in
the excitement the old man's tale had aroused. "How bore he this day's
wondrous deed--was not his strength exhausted anew?"

"Aye, what of the king?" repeated many of the soldiers, who had held
their very breath while the veteran spoke, and clenched their swords, as
if they were joining in the strife he so energetically described.

"The king, my masters," replied Murdoch, "why, if it could be, he looked
yet more the mighty warrior at the close than at the commencement of the
work. We had seen him the first in the charge, in the pursuit; we had
marked his white plume waving above all others, where the strife waxed
hottest; and when we gathered round him, when the fight was done, he
was seated on the ground in truth, and there was the dew of extreme
fatigue on his brow--he had flung aside his helmet--and his cheek was
hotly flushed, and his voice, as he thanked us for our gallant conduct,
and bade us return thanks to heaven for this great victory, was somewhat
quivering; but for all that, my