nce asked the latter if he
had any word to send to his wife.

"Yes," answered the martyr; "tell her that I leave her and the two babes
upon the Lord, and to his promise: `A father to the fatherless and a
husband to the widow is the Lord in His holy habitation.'"

Hearing this, the man employed to act the part of executioner seemed
touched, and asked forgiveness.

"Poor man!" was the reply, "I forgive thee and all men."

They died, at peace with God and man. An old tombstone, surrounded by
an iron rail, marks to this day the spot among the old oak-trees where
the bodies of McCubine and Gordon were laid to rest.

Commenting on this to his friend Selby, the Reverend George Lawless gave
it as his opinion that "two more fanatics were well out of the world."

To which the Reverend Frank replied very quietly:

"Yes, George, well out of it indeed; and, as I would rather die with the
fanatics than live with the godless, I intend to join the Covenanters
to-night--so my pulpit shall be vacant to-morrow."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

COMING EVENTS CAST SHADOWS.

In February 1685 Charles the Second died--not without some suspicion of
foul play. His brother, the Duke of York, an avowed Papist, ascended
the throne as James the Second. This was a flagrant breach of the
Constitution, and Argyll--attempting to avert the catastrophe by an
invasion of Scotland at the same time that Monmouth should invade
England--not only failed, but was captured and afterwards executed by
the same instrument--the "Maiden"--with which his father's head had been
cut off nigh a quarter of a century before. As might have been
expected, the persecutions were not relaxed by the new king.

When good old Cargill was martyred, a handsome fair young man was
looking on in profound sorrow and pity. He was a youth of great moral
power, and with a large heart. His name was James Renwick. From that
hour this youth cast in his lot with the persecuted wanderers, and,
after the martyrdom of Cameron and Cargill, and the death of Welsh, he
was left almost alone to manage their affairs. The "Strict Covenanters"
had by this time formed themselves into societies for prayer and
conference, and held quarterly district meetings in sequestered places,
with a regular system of correspondence--thus secretly forming an
organised body, which has continued down to modern times.

It was while this young servant of God--having picked up the mantle
which Cargill dropped--was toi