the
doin's o' that black-hearted Cooncil, I'm like to lose the threed o' my
discoorse. Yon is a great man i' the Kirk o' Scotland. They ca' him
Donald Cargill. The adventures that puir man has had in the coorse o'
mair nor quarter o' a century wad mak' a grand story-buik. He has no
fear o' man, an' he's an awfu' stickler for justice. I'se warrant he
gied ye some strang condemnations o' the poors that be."

"Indeed he did not," said Wallace. "Surely you misjudge his character.
His converse with me was entirely religious, and his chief anxiety
seemed to be to impress on me the love of God in sending Jesus Christ to
redeem a wicked world from sin. I tried to turn the conversation on the
state of the times, but he gently turned it round again to the
importance of being at peace with God, and giving heed to the condition
of my own soul. He became at last so personal that I did not quite like
it. Yet he was so earnest and kind that I could not take offence."

"Ay, ay," said Black in a musing tone, "I see. He clearly thinks that
yer he'rt needs mair instruction than yer heed. Hm! maybe he's right.
Hooever, he's a wonderfu' man; gangs aboot the country preachin'
everywhere altho' he kens that the sodgers are aye on the look-oot for
him, an' that if they catch him it's certain death. He wad have been at
this communion nae doot, if he hadna engaged to preach somewhere near
Sanquhar this vera day."

"Then he has left the hidy-hole by this time, I suppose?"

"Ye may be sure o' that, for when there is work to be done for the
Master, Donal' Cargill doesna let the gress grow under his feet."

"I'm sorry that I shall not see him again," returned the ex-trooper in a
tone of regret, "for I like him much."

Now, while this conversation was going on, a portion of the troop of
dragoons which had been out in search of Andrew Black was sent under
Glendinning (now a sergeant) in quest of an aged couple named Mitchell,
who were reported to have entertained intercommuned, iueu outlawed,
persons; attended conventicles in the fields; ventured to have family
worship in their cottages while a few neighbours were present, and to
have otherwise broken the laws of the Secret Council.

This Council, which was ruled by two monsters in human form, namely,
Archbishop Sharp of Saint Andrews and the Duke of Lauderdale, having
obtained full powers from King Charles the Second to put down
conventicles and enforce the laws against the fanati