ly resolved on, and
the few intervening hours were spent by the countess in calm repose.

Conscious that filial affection watched over her, the sleep of the
countess tranquillized her sufficiently to commence the return to the
encampment with less painful evidences of exhaustion. A rude litter
waited for her, in which she could recline when the pass allowed its
safe passage, and which could be easily borne by the bearers when the
intricacies of the path prevented all egress save by pedestrianism. It
had been hurriedly made by her devoted adherents, and soothed and
gratified, her usual energy seemed for the moment to return. By nine
o'clock forenoon all traces of the Bruce and his party had departed from
the glen, the last gleam of their armor was lost in the winding path,
and then it was that a man, who had lain concealed in a thicket from the
moment of the affray, hearing all that had passed, unseen himself, now
slowly, cautiously raised himself on his knees, gazed carefully round
him, then with a quicker but as silent motion sprung to his feet, and
raised his hands in an action of triumph.

"_He is_ amongst them, then," he muttered, "the traitor Bruce himself.
This is well. The countess, her son, find the would-be king--ha! ha! My
fortune's made!" and he bounded away in quite a contrary direction to
that taken by the Bruce.

The old retainers of Buchan were correct in their surmises. The evening
of the second day succeeding the event we have narrated brought them to
the hunting-lodge. It was indeed very old, and parts had fallen almost
to ruins, but there were still three or four rooms remaining, whose
compact walls and well-closed roofs rendered them a warm and welcome
refuge for the Countess of Buchan, whose strenuous exertions the two
preceding days had ended, as was expected, by exhaustion more painful
and overpowering than before.

The exertions of her friends--for the Bruce and his followers with one
consent had permitted their wanderings to be guided by the old
men--speedily rendered the apartments habitable. Large fires were soon
blazing on the spacious hearths, and ere night fell, all appearance of
damp and discomfort had vanished. The frugal supper was that night a
jovial meal; the very look of a cheerful blaze beneath a walled roof was
reviving to the wanderers; the jest passed round, the wine-cup sparkled
to the health of the countess, and many a fervent aspiration echoed
round for the speedy restorati