ho had taken up their line of march soon after the accident befell me. And though I was eager to be off, the surgeon would not let me go, and so, until I co

ruin and destruction to the roof of the very house that once had received me as a guest and that sheltered the fairest eyes that had ever gazed in mine. And now I was to appear before that house as the bearer of ill-tidings. Ah, duty often wears a gruesome countenance; yet it is a sign of courage to face this duty down, and I sat more firmly in my saddle and rode nearer to the High Sheriff. He was a stern and determined man; he was short of st

ey will have enough to do in repulsing the redcoats, and should not stir up opposition in the rear of our armies, which this persec

is the order of the co

as such mus

reezes wafted from the bay. And then, after some hours' travelling, we came to the Braes and I saw again the long rambling house amid the trees. I took a firmer grip upon my sense of duty and rode on. The clatter of our horses' hoofs as we rode up to the door announced us. A moment later Charles Gordon came through the open doorway on to the porch. Though I had seen him before, it seemed to me, as I saw him standing there, with the m

here, Mr. Sheriff

n you the writ and summons of the Committee of Public Safety." And here

e Braes, for that he has infamously reflected on the membership of this Committ

he appear before this Committee, at the house of Thomas Savin at the He

il not on

odolph,

Gordon of

ke Charl

of their rascally crew dare to approach the house, there will be lives lost; for I say to you, Mr. Sheriff, as I have said before and will say again, that James Rodolph and his committee are a set of infamous scoundrels, who have usurped

endid in his wrath, as he denounced the Committee of Public Safet

ff hesitated, as if he would

committee, and I will see that you have fair speech before it. Refuse and you will be declared a traitor and an outlaw, and the edict will go forth th

Gordon

rgh for high treason. Do you think that I care when my neck has been on the block for the part I took at Preston Pans and Culloden? Go fright

st the father, why n

arms against the King, that I should leave the realm of Scotland, sail across the sea to the province of Maryland, there remain and never return. So, though I love not the King nor his race, I will not draw sword agai

e away, leaving him standing there. As I entered the woods I looked back again, my eye