de a way for my escape. I have neither
wife nor child, nor, I may say, relation, alive. I am, as it were, a
stranger in the land of duty. If the Lord so will it that the man of blood
shall prevail over me, he will raise up others in my stead, fitter to serve
him effectually than ever I have been; but, Walter, _you_ have a bonny
family of grandchildren around you, and your ain daughter the mother of
them a', to bless you, and hear you speak the words of counselling and
wisdom; so, make you for the cave and the cairn out by yonder--I will e'en
remain where I am, and the Lord's will be done!" Seeing that all persuasion
was unavailable, and that, by delaying his flight, he would only sacrifice
his own life, without saving that of his friend, Walter appeared to take
his departure for his place of refuge. It was neither Clavers, however, nor
Lag, nor Johnstone, nor Winram, who was upon them; but only Captain
Douglas, from Drumlanrig, to which place secret information of the night's
_wark_, as it was termed, had been conveyed. Captain Douglas' hands were
red with blood; he had shot poor Daniel M'Michan in Dalveen Glen, and had
given word of command to blow out his brother's brains, as has been already
recorded in the notices of these times. One of his troop had been wounded
in the affair at Dalveen, and he was literally furious with rage and the
thirst of blood. Down, therefore, Douglas came with about half-a-dozen men,
(the rest being on duty in Galloway,) determined to kill or be killed--to
put an end to these nightly conventicles, or perish in the attempt.

Mr Lawson had taken his position in the King's Chair, which, as was
formerly described, consisted of three large stones set on end, around one
in the centre, which served as a seat; and when Douglas came in sight,
nothing appeared visible in the moonshine but these solitary stones.

"They are off, by G----d!" exclaimed Douglas; "the fox has broken cover--we
must continue the chase; and Rob," added he, to one who rode near him,
"blaw that bugle till it crack again. When you start the old fox, I should
like mightily to be at the death. But--so ho!--what have we here?--why,
here are bottles and a cup, by Jove! These friends of the Covenant are no
enemies, I perceive, to good cheer"--putting the bottle to his mouth, and
making a long pull--"by the living Jingo! most excellent wine. Here, Rob,"
emptying what remained into the silver goblet or cup, "here, line your
weasan with