courtyard I heard them come towards me, and of a
sudden something sang in my heart, though I could have given no great
reason therefor.

Softly the door of the well-house opened, and one came in, giving a
little cry at so nearly stumbling over me. But no power had I to move or
speak, even though it had been Clavers himself who entered. My visitor
gently and lightly shut to the door, and knelt at my head.

"William!" said a voice, and I seemed in my phantasy to be running about
among the flowers as a child again.

I opened my eyes, and lo! it was Maisie of the Duchrae--she that had
been so kind to me. And the wonder of seeing her in my own house of
Earlstoun, where the garrison was abiding, was a better incitement to
renewed vigour than a double tasse of the brandy of France.

But there was no time for speech, so pulling me farther within, she bent
and whispered:

"William, I will go and bring your mother. The soldiers may not be long
away!"

So she rose to go out with her pail full of the water, for which she had
come.

Yet ere she went, she laid her hand upon my brow, and murmured very low,
lest the sentry should hear,

"My poor lad!"

Only that; but it was a thing which was mightily sweet to me.

Nor was she long gone before she returned with my mother. They had
called the sentry in to his evening meal, and supplied him with
something to drink. For they had had the garrison long enough with them
to learn that all soldiers are great trenchermen, and can right nobly
"claw a bicker" and "toom a stoup" with any man.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE WELL-HOUSE OF EARLSTOUN.

So as soon as the soldier was snugly housed with the servant lass, the
two women came to me, where I sat at the back of the door of the
well-house. Chiefly I wanted to hear what had brought Maisie of the
Duchrae so far from home as the house of Earlstoun. It seemed to betoken
some ill befallen my good friends by the Grenoch water-side. But my
mother stooped down and put her arms about me. She declared that she
would have me taken up to the west garret under the rigging, where, she
said, none of the soldiers had ever been. But there I would in no wise
go, for well I knew that so soon as she had me there, and a dozen
soldiers between me and a dash for liberty, she would forthwith never
rest until she had me out again.

Then the next idea was that I should go to the wattled platform on the
oak, to which Sandy resorted; but I had fallen in