Poverty and the
urgency of a cousin have induced me, unfortunately, to take service with
the dragoons."

"After what ye've said, hoo am I to coont on yer helpin' me e'noo?"
asked Glendinning.

"As long as I wear the King's uniform you may count on my obeying orders
unless I am commanded to break the plainest laws of God," answered the
young man. "As our present business is only to discover the cottage of
Andrew Black, there seems likely to be no difficulty between us just
now."

"H'm! I'm no' sure o' that; but if ye'll tak' my advice, lad, ye'll
haud yer tongue aboot thae matters. If Clavers heard the half o' what
ye've said to me, he'd send ye into the next warl' withoot gieing ye
time to say yer prayers. Freedom of speech is no permitted at the
present time in Scotland--unless it be the right kind of speech, and--"

He stopped, for at that moment two young girls suddenly appeared at a
bend of the road in front of them. They gazed for a moment at the
soldiers in evident surprise, and then turned as if to fly, but
Glendinning put spurs to his horse and was beside them in a moment.
Leaping to the ground, he seized the girls roughly by their arms as they
clung together in alarm. One of the two was a dark-eyed little child.
The other was fair, unusually pretty, and apparently about fifteen or
sixteen years of age.

The trooper proceeded to question them sharply.

"Be gentle," said Will Wallace sternly, as he rode up, and, also
dismounting, stood beside them. "No fear of their running away now."

The swarthy trooper pretended not to hear, but nevertheless relaxed his
grip and merely rested his hand upon the fair girl's shoulder as he said
to the other--

"Now, my wee doo, ye canna be far frae hame, I's be sworn. What's yer
name?"

"Aggie Wilson," answered the child at once.

"And yours?"

"Jean Black," replied the blonde timidly.

"Oho! an' yer faither's name is Andrew, an' his hoose is close by, I'll
be bound, so ye'll be guid eneuch to show us the way till't. But first,
my bonny lass, ye'll gie me a--"

Slipping his arm round the waist of the terrified blonde, the trooper
rudely attempted to terminate his sentence in a practical manner; but
before his lips could touch her face he received a blow from his comrade
that sent him staggering against a neighbouring tree.

Blazing with astonishment and wrath, Glendinning drew his sword and
sprang at his companion, who, already full of indignation at t