Th z s

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c o l u m ns o

Id le

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Pe d c n

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pp

Weekly

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T H E

C H E R RY

RI BB AND

BY

WI T H

FO U R

C RO CKE T T

L L U S T R AT I ON S

BY

L A U DE

S H EP P E S O N

L O N DO N

H O DD ER AN D
27

TO UGHT O N

PAT ERNO S T ER
I

05

RO W

W it h

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13

n et

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'

S T I C KI T

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CONT ENT S
PA GE

C H A PT E R I

C HE R R Y R I P E C H E R R Y R I P E
O F THE YE AR
,

HE

IN

C H APTE R
C ATE C H I S M

L AR G E R

C H AP TE R
!

U I ET

THE

S PRI N

GT I M E

II

III

GIL

C H APTE R I V
RA I T H S O

U T CA ST I N G

C H APTE R
MOTH E R S KEE P S A K E

H IS

S E R G E A NT C R I F

HE

31

C H APTE R V I
TA K E S S WO R D E X E R C I S E

C H APTE R V I I
E N L I STMENT O F A RENE G A D E

35

41

C H APTE R V I I I
S A BB A TH S

I L EN C E S

C H AP TE R I X

L A G S C L E R K S A Y S A MEN

T HE

P A L ETTE

OF

C H APTE R
P ETE R P A U L
ul

61

C O NT E NT S

iv

PA G E

C H A PTE R X I
T H E T RAV E LL E R S H A D A N A D V ENT U R E
BY TH E W AY
C H APTE R X I I
C R I F T A K E S CO M M A N D O F TH E B A SS

OR

wo

C H A PTE R X I I I
T

HE

N E W S TO C K

C H A PTE R X I V
T H E KI

SS

OF

P E AC E
C H A PTE R

LI KE

GE

AS

BIRD

O RGE J E x S

HE

I VI E

COT

XV

91

C H A PTE R X V I
J U ST P R O V I D EN C E

C H APTE R XV I I
I N C ANT I E B A Y

C HAPTE R X V I I I
C A STS TH E G OL D F R O M H E R H A IR

C H A PTE R X I X
D R U M T A P S A N D TH E P R I D E O F L I FE
C H A PTE R X X
P R A Y E R FU L P ETE R A N D L O N G
BO D I E D J O H N
-

C H A PTE R
T H OU D E C E I T FUL TO N GU E !

HE

T HE

MU

T I NY

C H A PTE R XX I I I
U P O N TH E B A SS

C H APTE R XX I V
D E I L S B AC K KI T C H E N

I 09

115

I 22

I 29

XX I

C H APTE R XX I I
D UK E J A M E S A M U S E S H I M S E LF
T

1 02

3S

I4I

S3

1 64

C O NT E N T S
PAGE

IN

C H APTE R
T A NT A LLO N C AV E

X XV
I

73

C H A PTE R XX V I
T

C UP A N D

HE

THE

LIP

1 84

C H A P TE R XXV I I
S I L V E R H I LTE D S WO R D

HE

93

99

C H AP TE R XXV I I I
COU NTE R P LO T
C R I F R YS L A N D

C H AP TE R XX I X
S WO R D KN O T

20 5

C H APTE R X X X
P R I SO N B R E A K I N G
H

MS
.

S WI F T S UR E

211

C H APT E R XXX I
I N TH E B A Y

C H APTE R XXX I I
C A P TA I N G E O R G E T E DD I MA N S I N S P E CT I O N
B A SS

OO D B Y E
-

TO

L ETTE R

HE

22 1

OF

TH E
2 30

C H APTE R XXX I I I
TH E B A SS

2 44

C H APTE R XXX I V
TH E R O S E B U S H

2 49

ON

C H AP TE R XXXV
LA G S

RAID

258

C H APTE R XXXV I
H OU ST O N I N TH E H OLLOW
-

HE

I VI E

C H APTE R XXXV I I
D U E L I N TH E H A LL

S H AN D

IS

C H A PTE R XXXV I I I
KI SS E D

2 66

27 2

2 84

C O NT ENT S

v!

C H APTE R XXX I X
TA K E S COU N S E L

LA G

KI N G S BE R R Y

AS

ON

H A U NTE D

HE

H IGH

C H APTE R X L
TH E H I LL

30 1

C H APTE R X L I
H A G S O F C R A I G W E A RY

C H A PTE R X L I I
H I LL A s THE H I LL O F B A S H A N

C H APTE R X L I I I
P RA Y E R FUL P ETE R

T HE

W I LES

C HA PTE R X L I V
F I G HT I N THE M
I ST

3 34

C H A PTE R X L V
C H I EL

34 3

HE

HE

OF

\V A M
PH R AY

C H APTE R X L V I
T

HE

O UT

H OU S E
OF

OF

W I I C H C R A FI
'

3 54

C H A PTE R X L V I I
THE D E P TH S I C R I E D

C H A PTE R X L V I I I
L O N G BO D I E D J O H N M
A RT Y R
-

B IG D EI

L AN D

3 75

C H APTE R X L I X
L I TT L E D E I L

C H A PTE R
MA RJ O R Y S MOTH E R H E A RT

THE

P LA C E

J E Z E BE L

OF

AN D

C H A PTE R L I
S L A UG HTE R

C HA P TE R L I I
J EZ EBE L S C H I L D R EN

39 2

39 8

T H E

C H ERRY

R I B BA N D

C HAPTE R I
C H E RR Y R I PE , C H E RR Y R I P E , I N
TH E YE A R

THE

PR I N G T I M E
-

OF

R A ITH

E L L I S O N h ad not come straight home from

the Conventicle There was nothing remarkable in
that It was n o time to walk calmly back from a pro
scribed hill communion Where the Gospel was preached
by outlaw ministers at the peril o f their lives as if it
had been a mere cock g h t i n g o r tavern merrymaking
His blind father O ld William Ellison had already
been led homeward by Gil his eldest sonthe pair of
them passing rapidly athwart the brown heather and
dark purple gashes of the moss bags Murdoch an d
Beattie his younger brothers had held away to the
north with Rait h s mother and Sister E u ph rain under
their protection That was all the family of the house
a fIof M
eld
save
only
the
dogs
and
Grizel
Alston
the
y
herd s lassie from the Muir o f F in t ri e who helped
E u ph rai n wi th the byre
Rai th Ellison had t ried hard to be as enthusiasti c
about religion as were h is fathe r and brothers But
in the rst place he took somewhat after his mother
whose East country blood responded somewhat slackly
to the high westland ardours Moreover Raith was
but nineteen and though he was little better than a
.

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

y oung ploughman he had never at kirk or market

looked ki ndly at a girl without having her look kindly
back at him Farther than that it had not gone
S o fo r these reasons very clear to his o wn mind
Raith Ellison had come home from the great c o n v e n
tiele upon the hill o f T arb e llio n by way o f the village
of I rongray and the great house of Ke rs l an d where
Cornet G rah am e s troop o f His Maj esty s dragoons
was stationed
The sergeant maj or s daughter Ivie R ys l an d wore
pink ribbons and laughed at him But as Raith care
fully explained t o himself when his conscience pricked
h im t /z a t had nothing t o do with the case
How in fact Should it ? Raith did not care He
was his father s s o n and he knew better than t o m ix
with unbelievers open persecutors Jezebelsespe
w
as wonderful
Jezebels
Yet
for
all
that
it
c i al l
y
how memorable Raith Ellison found the way the Rys
land girl had o f throwing her head back and laughing
aloud when he passed by I n it there was a trill that
rang a bell somewhere deep down in his breast and
then the ash o f those white teethwhich h ad no
business to be S O small and white and regular ! There
was no word o f these when in the Book of the Kings
s h e painted her face and tired her hair and looked o u t
at the W indow
Raith Ellison did not want to s e e Ivie Rys lan d the
sergeant s daughter The words o f the sermon dcliv
ered o n the Mount T arb e llio n were yet ringing in his

ears
I have s e t my King upon my holy hill o f
"
Z ion
Desperately Raith t ri ed to x his mind upon the
divisions o f Mr Pe de n s discoursefrom its stately
beginning to its startling and prophetic conclusion
the Father clothing the S on with all royal and divine
prerogatives owning h im before the assembled heavens
and the wo n derful earth and last o f all bestowing upon
,

C H ERRY RI PE I N T H E S PRI NG TI M E

him an earthly throne and the power to j udge the na

tions especially this poor a ficted S cotlandand to
do j udgments upon it s malignan t and blaspheming
Oppressors
Raith passed through the vi llage his he ad down
scarce glancing at the shut doors the veiled windows
upon which the blinds were drawn down for pre cau
tion Most o f the villagers had been o n e way o r
other at the Communion and preaching o n T arb e llio n

H ill
in the place called Eshcol because there was

the wine poured o u t

But Lag s Tower was som e
what too close at their doors and the folk of I rongray
kn ew that they played with re who took liberties
with the King s laws within arm s length of S ir Rob
ert Grier
Ra ith told him s elf that he was glad When he had
passed down t h e length o f Irongray V illage with
never a glance of a cherry coloured ribbon from o n e end
of the street to the other
But when at the green dip o f the road to Ke rs lan d
H ouse where was the headquarters o f Cornet G m
hame s tr00p a laughing voice o u t e d him in full song
there was Spite of the recent solemnity and the awful
words of him whom all men counted a prophet a s u d
den leap of gladness in the heart o f Raith Ellison who
in that sombre Cameronian household of M
a e ld
y
hidden like a W haup s nest in the bosom o f the purple
hills had held through all his more youthful youth n o
promiscuous troking W ith womankind
Especially had he been warned against the women
of the Oppressor who as his blind father had s o often
informed him ( o n the highest S criptural authority )
painted their eyes decked themselves W ith ornaments
sitting by the wayside
or who like the S ab ae n s from
the wilderness ( by which was undoubtedly meant the
uncovenanted English ) put brac e lets upon their

hands and beautiful crowns o f gold upon their heads

~

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

NOW

thi s is what came to Raith Ellison

S

we et

W il l i e

of

the

s ai d a w o rd i n h as t
F ai r A ni e too k i t i ll
I l l n e v e we d a to c h e l e ss My
Ag ai n m y fai th e s wi l l
e

Oh,

o ut

Then yet more j oyously from the green covert rang

o u t the reply o f Fair Annie to such ungallant senti
ments the last two lines being delivered with a per
fe c t peal o f scornful laughter
,

wi l l e v e w d a wif
A wif wi l l ne w d y
S ae h e is Off to t ll h is m i th e
A s fas t s h e c oul d fl e l

I f ye

e,

er

e.

r,

Ra ith looked at the dense covert of leaves where

the hazel bushes grew close down to the track s weep
ing the green foot road o n eith er side of the hard
trodden bridle path with a pleasant sough as O ften as
the wind blew But the prospect did not tell Raith
Elli son much His heart halted indeed like a horse
suddenly checked and then plunged determinedly
forward The green leaves m oved above the path
They waved They were put aside
A n d there s h e was s h e whom the O ld man his
father had called Jezebel There was a crown o f gold
o n her head
Bracelets o f the same twined her
wrists B ut the lips were s o rose red the teeth so
marvellously small and white and regular and the
laughter in the eyes dark eyes the colour unde
cided
s o discon certing that it was some time before
Raith Ellison could make out that the golden crown
an d the wristlets were only fabricated of the gay light
ness o f broom blossom culled upon the Irongray
knowes
And then her eyes sparkled with a clear re in
,

C H ERRY RI PE I N TH E S PRI NG TI M E

i t t e ring

their deeps like sunbeams ickering and

through leaves into a woodland well
,

H am e to my m i i e
h am to m y mi ni e l

s ai d b o i e W i l li e
A d t h e b s t pl ac e fo m
nn

e,

nn

S he stepped o u t into the road the sergeant s

daughter Ivie Rys lan d N o t a tall girl nor yet a
short girl Not a thin g irl nor yet a plump gi rl But
no r
j ust such a girl as Raith Ellison had never seem
to tell the truth was likely to S e e from the Back S hore
of Port Patrick to the Brig End of Dumfries
Ah if s h e had not beenh e remembered the words
they were his father s
a daughter of the u n ci rc u m

cis e d !
S o thought Raith without reecting that
never in his l ife had he taken the least interest in the
doucest lambs o f the ock clad in grey always and
with a checked plaid over their heads on S abbaths
their eyes cast down and their snooded hair plain and
smooth as comb could make it
There was no end to the daring o f this girl this
I smaelitish woman S he stood in front o f him her
bracelets upon her wrists chapleted with ame the
light wind blowing her hai r sensibly and e l s h ly
casting her enchantment s upon Raith Ellison S he
mimicked his attitudes ! thrusting forward her head
enlarging her eyes and dropping her chin Then all
suddenly s h e cried S weet Willie have y e a tongue ?
I haves e e !
And without any tincture o f that sober respect
which Raith Ellison knew had been put at the rst
between the woman and the man s h e thrust out at
him a little pink pin point o f tongue
Raith stood aghast In all his body in all h i s soul
he had no word Decidedly very decidedly s h e must
be Jezebel Yet her face was n o t painted nor yet her
eyelashesRaith wished that he had been somewhat
nearer to her so that he could make sure

T H E C H ER R Y RI BB A N D

Then taking a n e w tack She suddenly a ffrayed him

by a question
And what I pray you o f your courtesy k ind s ir
was Auld S an dy s text this day upon the Hill of
,

T arb e l lio n

That touched him and he spoke

I ken not he said Slowly and blushing deeply

I ken n
o t the thing that ye would have o f me

S ir s h e o u t e d ye are safe fo r me I was

ever considerate to bairns Why I would not have
your poor heart at a gift lad NO not though the
passage were as easy as the crossing of Bothwell Brig
Rest assuredI am as free o f guile as any ewe lamb
o f the fold !
And s h e struck her hands together in a prett y
m ockery o f what in the t roop was considered the
Hill folks way o f preaching

But
you saidyou said Raith Ellison panted
a little huskily

What
I n the course of a day I
s h e demanded

sa
many
things
more than there i s any call to re
y
member ! But I am a true maid out with what I
said Sirrah and I wil l stand by it body 0 me that
will I

Y ou asked Mr Pe de n S text this day when he

preached upon the Hill T arb e llio n
murmured the
youn g man
Raith looked about him fearfully as he Spoke The
heats o f the Killing Time in S cotland were no e n
c o urag e rs of loud o r vain speech
Yet I v ie laughed laughed till the tears came into
her eyes and the lemon coloured globes scattered waste
fully from her golden crown
"
Great o af s h e said yet putting somethi ng in her

voice that took the sting o u t of the inj ury great

o af do
o u think that S ergeant Maj or Gri t R s l an d
y
y
o f His Maj esty s dragoons cannot do his duty with
,

'

C H ERR Y RI PE I N T H E S PR I NG TI ME
-

his daughter s assistance ? I am no spy man

Look at me !
S he took a step o r two nearer to him paused eye to
eye daring him set her l ittle hands with the yellow
bracelets upon her hips the broom petals starring the
o u n ce s of her close
girt dress

answer me holy
D O 1 look like a spy ? s h e said
Mr Raith Ellison conventicle keeping young Mr
Ellisongood sweet law breaking gospel hearing
ev il thinking Mr Raith Ellison do I look like a spy ?
Have I sold the blood O f man o r woman ? S et the
troopers on the track o f any that are brave misguided
man ? I demand you to speak if ever ye have heard
the like o f me ? Wh at
S ilent still silent ?
S he waved her hand contemptuously

Enough ! She cried

I bid you a good day
Yonder lies your road
babyi ac e baby heart
Doubtless your courage will growwith your m o u s t a
choes For let me tell you Mr Raith Elli s on ye
Go keep
are neither j olly Kingsman nor stout Wh ig
the cows laddie ! Tarry at Jericho until thy beard be
grown as S andy would say
And She sprang int o the woodland with a scornful
out of her hand and the rapid swirling o f broad
t
reen
leaves
closing
abou
her
like
water
g
Raith looked at the place from which s h e had come
and into which She had disappeared He had half a
mind to follow her But a mocking voice like an
echo half choked with laughter halted him

out

H am e to h is m i i
A d t h e b e s t pl e f

nn e

ac

h m

or

h im ,

to his m i i l
b o n i l ad W il l i e I
e

nn e

Raith Ellison bit his lip till he felt a sweet taste in

his mouth He started ercely for the broad green
wall o f the hazel bushes He would seiz e her hold
her rend an explanation from her What rig ht had
.

sh e

T H E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

But before he had solved the first o f these questions

there came once more the ripple o f that light laugh
which had so often made him quiver A golden wrist
let fell at his feet And after that there was no more
o f human sound
The sough o f the wind o n the
great empty bank side o f trees and in the dense covert
O f the hazel bushes came back to him exceedingly
lonesome
Raith stood long before he dared to pick up the
yellow circle in the dust It was tied with the smallest
possible little bow o f cherry coloured ribbon very
dainty H e walked o n hastily and as he went he hid
Jezebel s keepsake rst under his cloak and then
deeper under the sober grey j u s t z c or o r waistcoat
near the place where his Presbyterian heart was beat
ing all t o o unsoberly
,

'

C H APTE R I I
THE L ARGER

C A TE C H I S M

my twentieth year s o Raith Ellison was

wont to tell his age when any asked him which was
indeed seldom For in these regions of an elevated

piety even s o much savoured of David s sin of num

bering the people and those wh o were already in the

hands Of the Philistines scrupled to fall also under
the hand of God
Fourteen years younger than the next of his breth
ren four years younger than his S i ster E u ph rain the
youngest born of the house o f M
a e ld had grown up
y
as a tender plant in a rude and blusterous world
S le n
der o f body tall o r inclined to be S O ( for the lad had
hardly yet done with his growing ) his ruddy lips and
modestly blushing cheek caused him to be called the

young David
save in this added his father when
he heard it that I fear me he lacketh sadly o f Da

vid s grace

Hoot guidman the boy s mother would an s wer

with her loving indulgent look
tis but the Short
corn o n the sandy sapless knowes that ripens early !

S ay rather Marj ory S impson retorted the stern

old man do men gather grapes O f thorns or gs of

thistles
Deed William Ellison be the lad thorn or thistle
yours is the root stocka Slip o f your grafting Wil
liam Deny him n o t It behooves you to stand b e
tween the lad and his Maker !

Then wo e is me and wo e t o the lad said the

IN

T H E C H E R R Y R I BBA N D

10

father fo r I am but a corrupt tree and can only

bring forth evil fr u it

I s e e naething the matter wi the bairn William

persisted his mother you are forever o n his back
w
a s at the Comm union S tanes
He
o u and Beattie
y
this day and behaved right reverently sitting apart
with his eyes o n Mai ster Peden though yet over

young to be a communicant

I was admitted when I was but fteen years o f

my age said her husband and Beattie

Mistress Marj ory Ellison stamped her foot lightly

S peak not to me of Beattie s h e said he is for

ever carryi ng tales

Out o f your own mouth I condemn you woman

cried the blind man is Beattie not bone o f your bone

esh of your esh even as the other ?

Even so ! He is your s o n and mine returned

the O ld lady the Lord save his soul and bridle his

tongue !
H e hath been s e t apart to speak the truth o f God

to a faithless generation s ai d the farmer o f M

a e ld
y
proudly
Would that I could but s e e him I would
barter a hundred years o f glory that these eyes m ight
behold him but once standing o n the barren moun
tains with a willing people about him dividing asunder
soul and marrow with the Sharp two edged sword of

the gospel !

That were indeed a m iracle

said his wife
dryly

I dare you to s ay s o woma n O f your o wn s o n

cried William Ellison ri sing to his feet his tall form
dilating as he felt for the corner o f the high chimney
shelf upon which he was accustomed t o steady himself
His wife mechanically guided his hand to the place
and then replied nothing abashed William the mira
c l e would be if even for the Space o f an hour that
y our Sight should retu rn to yo u

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAND

12

hillside o n which the sheep were scattered and m aki ng

a turn behind the house he went towards the dairy
where he knew his sister E u ph rain would be setting the
pai l s for the night I n the byre he heard huge boned
Murdoch the good n atured clashing the m ilking
luggies and Slapping the cows t o make them stand
over all to the accompaniment o f chains that rattled
and cloven feet that moved restlessly among the Slip
pery sha m o f the byre

E u ph rain
he said as he stood at the door so

all have gotten home in safety ?

E u ph rain a pale girl still and staid in her ways like

Gil her brother glanced up quickly from her bynes

or great wooden basins o f reaming milk
S he was
making ready for the morrow s cheese making

That I kenna s h e said softly what think ye

Raith
And there was something s o personal in her inquiry
that Raith though sure in his heart that s h e could
know nothing was unable to restrain himself from

blushing
There are o u r father and mother he b e

gan
I heard them in the kitchen place
And
Beattie yonder he is o n the hill Gill is at the stable
door and I s aw Murdock
"
And yourself Raith
S h e said p ausing to regard

him stilly is it well with yo u boy ? There is a dif

ference in yo u these last days which all may s e e
yo u
draw y ourself away from us
The others notice it
Tell me I can help
Or tell o u r mother S he
will listen Have ye denied the Word o f Life ? Have
ye companied with the doers of iniquity ? S peak
Raith for the love we bear yo u But wh y s h o u ld I
speak o f that ? Yo u love us no more We are too
simple for you
Raith was silent a moment He was even as it
seemed to himself o n the brink o f a confession But
something choked him
the foolishness o f it the fu
,

,
.

LA RGER CATEC HI S M

THE

13

of having nothing to confess save nonsense

about pink ribbons and sprigs of broom

he said but without looking her in

E Uph rain

the
there is nothing to tell
S he stood erect gazing deeply in her young broth
er s eyes Then s h e turned away with a sigh

S hut she said shut to m e n o w ! But it had

been better R aith to tell your E u ph rain lest a worse
thing befall us all
But Raith Ellison s h y as a wild goat proud at
heart as a young horse that has never felt the rein
came near only to his mother He could answer only
her questions he thought
not E u ph rain s At this
moment great Murdoch the good natured giant ap
ro ac h e d with two full pails stumbling o n the step at
p
sight o f his youngest brother in the dairy

Eh you he muttered get o u t o the road 0

working folk m an
But nothing that Murdoch could say hurt any o n e
at M
H e was only Murdoch and it seemed
ay e ld
but a day since he had been used to carry the young
lings on his back both at one time He could have
done as much now only that E u ph rain had suddenly
grown staid and Raith proud Nevertheless no one
was ever o u t o f temper with Murdoch Even Beat
tie s venomed speeches dropped away harmless and
blunted from Murdock s armour o f proof

S tupidity ! quoth Beattie between his teeth

he does not even know when I pink him

As well perhaps for you Master Beattie put in

quiet O ld Gil from his corner why he could plaster

the rigging with the contents of your clever brain

pan !
A kind of dour despair and desp erate aloofness
from all his kin took possession of Raith Ellison as
he went into the kitchen to face his father and t o
underlie the questioning reproachful glances o f h is
t il i t y

C H E RRY R I BBAN D

THE

14

mother But the blin d old man was the more to be

feared His ear answering for eyes al so had ned
down all shades and differences of tone till he read
them as a clerk an open book H e had the inner
vision o f m uch experience But his inrmity kept
from him the ki ndly milk o f tolerance which mostly
accompanies insight among the old Al so the times
were against broad views
Raith did n o t speak as he entered H e look e d at
his mother shyly and averting his eyes he went to the
great byne o f skimmed milk and whey which sto od
always on the corner o f the white scoured wo oden
dresser H e lifted the brimming scoop thrice to his
lips and drank deep

Ye are late said his father speakin g as from a

great height He was standing with o n e strong han d
gripping the chimney corner as was his wont His
n gers had m ade a groove there during the years H is
eyes were o n his s o n grey veiled eyes startlingly
piercing and as it seemed clairvoyant There was no
horror o f whiteness about them as about those o f s o
many blind

Aye said Raith stri ving fo r calm I came b y

"
the way o f the vi llage

S ir said his father was not the moor clear and

O pen before yo u ? Wherefore then have ye walked in
the way o f Sinners
Because it was go o d not to return from the preach

in g save two or three together said Raith somewhat

sullenly it was at your o wn bidding

S o your young limbs are slower than those o f an

O ld man and a blind his father went o n

Two
hours already have your mother and I been sitting
under o u r own vine and g t re e waiting fo r o u r young
est born your mother s Benj amin And n ow Sir

what have you to s ay ?

Nothing said Raith Ellison with a kind of angry

.

TH E LA RGE R CATEC HI S M

15

c al mness I have nothing to tell Of the soldiers I

And in the village street n o t a cat stirred
s aw none
The blinds were drawn down I s aw naught but
Peter Porson the Angry Curate wh o hammered a
printed paper o n the kirk door and cursed every time

he chacked his nger with the hammer !

S o told there seemed not much wrong that Rai th
had done But an Ellison a dweller in the house of
May e ld o f the bluest blood o f Reformation and
Covenants ever since old Makkar Ellison ( who had
begun by ballad making and ended by psal m singing)
laid his hackbut over his shoulder an d s e t o ff to May
bole to stand behind John Knox in his disputation
with the Abbot of C ro s s rag u e l
an Ellison must be
as far above suspicion as the wife o f C aesar

And these hours lad ? persisted his father B e

attie made it two hours by the s u n from the time ye
entered Ke rs lan d wood at the Irongray smithy to the
time when ye came up the loaning from the Loch

side

Beattie
exclaimed the boy ercely it is always
Beattie h e spies o n me and carries tales

For your soul s good h e has it much at heart

said his father Beattie is a choice vessel s e t apart

for lofty duty

a e l d coughed and goin
Here the Mistress of M
y
g
to the dresser began to clatter dishes The o ld man

quick to interpret turned on her

The Lord hath
still some sore stri v ings with yo u Marj ory S impson
He hath not yet mastered that stubborn Eastland
heart of thine Ye are kin to them that refused a
shelter to the poor ying folk o n the night of Pent
land But s e e ye that the softening comes in tim e
into your horny heart For He will not always strive
If ye support this your youngest born in his folly and
rattle your crocks at the name of Beattie who is as o n e
chosen of God s e t apart and anointed among u s I
.

16

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

tell ye woman ye are working the works o f the devil

in this covenanted house

I see not that the lad Raith hath done s o mickle

wrong said his wife were ye never y oung yoursel

William
I think that I mind a time when ye thought
other and better o f my poor horny Eastland heart
But let that gan g by laddie s it ye down to your s u p
per Ye have need o f it I trow Listening to the
preached word on the moors is hungry work to the
y oung

It should not be so to the protably inclined

said old Ellison wine on the less well rened the

dinner o f herbs where love is the nest o f the wheat
all these were sweet o n my palate to day ! I feel

n o need of earthly meat

The better for yo u said his wife rmly but

mind the re o f coals and the sh l aid thereon by the

side o f the Lake !

And One that stood thereby and said Come and
dine !
murmured the o l d man exaltedly with an e n
tire change o f voice making as if to lift his bonnet

from h is head
Ye are right Marj ory S impson I
stand reproved before you Give the lad his s upper !
,

C HAPTER I I I
!

U I ET G I L

farm o f M
a e ld lay in a little how o f the wide
y
barrow backed moors well hidden from all the more
Open ways o f trafc I t had often been visited both
by dragoons and the rougher levies o f Lag But noth
ing had ever been proved against the Ellisons S om e
strain of blood kin and a lifetime o f respect mingled
with awe for blind William Ellison had for the time
being stopped the mouth o f that rough pelted lion
Robert Grier
It was a thatched farmhouse in o n e cornera story
beneath and a garret above a quadrangle o f rough
faced o fc e houses kept carefully pointed with lime
an d Ioop holed on the outer sides as if fo r musketry
re a huge striding gateway o f wood barred across the
t o p and gunshot proofthe whole the work of William
Ellison and his father in the o ld high days o f Presby
t e ry after the year Thirty Eight when there was news
of the descent of Montrose s Highlanders and Fea r
walked the land F o r M
ay e l d was an ancient free
hold and went down from Ellison to Ellison no supe
rior or liege lord having a claim upon it ever since the
great house o f the D o u g las e s o f the Black was put
down in blood and treachery by King Jamie of the
Fiery Face
A bien place this home steading of M
a e ld
Calls
y
had been made upon it time and againfodder vic
tual bestial had been carried away Yet the barn s
were gorged the kitchen was a swing with the hams
THE

18

T H E C H ER RY RIBBAN D

of mutton and Sides of pork while in the family beef

tub there was put to salt each backend the full fed
Martinmas bullock for the provend of the winter
Moreover the Ellisons had the Open hand NO
stinting no scanting None turned away hungry from
the doornot even the Egyptian y b y nights wh o
dwelt in the lirks o f the hills and sallied forth only to
steal and to reive and to devour
Especially the wanderer for conscience sake had a
a e l d for none
welcome warm and heartsom e at M
y
knew how soon every member Of the household might
be driven o u t o n the hillside for the honour o f a wasted
kirk and a broken covenant
The King s soldier
straying from his troop sat down t o t he best the
house could afford He was a m an after all and
even if his hands were red as his coat with the blood
there was this ancient and
o f God s chosenwell
effectual excuse fo r himh e [ me w n ot w/z a t h e d i d
I t was however mostly owing to the East Country
blood o f Marj ory S impson spouse to blind William o f
Maye ld that these things were s o S he it waswh o
behind her husband s back had paid the cess and
spoken fair words to the rough soldiery O I I their
d omiciliary visitations and ( her family o u t o f the way )
had even boasted of their kinship to Lag s o that up
t o the present M
ay e l d and its indwellers had been
left in peace in the midst o f that wasted and night
mare ridden country
Quiet Gil had fought and would doubtless ght
again But that was Gil s a ffair H e asked no coun
cil of any H e went to his bed in the stable loft
after suppering the horses and redding up the yard
I n the morning he was not Neither his gun his pair
o f pistols n o r his short sword were to be found
H e would be absent for a period longer o r Shorter
as the case might be But upon a morni n g all u n
the rst t o awaken ( it was always Gil s
aware s
,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

20

qui et strong and even silences But in her thought s

o n duty and the a ffairs of the state and specially of
Christ s suffering Kirk E u ph rain Ellison was liker her
father than any O f the others The main difference
was that he spoke continually while s h e as a maid
fenced her heart deeper and deeper about with silence
and reserve

After eating his supper o f sowens and skim

milk to which his mother wat chin g William Ellison
safe into his closet added a full farle of oat cake and
a Slice of mutton ham Raith took his broad blue bon
net i n his hand and strolled o u t
H e drew a full deep chested breath at the door as
he took in the clean coolness o f the dusk In front
o f him there was only a single star but a young moon
in its rst quarter glittered overhead sharp at the
i nner edge as a scythe newly straiked
Gil was standing with his arm s on the bars o f the
O pen gate into which he had not y et closed the stock
for the night H e was waiting for Beattie who from
o ff the moor was driving down the ewes with their
lambs The sweet uneasy plaintiveness of their call
ing came to him across the valley with an innite
tenderness
Gil did not look at his brother He did not move
his bearded chin O ff his palm Any o n e wh o did not
know Gil might have thought that he was quite
unconscious o f Rait h s presence But Raith knew
better

Trouble ? queried the elder with an upward i n

e xion yet hardly raising his voice above a whisper

Y es assented Raith
Beattie told our father
that I was two hours in the Ke rs lan d wood o n m y

way home
S omething came from between the clenched t eeth
o f Gil Ellison
something like the rst lo w warning
of a watch dog when very far Off he diagnoses some
,

Q UI ET

GI L

2:

thing that does not please h im More than that the

growl co ul d not b e for Gil was a good Covenant
man and had stood with their stoutest o n many a
stricken eld

A lass ? said Gil without moving still with the

same subtle twist o f question in his voice

It was nothingI canna tell ye !

said Raith
in coherently
Thena lass
This time Gil s voice was a simple assertion

There was no wrong said Raith with undue

solemnity S h e only laughed at me !
Gil nodded his head

a
i
d
A y he s
it begins that gate But the road
lies yont far yontwhere ye cannot see Raith boy
Turn ye ladturn ye

What ken ye about lasses Gil ? said Raith a

sober professing man like you ?

Gil touched the roughing of curled hair about hi s
temples

This was not always grey he said quietly but

the Lord s willthe Lord s will be done I am
no denying that she made me a better man

Who ? said Raith bewildered He was thinkin g

of Ivie R ys lan d and wondering to distraction how this
staid sober sides o f a Gil c ould possibly have known
her

Who ? repeated Gil slowly who

Why the
lass that garred a young man s hair turn grey in a
night

I n a night
he repeated and gravely turned o n
his heel as if he had no further advice to offer no
reproof o r comment to make O nly as he went Raith
caught his muttered words

I deny notno I dare n o t that She made a

better man o f Gil Ellison !

It was now the time o f the closing o f the great
.

TH E C H E RR Y RI BBA N D

22

gate always a high and important event at the farm

a e ld
town of M
Beattie
came
in
after
his
ock
two
y
rough haired collies at his heels well satised He
was the tallest an d darkest o f any o f the Ellisons
H e carried hi s head a little forward as if cont inually
peering about him
looking at the wonderful works

of God he sai d But it may be j udged without t oo

much uncharitableness keeping also a shrewd eye o n
the sins and shortcomings of h is fellow m en
a e ld went wit h in doors to
Then the family o f M
y
the evening prayer The ingle re burned bright in
the darkness o f the gloomy besmoked kitchen With
a cert ai n pomp the mistress o f the house had placed a
pair o f candles in the tall brass candlesticks on the
table Between them lay the great Bible shut wi thin
its rough covers o f h ai ry calf skin
Formerly when the children were younger it had
been the custom for William Ellison himself to recite
the passage for the day with the O pen volume before
him H e knew by heart the Psalms certain chapters
in I saiah m uch of Jeremiah the S ong o f S olomon word
for word parts o f the rst three Gospels all John ( of
course ) the Romans after and including the eighth
chapter and strangely enough ( and pos s ibly owing to
the chill Eastland inuence O f his wife ) the letter of

JamesLuther s epistle o f straw

But recently it had been Beattie wh o read the word

in the ordinary as i t was calledthat i s straight

through the Bible from o n e end to the other Mur
doch his one accomplishment was wont to raise the
tune in a voice wondrously sweet and melting t o pro
c e e d from such a Colossus
All were now assembled The o ld man stood erect
by the chimney piece ready to kneel at the prayer
while in his place s at the scholar and future preacher
Beattie his nger turning over the leaves with a
rustling sound to measure the length o f h is evening
,

Q UI ET GI L

23

portion There was something o f prideful assumption

in his manner
The blind o ld man j udged by the ceasing o f the noise
that all was ready
Let the doors be shut
he said in a solemn

voice it is the hour o f the evening sacrice

Obediently E u ph rain glided to the outer door to
close it but started back with a quick c ry o f alarm
from the tall dark gur e wrapped in a plaid and with
a great sta ff in his hand wh o stood motionless before
it Gil went quickly to the door for the gure had
raised a hand But it was in the benediction o f peace
.

th

T h e bl e s s m g

e re n

of

si nful m a

be

this hous e

on

an d

th t dw l l

all

Amen ! cried the blind man William Ellison

starting forward
I hear M
r Pe de n s voice
Come

in
come in Siryou nd us at the evening duty
Then came a strange man in his long grey beard
falling deep on his breast tall far beyond the ordinary
height of mankind his hair thrown back from a broad
brow and in his eyes a strange cast the look of the
second sight the inner vision of things unseen

Have ye well considered ? he said there are

bloodhounds close in my track I come as a thief in
the night not entering in by the door Do ye well to
hold communion with Alexander Peden

The back is made fo r the burden said the blind

man all here are ready to su ffer for the Way !

The tall man with the long grey beard whom men
called Peden the Prophet looked about him his strange
vague eyes seeming to search all the souls gathered in
that M
ay e l d kitchen

Ah he said I am not so sure Methinks there

is o n e who but dippeth his S o p in the Master s dish
And at this William Ellison turned his sightless eyes
towards his youngest s o n in the place where he knew
,

'

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

24

him to be sitting A S for Beattie he looked up and

marked the face o f Raith burning red with shame and
confusion At which Beattie smiled H e was of those
wh o are prepared to nd the heavenly j oys enhanced
by a near vision o f the torment s o f the lost They
hope the gulf xed will not be xed too wide
But there was yet more and worse fo r Rai th
William Ellison with lofty courtesy invited the
stranger to undertake the evening worship But Peden
the Prophet dropping his long beard o n his breast

answered only T O morrow an you will But for the

rst night it is my custom to let a man be high pries t
in his own house that I may know after what manner
h e d raws aside the veil from the H oly of Holies
,

CH APTER I V
OU T C A S T I N G

RA I T H S

time of worship Rai th s at beside his mother j ust

as he had done ever since he was a little kink headed
petticoated boy mumbling surreptitious crumbs under
cover of her apron Even now after the psalm had
been raised and all were si n ging in a sweet and solemn
unison Raith moved a little nearer to his mother and
nestled against her knee which as instinctively went
forward to meet him all mothers will know how
No one s aw It was their secret but yet Marj ory
S impson had been waiting for that moment all the day
long A n d as she turned a leaf o f her psalm book
her hand went down as it were unintentionally and
rested a moment on his neck W here the soft short
curls were To her he seemed to be a babe again
And R ai t h s heart warmed to the unspoken sympa
thy He did not sing any more
Then Beattie read It was the divine tale o f the
Prodigal S o n and Raith thought that the eyes o f all
were upon him He would have been un happy but
fo r his mother s hand upon his neck
It comforted
himyet boylike he hoped that the others would not
notice
Indeed none but Peden the Prophet did s e e with
those vague wide set eyes which misty and inward
seemed to divine rather than merely to discern
William Ellison prayed his wife guiding him as ever
to the great three legged chair o f black o ak which was
his Throne o f Grace His prayer followed the lines
IN

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

26

the reading First he pled for S cotland the spo ilt

child of the Promises long wandering shepherdless and
now fallen among thieves Agai n coming nearer he
pray e d for Galloway for I rongray trampled under foot
o f the Oppressor doubtless for their o wn sins u n c o n
fes sed and unrepented of Lastly and with great
vehemence he prayed for the undeclared Achans in
the camp of the faithful idolators Baal worshippers
raging waves o f the sea foaming out their own shame
fo r prodigal chil dren rioting in far countries Judases
who were ready to betray their master o n and
Not for fear
o n till Raith could have cried aloud
but because of something that secretly pricked
him
Thou art the man ! Thou art the man
it
s ai d
F o r in his heart R ai th felt himself apart from this
company of worshippers
n o t worse than they perhaps
but different Even h is mother s hand was removed
from him now S he had to keep touch with her hus
band lest i n his ecstacies he should fall headlong from
his knees as he had more than once done before
Raith groaned aloud and Beattie ever o n the
watch opened out the ngers which he had reverently
shut upon his face and xed him with a malignant
eye
At the close there rested a Silence upon all I n
honour of the guest the two candles were permitted
to burn The heads of the house seated themselves
Peden the seat of honour in the
an d o ffered to Mr
chimney corner E u ph rai n moving softly laid some
birch twigs o n the hearth and upon these half a d ozen
larger faggots which blazed up and 10 ! there was a
clear white light throughout all the dwelling

Come hither ! said Mr Peden sudde n ly reaching

It was in R ait h s d irection that he
o u t his hand
looked

S aul among the prophets he said what dost

of

28

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

It is the same said Beattie

I c an swear to it
I saw the mad wench go Singing and dancing across
Mac rimm on m uir with the like upon her head Me
s h e s aw n o t but went on her way towards the Kers

land Wood

Where Raith stayed two hours this day said his

father o n his way from the ordinances of Grace !

S tand forth Raith Ellison

And obedient as he had ever been to his father s
voice Raith stood up

Have you seen and spoken with this woman ?

demanded his father rolling his veiled eyes upon hi m

I have seen her ! said Raith

This day

Thi s day !

The heathen womanthe woman that i s a singer

o f songs that at t e re t h with her tongue

S he attered not cried Rai th stung by the in

j ustice o f this S h e but laughed and mocked !

Yet with herthe daughter o f the Man of Blood
my s on spent two hours wandering in the solitary
places of the wood

I s aw him enter and I s aw him come o u t It was

good two hours ! said Beattie thoughtfully

A nd she gave yo u this token this love gage by

which evil is kindled as by a re

S he threw it It fell o n the road I lifted it

up ! said Raith determined to tell the truth

Beattie resolved to assist him to tell it all added
And I s aw it fall from beneath his doublet upon the
hearth as he rose from prayer !
And he threw it again o n the stone to mark the
spot

It i s enough ! Go ! said the o ld man pointing

with his hand to the door
S ilence woman
He grasped his wife by the shoulder gripping her

as he had gripped the stone mantelpiece I will be

,

R A I T H S O UT C A S T I N G

29

the master in this house while I live Let him b e

gone He i s no s o n of mine

The lad has long to repent being young inter

ru pt e d Gil whose words were few

I bid you hold your peace lest I curse yo u also

Gil Ellison the voice o f the old man dominated the

house g oI command yo u lest a worse thing b e
fall you Hence to your Jezebel to your dancer by
the wayside There is neither part nor lot for you

here in this house On your o wn head be it !

But his mother said softly
Go lest he curse
theeI will meet thee by the well !
And with that Raith Ellison went forth from his
father s house without attempt at j ustication of self
o r any word o f reproach because o f inj ustice
For he knew that the Jews had no dealings with
the S amaritans and deep in his heart of hearts he
knew himself to be S amaritan born There was a
something o f pride in it too the recklessness that
comes of heady youth and the hope scarce avowed
that S iz e would not laugh at him any more S o Raith
kept his head up and went through the door Of his
birth house an exile and an outcast
Gil had disappeared H is mother s at watching her
opportunity Gentle E u ph rain wept without noise in
her corner by the spinning wheel Murdoch made inar
t i c u lat e noises as if o n the point o f scolding his horses
at the plough Beattie sat studiously curved over the
g reat Bible but the smile on his thin lips belied his
seeming humility
Only Peden the Prophet s at still and looked straight
before him neither speaking n o r seeming to have any
cognizance o f what went forward about him One by
o n e they dropped awaythe mother to the well Gil
to waylay his brother further o n Murdoch divided in
mind whether to break Beattie s bones o r t o lay his
head on the stable door and sob o u t his soul Eu
.

30
r
h
p ain

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

well

E u ph rain

went to pray as only a whi te

souled girl o f the Faith can pray
S o the two old men were left alone Peden the
Prophet raised h im self to his full height and strode
across t o where William Ellison stood still trembli ng
with the agony o f his contending heart

The S o p is still in the dish he said enigm atical ly

I misdoubt ye have but cast o u t doubting Thomas
and left Judas wh o betrayed his Master at home to
carry the bag !
,

C HAPTE R V
M OT H E R S KE EP S A K E

HIS

was by the well under the alder bushes at the loan

ing end that Raith waited for h i s mother He knew
that Gil was near though he had not seen him go
by But Gil s comings and goings were ever silent as
the shadow O f the bird upon the hillside Raith knew
that presently he would See his brother but in the
meantime there was his mother
S he came Her arms were about h i s neck and she
sobbed on his bosom For the rst time Raith felt
himself a man and comforted her

Your father will not always be angry s h e said

lifting up her head

he wi ll forgive I ken him !

I do not wish to be forgivenI have done no

wrong ! said Raith determinedly

Oh laddieladdie pleaded his mother humble

yourself to your faitherI pray you ! Ye are my
bairnand o h ye sang s ae sweetly The Lord 5 my

shepherd and Annie 0 Lo ch ryan when ye had but

three years 0 your age

My father will not forgive nor I forget said

Raith it is better as it is This is not a work o f

to d ay

Then laddie s ai d h i s mother gang straight to

my brother David that is a ship s captain and dwells
in the Harbour o f Laith in a braw ceiled house 0 his
ain
He will not deny ye shelter for Marj ory his

Sister s sake !

I cannot promise mother he said I have been

IT

THE

32

C H E R RY RI BBAN D

outcasted l am a fugitive and a vagabond o n the

face o f the earth They have driven me forth this
day as a beast i s driven with dogs

Nay nay laddie moaned his mother that was

never thy father s thought

Thought or no thought said Raith it is done !

I am sent forth my l ife only in my hands

Nay nay said his mother but come back and

I will plead with your father

H e is none o f my father fo r he disowns me said

Raith with boyish obst inacy And also deep down
in his hea rt there was the thought un accustomed and
intoxicating as a beaker of strong wine that at last
at last he was free

At least bairn said his mother ye shall not go

with the empty hand

And s h e drew from a great
side pocket tied about and about h e r waist with cord
age a worn black leather wallet I t was fat and
chinked as it passed from hand to hand

It is the butter and cheese siller she whispered

with a k ind of piteous glee and all my o wn to give

Raith hesitated a moment but something of his
mother s Eastland sense prevailed H e took the wal
let and kissed her S he clung to him

I must haste m e back or they will be wondering

said the o ld woman clinging the closer ye will not

forget yer mither

Mother mother ! sobbed her youngest born

the child of her age dearest o f all
There was silence between them The night wind
over the moors breathed o n them and was gone The
well water slept sweet and limpid beneath unseen in
the darkness Their spirit s were troubled by S ome
thing as it were the passage o f a spirit It made
their hearts tender at the same moment

murmured his
I s s h e that ter ri ble bonny ?
mother l owah , s o very low in his ear
.

HIS

MOTH ER S KEEP S AKE

33

S hewh o ? prevaricated her son Though he

knew

The s o dje rs lassI do not mind the name o f

her
That also was an untruthshe could not get the
name o u t of her mindnight nor day

The sergeant s daughter

questioned Raith try
ing to stand upright

No no s h e said holding him closer down to her

tell meis She bonny

Aye said Raith

S h e will never love ye like your mither
S he does n o t love me at all
S he scorn s me
S h e la u ghs at me l
His mother was silent a while Then after thought
she spoke

Aye that s the travelled road s h e said And

then with sudden e rc e n e s s
I wonder She is no

shamed
Why fo r should she be shamed

To turn a bairn against his ai m m ither

Raith clasped her about and kissed the wet with
ered cheek
S hame on her
S h e cried stamping her foot

But s h e has done nothing said Raith

only

laughed at me

And the link 0 broom ? suggested hi s mother

cunningly but also wistfully S he hoped that he would
deny that too
S he never gied ye that did S h e

S he j ust lost it and ye fand it on the road ?

S he spoke with suppressed eagerness and some piti
fulness
No
said Raith truthfully s h e threw it and it
fell at my feet But o h mither S h e laughed awesome

bonny I mind it yet If ye had but heard it mither

Marj ory Ellison stamped her foot the second time

Oh the witch She cried to cast the glamour

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

34

my laddieo u my Rai th S h e micht hae had her

pick 0 a the rest !

S he held him a long tim e in her arm s betwixt an ger
and tears

Y e ll be seeing her s h e said at length oh aye

d inna deny I ken But never let her persuade ye
t h at S h e loves ye better than your auld mither F o r
do e s n a
she
canna
Nae woman can
sh e
H ow
mickle wad She forgie ye think ye
Were it but the
matter 0 anither j oe ? Naething ! Not her ! I ken
young lasses But your m ither bai rn she wad forgi e
ye gi n ye cam to her reid fae head to foot in the blood
0 God s saints
Aye gin ye were black wi s in as the
reek that goeth up frae the everlasting burning there
wad aye be a place for ye hereIt e m where I suckled
ye in my days o f pride Let the young seek the
young ! The Almighty himsel canna s ay nay to that
But mind ye Raith when lov e r and friend forsake ye
think then upon your auld mither
And without waiting for any reply She went her way
weeping
But a hundred yards o ff s h e turned and came run
nin g back hastily like o n e wh o has forgotten some
thing

There She said I lifted it when they we re n a

looking I had meant to pluck it bit by bit and cast
it in the re But wo e i s m e I canna ! I ken ye
wad like it R ai th o r ye wadna hae carried it beneath
your waistcoat But O h mind that your puir mither
lies the nicht lang wi unshut c c think on ye
S he was gone and in R ai t h s hand there lay barely
dis c e m abl e in t he darkness something familiar thin
and round One o r two yellow b u dl e t s winked at him
like glowworm s in the gloom and he smelled the faint
perfume which h ad been o n the silk ties
His m other had brought him back Ivie Rys lan d s
gage
on

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

36

d ragoons For which good reason why ! Had s h e

c Nab in the year o f
n o t come down with one Rory M
the H ighland Host ? And then Ro ry getting his
throat c u t when out plundering too promiscuously her
consort had stayed o n in the house he had taken for
her in Irongray vi llage But little enough Raith cared
c Nab o r her departed spo use
for Widow M
V ery early as he waited watching the widow s chim
n eys still solidly black against the pale lemon Sky o f
the tardy east Raith had noticed an unwonted stir be
neath him First a trumpet blew three times at the
bridge head then in the midst of the village and lastly
down by the smithy where the burn ows over t h e
road
Anon light s twinkled here and there L antern s
moved along to stables swinging from unseen hands a
foot o r s o above the ground Oaths military and all
the rude vocabulary o f the camp such as h is ear was
still shocked to encounter cam e up to him as he lay
stret ched out on the great willow trun k on the edge O f
Ke rs lan d wood
Lastly fe and drum titillated his ear and beat re
They made
s po n s iv e in the regio n o f his waist belt
him feel somehow proud S he had heard them all her
life perhaps that was wh y !
Lumbering carts passed creaking far beneath the
cries o f the baggage masters mingling with the Sharper

Heigh Ups o f carters encouraging their Sluggard

beasts
His Maj esty s dragoons were on the
march
A sudden and terrible fear t ook hold o f Raith Elli
Perhaps s h e had gone away and he would see
s on
her no more The light in the East was brighter now
H e could See Widow M
c Nab s white chimney which
S ergeant G ri f Rys lan d had whitewashed for her with
his o wn hands in the manner o f the Low Countries
a remarkable cpmplai s anc e in a King s o f cer as all
,

S ERGEANT

GRI F

37

the village were never tired O f remarking with some

thing o f a smirk
Already the music was much fainter The waggons
rumbled more distantly and only once in a while the
brave rattle O f the kettle drum s came to his ear as
c Nab
the troop crowned some eminence Widow M
was sweeping out her back door and her hedge was
patched white with towels and dish clouts S he seemed
like o n e who cleans out lodgings left empty after the
departure o f long standing tenants
Raith rose from the willow trunk upon which he
had been lying prone principally o n his elbows and
chin He moved forward to nd o u t the truthhis
heart thumping upon Ivie s wristlet till you could s e e
it move under his grey coat
S o all in a moment and though he knew the coun
try quite unexpectedly he came t o the quarry s edge
He paused aghast as he looked over
H e s aw in the clear morning light a little group o f
men beneath him Two of them were st ripped to the
waist guarding only their white shirts and the sleeves
of thei r right arm s were roll e d up abov e t he elbow
The more richly d ressed and laced was o f the middle
height stoutish with an ugly truculent face n o w very
red and angry H e was attacking with his rapier
ercely stamping his foot and scowling while the other
a tall man his wrist low and his weapon extended
seemed hardly to do more than move the point o f his
sword in a circle This second combatant was a dark
thin man Bushy black eyebrows met over his nose
without forming the least curve of an arch Thick
mustaches which perhaps O wed a little of their raven
gloss t o the art o f cosmetic drooped from the corners
o f a rm mouth
with something grimly humourous
even n o w in the s e t o f it
The onlookers ( all save o n e in uniform ) shrugged
their Shoulders and glanced at o n e another occasion
.

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

38

ally when the assault waxed e rc e r or the tall dark man

turned hi s wrist with more than his usual easy dex
t e ri t y

Are you now ready to as k the lady s pardon ?

c ried the defender suddenly bending his black brows
into a knot
Neverlet her and you together go to
But t h e destination was never indicated T h e long
describing a somewhat larger curve turned
rapier
aside a furious thrust an inch farther than usual The
dark man took a step forward and by some magi c a
b and s breadth o f dulled steel stood out behind the
assailant s back a little beneath the shoulder blade and
o n the left side
I t was visible no m ore than a moment The next
he o f the eyebrows was cleansing his rapier calmly
while his O pponent lay doubled up in an ignoble heap
exactly as if a horse h ad kicked him

And n o w gentlemen observed the victor calmly

replacing his coat

are y ou all perfectly satised ?
O r are there any more of Lag s levies who aspire t o
insult the daughter o f S ergeant Maj or G ri f R ys lan d
S peak quickly for I
o f His Maj esty s dragoons ?
have wasted overmu ch time already I must over

take my company
But all appeared busy with the fallen man and an
The S ergeant Maj or buttoned him
s we re d nothing
self u p looked carefully to every item o f his equipment
brushed away a speck o r two of dust from his sleeve
and swung h i s plumed h at courteously upon his hea d

If ye have augh t to s ay to m ewell ye know

where to nd m e Good day
His horse stood ready saddled down by the water
ing trough at the roadside H e strode proudly away
carelessly too as if he did as much every day o f his
life A S b e mounted and ro dg Off o n e o f the men wh o
h ad been s o busy lifted his head and looked after him

,
.

GRI F

S ERGEANT

39

S ir Robert wi ll be little pleased with this m o m

ing s work Laird Houston was aye a great crony of
his I trow G rif Rys lan d will lose h is coat if no

more for this ploy

Pshaw ! returned the other he wh o wore no

military dress but seemed rather some surgeon by the
care and detail o f his examination coats wh at are
coat s of red or coats o f blue even when laced with
gold ? He gave you every chance if ye had aught to
Why
s ay o n behalf of the Laird of Lag or any other
my O ld duffel and riding whip equipped quite as bold
a man as any striped j ay piet of you all ! To my
thinki n g tis you that will have t o answer to Grier of
Lag He has lost a good henchman and what is
worse a j olly bottle companion As for S ergea nt
A
G rif I s e e not that he has done any great wrong
man may surely cross steel with steel in his daughter s

quarrel !

Well growled the rst speaker I suppose you

will give certicate that he is dead Where Shall we
take the carrion

Into the widow s yonder said the Doctor

The
coast is clear and if all tales be true Laird Ho n s
ton kenned the road well enough when he was in

life

Aye aye
cried the third wh o had not yet

spoken if auld S andy hath the right s o w by the tail

Houston will be brave and warm this coming winter
He was ever the prince of ru f e rs spared n either
man nor woman and swore better than Dalzell him

self

I have seen him dri nk eight bo ttles and sit in his

chair with out holding to the table Only Peter Por
son the curate could man him at that

Glory cried the surgeon

if there be a God
and a j udgment and all thatwhat a black surprise is
Houston getting even now !

,
.

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

40

with this requiem from those wh o knew him

best the dead Houston henchman and boon companion
of S ir Robert Grier o f Lag was carrie d into the swept
an d garnished house o f the Widow M
c Nab and laid
s t raig h t an d peaceable in Ivie R ys l an d s bed
A nd

'

C HAPTE R VI I
T H E E N L I ST M E NT

A R EN E GA D E

OF

R A I T H Ellison was at the bridge end of Dumfrie s

long before either S ergeant G rif o r any o f his c o m
pany For the heavy tumbril waggons j olted lumber
ing along the rough road which though of the regu
lation twenty feet from side to side took small account
Then there
o f the stones and rut s that lay between
was his daughter I vie to s e e tohis o f cer Cornet
Grahame to report to This report was o f the briefest
being as follows
Well
queried the Co m et
The S ergeant Maj or clucked deep in his throat in a
suggestive manner and turned up his eyes At which
perfectly advised Cornet Grahame shook his head

All the same it is a pity he said the devil of a

pity ! I know n o t what my uncle will s ay
There
have been t o o many broils between the regular
troops and the county militia My Lord Liddesdale
will be bitter He holds hard to what Lag and Mor
ton can do for the King in Galloway and this fellow
was his favorite bottle man

I gave him every chance said the sergeant

easily three times did I hold him at my point and

three times did I ask him if he were n o t yet ready to
demand pardon Then I should have kicked him and
come my way !
Cornet Grahame nodded

NO soldier of the King could do more he said

If it were not fo r such as you S ergeant G ri f these

-

T H E C H E R R Y RI BBAN D

42

militia cock sparrows might end by thinking them

selves soldiers But j ust n ow the thing is something of
a pity Last year or next year you might have spitted
the whole gang like larks o n a skewer But here and
tis some
n o w by Mistress Gwyn s pretty thimble
thing o f a pity ! H ey what have we yonder ?
It was Raith Ellison looking very lithe and erect
wh o stood on a little eminence at the place where the
river road from L in c l u de n j oined that longer and
better o n e by which the dragoon s had ridden town
wards

A handsome lad G rif R ys l an d mu rmured the

o f cer
would he list think you ?

I have seen the face his coat looks Whiggam ore

answered the sergeant

and yet I know not There
i s a dash o f the devil about him that we might make
something of

Hey lad come down cried Cornet Grahame

why stand there gaping like G illyo we r Joan at the

fair Hast never seen a red coat before or heard the

drum s rattle ?
Raith came down as he was h idden
H is heart was
beating rarely H e had seen a man slain that m o m
ing and there was the man wh o had done it riding
along as comfortably as if he h ad done no more than
crack a duck s egg for his breakfast Then the roll
o f the drum s and the high clean treble of the fe s made
him quiver deep within What a life !
And his face ushed For the thought cam e to
him as he s aw the o fcers whisper that he too might
be o f that band Treason to h is o wn ? Th e be
traying o f all he had left behind ? Well he lz a a left
it behind They had cast him out H e was free
S tingingly sweet and overwhelming the thought o f
riding in gallant company rose within the lad Great
Sin is ever heady and in the rst days more than re
pays the sinner by that j oy o f deant pride which
-

THE

44

C H E RRY RI BBAN D

By your o wn tale ye have spied o n his Maj esty s

Equally ye have held rendezvous with my
o f cers
da ughter in the green woodwhich i s a hurt to my
honour ! Therefore choose ye S ir Whiggamore ght
o r hang !
I will ght ! said Raith manfully

Ye have Skill o f fence then ? said Cornet Gra

h ame looki ng at him with interest
Ye have seen
the S ergeant Maj or at wo r

I c an handle a broad sword with most said Raith

I had never o n e O f these three cornered blades in

m y grip
But for all that I ask no favours of an y

man !
The S ergeant dismounted with great solemnity and
s everity in his countenance and stri pping his coat he
pulled o u t his sword and stood ceremoniously o n
guard

The gentleman does not wear steel said the c o r

let him have mine

n et
And with much grace he presented Raith with the
hilt o f his rapier They saluted Raith imitating his
O pponent as best he might

Have ye aught to s ayin case ? interj ected the

S ergeant Maj or grimly
Raith drew from his inner pocket the little despoiled
circlet o f withered broom and put it into the hands o f
the astonished Cornet Grahame

I had it from Mistress Ivie he said will you

be at the charge o f giving it back to her

A lad after mine uncle s o wn heart ! cried the

he must be
o fcer inging himself from his saddle
We must embody him at once o r else
o n e of us
that thief of the world Peter Inglis may lay hands o n

him fo r his company o f hen roost thieves !

A n d the next moment to R ait h s astonishment he
found his late inquisitor and his antagonist vehemently
shaking him by the two hands

OF

EN LI S TMENT

A RENEGAD E

45

Thus it was that the yo u ngest s o n of the ancient

a e ld found his way into t h e
covenanting house O f M
y
ranks o f His Maj esty s Royal Dragoons commissioned
to put down and extirpate all hill folk Cameronians
Conventiclers and followers of devious courses when
ever and wherever found

C H A PT E R VI I I
S

A BB AT H

I L EN C E S

I T was

the third day after this before Raith Elli son

renegade s aw the girl of the c h erry ribbons There
is reason to believe however that in spite o f her start
o f surp ri se upon the occasion it was by no m eans the
rst tim e that Ivie R ys lan d had s e e n I h e new recruit
whom Co rnet Grahame was s o proud o f adding to his
company
F o r o n e thing the m ilitary ridin g lessons were given
o n the sands down by N ith bank a little to the north
ward Of D e v o rg i lla s Bridge and the S ergeant Maj or s
lodgi ngs looked directly o u t u pon that cheerful scene
But it was manifestly a vast surprise to the girl j ust
the same When She m et Raith at twilight near the
bridge e n d his gure already looked well s e t and han d
some in its uniform o f scarlet an d blue Ivie paused
and threw up her hands

I surrender ! She c ried

I am a woman and
unarmed ! Moreover I have not com e from the meet
ing house at the bridge end over there but only from
b uying a few simple eggs fo r my father s breakfast
He likes them raw beaten up with white wine
To Raith She seemed even more lovely than ever
be fore her brown black hair snooded with cherry
colour the glow of the s u nset mellow o n her face and
such an all bewildering smile something less c o n
t e m pt u o u s than O f yore perhaps but by no means
l ess teasing

I am going back to barracks said Raith glad to

,

S ABBAT H S I LEN C E S

47

Show hi s acquaintance with military phrases for then

only the lodgings o f the horse were s o named the in

fan t ry she lters being called quarters or even huts

But what do yo u here S ir Whi g ? demanded

Ivie di d not I see yo u last on your way home from a
conventicle full to the brim with the divisions of S andy
Pe de n s sermon o n the hill T arb e l lio n

They cast me O ff said Raith ercely I o we

them nothing
What yo u have run away from home
I ran not away not a foo tm y father disowned

me repeated Raith he forbade me his doo r

And wh y
Because
said Raith and paused S h am e dly
B ut Ivie only laughed a ringing peal till the douce
burghers o f Dumfries sauntering o n the sands to drink
the evenin g air turned t o look at her the elders
frowningly the younger with gnawing envy The red
coats g o t everything

I know s h e said it is common to the regiment

Cornet Grahame beshrew his impudent tongue hath
made a song o f it It was because o f staying talking
with me fo r t wo hours in the K e rs lan d wood The
s i n seemed n o t s o dreadful to me
I but asked for a
little instruction and if I remember aright you were
even rude to me T /z a t ( s h e added ) is as you wi ll

n d no safe game in this regiment

Let us wal k a little way b ack across the bridge

She added it is not beseeming that I should stand o n

the sands O f Dumfries with a gentleman private o f the
Tongues are censorious and my father can
g uards
n o t run a whole borough town through the giz z ard as
h e did Laird H ouston
Apropos I have something
to s ay as to that I t concerns you young man I
trust you hold not much to your horse exercise B e
cause you are likely to be dismounted fo r some time
a n d my father with you
There is a pother about thi s
,

THE

48

C H E R R Y RI BBAN D

matter of the duel and it will be more wholesome for

my father to get some other employ for a current of
m onths and to take you with him As I understand
you were a witness o f the ght and s aw him pink the
fou l mouthed squire S O to morrow when Colonel
Graham e comes o n his inspection speak to him boldly
eye t o eye and solicit to be sent to do duty along with
your sponsor S erg eant Maj or G rif R ys lan d
as being
art and part in his fault That will be a service whic h

my father will not forget

And you Mistress Ivie ? Will yo u remember

S he nodded
I will give you a better keepsak e

than a wisp o f besom broom s h e said softly And

aga in in the glowing dusk the smile glittered S he
held out her hand

S hake it she ordered do not kiss it We are

not in the Ke rs lan d wood Even to kiss hands is ex
pensive i n the muster and might stand you in a pistol
bullet o r s ix in ches o f steel in the b y going I t is n o
laughing matter to be the only well looking girl on t h e
King s m uster roll
S he shook her n g e r tips daintily at him and passed
away across the S ands Raith turned and watched
her go her slender young body moving easily with a
swing that he had never seen in human creatur e
before
And then it struck him that at that momen t
E u ph rain would be in the milk house at home and h i s
motherno he would n o t think o f that His eyes
followed Ivie Rys lan d at a distance glorying in the
turn of her head and proud too o f the looks of t h e
burghers and their wive s at his tall gure and rich
uniform
A bold wench ran from a court entry and laughed in
his face H e turned o n his heel and s h e cried after
him Ho my H e S aint in scarlet where d ye lodge ?
At the sight of the S kull and Cross bones by your
,

S ABBAT H S I LEN C E S

49

countenance Go w ipe your mustache with a psalm

b o ok A soldieryou ! No more a soldier than the
town pump
But by this time Raith Ellison completely restor e d
in his o wn good Opinion was o u t of hearing
It was the morrow when Colonel Grahame arrived
and as Ivie Rys lan d had foretold made both perq u isi
tion and inquisition Also as She had advised Raith
st o od up and told the truth asking that he might have
pa rt and lot in whatever might be done to his superior
o ffi cer S ergeant Maj or G rif R ys lan d

We cannot lose the sergeant said John Grahame

that s certain
A sword arm like that must not
s wing from a gibbet in the wind as Liddesdale might
thi nk t to m ake it if he gat hold o f him in his pres
ent mind To the Bass Shall you both go That will
be safestthe serge ant to command and you to do
your duty There is a new haul of p ri soners from the
West Country and I ride out to m orrow at daybreak
for the moo rs to drag across Galloway a yet wider net
And keep up your sword
O ff with you S ergeant G rif
practise For the day may come when both the King s
Maj esty and John Grahame may need it sorely
And the net which was cast over the moor co u ntries
by the troopers was indeed straight of mesh an d wide of
s weep Colonel Grahame took the no rth towards
Carsphairn and the Kells ground every inch of which
was familiar to him
Douglas of Morton and the Laird
of S h ie ldh ill c u t straight across the rough country b e
tween Penpont and Dal ry As was his custom Lag
rode red wu d through his own domains Never sinc e
the months after Bothwell had there been such a
driving
S ir Robert Grier O f Lag and Rockhall was at this
time still young no more than thirty years o f h is age
but excess o f living and the ill t rade he had taken to
had marked him more like a man of fty O f his per
.

T HE

50

C H E RR Y RI BB A N D

he was tall s tout and s trong o f that bitter black

S outh Country breed in which oppo sition raises t h e
very devil of savagery
I t was among his own folk that he practise d b y
preferencehis tenants and neighbours whom he pl un
dered in the Kin g s name There lay the sting of it
H e him self boasted o f it
H e would gar them be nd
or he would gar the m break H e said it in ope n mar
ket He had in the phrase o f the people and the time
t aken a t /z ri ep with himself and if he must wade chin
deep through blood an d hatred and engage the eternal
loathing of a whole people he would yet keep hi s

t h ri e p
S uch at thirty years was Robe rt Grier
This day he was part icularly sharp S e t upon ill doing
o wing to the killing of his henchman Houston
And
Peter Porson the curate wh o for ever egged him on to
mischief by scraps o f information s lid cunningly into
a e ld
his ear bade him remember that one of the M
y
Ellisons h ad been present at the death Lag be cam e
instantly furious and marked the house of William
Ellison for an early visit

Over long I have let them Slip he cri ed

kin s

folk or no kinsfolk I o we them one for poo r Houston

And be side added Peter Porson Slily the house

i s no be tter than an asylum for runagate preacher folk
and the hottest outliers of the Wanderers !

By all the hounds of S atan I ll wander them

cried H et R o b s o that they shall never be found

again or m y name is not Robe rt Grier !

And the rough riding persecutor pulled his stee l
c ap well down on his brow
s on

'

9*

9*

9K

if

It was the S abbath morning The stillness ab o ut

a e ld might have been felt
the house Of M
No
y
breath o f air the young s u n level on the moors t h e
little alder and birch bushes along the water
courses
casting long Shadows westwards The farm buildings
.

THE

52

C H E R RY RI BBAN D

t i on s going out to the barn end between t h e partition s

to m ake his bed with her own hand s the softest fea
ther bed the downiest pillow t h e warmest blanket s
plentiful provision in case of detention such as a
bo ttle o f milk cakes and ale homebrewed All this
till the Prophet held up his hands

Mistress he said ye will spoil me for the sides

o f the hills the cauldrife cave s of C ri ch o pe Linn the
ledges and crannies of the Colvend b e u ch s I might
as well be in my ain manse at Glenluce as in the

May e ld barn
But Marj ory S impson only s miled an d made assault
all the m ore on the Prophet after her own recipe

Propheto r no Prophet s h e said he is a man

And God Almighty hasna yet m ade the man that a
woman canna win to her will by taking heed to the
meat he eats the bed he lies down on and the claithes

he puts o n
S he acted accordingly and safe i s it to say that the
wardrobe of the outed minister of Glenluce had never
been in such a state since the day he had Shut the
door of his pulpit and debarred any intruder to enter
therein till one should Open it with the autho rity of
God and the Presbytery even as Alexander Peden
himself had done

It s a blessed thing my faither i s blind

said

i
r
n
to
her
mother
or he wad ken his best
E u ph a
breeks o n the Prophet s Shanks and on his back the
coat that I never s aw oot O the d rawer but twice a
"
year to ai r !

H oots lassie said her mother easily what for

are ye s pe akin
The Man O God di s n a ken ony mair
than William Ellison H e would never nd the di ffer
if ye were to lay him oot a suit 0 Murdoch s auld har
vest corduroy s ! And as for your faither he wad as
sune gang aboot dressed like the Pope 0 Rome carry
ing the muckle keys as wear you black b raidc lait h wi
-

S ABBAT H S I LEN CE S

53

the lang tails that s e t him s ae weel the day he was

married I j uist e en let doon the skirts a kennin
an d it mak s a maist sober and composed coat for a

m inisteraye even fo r Maister Ped en

And the cloak

The cloak lassie ? Whatna cloak

This with an air o f surp ri se as one wh o hears a
thin g named for t h e rst time

Dinna pretend mither din na pretend

said
If my faither be blind I am no even short
E u ph rai n
i the sight I mean your ain mantle of good English
whole C loth passamented with Silk and single welted
with taffeta Ye hae lifted the silk and doubled it in
at the Side with black fu s t e an a ne thing for a
prophet to lie out in the moss hags wi half a stone

weight of woman s n e ry o n his back

Havers said her mither gin the bit cloak keeps

h im warm his hurdies will never k e n the differ
Prophesying brings no light in the matter of clothes

to your back
But what for are ye in such a t aking about Mr

Peden mother ? persisted her daughter

I have
seen Mr Cameron here and also Mr S emple and Mr
Hepburn wi th others o f as great fame but here was
never half this fyke that ye hold about Mr Peden
Mistress Ellison held herself silent fo r a moment
and then leaning quickly nearer to her daughter She
whispered He spoke kindly aboot him ! And ilka
time that I tak a bite o r a s u p to the barn o r a
ch ange 0 raiment I aye s ay in his lug in the bye
gaun Put up a bit word 0 prayer fo r my puir Raith
I m t h inki n h e s maybe n e edin it gye an d sair !

9K

9%

9E

9*

It was the time o f the morning worship in the wide

kitchen of M
Mr Ped en himself had come in
ay e l d
to conduct it There was a humble and a solemn hush
as he s at at t h e table end wi th t h e Book open befor e
.

THE

54

C H E RRY RI BBAN D

him gazing out of the little window with its pane s of

green glass blurred like a muddy whirlpool
T lz e b i rd i ng s e e t /z t /z e wo lf co m i ng
H e l e a v e t /i
lz i s I /z e ep a n d e e t /i
said the Prophet suddenly
And with that fell o n a kind of reverie his face wrapt
and illumined and his lips moving softly as if i n
prayer
The family all s at about not knowin g what h e
m eant
There could be no personal application
Beattie was o u t on the hill tops with his ock If
any danger threatened the house of M
a e ld
he
y
would surely warn them in time What meant this

then
Th e hireling seeth the wolf coming H e

e e t h and leaveth the sheep ?

Then all suddenly Peden the Prophet bowed hi s
head as if taking an order from S omeone Unseen

Even
Lord he said
Thy will be done
so
For the little while that remains to him po or Old
S andy s bones can rest as well in a dungeon cell as
on feather beds But I grieve in my heart for tha e
poor folks wh o hitherto have sheltered in the bieldy
howe from the storm But the Lord even H e is the

G od that chooseth the good o f all souls and doeth it

And lifting up his hand to enforce the Silence
which only he had broken he gave o u t in a loud eve n
voice
Let us praise the Lord in the H undred and
S econd Psalm
Thou s h al t a is e a d m e rc y ye t
T hou to M
ou t Z i o s h lt t e d
H e r t i m e f r f avou wh i h was s e t
B e hol d is n w c o m e to a e d
,

ex

Murdoch s sweet tenor lifted itself in the melody

and the sound of the Singing passed through the O pen
door across the straw littered yard and s o out upon
the moor And there it met with three companies o f
Lag s troo pers lawless and savage militia levies the
scum and the pest of the country Lag himself rode

S ABBATH S I LEN C E S

55

well in front black tall and red faced an ugly fore

bodin g o f anger in his bloodshot eyes But when he
heard the sound o f the s inging he reined in h i s horse
sharply and motioned to his men to stop
Give me a look o u at your psalm buik S ir Rob
ert
grimaced Curate Peter in his ear I have for

gotten mine i n my prayer closet

Then Lag with a curl of his thick upper lip which
showed the teeth like a dog before he bites half drew
a double barrelled horse pistol from his holster

This he said is my psalm book Also it is my

holy clerk for right well it c an raise the tune ! But
for a wager tis better at saying Amen !
,

C H APTE R I X

LA G s

CL E R K

AY S

AM E N

A C O N V E N T I C LE

and more than the statute allows

cried the Cu rate pointin g a

o f people assembled !
nger in at the door B ut Lag dismo u nt ed pushed
him aside with no ceremony

And wh o but Peden himself Peden the Prophet

he c ri ed gleefully Ped en with his face washen and
decked as fo r a marriage ! S urely S andy your
familiar spirit was n o t under y our hand this morn

in g 1

There was j oy unhaltered among Lag s bold ri der s

that day and even by the chief the death of his hench
man was already half forgotten This capture would
be worth somet h ing more to him than a mere Baron
etage of Nova S cotia
Colonel Grahame himself had
never made such a haul for all his hard riding mid
night twilight and in the grey of the m o m

Make all get without cried Lag Put them in

the peat shed and s e t a guard !

Death to the m an
that let s one escape ! We will rout o u t more than
these I trow The place i s a perfect bees by ke of

rebels !

Your father would have liked ill to ken that his

s on Should s o have used his mother s cousin

s aid
William Ellison bending his veiled ey es upo n the
young Laird o f Lag
Lag snapped h i s ngers and laughed hoarsely

I have given ye over much rope ye Old Whig he

c ri ed you and y our mother s cousin both !

My

LAG S C LERK S AY S

AMEN

57

compla isance has marred me in the king s service

Now I am done with it an d you Tie him up !
The men were removing the prisoners one by one
while Lag looked at a tally list he held in hi s hand

How is this ? he said suddenly you have other

two sons William Ellisonfour in all Where are
they

One is with the sheep on the hill said the old

man Simply and one is n o t

Dead

Aye dead to this house and to the company of all

men of grace !
I want none o f your Daniel and Revelation rid

dles cried the persecutor out with the tr u th in

plain wordswhere is your youngest son ?

I know not said Willi am Ellison with lofty

serenity for cause I bade him go forth from this

house He went and hath not returned

Then a certain M
ardro c h at a s py from the hea d
waters o f the Ken leaned over and whispered in his
ear At rst Lag looked doubtful but after a little
he nodded

It may be he murmured they are a cowardly

psalm singing s e t but after all there was s ome good
Grier blood in them a generation or two back and it
may have come out in this young sprig ! We shall
.

see

He tu rned to the old man

Good news will not keep he said

I make
haste to communicate it I have j ust heard that your
s o n has j oined the sect o f believers known as Cornet
G rah am e s company o f dragoons and that he was
present at the killing o f the Laird of Houston in the
quarry hole of Ke rs lan d by S ergeant Rys lan d at
present a fugi tive from j ustice
The old man looked steadily out of his misty gre y
eyes in the direc tion o f the spe aker s voice
.

'

THE

58

C H E R RY RI BBA N D

Of

all that I ken nothing he said quietly it i s

possible that you speak the truth Raith Ellison is
no longer s on o f mine whether he serve king or devi l
o r like some I could name even if he served both !

Have a care ! cri e d Lag truculently Men have

died fo r less !
The o ld m an motioned with his hand somewhat
contemptuously

Ye c an only do that which y our warrant permits

he an swered

No cried the young m an waxing angry not

so
A s to Peden the Prophet there I have my orders
to Edinburgh and the Privy Council he must g o
But with you and any in this house I stand upon m y
powers o f j usti ciary I c an stell yo u all up in a ro w
against the dyke and make an end in two volleys of
musketry Then perhaps I might inherit the May
eld as chief m ourner an d nearest heir That i s well
thought o n what s ay you you M
ardro c h at
The s py laughed as it was his duty to do
The women E u ph rain and her m other had not been
guarded like the others but were ordered to get re
fre s h m e n t s for the men as fast as they might lest
worse should befall S uddenly from the little built o n
dairy at th e corner of the dwelling house there came
a c ry Gil completely handcu ffed and shackled could
only rise to his feet as pale as ashes

It is o u r mother s voice he said straining at his

bonds
At the moment th ey were busy with great slow
But at the rst note o f distress
m oving Murdoch
he rent the bands like so many thrum s o f wool drove
the men who tied him this way and that against the
wall and sprang through the door

S top ! c ried Gil

Hold your hand Murdoch !
S ir Robert I call upon y ou to protect y our kin s

women !
,

TH E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

60

h ad been j oyously raising the tune at the morning s ac

Good Simple Murdoch wh o had never done ill
ri c e
that he of al l
n o r thought it all the days o f his life
in the house of ay e ld should have been the rst
.

i ct im
Lag looked at hi s st il l smoking pistol examined the
in t s and then said to M
ardro c h at calmly as he s e t
Did not I tell you that my hol ster
about reloadi ng it
held the better clerk
A n y Whig may raise a tune
but S ir Double Throat here with his i n t y teeth c an
b eat them at s ay ing A men

C HAPTE R X
PAL ETT E OF PET E R P AU L

T HE

T H A T for which Raith Ellison had sold his birth

right came to pass when upon three horses supplie d
by Colonel Grahame for their needs S ergeant Maj o r
G ri f R y s lan d rod e o u t of Dumfri es his daughter on
o n e side of him and Gentleman Private Raith Elliso n
on the other
Never could an y one week in half a dozen lives equa l
the delight of that rst j ourney The father was kind
and familiar being now away from the discipline o f t h e
troop an d h aving taken a Sincere liking to the young
man As for Ivie Rys lan d she was inscrutable as ever
But it would have been a strange thing if some ele
ments o f happiness had not mingled with her cup And
doubtless it was so altogether apart from her state of
mind with regard to Raith Ellison That was by n o

m eans serious
Bothwell Brig she called him o r
so metimes Young Peden
Indeed whatever her
fancy prompted her at the moment that was h is appel
lation But it was perfect Jun e weatherJune fo r
once perfect in S cotland and therefore compact of al l
excellencies neither hot nor cold too early fo r ies
t oo late for East winds in the heart of the lo n gest
days Raith lived for Ivie all day and dreamed of h e r
all night He seemed to live a year in twenty fou r
hours and the sweetness of stolen waters was in h i s
mouth sleeping and waking
Se rgeant Maj or R ys lan d a man of moods in som e
o f which he was not to be dealt with safely had a habi t
.

62

T H E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

of

ri ding on ahead thus leaving the two y oung people

He gave as a reas on for
t o follow at their leisure
t his that h is orders were t o avoid all meetings with his
Maj esty s forces till such time as they should reach
North Berwick and he could present t o S ir Hew Dal
rym pl e his mandate as commander o f the po st and
prison o f the Bass
It is not to be wondered at that thus abandoned to
t heir o wn resources the soldier and the m aid had
S ometimes Ivie mocked
m uch to say to o n e another
hi m but with the best intentions mockery is o f Short
life and dies down in prolonged t t e
S o it
d t et e s
c ame to pass that mostly Ivie R y s lan d mocked Rai th
i n her father s hearing to which the S ergeant would
listen with a sardonic smile o n hi s face
But when they rode together alon e it came to be
t h e rule that after a passage or two in the o ld mock
in g spirit they should lapse into those co n de n c e s
which lead men and women fargenerally the man
by speakin g and the woman by listening
O n they rode acros s the brown moorland through
t h e quivering gr een pennon s o f the you n g woodlan ds
a long the stony t ravelled roads ever eastward and yet
Gre en drove road s wimpled before them
e astward
across the heather gleaming lonely for miles with
only G rif R ys lan d pausing o n the top of som e emi
n e n c e with his hand to his brow to view the country
Mostly however contrary to al l custom it was Ivie
S he told him h o w
wh o spoke and Raith who listened
s h e had be en born in Holland o f a Royalist stock
which had dwelt there two generationso f her father
e ver foremost in ght and fray and of her mother
whom s h e could but remembe r as wearing the whitest
o f caps and the most beautiful o f lace collars on her
shoulders S he had also learned to say her prayers
in a foreign language Her grandfather and grand
mother s h e remembered better staid burgher folk
,

THE P A LETTE O F PET ER PAU L

63

moving seldom from the blue tiled replace in which a

tiny re blazed
Then as s h e grew up all this vanished and every
thing was a turmoil of camp and march S he had
never left her father Since Now in the servi ce o f the
Margrave of Brandenburg n o w in that of the great
Count Palatine next ghting fo r the Un ited Provinces
and lastly in the newly raised guards of His Maj esty
King Charles the S econdIvi e R ys lan d had wan
dered without a home without a friend o f her own
s e x with only the length o f her father s rapier ( a very
considerable something ) between her and the insolence
o f tongues
Yet withal there was such a wonderful freshness
and abounding youth about the girl that Raith per
H o w could it be ?
S he
pe t u al ly marvelled to see it
had seen s o many thingswandered s o far known
so much Yet s h e laughed with the clear ripple o f
running water over the pebbles of a S cottish burn
and her smile was as W insome and eager as that of a
c hild looking at itself in a mirror
I wish yo u knew my mother
he said wistfully
The girl moved unea sily and looked away over the
trackless waste o f bent and heath

S he would hate me s h e answered hastily

No no he went on as eagerly She would no t

S he does not now !

And he told her all the story o f the w ristlet of
broom Simply and impersonally as if it had been the
tale o f another
S he made no comment but there was a moisture in
the girl s eyes that had more to do with the sympathy
o f the unknown woman than with any feeling s h e had
fo r that woman s s o n
Yet it was of Raith that She
s poke
Do yo u know you were like a marble angel blow

ing a trumpet s h e said smiling at him I could not

-

64

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

help throwing the bro om I am sorry I am often

sorry after
And then seeing the aston is hment on his face S h e
added hastily
I do not mean the little c h e ru by
things all winglets and fat legs but the tall thin ones
wrapped in sheets blowing long trumpe ts Yo u have
Mostly on tombstones they are all
se en them
s ounding the re v i e lly for the last day !
R ai t h s countenance remained blank as be fore

No o f course She said making a little ge s ture

with her han d you could not have seen them Tha t
is abroad in queer o ld German churches quaint with
coloured stone black and whit e like a d raught board
I t was down in the Palatinate I remember when my
father was in command o f a garri son and I went po k
ing about j ust as I liked The folk were simple folk
and n ever looked at me They liked plump girls with
apple cheeks It was s u e! : a comfort !
H e loo ked at her and would have liked to tell her
what he thought s h e was like but he lacked the courage
till She demanded what he might be staring at Then
on his failing to an swer she charged him with l o oking
at li e r which was correct enough Furthermore she
demanded to be informed if her hair were in her eyes
if her nose was red at t he end and nally to be told
what s h e was like generally H e ought to know by
this time

Whatever you s ay S h e smiled s uddenly radiant

I will n o t tell
And S h e poin ted fo rward with
her hand to where the dark and sombre silhouette of
the sergeant maj or c u t the horizon line
Raith looked at her consideringly

I t i s di fcult
he said even so I never saw

any one in the least like you before

S he nodded munching a dri ed g the while her
little pearly teeth cutting through the pale l e athery
surface clean as a tool
.

TH E PA LETTE

OF

PETE R PAU L

65

There is no one in the world in the least li ke

Well go o n
m e ! s h e prompted

But I thought it was what you seemed t o me to

l ook likethat yo u wanted to know ? Raith went o n
S o it was S O it was I forgot To your mut

t ons Peter Paul !

Why do you call me Peter Paul

Oh he was a great pai nter in his t imehis pic
with a
t ures would wrap up the world neatly in canvas

l ittle stretching

Well said Raith Ellison Slowly his blue eyes

I c an say anything I
d welling drea mily upon the girl
That is the bar
l ike if it is trueo r if I think s o

g ai n

That is the bargain s ai d Ivie Rys lan d beginn i ng

another dried g

Then said Raith slowly collecting him self to

tell the exactitude o f the truth fo r it was his hour
and he must use it there is no o n e s o beautiful
Tha t is true but it is not that Your hair ripples and
It i s a different girl o n e s ees
t h e colour changes
It is like whe n
e ach time that yo u turn your head
the s u n and the cloud shadows chase each other time
about upon the breasts o f C airn s m u ir Then your
cheek is pale but yet the red o f the rose leaf is under
n eath and ( he hesitated I thin k it is velvet so ft
S
un
)
a n d rain and wind do not touch it
It is not s o with
"
o ther girls
S he laughed aloud

Did I n o t tell you you are verily Peter Paul and

will wi n women by your voice alone Nev e r tell m e
that this i s your rst attempt Yo u are of the court
an d have practised madrigals on the damosels o f
honour ever Since you were knee hi gh and wore long

frocks !
Raith looked bewildered H e could sp eak hi s
t hought s in words but this was beyond him

T H E C H ER R Y RIBB A N D

66

I was only telling y ou he said you gave me

leave

Gave you leave she laughed again but more

s oftly why if I could only tell like that I would

Sit all day by the mirror and make love to my own pe r
,

fe c t io n s

S he nodded to him to go on

Your lips Raith dre w a breath before he ap

r
h
d
this
part
of
the
subj
ect
but
it
now
or
e
oac
w
a
s
p
(
never ) your lip s are not cherry red like those of o u r
country girls I remember to have seen the dawn l ook
j ust like thatthe li ttl e pale rosy ecks above the

gold l

Perfect s h e c ried clapping her hands

a court
ier and a poet ! And they would have made a hill

whig of you Never !

You promi s ed to listen he said you c an make

game after

I am not s o sure that I am making game n ow

s aid Ivie to herself

Then continued Raith taking his courage in

both hands more than all there is the smile which

seem s to s ay to me I t is a new day and a ne morn
i ng The birds are singing in the light and happiness
has come home to the whole round world
Ivie stopped her ears with her ngers
"

Enough more than enough much more s h e

cried
if I am all that and can do all that with a
smile there i s no use for further talk Think o f what
a ne morning it i s I will ride on and j oin my father
And smiling She set spurs to h e r beast and ro de o ff
without once looking be hind
"
Ne er mind murmured Raith greatly comfort ed
after all S h e li s tened
.

T H E C H ER R Y RI BBAN D

68

garden gate which led down into a sort of vege table

y ard much overgrown with weeds
S uddenly the man shouldered his gun and red
Hardly had the echoes ceased be fore Raith was
Upo n him and bore him down gasping his hands meet
H e s aw in a moment that he
in g about his throat
had to do with the curate
The sergeant Showed him self at the door and ad
v an c e d hastily t o where the t wo men lay struggling
What is this Ellison
he demanded
Guns an d
death grips so near a pea ceful manse
H e would have red into Mistress Ivie s window

gasped Raith mentioning the more i m

o r yours !
po rtant treason rst

Let the man up ordered the s ergeant

now
c urate explain yourself
The dark sullen man gurgled a little felt carefully
a ll about his throat to assure him self that no perma
and then said
I was but
n ent damage was done
trying a crack at o n e o f the hares that eat my curly
g reen s when y our fool red coat m ade me miss m y

s hot !

A n d us o u r breakfast !
cried the sergeant laugh
ing heartily Then wit h a gl ance at Raith he added
What man have ye been sleeping in your uniform

I heard noises and I thought it well to make

sure
an swered Raith as he thought with much
po licy
But the sergeant gave him o n e cold keen
glance from head to foot nodded grimly and went
within

Every man to his liki ng ! he said fo r all c o m

m ent
After this Raith took to hi s bed every night like a
s ensible man and felt the benet in the freshness with
which he mounted h i s horse the next morning his
curls yet damp on his brow from the brook water in
which he had washed and blue day o r grey day the
-

AN

OR T WO

AD V ENTU RE

69

ertainty in his heart that for twelve hours more h i s

life would be irradiated by the sunshine o f Ivi e Rys
land s smile
T hey rode high up the Mo ffat water and so into
the upper circle o f brown ridges which form s the cup
of S t Mary s Loch Here the cottages were few
and the farm s h ad all the stock driven o ff into the fast
nesses o f the hills Any travellers whom they sighted
instantly took to their heels at the rst glimpse o f the
mi l itary scarleteven as a few weeks before Raith
himself would have dived into t h e untracked deeps o f
Ke rs l an d Wood had he Spied G ri f R ys lan d riding
Dumfries ward with his troop
They were evidently in a land o f the Wanderer s
and could expect but little hospitality save that which
fear extorted Yet sustenance an d beds to lie on they
must have if not for their o wn sakes at lea st fo r
Ivie s I t was o n this high moor and pacing gently
along an d Ivie rallying Raith upon his supposed pren
t i c e s h ip in lovemakingall very pleasant and to the
taste of young people with only the present and ea ch
other in the heads of themthat suddenly they hea rd
the crack o f a pistol and 10 there was the sergea nt
s word in hand riding furiously round a great brow or
black b ag from which the country folk had bee n
cutting peat Nothing else was to be seen but a little
whi ff o f smoke like the reek of a man s pipe rising
into the still air and the red soldier galloping with t h e
naked sword in his hand
Then Rai th cried also and galloped forward as
fast as h e could But when he came in sight of the
hollow left after the peat cutting he s aw half a dozen
men gaunt and white in ragged worn clothes several
still upon t h eir knees and some putting themselves
with muskets and pistols and scythes tied to poles in
s o me p oo r posture o f defence
Whereupon with sudden qualms Raith also drew h i s
c

THE

70

C H E RRY RI BBAN D

sword and rode about t o get clo ser t o his sergeant

Yet for the rst time it seemed that he was working
the work o f wickedness There was boldness of de
ance i n the attitude o f these men but that would
have signied little to S ergeant Maj or G rif R ys lan d
wh o in the loudest voice of the exercise yard sum
mo u ed them to surrender to H is Maj esty s mercy
And a long rope in the G ras s m ark e t is the best
y e can h Ope for y e foul Whigs to loose off a shot

at His Maj esty s coat !

The m en continued to make what face they could
pointing guns and porting pikes but it is certai n that
the two dragoons would easily have shot and ri dden
them down For indeed they were but thewless crea
tures pallid with the damp caves o f the moors and s o
starved that they seemed to have eaten grass like
Nebuchadnezzar
One thing only stopped the sergeant from ordering
and hi s subordinate from obeying On the black brow
o f the peat hag Ivie appeared on her beast to Raith
a glorious and surprising vision The men beneath
heard the trampling o f her horse s hoofs which made
t he b o g tremble and thinking they were being taken
in the rear some of them turned their arm s upon her
But She held up her hand

Poor men s h e cried

I am sorry fo r you I t
m ay be that ye are the king s rebels but times go
hard with you Lay down your arms and I will s e e

that no harm comes to you !

Ivie her father called o u t some little vexation

in his voice meddle not in that which concerns yo u
not I am a King s o f c e ro n His Maj esty s serv

i ce I must do my duty

Your duty aye retort ed Ivie ye are bidden

t o keep wide o f all His Maj esty s troops till ye hear
the s e a mews crying about the Bass
What then
would yo u do with all these prisoners if s o be ye could
.

OR

AN A D V ENTU RE
take them

Answer me that

TW O

71

R e it m as t e r

Herr

G rif

What s h e meant by R e it m as t e r the present histo

rian knows not but it was a name by which she often
addressed her father
Then a tall man obviously a kind of Spokesman
among the covenanters took Speech into his mouth
and cried aloud We hurt no man and we fear no
man We are here to worship God ac cording to our
consciences ! Pass on your ways you of the Usurper s
bloodhounds and you Madame that keep company
with suchwe as k neither your good word nor fear
your ill Between you and us there is a gulf xed
which neither can pass over Go your way !

And I pray you why ? cried Ivie nettled

Is
there n o t the same God above ?
Ye company with the Slayers o f God s folkye
wear their colours in your hair !
The pale gaunt man pointed with his nger In
s t i n c t iv e ly Ivie put up her hand to her head

15 it not written
h
s e answered
in the Bible I
see open there on the heather that man looks on the

outward appearance but God on the heart

And what cried Raith suddenly nding a tongue

what matters a ribbon of red to Him that maketh

the darkness His pavilion and binds with bands of c ri m

s o n the cloud o f the morning ?

And who retorted the Covenanter

may you
be who speak with the tongue of a saint and wear the
livery o f S atan
Have done with your prating all of you
cried
the S ergeant Maj or practically ye crow like s o
many cocks and with as mickle sense Ellison there
is riding o f the hobby horse with a musket tied to each
foot for soldiers who speak before their betters But
I grant you yonder wench of mine showed ye the
mischief o f a bad example But no more o f it S till
,

THE

2
7

C H E R R Y RI B BAN D

there i s sense i n what the featherhead says We are

here on a private errand and till we are safe on the
Bass we will Serve Colonel Grahame and H i s Maj esty
the better by keeping wide o f all authorities Go your
ways then lads I would that ye could choose a be t
ter way o f it and a more comfortable I pray that I
may never have to meet you in the way of busines s

S e t up between a ri ng party and a barn end

And wi th that t h e three rode o n their way and left
the poo r lads with their whole Bibles and their tattere d
coats to recover their peace o f mind as best they might
S lowly they followed the stream down the long vale
o f Yarrow and it was not till after they had passed
a great o ld strength o n a hill above them that their
last and greatest peril befell them
The S ergeant Maj or was riding dow n the path
alone Raith and Ivie a little way behind when out o f
the slender covert and greening C oppice o f spring
which grew all about there rose a score o f soldiers
footmen to look at and English by their accent
They swarmed about the sergeant and the other
t wo with the maudlin familiarity which so readily b e
com es quarrelsome

Lucky dogs they cried what a country is this

S cotland an d what a maid
We are bound for Edin
burgh but for her sake would fain bear you company
There seemed to be no o f cer of any standing
among them Indeed they were little better than
hasty trainbands sent o ff to the North by the fears of
the government to put down th e rst mutterings of
rebellion One of them heated with drink ventured
t o put hi s hand about Ivie s waist

I will help you down from the saddle my pretty !

h e said with a hiccough

I know h o w t o h u m o ur a
dainty m ai d I do
The next moment the red bl o od was t rickling from
underneath his ear The sergeant s rapier had tran s
.

'

AN AD V ENTU RE O R TWO

73

xed it as neatly as a pork butcher s skewer and the

man screamed with the pain

That will teach you to keep your hands o ff my

daughter ! cried G rif Rys lan d his face taking o n

that stony expression which Raith had noticed before
in the quarry and the black bar of his brows gather
ing ominously into a knot
Rein back all
he cried
Get out of the pres s
of these curs
At his words Raith and Ivie turned and r ode a
little back When they looked again the train hands
had bent their muskets upon them and were mani
fe s t ly meditating mischief

Yo u have wounded our mate cried o n e wh o wore

s ome uncertain badge o f rank on his sleeve we will
make yo u pay for thati n Spite of your red coats to

which yo u may have a right o r not

I demand to s e e your o f cer said Gri t R ys land

s ternly
I will report the affair to Colonel Grahame
You Shall be taught what it is to ru f e with his

Maj esty s Dragoons !

7 724 ! for your G rah am e s and all such beggarly

S cots cried the Englishman

We are under my
Lord Towton and care for no other man except

Captain S ib t h o rn e

Nor very much for either of them ! called out

another
The matter grew manifestly serious F o r a score
of muskets were loaded and at full cock all aim e d
more or less accurately at the little party o f three
Any moment one of them might go o ff and then
what m ight happe n none could foresee For the rst
time G rif R ys land whose temper was by no means
sanctied felt the awkwardness of travelling with a
girl Left to himself he woul d h ave charged the rab
ble and taken h is chan ce Raith also taking his
But it was manifestly necessary to temporize
-

T H E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

74

I ride on His Maj esty s business he said

Let
me speak apart with whoever commands among yo u

and I will convince him of the fact

I donnat knaw there is much differ among us

said the man with the d raggled gold lace on his arm

but till Captain S ib t h o rn e comes back from the

town down by I avow there is none that hath a bet

ter claim than I

Com e apart with me then said the S ergeant

Maj or
Leave your arm s behind y ou I will leave

m i ne
And s o saying he delivered his sword and carbine to
Raith retaining however his holster pistols in case o f
treachery
The two ambassadors now retired and conferred
apart
Raith and Ivie were left alone
The gi rl
seemed perfectly calm and continued her previous
light talk as if nothi ng were th e matter
S he noticed the young man s surprise

Ah s h e said you do not yet know my father

Why I have seen him draw himself and m e o u t o f
the grasp o f twice as many enemies as easily as he

will out o f the clutches o f these tipsy louts

Her condence was indeed rapidly and amply
j ustied
First there was a quick ow o f low talk o n the part
to which followed the exhibition o f
o f the sergeant
sealed papers at which the envoy looked with u h
comprehending respect
Then th e envoy ran back to h i s comrades who a
little awed by all this parade grouped hastily about
him It was not clear what he said to them but i t
was manifest that they too were duly impressed
Indeed they drew back t o either side o f the way
and saluted to the best of their several abilities

I h Ope said the ambassador as the three riders

led past that y ou will s ay nothing o f this to our

,

C HAPTE R X I I
TAK E S

G RI F

OF

C O M MAN D

T HE

AS S

T H E Y went out to the Bass at midnight Ivie

wrapped about in her father s great cloak sitting be
side the sergeant i n t h e stern of the boat Raith was
in the bow and each time that th e waves j abbled and
the spray lifted h e felt on his lips the strange sal t
tang o f t h e s e a At the landing place m en stood read y
to receive them and as the surge heaved the bo at up
they were deposited one by one on the black and slip
pery rocks
A n d then the morning
Raith had n ever see n the
like nor conceived it in his heart the heart o f a land

ward boy to whom the sea was but a word or at

m ost a mill po nd grown larger
In stead of pathway s over which the leaves m e t gree n
an d whisperingnot a tree not a bush not so much
as a bracken Instead of c o y waters heard long be
fore they were seen the rude leaguer o f the sea waves
beat about him A n d far below and still farther abo ve
him he stood amazed at the abrupt Sky ward heaving
o f the h u ge hull of rock on which he stood
The place had wanted a governor for some t ime so
the house decently furnished and appointed as it was
had stood empty Then it was that Raith s aw Ivie
White aproned from shoulder
R ys lan d in a n e w guise
t o ankle the strings t ied about her lithe waist light
u po n t h e foo t swaying willowy from the hips all pra o
tical and equally swift to s e e and to do Ivie was a
,

TAKE S C O MMAND

G RI F

77

revelation to hi m S he had early demanded h im of

t h e commandant for an orderly
We know him h e i s a youth o f his word
said
Ivie with a straight look at her father

And also he knows me replied G rif R ys lan d with

a smile perhaps less grim than usu al
But indeed it was this curious truthfulness o f
Rai t h s more an incapacity than a virtuewhich gave
him s o many privi leges with Ivie R ys lan d and her

father Even when s h e teased him to tell about

herself there was a curious melting in her heart as

S he knew that Raith Ellison would
s h e listened
speak no word of untruth t o curry a moment s favour
with her It might all be very foolish and very boy
ish but s h e knew nevertheless that every word issued
cle an stricken from the mint die o f his heart
That i s a great thing with any woman and inclined
the girl to a certain favour though s h e still continued
to laugh at him And her father approved even when
he sai d Have a care little o n e The blade is o f good

steel but it is yet untried

Ivie gazed at h e r father with wide Open eyes then
laughing lightly put ou t her hands and lifted up o n e
ange o f his huge black mustache
Upon the spo t
t hus laid bare s h e deposited a kiss

The days will be shorter and longer several times

s h e s ai d
before little Ivie takes leave of her dad fo r
an
n g springald wi th a curly pate !
you
Do
not
be
y

af raid

I am noways afraid quoth the sergeant

that is
for youbut the lad
What o f him ?

He ?
cried Ivie with mighty contempt
oh
R ai th Ellison does very well to wash oors and carry
water
Do n o t take my plaything from me I pray
you e ld marshalat least not here on this s e a gull
pe rch
The brevet captain shrugged his shoulders and went
.

'

T H E C H ER RY RIBBAN D

78

off down to the little fo rtress m ost part o f which had

been tu rned into prison cells for the Covenant folk
I t was poorly occupied for t he moment For some o f
its pensioners had gone to feed the shes as the t e
sult ( they said ) o f a sort of low prison fever prevalent
during the winter but more likely of the cruelty and
hard t reatment s o f the last governor Others had
been shipped o ff to the plantations in ships u n s ea
worthy and unfort unate only to perish on the rude
coast s o f the O rc ade s and Labrador
The soldiers in garrison o n the Bass rather sullenl y
submitted to the new governor s rst orders They
were not o f the regular military e stablishment re
c e nt l
y brought to such a height of well drilled pe rfe c
tion in S cotland o n the model o f the discipline of t h e
great Gustavus S ome dozen H ighland gillies the
wrack o f the retiring tide of the Highland H ost a few
ex t urnkeys from the Tolbooth o f Edinburgh som e
veteran s o f the Magistrates Town Guard with a stray
countryman or two and som e sher lads from North
Berwick and Tantallon wh o kept a foothold on the
rock to divert the supplying o f victual for the gar ri son
a carriage thereof into the pockets of their
and
the
s
e
(
)
kinsfolknot it is surmised without som e ultimate
prot to themselvesthes e made up the garrison of
the Bass

A m u t in o u s i ll scraped crew ! was G ri f R ys land s

verdict at the rst glance but faith o f S aint Denis
John Graham e sent the right man to the right place
I n eight days I will have them t ramping up and down
the rigging o f this bespattered bird cage as steadily as
if they were marching across the Dam o f the Amstel

o f a S unday morning
And s o it was But there were moving spells in
the doing o f it At the rst drill it seemed that
there were never more than two third s of the men o n
their legs at a time Brevet Captain G rif knocked
,

'

,
.

TAKE S C O MMAN D

G RI F

79

them down one after another front rank an d rear

rank right and left If there had been a ball cart
ridge in any man s pouch he would have stood an ex
chance o f being shot But he had posted
ce l l e n t
Raith a little way above with orders to blow the brai n s
out of the rst man who broke ranks o r disobeyed a
command
After the ordeal the new commander explained
matters

Ye are a gather u p of poisonous g u t t e rb lu ids as

ever man s aw But we will do very well togethe r
when once we understand one another I am sent
here that ye should do my biddingand that with
great suddenness Else will I heave ye one by o n e
over the cli ff Ye will learn the quarterstaff exercise
from me and the singlestick I will lounder ye heartily
front side and rearwards Then at the broadsword I
will take three o f you at a time and tickle you o n e
after the other in the short ribo r indeed where you
will Choose the Spot and I will gar the sword s point
nd it o u t Then as for musket practice that we will
See to also Raith lend me your gun Look at yon
der shag that holds i t s neck outstretched and extends

its wings like wind vanes

The governor of the Bass took the gun looked a
little to the priming and with a S hort aim red an d
the head o f the bird fell o ffthe neck being c u t clea n
through by the bullet

Ye s he said as if resum ing an interrupted lec

ture into which a somewhat foolish experiment had

been interpolated it is well to practice much with

the musket It is the foundation o f military servic e
and here on the Bass we must not neglect it Fall
out men S et a guard and s e e to it that the prison
ers cleanse their cells according to the order Do
not behave butcherly and walk softly or 1 your gov
c ru or will take order with you !
,

C H APTE R X II I
THE

NE W

S o busy was
R ys lan d up at

TO C K

Raith with his orderly ship to Ivie

the governor s house that almost he
forgo t the end and purpo se o f the present military
establishment on the Ba ss
A new j oy the joy o f labour shared between two
was born in them
Or at l e ast Raith found it s o
Never had s o much happiness grown out of the c o m
m on detail s of scouring an d scrubb i ng s o m uch c on
s cien ce been put into the work o f a whitewash brush
s o much courtship into the act o f chimney sweeping
Fresh water was scarce o n the Bass but Raith de
s cended and ascended as upon golden stairs t o and
from the white run o f surf bringing up each tim e
double pails without spilling a drop This se rved for
all the operation s which could be performed with sea
water H e seemed never i n the least tired A smile
aid
and
overpaid
all
The
mere
sight
that
busy
o
f
(
p
)
itt ing gure t o o busy to talk too engaged in the
press o f affairs even to listenthere was a community
o f toil about it which brought him nearer to her hour
by hour S o at least thought Raith Ellison
The house o f M
ay e l d troubled him s ometimes for
a little but the sigh t of Ivie beckoning him from the
door step t o make haste wiped the slate clean in a
a e ld
moment
All had always gone well at M
y
And be sides had he not been
S o it would now
T hat ought to be s u f
di sowned and outcasted
cient
-

TH E N EW S TO CK

81

Yet sometimes when the nights were calm he heard

mysterious moanings and roarings from the caves b e
neath Then he would rise and walk out into the
grey and indigo night S teep as a roof the island
mounted away above Equally suddenly it fell away
at his feet The sour smell o f nesting birds and dead
s e a weed came to him from the right and the left
He knew that the cliffs lay that way A solan goose
said K r
and instantly circumventing the
r
r r a a a
isle with ten thousand K r
a a
r
k r
r
a : the light
r
sleeping gannet s answered Kittiwakes chattered like
schoolgirls asking what it was all about The g u ille
mots shrilly obj ected to being awaked while all
through the night ever and anon Raith s aw a bird o r
t wo restlessly sweeping round and round the huge
rock looking fo r the egg which a rival had appro
i
r
p at e d o r which perchance had been pulled over the
cliff by the bereaved mother herself as She clumsily
cast herself into the void
As the dawning came each morning it was R ait h s
duty to meet the boat which brought the provisions
for the Bass from the shorethe fresh kill e d meat
the baked bread from North Berwick milk fro m Tan
tallon farm together with any lette rs there might be
fo r the governor the garrison o r the prisoners
All
o f these Raith of course took to the governor who
a lone had the power of deciding whether a soldier
might receive a letter from his sweetheart that might
make him discontented in his isolation o r if a prisoner
would be the worse o f a lengthy epistle from an o l d

praying pious comrade yet out o f bonds or whether

the said epistle covered under its subtle harmony o f
phrase any possible treason against Charles o u r King
A di fcult task sometimes but o n e that G rif R ys l n d
attacked with the resolution to do the duty fo r which
he was paid as if he were besieging a fortress in the
L ow Countries under the Prince of O range or drilling
.

T H E C H E R R Y RIBBAN D

82

the waifs and strays down yonder in the Castle of the

Bass
Of the state of mind o f Ivie R ys lan d towards her or
de rly it is hard for a chronicler to condense any faith
ful account Let it rather be j udged by a conversation
which took place between them o n e morning after the
lette rs had been worked through by the governor and
he had gone down with them to the Castle itself
The labour of the house was mostly done A space
had been cleared and elaborately ornamented with
paths All rubbish had been thrown over the cliff
and the small garden in the hollow above s e t in such
order as was possible I t was in this latter place that
they talked together They had been working steadily
and silently till suddenly Ivie threw up her hands
with a gesture o f surfeit

Enough
She cried s it down and talk to m e

My tongue has almost forgotten the way

S he rested o n a little seat made o f driftwood brought
from beneath and laid on the at cloven stones o f
which there were no lack on the Bass rather to be
exact fragment s broken from the nearest cliffs with a
crowbar

do yo u know that it is a
s h e said
G al lo wa
full week since yo u looked at me ? I should be glad

to know what you mean by it

Mistress I v ie said Raith a man canno t carry

two pailfuls o f water up a kirk steeple without looking
well to his going But an it please you I am most
ready and anxious to make amends now
And indeed it was true that he looked at her stead
ily especially at the eyes which were somewhat mis
c h i e v o u s ly xed upon him

but I notice
Yo u prot by your lessons she said

there is less about ro s e l e av e s and sunsets than of o ld

It
was the sunrisethe little rosy akes that
mount upward
began truthful R aith
.

T H E C H E RR Y RIBB A N D

84

new stock ! They are arriving Com e do wn and

help
Raith obeyed Buttoning him self in h is uniform
coat and girding o n his sword an d pistols he ran
hastily down to the dangerous landing place of the
Bass
He was in time to assist in bringing an old blind
pri soner to shore I t was his father William Ellison
a e ld
A
S he did s o he felt upon him the keen
of M
y
Shifty eyes o f Beattie and the quiet reproachful ones
Last o f all there stood erect in the stern o f
o f Gil
the boat his grey beard deep o n h i s breast the strange
man whose regard had once before searched his
heart Mr Pe den said nothing till Raith as was his
duty would have taken his fettered han ds to help him
ashore
But he refused saying
off Raith
O ff
Elli son child o f many prayers ye have now neither

part nor lot with u s

Then as if recallin g himself he
added g i v m g his hand Yet the Lord has no pleas
ure in the death o f him that dieth
At the word the blind man turned
Who i s this
he cried Tell me Gil Answer

me Beattie ?

Gil was silent but Beattie instantly said

It is
your youngest son my brother Raith in t h e garb o f a
persecutor H e is doubtless s e t over u s here to t o r

ture us in o u r prison house

The o ld man turned sternly away the chain s at h i s
feet and wrists j ingling as he painfully began to mount
the steep ascent

he s ai d with a haughty s e t
My s on Raith
countenan ce
I have no s o n Raith I know hi m
.

'

not

I rt

off R t h
lot w th u s

O ff

nor

ai

ll so
i

C h l ld

of

m a n y praye r

ye

h v
a

now h ei tl

T H E C H E R R Y RI BBAN D

86

W h en the irons were removed by the armourer

G ri f R ys lan d ordered grease o f the solan to be gi ven
them to rub into the chafed places Turnkey George
Jex a cunning old veteran wh o in his day had served
against Cromwell wa s trying to compel the prisoners
to pay for this when G rif returning suddenly and
hearing the proposition clapped George in a cell
vacant for the day bidding him buy his o wn meat an d
d rink if he happened to need any for the space of
t wenty four hours
N o t one o f the prisoners took t he least notice of
Raith wh o hovered about anxious in some way t o ease
their lot and his o wn conscience But he was antici
pated at all points by the governor wh o having a soft
spot at the bottom o f his tough o ld heart was satised
to assure him self as to the safe custody o f his prison
ers without adding to their pains

Who knows h e said to him self very philosoph

who may be o n t op tomorrow o r the next day ?
i cal ly
Man s life is but in his lip as King Charles and his
brother shall nd as well as the chimney sweeper
What h o lad w h ither away ?
H e turned and s aw Raith standing gloomily at the
corner of the regular sentry s beat eager to visit the
prisoners cells but n o t daring to advance

What man cried the governor why s o dump

ish
Yo u look like a calf that has lost i t s mammy on

a visit to the but cher s

S omething moved within Raith and h e approached
h i s superior as if to speak but checking himself he re
m ained silent

Why said G rif again clapping him o n the shoul

der brisk up lad ! I fear much there is some of the

Wh ig left in thee yet But these carles from the west
will be well taken care of where G ri f R ys lan d i s in com
mand Aye far safer far better fo r them than to be run
ning the muirs with wild Lag close at their heels
.

T HE

OF

KI S S

PEACE

87

It is my father and m y two brothers ! said poor

Raith holding down his head and the tears coming to
his eyes for the rst time
Even the bold black S ergeant Maj or stopped short
at these words with a kind o f stun as if he had re
c e iv e d a blow unexpectedly
Your fatherand your t wo brothers ! Ah bad

bad
he muttered t o himself would that I had let
the lad go his o wn gait that day with the co m et
Ah well ( he concluded ) what 5 done i s past praying
for To your work Raith ! After all you have no
business with the prisoners Go and do my dau g h

ter s bidding
Leaving Raith to march gloomily along the narrow
path towards the governor s house higher up the hill
the governor himself continued his minute inspection
Water was provided in each chamber It had not to
be paid for as in time past Also the small ale o f the
country was to be supplied to the inmates from the
canteen at the same rate as to the soldiers An inter
val for exercise was to be allowed them every day
under suitable guard and if s o be that they proved
t ractable and in addition gave the governor their
s olemn promise to make no attempt to escape in time
they might be allowed even the liberty o f the I sle
itself which indeed one of the older prisoners Mr
Frazer o f Bre a had long enj oye d
The Ellison s kept silent after this speech but Mr
Peden answered the governor
S ir long have my
bones lain on prison oors but I sh all thank you if
by your means we are brought out into a larger place
Even though this be but o u r I sle of Patmos in which
we are pri soned for the word of God and the testi
mony of Jesus Christ Yet God s word is like re
and like a hammer c an break even the rock o f Patmos
into pieces
Meanwhile the young man had plodded wearily up

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

88

the hill to the erst pleasant duty which had so sud

Ivie was
d e n ly turned dust and ashes in his mouth
still there

Well
h
e
cried
Gospellers or Hospitallers ?
s
Which are they
For by the latter name She was pl e ased to call
the old soldiers and gather u p of maimed turn keys
wh o constituted the main part o f her father s com
mand
But Raith Ellison turned from her without a word
going directly to his water pai ls Ivie gazed at him
astonished an d then with the woman s instinct which
does them instead o f reasonin g s h e came quickly t o
him and laying her hand upon his Shoulder s h e said
What has happened ? Tell m e ! You have had
som e ill news I S the fault mine
Which saying from her lips completely melted him
and indeed whom would i t not melt ? H e could only
stand a moment dumb and faltering Then with a

boyish burst of grief he cried o u t They have brought

my father and my two brothers prisoners to the castle
and I am s e t over them as their j ailer ! Call you that
nothing
Ivie stood aghast stricken even as the young man
This was indeed no light thing and there was no light
consolation o f words that She could o ffer

Your father and your two brothers

s h e mun

mured they are in the prison below

He nodded looking away o u t upon the ashing s e a
into which the solans were falling o n e after the other
from a height diving deep into the water the white
line of their passage being clearly discernable from the
point o f the rock at which they stood as if a great stone
had been thrown into the sea
It was in that moment and not when they were talk
ing together that the rst moving o f the waters was
made in the deep well of Ivie s heart
.

PE D EN

90
He

PR O P H ET

THE

kissed her and in that great moment the solid

Bass th e heavens the earth and the blue circling s e a
span roun d about him like a urry of s e a mews
S uddenly moved by a sudden fright Raith looked
up and I vie with him There stood her father G rif
The black knot
R ys lan d within half a dozen yards
was gathering ominous between his eyes

I asked him said Ivie simply because of his

father and his brothers !
The dark knot disappeared The grim man smiled
H e knew Ivi e s way O r at least he thought he did
,

XV

CH APTER

L I KE

As

A B I RD

T H A T night it was not Raith wh o lay sleepless in his

little shelter hut high o n the great oval hulk o f the
Bass a leviathan moored in the fairway of the seas
Ivi e looked long from the little window which her
father had bidden the carpenter sent from the main
land to repair the provision crane to s e t upon hinges
for her
Indeed curious as it m ay seem it is true that the
great emotion he had undergone that day even the
d ull continuous pain at his heart threw Raith Ellison
into a deep sleep troubled indeed but still heavy and
unbroken A S for Ivie s h e listened to the vague
d istant cries o f the s e a fowl and the instant imminent
assault of the waves far below S ometimes there
would be almost a hush about the huge cone of rock
Then all manner of little wavelets could be heard clap
pin g their hands with innumerable distant laughters
a n d nearer at hand
light musical s ig h i n g s
Anon
t h e caves underneath would take to moaning
The
s u rges would rise and fall rhyth m ically clinging a lit
tle and then letting go with a half reluctant break and
d ash till the water o f some ninth wave roaring in
anger zoned the gloomy boss o f rock with foam and
fury
There were tears in the dark eyes from which erst
while s o many mischievous glances had shot forth

Why she moaned to herself why was I left

thus with no mother to guide mea babe in a camp
-

T H E C H E R R Y RIBB A N D

2
9

among men my father s sword for a plaything as now

the fear o f it is my protection I would I were a
maid o f the hill folk even like that sister E u ph rai n of
whom Rait h tells m e S he is douce quiet happy in
saying her prayers and in believing Would that I

could be s o too in that wayi n any way

S he paused a little and as she looked up the stars
sparkled myriad tinted through her tears

My father loves me but of all that he told m e

h
nothing s e went o n he always said that I could
go to church if I liked but that I had better not g o
too long to any o n e since then I could be of the re
l igi o n o f the man I married
Thus ( he laughed ) I

would avoid domestic dispeace

Though no one could see her s h e d ried her eyes
furtively on her kerchief

I t may be s o She went on

That is a man s
j udgment I t su f ces him H e is content with his
own heart and the pride o f it B ut for a girlno
Her religion should be made for her tted as a gown
I s tted to wear t o cover her to be part o f her before
the worldto shield her from thatT H A T
Ivie put up her hands to shut out the strange glim
m eri ng s e a light reected on the water reaching pea r
shaped to the zenith paling the stars which she t ook
t o be G o d

Oh fo r som eone to teach me ! she cried how

happy are those wh o can believe !

Ivie was right A man may go alone piloti ng his
bark through seas pe rilous taking his chances o f Ship
wreck and ready to assume his proper responsibilities
before all gods but it is cruel fo r a girl G rif Rys
land had tau ght his daughter nothing and suddenly
She becam e conscious of the needs o f her girlish soul
He had made her expert at fence S he Shot excel
S he could read and write
l e n t ly well with a pistol
be tter than many great ladies S he spoke French
,

THE

94

C H ER RY RI BBAN D

s t in c t

was to dress and go down to help him But no

all that must be done with now There was som ething
s h e m eant to nd o u t something that Raith even did
n o t know
A n d again from the dungeon s on the cli ff edge the
song o f the prisoners cam e to her ear It was their
doxology their song of t riumph the close of their
morn ing devotions
.

f ood s O Lo rd h av e l ift e d p
Th y l ift e d p t h i vo ic
T h ood s h v l ift d p th e i w v e s
A d m d e a m i ght y o is e

T he l

th at i s o h i gh
o of m i ght b y f
o is of m y w t s i
g t
b i llo ws
e

an n

Or

Lo rd

B u t ye t t h e
I s m re

Th

e :

e r

ar

re a

an

a er

s ea

ar

No s h e would not go down to Raith The words

were doubtless familiar to him But She knew i n
s t i n c t i v e ly that o f the root o f the matter he was even
more ignorant than herself H e was of her people
H e had been dropped the cuckoo s egg in the nest of
the hedge sparrow and the inwardness o f these things
was as much hid from him as from her father
Dimly and far o ff Ivie began not to perceive but to
desire
Why h ad I no mother to teach m e some re
S he even tried to pray But she
s h e said
l ig i o n
rose from her knees scorning herself
S he felt as
F o r words She had
o n e that mocked at holy things
none not even thoughts only a vague yearning
toward something not herself
Poor beautiful untaught Ivie s h e knew not that
this yearning vague unutterable not to be fastened
down by human speech is the true prayerperhaps
the only true prayer S o s h e arose dry eyed and dlS
,

c o u rag e d

LI KE A S A BI RD

95

It i s not for menot for me ! s h e murmured

It is too late
S he dressed herself listlessly and went do wn
Raith was there and he greeted her eagerly hope
fully with the soul o f love in his eyes But there was
a new thing in Ivie now S he put out her hand
coldly scarcely allowing him to touch her nger tip s
before withdrawing them

S he scorns me ! thought Raith turning away

He had prepared her breakfast with an i n n i t u de o f
loving care But now h e had no heart to wait even
for the word o f thanks which might be thrown to h im
as o n e throws a bone to a do g S ome terrible change
had come over Ivie during the n ight
The girl ate but little S he was a t the door again
i n ve minutes looking at him busy with the axe c u t
ting u p driftwood into billets for the replace
Get a dozen bo t tles o f wine from my father s

store s h e said and also butte r cheese barley bread

and dried mutton ham I am going to visit the pris
oners
There was nothing fo r it but to obey But Rait h
went sadly about his task Though he was deaf and
blind to the higher mysteries o f his creed he kn ew
what the end o f such an advance would be o n Ivie s
part Nevertheless he was silent
Down upon the Castle o f the Bass with its soldiers
quarters and its lines o f little cells fo r the prisoners
there shone the broad even sunshine o f the morning
A sentry stood o n guard at a small side postern while
another paced up and down in front o f the range o f
cells In a recess half a dozen men lounged on ston e
benches in various attitudes o f yawning vacancy All
the days were hard to get through on t h e Bass and
the soldiers mostly smoked tobaccoexcept those o n
actual dutyin little pipes hardly su fcient for
a dozen whiffs which thus afforded them a s e m

,
.

THE

96

C H ERR Y RI B BA N D

blance of employment by t heir continual need o f

relling
The governor had gone down to the landing place
to meet the morning boat from the mainland

Ha what have we here ? grumbled George Jex

Turnkey George in temporary command o f the ga rri
Yonder C ome Governor G ri f s wench and her
s on
lobster backed o o r scrubber with a full cargo bo ttles
That i s none s o ill d one
o f wine hams provender
There is more i n the proud stand o ff wench than

George Jex had given the besom credit for

Lads let s see ! said Maurice T yars an English

man from Lancashire let a good looking chap get o n

his j acket I tell thee s h e i s a wench among a thou
san d and doubtless will have an eye fo r a handsom e
gure Out o f the way there S cotty that I may

slide the comb through my hair !

The others mostly o ld seasoned veteran s o f the city
guard laughed contemptuously
The best an y wench c an bring to thirsty soldier
men is not a well fared face but what yon h u llion car
ries in the basketthat is a dozen o f good sound
claretif t wo dozen were not better

I desire to speak with my father ! said Ivie to

the sentry

Ye will have to gang down to the landing then

said the man saluting awkwardly
Yonder he i s
waiting for the shore boat and Lang bodied Jock

Tut tut cried the eager voice o f George Jex from

within as he O pened wide th e gate have ye no sense
Bid the leddy pass at her pleasure and
H o b Halkirk
a welcome to her bonny face I m sure I t is ever a
pleasure to see

Put everything down there s h e ordered Raith

and g o help my father !

George J e x rubbed his h ands and glanced at his
companions These stealthily counted the bottles of
.

C H E RR Y R I B B A N D

THE

98

Though these cam e from a strange hand they were

yet the gi ft of God Did H e not cause even the
wickedness o f the wicked to prai se Him and all things
to work together for goo d to them that feared Him
S o it was written
But it was otherwise when Ivie c ame to the cham
bers occupied by the n e w comers
It was to that of Gil an d his fatherR ait h s father
als o that s h e went rst
I vie s heart beat fast
Rai th had told her that Gil quiet still grey old Gil
had the heart soft within h im like a babe s
The door stood O pen when they reached the cell
Gil looked seaward only the range of iron bars s e p
arat i n g him from the sentry wh o walk e d steadily to
and fro along the narrow terrace w al k outside The
old man lay stret ched o n a pallet within But his
blind eyes instinctively sought the sunlight and he
basked in the warm tide of air which s e t gent ly about
the rock from the south

I have come Ivie began falteri n g a little to

bring you something better than the prison fare I

am the governor s daughter

Gil knew the girl in a moment but characteristic
ally he said nothing Gil s motto was that in this
world there was trouble enough without making more
with hi s tongue But from the chamber adj oining
came the voice o f Beattie wh o had been watching
Ivie s progress down the line

It i s the soldier s daughter

he cried sh e wh o
drew away Raith Doubtless also s h e sent the troop
ers to M
a e ld
S
he
bet
rayed
us
The
blood
of
y

Murdoch is on her han ds

The old man William Elli son raised himself up
quickly

I s it even s o ? he said answer me Gil I s it

the heathen woman
But it was Ivi e wh o spoke
.

As A

LI KE

BI RD

99

I know nothing at all o f what this young man

charges against me s h e said it is true I am Ivie the

My father was ordered
daughter of Gri f R ys lan d
to this place to be i t s governor H e will do his duty
by you as a soldier But as a woman it i s in my

heart to make your lot happier if I can

Can ye restore me my son ? cried the old man

feelin g his way with both hands to the door give

me back my strong s o n Murdoch whom your father s
com rades shot like a dog at his father s gable end

Indeed I knew it notno nor my father either

we had gone away while all was yet quiet
s aid Ivie

I f any misfortune has befallen we stand clear o f it

And the ladthe young lad his mother s latest

born ? continued William Ellison do ye hold your

self innocent o f his treache ry to his o wn ? Was it by
n o fault o f yours that he forsook his father s hearth
to company with the unbelieverthe man slayer the
malignan t
But I am no unbeliever and I could n o t help your
I s aw him
s o n enlisting in Cornet G rah am e s troop

not till long afterward s

Ye are o f the accursed said William Ellison

you and he together Your net was spreadye lay
in wait for blood Ye lurked privily for the innocent
without cause The curse of the Lo rd be upon you
I have brought you wine and victual because H e

put it int o my heart ! said Ivi e remembe ring her

s truggles o f the night and g ainin g a little unhoped for
c ondence

HE
wh o
cried William Ellison
Take not
the name o f the Lord into polluted lips ! Ye know
Him not
How should yo u
Ivie bent her head There seemed no more pride
i n her anywhere
But s h e had not expected that it
would be as hard as this
Raith however knew and
was thinking o f it at this moment down o n the black

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

1 00

rocks against which the surf was booming and then

bursting white like bombs agai n st an enemy s wall

Indeed it i s true that I know H im not she said

meekly but I would know Him if I could

A ME N ! said a stern voice at her elbow which

made her start It was Mr Peden called the Prophet
wh o had come out and now stood listening unseen

William Ellison he went o n lean not over much

The Lord s gates are
o n your o wn understanding
not all front
doors I have seen a thing that is s u r
prising Without doubt thi s maid bringeth ointment
for the Lord s feet spikenard o f aspic very precious
S et down the provend my daughter There awaits
fo r yo u a stroke o f the Lord great and terrible
A
mighty wind shall blowa great j udgm ent and a
great mercy ! But fear not thy sin s also shall be cas t
into the depths of the sea !
H e motioned with his hand and Ivie moved slowl y
away somewhat exalted in her heart Maurice T yars
the Englishman followi ng her mazed and scandalized
at the prisoners way o f speaking to the governor s
o wn daughter
They deserved the c at 0 nine tails to
h i s way of thinking
The sentinel moved deliberately as before his red
coat showing against the deep steely blue of the s e a
George Jex turned his back somewhat ostentatiously
upon Ivie as s h e passed o u t
Down o n the rocks
Raith was struggling with a heavy load H er father

mounted briskly whistling All ye Ladies

H e was
quite near at hand
But Ivi e was no more I v ie A new thing had been
born in her

S he took the man s meaning but pa rtly

Oint

ment for the feet o f the Lord ? he had said What

could he mean ? A great and terrible wind a disas
ter ! But after that hopenay a promise from
the strange outcast minister whom even his enemies

X VI

C H APTE R
G EO R G E

JEx

P R OV I D E N C E

J U ST

A ND

now there falls to be told somethin g that hath

been related to the reproach of Mr Peden tim e and
again in various books and pamphlets and that t oo
propagated as much by his friend s as by his enemies
But seeing that we know the beginning and the end
o f the matter it remain s but to tell the truth and 10 !
there is a new face on the fact
I t concerns the tale o f that y oung lass wh o is said
to have gone near to Mr Pe de n s cell o f pu rpose to
annoy hi m whereupon he being suddenly angered
prophesied incontinent that the blast o f the Lord
should blow her away l ike chaff Thereafter walkin g
o n the cliff with some soldier men there cam e a great
win d o u t o f the heavens and blew her into the s e a
Which shows what bushels o f lying and falsehood
may gather about a grai n o f truth at the bottom of a
measure
But since the a ffair has been told with such seem
in g exactitude and the print ed papers spread abroad
by ying stationers and packmen like many pearl faced
buttons and swatches o f kerseymere it becomes an
historian to be particular also and to tell the tale as it
happened at once clearing the character o f Mr Peden
and that o f o u r t rue maid Ivie daughter of S ergeant
Maj or G rif R ys lan d o f His Maj esty s dragoons
First we will Sh ow how the tale began to take its
ri se Follows the truth step by step as we have taken
it down from the lips o f those who had good cause t o

GEO RGE J E X

J U S T PRO V I DEN C E

103

kn ow and from the records left behind by men and

women wh o lived in that troubled time
.

e
a
r

a
le

a
t

a
te

a
te

a
le

a
te

And is it true that the poor ill fortuned maid was

blown from the top of Hughie s cliff into the s e a and
Speak up George Jex since you cl ai m
s o drowned ?

to have seen
It was the young Englishman Maurice T yars
wh o spoke and the place was the main guard o f the
Castle o f the Bass
Old George Jex delibe rately lled his pipe stopping
it down with the stubby end of his little nger all
discoloured by thousands of similar Operations

Wait a bit he grumbled pipe lighting and gos

sip mongeri ng go not together L e m o g ra dze as my

old comrade the book lea rned Captain Avery used to

say when we fought together against Noll at Dunbar

And a ne jo b you made of it you and your gossip
Avery
sneered the Englishman

Better than it turned out if it had not been fo r

such as them retorted George Jex j erking his thumb
over his shoulder in the direction of the prisoners

cells ! the Preachers did for u s worse than Noll s

troopers

I was ever an enemy to extremes he said contin

uing Moderation i s my word Have ye heard o f that
book which was advertised to teach Politics and Reli
gion and all the conduct o f life ? No ye would notnot
being able to read more than the dying confession o f
Captain Hind nor caring fo r better But I tell you
that this comprehensive treatise contained but three
pages and o n each was printed the one word
-

MO DER A TI ON

Bah cried Mau rice T yars

you and your Mode
ration One would think we had all as much beer as
we could drin k here o n the Bass I s that beer ? ( He

THE

1 04

C H E R R Y RI BBA N D

pointed to the bounding circle o f the sea now sulking

under a cloud ) Why man we have hard work to
make the cannikin clink with enough honest s pring
water and y ou George Jex must come prat ing to us o f
Moderation
Go on with your story lad if you have
aught to tell
Th e other m en were attentive and o ld George s
pipe was by this time well alight He began his
narration

It was as you know on Hughie s craig

The
lassie was there with her father and that long lobster
C oated Wh iggamore whose family we have shut up
along there at the end o f the row You rem ember
the day s h e came with the bottles of wine and though
the lads o f grace got the claret aye and drank it t oo
their chief hands o ld blind Ellison and Peden the
Prophet cursed her back and forth Yo u were there

an d heard Maurice T yars

Bear m e witness

It is true said T yars slowly

at least some o f
them did speak to governor s daughter s o as I would
gladly have tickled them in the short ribs with my

hanger !
And ye heard the Prophet say that fo r her evil
doing there would come a wind from the Lord and
sweep her into perdition did ye not

That I did n o t rightly understand said T yars

I mind noan 0 hearing o wt about perdition But the

o wd brid did indeed threat the maid with a wind from
the Lord That was wh y fo r it come in my mind that
t would be no unseemly thing to lend him one o n the
chaffs But she her o wn self bade m e come quietly

away

Aye broke in the narrator feeling the length o f

the interruption and her father kicked me o ld George
Jex m e that fought against C romm l e before he was
ever born o r thought o
kicked George Jex up and
down sentry g o walk like as he were no better th an a
,

T H E C H E RR Y RIBBAN D

1 06

to kn ock ye down if y e but ask him a civil que s

tion

Let the governor alone

cri ed half a dozen in
choru s he is out there with the boats search ing every
nook and cranny for his daughter s bod y
Tis not

the time to speak so

I t was a t hundery day George went on

you
y ourselves s aw it those of you that were born with
eyes in your head Big white mount ai ns o f cloud
white as wool at t op and with long black wisps t rai ling
down over the s e a like a woman s h ai r when s h e let s
it fall
George
interrupted the Englishman with hi s
h ands to his face

Go on shouted the others hold your whisht

pock pudding

And these were the seven winds all blowin g dif

George
fe re n t ways that come up with the thunder
Jex went o n pulling at his pipe pleased at his way of

relation
The red coat ploughman was Showing o ff
his gure o n the rocks all among the eggs and youn g
solans very darin g Mistress Ivie was running here
and there to thrust her ngers into the u ff of the
young half grown birds caressing them as if they had
been s o many kittens
Oh what delights
The
loves and s o forth with little c ries and squeak s

such as women use

You lie George interposed the Englishman

pluming his moustache She had a voice like an angel

S he could no more squeak than you could sin g !

O f this George decided to take no notice
H e was
now in the middle passage o f his tale and the atten
tion o f his audien ce was absolute

H er father stood back looking on from afar and

doing naught as is his way S he was they say the
apple of his eye and they do a frm he hath spitted
more than o n e man for her sake great men too ( That
.

GEO RGE J E X

J U S T PRO V I D EN CE

1 07

is mayhap why we are blessed with hi m here ) S o

they stood the three of them all on the edge o f
Hughie s rock when the gloaming was fal ling
Then all at once as I was thi nking o f going home
to supper ( only that S ir Black Brows our honoured
Governor had bidden me remain where I was ) I s aw a
black drift o f cloud come swiftly over the t o p o f the
Bass It was not combed out thin like the others
but pointed like a distaff and it span A wind chill
and damp drove before it I saw it stoop down upon
H ughie s rock as if o f a purpose I here came a ash
and a great b rang e o f thunder Then when I looked
again the maid was not there But the dragooner
after running here and there for a moment suddenly
heaved his j oined hands aloft and sp rang into the

blackness beneath where the s e a was

GeorgeGeorge you s aw that ? they cri ed you

are a great man George
Why you tell it like a
printed book

Aye said George modestly

it is a g iftnoth

in g more man y have remarked the likewise before

An d W hat did the governor do ?

asked the Eng
lishman
did he also go overboard after his dau g h
ter

Not he said George Jex catch him H e knew

better But he did what had far more sense to it
H e ran down to the boat that lies above the landing
place on the wooden rollers And o n h is way he c ri ed
to m e to send him the sherman and every man wh o
could handle an o arS caly Harry the S and eel
Wh i l in g Thomasyou know the crew
S o o ff they s e t but indeed there was little chance
The night had fallen by the time they g o t the boat
fairly out Happily the sea was calm enough in spite of
the great wind gust that had passed
They rowed

away and all the light they had as Whi ffling Tom told
me was o n e poor lantern and now and then the as h
,

T H E C H ER R Y RI BBAN D

108

the lightning that went and came away behin d

the I sle of May

After an hour they came o n Lobster back aground
his legs and anks all awash in
o n a spit o f rock
the salt water and sore battered with the waves
But o f the maid herself pretty Mistress
5 0 they s ay
I vie neither hilt nor hair was to be seen !
T yars heaved a long sigh

S he had an eye for a well made man he medi

t at e d
t is a pity that it was not that red lobster
ploughman if someone had to be drowned to fulll
prophecy

Eh s ai d George Jex contemptuously and then

u Maurice T ars
would
have
liked
well
to
take
o
y
y
o ver his water carrying jo b up at the governor s house
Well prophet o r no prophet it was a plain j udgment

s ay I

Oh George said another weak towards beauty

you n ever do believe that that o ld prophet had aught
I f I thought even so
And he brought
t o do wi it
his musket to the make re in order to Show what hi s
intentions were towards Mr Peden

Nay said old George not what Peden s ai d n o r

any o f his sort I believe nothing in that But fo r
a l l it was a manifest j udgm ent because of her father
propelling a man o l d enough to be Ii i : father twice the
length of the terrace walk at the point o f his riding
boot There is a j ust Providence I hold to it though I
d on t pray all day like the canters we keep within there

Your Providence must be a j ust Providence

sneered the Englishman to blow a poor innocent girl
into the sea and leave the man that booted ye stand
ing safe and sound within a dozen yards
To which m ost improper criticism of his theo ry o f
fate George Jex could for the moment nd no retort
handy Nor indeed did he after nd it by any amount
o f reection
of

i ng

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

1 10

and led the psalmody h imself a thing which he

had never been known to do since his coming to the
Bass
And those wh o heard him s ay that the fervour h e
put i nto the concluding verse made all tremble in
their bones These were the lines :
o ut

ve

bi r

d
O t of t h e fowl
s s re
E s c ape s w y
S is m y s oul s e t f e e
B o k e a e th e i r e t s
A d thu s s c ape d we
Th e e fo e o h e l p
I s i t h e L o rd s g e at nam e
W h o h v e an d e arth
B y h is g e at pow e r di d f am e

n as a

er

na

ur

ea

And then the Prophet prayed And though as ever

his manner was mystic and his words strange even t o
the most enlightened there ( the farthest ben as the
phrase went ) there was in all he said clearly to be felt
no condemnation but rather a great pity and faintly
emergent even a certain triumph
Her raiment i s stained indeed as it were from the

tomb he said hi s face turned upwards blood is o n

her garments Nevertheless she shall no longer be

called Desolate the daughter o f the st ranger but

her name shall be called H e ph z i bah and her land Beu
lah For the delight o f the most High is in her and
though s h e lo se a father according to the esh 10 i s it
not written that the children o f the desolate are more
than the children o f the married wife saith the

Lord ?
And after he had ended none dared to speak or ask
him any questions not even blind William Ellisonso
g reat a gale there seemed upon his spirit and a light
as o f another world radiant on his face
Meanwhile within little more than a couple of miles
o f the Bass in a small house a mere s h e r s cottage
,

C A NT I E

TH E C OT I N

BAY

I I I

hidden round the point of Cantic Bay the height s o f

Tantallon frowning above sat Ivie in person warm
dry and comfortable in face of t wo women to whom by
snatches s h e told her tale

No She s ai d in reply to a suggestion of the elder

I will n o t send them word There is much at stake
My father has seen good days and ill His heart i s
staunch H e will only s e t his lips a little tighter and
it will go harder with the slug a beds of his command
But he will face the trouble as he would lead his com
pany into battle I fear not fo r him For the rest
I am delivered and that suddenly by a Hand Un

seen

By the hand o f God corrected E u ph rain Ellison

for it was s h e As was natural the daughter of the
coven ants Spoke a li ttle severely To her Ivie was
still more than suspect the S trange Woman who had
led away her brother But Marj ory S impson once
more at home in her own Eastland stilled her dau g h
ter with a look

Bide ye she said He worketh indeed by the

storm and all things are his servants Listen
So

ye may learn humility !

It happened thus
said Ivie trying to think

clearly I stooped to touch a bird a little woolly

edgling that reared back its yellow beak at me open
ing it wide s o foolishly that I could not help but laugh
The next instant something black and roaring struck
me and I found myself twirling in the air like a with
e red leaf
Then came the water a terrible noise and
shining of lightning and as it seemed death ! But
when I came to myself I was not dead I was in a
boat and a man was giving me something that burnt

m y l ips

We know said Marj ory S impson

it was Peter
Paton s nephew Long bodied John wh o found you
H e goes every night at dusk to the seaside of the I sle
,

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBA N D

112

H e has some tra fc with the sher folk his kin among
the soldiers landing odds and ends that the governor
i s not supposed t o know about and carrying away t h e

letters written by the prisoners

i
n
Hush mother said E uph ra
you forget that

you are speaking to the gove rnor s daughter

I forget nought said her mother I ken well t o

whom I Open my lips

Ivi e nodded gratefully Mistress Ellison laid her
hand on the girl s

We heard that same night she said bending

softly towards her

how y ou had taken both wine
and victual to the pri soners out of the kindness of
your o wn heart I thank youaye more than my ain
m an thank I yo u For being o f the east country I
s e e differently
There is o n e God it i s true But we
look at Him with other s py glasses here in the east
S moked they m ay be but yet with them we may the
better s e e His brightness unveiled Yo u have been
kind also to Raith And I ken that whatever was in
his heart o f a young man ( and when I s e e you Mis
tress Ivie I blame him n o t ) you had nothing to do
with engaging him in the troop of Cornet Grahame
For those wh o were in the Quarry hole o f Ke rs lan d H ill
where your father sle w the wicked Laird o f H ouston
sending him to his o wn place have spoken as to that

loud and often

With a softnes s which was little characteristic of
a e ld bent over and kissed
her the good wife o f M
y
Ivie The girl impulsively threw her arms about her
neck

Oh s h e cried teach me I want to learn Per

haps I was thrown into the sea fo r that perhaps they
think me lost fo r that
I will not go back yonder
do not send me back I hate the place Bid these
s h e r folk hold their tongues and they will be re

warded
,

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

1 14

E u ph rain was

j ealous fo r the ark of the Covenant an d

secretly resolved that onl y the elect should stand upon
the bulwarks o f Z ion

We c am e here E u ph rain an d I began Mistress

Ellison a s if feeling t he n ecessity o f responding to

n
c
e
s
o
w
n
Ivie s c o de
by making some o f her
after
Lag s folk had made a bonre o f the gear and plenish
ing of our bien house o f M
ay e l d
But for years
William and I had been expecting this and he as he
often said had his anchor within the veil The wh ilk
i s this day a comfort to his soul And fo r m e I had
an anchor also and I trust there was not the less faith
in my heart that it was an anchor weighted with snug
golden C h arle s e s all in the s afe hands o f my brother
Daniel fa rmer in the B am t o n Mains back there a
mile o r two over the heuchs S o as I s ay we came
down here E u ph rain and I But we did not h ide with
Dan l my brothe r an honest man and a willing though
a kennin g worldly For not only did we n o t choose
t o draw attention and mayhap nes upon h im but if
we could do an yt hing to relieve o r release the p ri son
ers it would be easier come at by remaining unknown
an d un spied upon down here i n this cove where none
but small s h e r craft ever come and where not a red

soldi er has shown his n ose within the memory of man

Relieve or release the prisoners ! thought I v ie

alarmed by a se n se o f treachery to her father But
in a moment She remembered that after all Gri t Rys
lan d was quite abl e to attend to his o wn business
,

C HAPTE R
IVI E C A S T S

X VI I I

T H E G O LD FR O M H E R H A I R

house the curious o u t buildings and lean to s

occupied by Prayerful Peter Paton lay in a little cove
in the shelter of the great ruins o f Tantallon but
cowering s o closely under it that they were hidden
from the observation even o f the ca s tle plateau
Neither could any part of them be seen with a s py
glass from the Bass save indeed had any one mounted
to the extreme pinnacl e of the rock But tha t no o n e
t ook the trouble to do Moreover no ships of any
kind were allowed to take the inner passage ( between
the castle and the m ai nland ) under pain o f being sunk
by the cannons of the fortress S till more particu larly
Prayerful Peter and his nephew Long bodied John
with their kinsfolk on and o ff the rock monopolised
the supply o f o fcial provisions in addition to which
they kept up communications with the prisoners F o r
all which reasons no safer refuge could have been
found upon the shores of the three kingdoms
Thus Prayerful Peter and his nephew made the best
o f both worlds
None could equal Peter at scalin g

the throne o f grace when he took the Book in hi s

o wn kitchen or even at a hous e conventicle when he
believed himself wholly among his own folk and lib
e rt y o f prophecy was given to him
And a better hand at a bargain when it was a
question of beef and beer for the garrison could not
be found nearer than the C an o n gat e of Edinburgh
Governor G rif owned this much himself
T HE

1 16

T H E C H E R R Y RIBBAN D

I t was with innite relief therefore that Peter Paton

heard Ivie herself lay the embargo o f silence upon
him H e had spent a sleepless night thinking vai nly
how he was to explain his presence s o close under
H ughie s cl iff at that forbidden hour o f the evening
For Peter s converse with the I sle was strictly con
ned to the o n e hou r when he could approach and
the sam e period of time during which by o ar or sail
he must ret urn to the mainland H is maj esty s prison
o f the Bass was shut to the world at all other times
and Prayerful Peter s aw ruin stare him in the face
should his little evening employment be declared to
the governor or even revealed to the soldiers of the
gar risonsome of whom like George Jex love d h i m
not He saw an end of all and himself Prayerful
Peter laid by the heels in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh
to die of gaol fever which it was reported prevailed
extraordinarily there that year
After Ivie had Spoken and paid over a private gold
piece or two into hi s p al m al l was now well and
Prayerful Peter Paton a tall loose jointed man framed
as it were from oddments o f di fferent people strung
upon wires took across the mail which the courier
had brought from Edinburgh and j oined in the lam
e n t at io n s which he heard on all sides as to the sad
fate of the governor s daughter with the most con
v i n c in g countenance in the world
His nephew Long bodied John was quite di ff erent
H e too was tall and not particularly well made H e
had a very long head shaped like a gian t egg with the
small end uppe rmost S andy coloured hair lay in an
almost invisible thatch upon this mixed with a curious
m ustardy yellow which seemed ashamed of itself and
tried to hide o u t o f sight There was a bristle along
his upper lip like the down on the solan of a week o l d
and o n his chin ( as it were ) the promise of spring
But h is body was both long and thick his a rm s thin
,

,
.

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

1 18

And a wondrous change was wrought in Prayerful

Peter s house at Can t ie Bay b y the three rem aining
wom en Ivie s bright will ingness began to win a little
even on E uph rain

S he works as if she were used to it She cond e d

to her mother
I thocht bo nny folk like that never

put their hand to on yt h in g but their hair

Ye think her bonny then E u ph rai n asked her

mother with a shrewd look at her daughter in that

auld gown o yours that ye hae worn till it is thread
bare ? What for did ye not gie the puir thing your

best S abbath black ?

Right well Marj ory S impson that wise woman knew
the reason But she had her own ways of teaching
and leading

What fo r no mither said E u ph rain indignantly

thi nk ye that I didna o ffer it ? Aye e ec h e d and
pled fair p ri gging on her to wear it as if it had been a
favour to me But s h e wo u ld not The old She would
have and a gr ey shawl and a blue b and for her hair
I f she had wanted to be as like m e as she could she

would not have chosen di fferent

Maybe that is what s h e did want ? suggested her

mother E u ph rain shook her head suspiciously

Ye never c an tell s h e said there may be some

thing ahint
F o r a moment Marj ory S impson looked as if s h e
could have Shaken her daughter But she contented

herself with saying Aye E u ph rain ye are an Ellison

root and b ranch head an d tail body and soul But

hear ye this the clear spring water does not rin only
that the Ellisons ma y drink it Nor the s u n shin e
only that he may licht the Ellison s to their day s darg
No n o r G o d h ide in h is heaven that he may bless
only the righteous Ellisons

Mither said E u ph rain in an awed almost ter ri

e d tone
hae y e forgotten there are Gil and Beattie

I V I E CA S T S GO LD FR O M H E R HAI R

1 19

father over yonderand ( S h e shuddered as

s h e spoke ) puir Murdoch buried under the ash tree by
a e ld
the dyk e s ide in M
y

I have not forgotten s ai d Marjory S impson It

is good to su ffer for the faith I t pays itself even
to the death Have not I too my su ffering ? They
They moved in my Side If all
lay in my bosom
were dead if all were cut o ff o n e after the otherall
my own still the Lord wh o gave and who took put
within m e also a soul that can divide right from wrong
I Marj ory S impson wife of William Ellison prisoner
o n the Bass mother of Murdoch whom Lag slew s e e
the soul of this young maid struggling and distressed
S he seeks the light perhaps not your Light or mine
but a Light
Perhaps not o u r way but a Way
S hal l I trip up h e r feet and send her headlong
No
not though none were left al ive to me nearer than the
City o f the Twelve Foundations Do you your duty

daughter E u ph rain but leave me to do mine !

E u ph rain had never seen her mother so moved
hardly even when they brought in Murdoch to make
ready fo r the bu rying But n o w what stran ge thing
was this ? Had the Midianitish Woman cast the gla
mour also over her ? E u ph rain went to her o wn room
to pray Yet that which she had offered in the mat
ter of the S abbath robe and mantle and Ivie s refusal
of them had not been without their inuence
Ivie had wandered a little way from the house
The curious congerie of tarred huts thatched and
canvassed lean tos dryin g poles fo r shing nets drawn
up boats and rusty anchors lay beneath her I n a
sheltered corner o f the green cliff there were owers
Violets and daisies in abundancefurther on in cool
shadow a few belated prim roses cowering away from
the east wind
Without thinking her mind being far away Ivie
plucked some o f these and put them i n her hair where
an d o u r

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

1 20

their pale gold colour showed again s t the dense brown

ish black o f her coils S he hummed a refrain an d
then checked herself But seeing Mistress Ellison
standing at the door of the cottage she hastily pulled
the owers from her hair and trampled them under her
feet They seemed like a part o f her old life For a
moment she hated them and then Ivie like sh e wa s
sorry S he p i cked them up again and placed them
carefully in a wet spot where a little burnie seeped its
way down unseen to the sea it s path marked only by
a streak of bright green verdure o n the short grey
fell of the eastward cli ffs
E u ph rai n watching from her window saw every
thing and her heart hardened

S he is play acting to take in my mother ! S h e

commented and betook herself to the reading o f the
chapter which enshrines the story of the Prodigal
.

S on

Ivie came down slowly looking wistfully over the

sea behind the Bass which rose blue grey against a
white s k y There was a wistfulness in her eyes
Though her soul had waked and was bent upon the
c onquest o f higher things there was that in little Ivie
which kept her very human and her heart was apt to
faint within her though it failed not
I vie c o l
R ait h s mother waited her at the door
o u re d as s h e drew near a tinge that was neither the
S he knew that
s un nor the fatigue o f the descent
I t was a difcult task she had
h e r hour was come
before her How would S h e acquit herself ? S he was
going to break with the o ld life but s h e could not yet
a while put o n the garm ent o f the new S he must
carefully abstain from bet raying her father H e had
stood between her and harm in s o far as he knew
But he had made h e r scarce a woman among other
women S he did not know them S he was going to
put herself at the mercy of this woman Rai t h s mother
,

C H A PTE R X I X
D RU M-

T APS

A ND T H E

WE will do well here

P R I DE

LI F E

OF

said Marjo ry S impson a s

s he seated herself with her accustomed knitti ng in the
great brown chair w h ich had supported the wearied
form s of man y generations of seafaring Patons
No common woman was William Ellison s wife
S h e was not comely with the soft rose and milk south
erly comeliness Ayrsh ire curds had never blanched
her cheek On the other hand her hair was now s i l
ver grey of an equal tinge throughout There was a
rmness of outline about her features a sweet decision
in the s e t of her mouth perhaps even a snap of tem
per in her black eyes now shining with amusement
now tender with pity And little Ivie felt that if she
did not speak to her s h e would never be a ble to tell
her trouble to woman born of woman
Marj ory S impson was in no hurry S he talked of
o i the
many things easily till it should be Ivie s time
coming and going of the mornin g boat to the Bass of
the prospect s o f the crops as reported by her farmer
brother of Long bodied John s last catch and the best
way to cook sea trout All this simply and with easy
d etachment to let Ivie gather courage
There was at last a little silence designed o n the
part o f Marj ory S impson Ivie s eyes were o n the
yellow glister o f the elder woman s bone knitting
needles H er o wn hands clasped and unclasped them
selves nervously o u the lap of the worn grey dres s s h e
had borrowed from E uph rain
,

D RUM TA P S AND TH E PRI D E

-

have no mother

OF

LI FE

she

123

s aid at leng th her voice

tremulous and to whom can I speak but to d i s
At the last word something stung sharp and sudden
in Marj ory S impson s heart
S he had not expected
this S he h ad exculpated the gi rl almost from the
rst But She commanded herself and nodded en
,

c o u rag e m e n t

Yo u love him ?

sh e

said very low her eyes on

,

her knitting

From the rst

Ivi e answered also under he r

breath
but he does not k now I have been hard
to him I am not t for him
H e is not t fo r
what I mean to be I la m e toldI ca n tell no one
but yo u
Marj ory S impson cea sed her work and looked Ivie
fai r in the face The girl s dark eyes bore the loo k

I n her heart there was no in c h i n g

Yes though t

Rai t h s mother
s h e is telling m e the truth
S he smiled a smile o f understanding and that
rare sympathy which only comes into the countenances
o f those wh o in their day have kicked against t h e
pricks
Go on
s h e said
It was easier for Ivie after that S he proceeded
reassured

I think I know wh y Raith Ellison went away

she said gently

may I speak of that ?

It would be strange if the only t wo in the world

wh o love him should not Speak of him

said his

mother tell o u t your heart bairn Be not afraid

Well sai d Ivi e this is it He and I hav e

been living in a dream from which I have awakened
the rst Now we must awake Raith We must
win him

I s he not already won ? said his mother smiling

at her clicking needles but without raising her eyes
I vi e shook her head sadly and sag ely
.

T H E C H ERR Y R I BBAN D

1 24

No she an swer e d rmly this time not yet ! It

is a disease o f the youngI have seen it often I have
l ived among it Once t oo it was meat and drink to me
What
sai d his mother looking up perplexed for
t h e rst time

Drum taps
Ivie answered
the clarion that
makes the blood bound red coats golden braid the
tramp o f horses m arc h in g s out in t h e cool morning
silken banners uttering on the ank the spell o f a
thousand men a thousand horses moving as one the
gay life of men among men the pride and the glory

o f lifethat is what came u pon Raith

Ye s I understand said Marj ory S impson slowly,

desirable young men all of them princes to look upon
girded with vermilion clothed all in blue captains and
rulers o f the lands o has it been since the world
began These things have gotten into R ai t h s head
and into his blood I have long known it But ( here
s h e smiled at Ivie was it for these that he followed
)
your father o u t yonder to the Bass hewed wood and
d rew water and last of all cast him self headlong from
Hughie s cliff
Red and white went Ivie S he had been carried
But Marj ory S impson s
away by her o wn words
clear eyes thought n o worse of the girl fo r havi ng for
gotten herself o n behalf of her s o n

s
h
No
but there was also my father s
e faltered
advi ce which he gave Raith Ellison For according
to h i s light s my father G ri f R ys lan d is a j ust man and
He s aw the misfortunes that were c o m
n owise cruel
ing upon Galloway by m ea n s o f Lag and the favour
h e had at court and among the big bonnet s o f the
Privy Council S o he took Rai th with him to the

Bass that he might be o u t of the way o f the evil

And t hat was all ? inquired Marj ory S impson

quietly

No said Ivie with Rait h s own determined faith

,

'

'

T H E C H E R R Y RI BBAN D

1 26

way

And indeed he came every day on the chance

o f seeing me though I kept close in the green wood

H e was my s o n Raith
Marj ory S impson e n
quired yet more softly The sting o f the mother s u p
planted was not wholly absent from her voice But it
did n o t remain long

Raith Ellison ye s said Ivie and from a hoop of

broom blossom which upon the last day I threw b y
chance into the road at his feet many things happen e d
He h as never told me all I have never asked him but
I know that somehow he was made an out cast from his
home and that in a t of despair and the hope of mili
tary glory he j oined my father s company and after

wards followed him to the Bass yonder

There was silence fo r a little between the two
women Then it was Marj ory S im pson wh o spoke
And what was it which turned your heart aga in st
that way o f life ? Tell m e franklyo r how shall I be

able to help yo u ?

Indeed I can hardly put it all in word sI thin k

rst a disg ust o f man and men and always men To
h ear the same words uttered by this o n e and that
otherall o f love and devotion and service o f favours
and gifts and sugared compliment s Of such I had
long been sick Then I heard the prisoners sing on
the Bass I considered their faithful ness the glad
ness with which they endured hardness Then one o f
them spoke to mespoke pityingly and kindly It
was n o more than a word o r two but then my heart

only needed a word

And wh o might it b e that prisoner ? Mistre ss

Ellison asked with some faint hope that it might prove
to be her husband

It was Mr Peden whom they call the Prophet

said Ivi e quickly

And then all at once it came to
me how much I was shut out fromhaving none to
tell me of these things I stood at the window o f my
.

DRUM TAP S
-

A ND T H E

PRI D E

OF

LI FE

: 27

cham ber all the night and looked out at the stars and
the s e a If there was a God abroad in the dark surely
He was s o far away that I could not n d Him I
needed God S till more I needed a woman like m y
self a mother I knew neither God nor woman S o
,

Here her voice gave a very little quiver S he slid

from her low seat upon her knees and laid her head on

Marj ory S impson s lap

Tell me She murmured
I will believeI am ready to believe whatever you

say
Marj ory S impson was after all a woman o f her time
though not wedded to the erce extremes of her h u s
band But she felt the more the di fculty of the
appeal

There is the Bible she said a little faintly that

you know guides to all truth !

I have never seen one said Ivie that is except

in a court in which my father once took an oath

Poor poor Ivie
said the elder woman her hand
upon the girl s head S uch ignorance appeared mon
s trous and incredible to her Yet no one could look at
Ivie R ys lan d s face and disbelieve
Did never your father teach you anything or have
s o me suitable person instruct youany chaplain or

curate even ?

Oh ye s said Ivie eagerly for she wi shed to do

I can read and sing and play on the

Gri f j ustice
lute I can fence and shoot a pistol with anyone in
the troop Also he had me taught to broider by the
S isters of a nunnery in Worm s
But religion God
Marj ory S impson s voice
sank to a hoarse whisper
I never heard either named save with an oath
Marj ory S impson gave a little gasp I t was terri
ble incredible Yet here was a virgin page on which
s h e must write
.

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

1 28

Yo u will tell m e all

all

pleaded the girl

The

elder woman nodded

Little by little she said

for today let it be
enough fo r you that there is one woman in the world

to whom you are as her own daughter and for the rest
here
s h e reached for her little red bound Bible in one
(
volume printed in Edinburgh by the Pri nters to the
King s Most Excellent Maj esty I 6 3 3 ) She turned the
leaves and foun d a place
Take but this o n e word
wi th yo u my bairn Ye have not far to seek There
is no need to look out of your window at the stars
The blasts o f wind may have been H i s m inisters to
bring you hither but God i s not in the win d Read
the word
And Ivie stoope d and read from the small clear t ype

these words N e i t h e r s h a l l t h ey s ay L o h e re o r [0
F o r t h e K i ng d o m of God i s wi t h i n y o n
t h e re
But h o w am I to know it i s for m e
pleaded Ivi e
dolorously looking up into the rm strong face

Marj ory S impson took the gi rl in her arm s By

this s h e said that your heart has brought y ou to

me and that your best desire is to bide wi th me Go
your ways bairn Be comforted G o d is within you
"
I would we could all say as much
S till however Ivie lingered

There is o n e thing more she murmur ed u n c e r

t ai n ly yo u are not angry with Raith
His mother smiled through the welling moisture in

her eyes S he signied no with a little shake of

the head

Then said Ivie would it do any harm if we

kneeled down and prayed that He would give him back

to the two women wh o love him ?

S o these two prayed together and on his I sle Raith
sat with his chin on his hands looking out over H ughie s
fatal craig and feeling that for him the world was ended
indeed
.

THE

1 30

C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

guid yellow gowd I declare I wadna hae the besoms o

destruction in my house for a day ! But we mau n
aye follow the l e adin s 0 Providence ye ken

H umph said Long bodied John with some surli

ness I s e e nocht the m ai t t e r wi the lass that fell
ower H ughie s craig
His uncle stared at him in wonder

Maybe he said at last maybe s ae Aye Jock

ye are maybe richt

Peter could noways afford to quarrel with his
nephew wh o for so little money bore the burden and
the heat of the dayoften of the night also Prayer
ful Peter was not fond of putting his o wn neck in
peril but he was by no means averse to Long bodied
John doing s o Affairs were equalised in this way
For if John were hanged Peter would get nothing but
a s e a suit o r two which in a manner of speaking were
his already While if he Prayerful Peter Paton
stretched h i s neck in the hangm an s towstill more
if he died a natural death John his nephew would heir
all that he had
All the same Peter did not desire famil y strife
That his nephew should do his errands when they
were o f a dangerous nature s u ited him very well

Aye he repeated ye are do o t l e s s richt John I

hae noticed mysel that s h e is no that very particular
I s aw her gaun ben wi dirty shoon yesterday ! That
was aye something !

Humph grumbled John o f the Long B ody but

she wae o o t wi them aga in in ve m inutes I ken
T hey will mak the pui r thing as clean as t h e m s e l s
i f ye let them bide thegither
D oo t l e s s John ye ought to ken aboot the lassie s

shoon said his uncle for I saw ye c l e an in them

yoursel your elbows e e in as fast as if ye had been
b ait i n a trawl
Oh JohnJohn b e guided by your
auld uncle Be warned by him A in ce was I mar
,

PETER

A ND

LO NG B O DI ED J O H N

131

riet and it near ruined me It was lang syneafore

ye war born S he was a farmer s dochter up ayont
there I had to sell a boat to get her faither to tak
her back an awesome s u m that whiles makes m e
wauken up in a cauld perspiration in my bed t o
this very day t hi n ki n that I hae to pay it o wer

again !

And what inquired John was the lassie s faut

Oh said his uncle waving his hand down in the

direction o f the cottage j ust freits like yon White

wash to the riggin within and wi t h o o t ! No a res t
fo r the sole 0 your t your verra claes c o m ple e n e d
S he wondered how I co ul d
o nae rest in your bed
bear to be s ae dirty wi that muckle guid s e a water at
my verra door ! And I t e lle d her that I had never
been washen s ince the howdie did it as far as I kenned
and that it wad verra likely kill me But s h e j uist
said u n fe e lin like
Kill awa then Peter But ye
dinna come into my hoose smelling like a dozen auld
s h creels
Oh tak warnin in time John ( his uncle
continued helping himself to a bite of tobacco from a
large lump which was lying to swell in a pail adj acent )
when ye m ai rry tak a ne s t rappin s h e r lass that
has sm e lt 0 last year s herrin ever since they wer e
o o t o the nets and wadna care gin the hoose was
piled hand high wi nets an bait and the rif e raf e o
boats riggin s m e llin o a the sh i the sea frae t h e
sand eels that ye howkit for late ye s t re e to the blubber
o the whale that was cast up on Black Point Martin
mas come a t walm o n t h
Nephew John wiggled his long body and privately
blasphemed his uncle H e too could be prayerful b u t
not aloud nor yet very orthodoxly

Ye are a Silly auld de e v il said he aloud standing

in no awe o f h is kinsman
Your noddle has surely
eneuch to do c o n t riv in ploys for me to carry through
L e t my affairs alane
Wha was t h ink in 0 marriage ?
.

'

T H E C H E RRY RI BB A N D

1 32

I hae never passed half a dozen words wi the lass in

m y life !
A man Wi a gure like yours John has little need 0

words urged h i s uncle insidiously forbye did ye no

save the lass frae a watery grave ? Will s h e no be
g rat e fu for that think ye ?
Gin ye caa lin k in a boat h u ik aman g her duds and
hoising her into the boat like a s m u c k le codi f ye caa
that e oo rt i n weel I did that It s a pe e t y the lass
kenned naething aboot it till s h e was in the h ands 0
in
her
wa
rm
u twa weemen doon there and lyi n
o
y
bed
Then all at once he s eemed to repent himself
It
had not been the habit o f the two m en who kn ew
each other s characters and failings to have any reti
cences with each other upon points o f g ravity

I m no
said John with a certain hesitation
that the c rait u r s bonnyaye that she s the bonn ie s t
lass that ever I s aw

Wheesht W heesht John said his uncle them s

n o canny words and ye will maybe be vexed for them
should they come to her lug S he m icht haud ye to
them afore the c e e vi l magistrate ye ken I t s an awe
some easy thing in this country fo r a man to get
saddled wi a wife and ye ken Jock ye m i ch t n a get
rid 0 her as easy as m eher faither bein a big man
amang the rulers o the land and moreover ye hae
never a boat to sell to pay the scaith dues as was m y
guid fortune in the hour 0 my distress

Peter said Jock contemptuously ye are c le v

erer than meI own that But whiles man ye Show
nae mair sense then a whelk D o ye n o see that the
lass is bonny far ayont a the l e ddi e s that come here
wi the great folkbonnier than Leddy Dalrymple
hersel
aye though s h e i s but dressed plain in an
auld gown that no a sher lass within sicht o Berwick
Law wad put o n her back But s h e canna help bein

T H E C H ERR Y RI BBAN D

1 34

Thus remotely often uncon sciously to herself must

seek the woman in an y quarrel of men
one
Women and dead men s wills do more to divide m an
from man than creeds religions politics business al l
the scuffl e and shoulderi ng o f life
,

CHAPTE R X X I
THOU

D E C E I T FU L

T ON GU E

ON

the Bass things went otherwise A dull despair

Often he wished that
s at close on the heart of Raith
he had never been recovered out of the water H e
even thought o f throwing himself agai n from the cliffs
But something perhaps gleaned unconscio u sly from
his early education restrained him Besides s o long
as his father and brothers remained there was work
fo r him to do at the Bass
S ince Ivie s disappearance G rif and he had stayed
do wn at the Castle For the governor nding an
Oppression in the house which had been made clean
and fair by Ivie s hand resumed h is old garrison habit s
and bedded like the men only in a place apart while
Raith slept across the doorway within There was
he kne w h ad blood among the soldiers And some
night by mistake a musket might be protruded through
the door and G rif R ys lan d s brains blown o u t as he
lay asleep The like had been done before S o Raith
wh o had transferred his devotion from the daughter to
the father locked t h e door o f their lodging with his
body The governor would have slept in peace in any
case but he thought none the less o f the young s o l
dier s delity and occupied much o f his spare time
( which o n the Bass was not little ) in teaching him
sword play and all manner of soldierly accomplishments
in the little hollow of the governor s garden placed
hi gh o n the cliff abo ve the fort
By instinct both o f the me n kept silence concerning
.

T HE

36

C H ERR Y RIBBAN D

that which had happened Ivie s name was never

mentioned between them They even avoided each
other s eyes as zealously as they sought each other s
society
R ai t h s vigilance was by n o means superuous
Among the riff raff of prison j acks and ru f an t urn
keys wh o were thought good enough to garrison the
Bass in time o f peace and hold the prisoners in re
spect G ri f Rys lan d accustomed to the perfect disci
pline o f military establishments and swift with his
punishments was hated almost insanely O f course
George Jex was at the head of any conjuration But
there was to be no sand bagging no musket balls red
point blank in the d ark George made that clear
Bodies had such an awkward way o f turning up and a
Governor o f the Bass could not go amissing over the
cliff as an ordinary soldier might No they must hit
upon something else
But it was a long time before they did And indeed
had the matter rested with themselves it might never
have been accomplished There were not enough
brain s among the gang to entrap a Tammie Norie But
on the other side of the bars were better brain s All
wh o lay in H is Maj esty s prisons for conscience sake
were n o t o f the true blue any m ore than were all wh o
wore the red coat bloody persecutors
Time and again Beattie Ellison in clined a curious
ear to the talk of the sentries as they passed and re
passed I n fault o f better O ld George had been made
a kind of inspecting o f cer and he used his opportuni
ties to talk matters over quietly at the end of the ter
race beat where it overhung the s e a with the sentinel

o f the night
Hatred o f G rif
Captain G rif they
called him was ever the mainspring o f the talk
p aths
and foul language their mode of expressing it
If only we could nd something against him to

w ri te to the Co u ncil the y said the letter would n o t

.

THE

1 38

C H ERR Y RI BBAN D

many good and fait hf ul men quietly living in Edin

burgh in Glasgow and in Aberdeen indulged by the
Government either for the quietness of their de
mean or the Silence o f their tongues or ( s o it was
whispered ) because they had been able to do some s ig
What the nature of
nal piece o f service to the King
such service might be was always kept secret t o e n
courage others t o do likewise
No w the governor o f the rock was n o t hated by the
prisoners as he was by the men o f the guard Though

a strict o f cer he allowed them as much liberty a s

he j udged possible o r prudent Each day half a dozen
o f the most amenable were allowed to wander over the
I sle at their pleasure with only Raith and another with
them Or if the batch included any o f the Ellisons
Raith was left at home Then not infrequently the
gov ernor took the duty him self along with the Eng
lishman T yars o r some other o f the guard detailed
fo r the purpose
It chanced that on o n e of these excursions naturally
very dear to prisoners C ooped s o long within narrow
cells Beattie made a point o f lagging behind with o ld
George Jex H e had something particular to say to
hima bargain which they must st rike and to which
they must both adhere Beattie did not mean to give
his knowledge for nothingindeed not for anything
less than pardon and freedom But in his design he
felt that he must have the backing o f the soldiers o f
t h e garrison before he could strike for liberty
They
would help himh e them Neither could do without
t h e other
There was a covert ability about Beattie Ellison
On a lower level and o f a meaner sort it was the sam e
which had conducted James S harp to the arch diocese
o f S t Andrews
S ome Latin he had taken up at the
Vi llage school from Robert Melrose the o l d school
m aster and grammarian and the ministers wh o visited
,

- -

O T H O U D EC EITFU L TO NGU E

39

hi s father s h ouse had taught him enough Greek t o

s pell o u t the plainer narratives of the New Testament
Beattie was cunning secret and untiring At home
his chief desire had been to brin g disgrace upon his
youngest brother Having succeeded in this b e j udged
that it would be for his good to pose as a sufferer
But a month or two of the hard oors and scanty fare
I hav e
o f the Bass had completely cured him o f this

something to say to yo u he said secretly as George

J e x wh o his musket o n his Shoulder slowly waddled
with many blasphemies up the steep ascent of the I sle

Hang me if I have aught to s ay to you growled

Jex only that if you will stop that prophet of yours
from groaning all night I will have double rations served
That I promise o n my faith No o n e
o u t to you
c an sleep for him and the lads are ready to draw cut s
which should put the wizard o u t o f his pain with a Sil
ver button in his wame

You do not love your governor ? said Beattie

softly George Jex brought h i s weapon to the ready
with his nger on the trigger
Who says s o who dares to say s o
he exclaimed

I know I have heard you s ay s o yourself Beattie

answered no whit put out
Yo u have heard meyo u

Yes said Beattie when yo u were walki ng with

the sentries

Then young man said Old George it strikes

me that your days are numbered You have heard

t oo much and your cell is convenient to the cli ff

I j udge not s o smiled Beattie for I know that

about your governor which if told to my Lord Lid
d e s dal e would su f ce to rid the Bass o f him fo r ever
And I doubt n o t that rightly represented as being a
scholar I could represent it in writing the post would
be given to you

And W hy
demanded O ld George Suspiciously

T HE

1 40

C H ERR Y R I BBAN D

why should you wish to do me a good turn and Spite

G overnor G ri f wh o has been so favourable to you
Whiggamores o u t of the West
Beattie leaned towards the sour faced o ld man
glancin g ostentatiously to this hand and the other to
make sure o f not being overheard

Because he said I hate h i m !

And he pointed with his hand to the gure of hi s
brother which was clearly relieved against the white
The governor stood beside Rai th Elli
s k y o f noon
s o n and the two seemed in deep and intimate converse
together

I see said George Jex slowly by striking one

y ou would hit the other I t is true I would make
short work of the Red Dragoon if I were governor of
the Bass
The voices of these t wo worthies sank t o a wh i sper
and in a few minutes they fell apart as the governor
turned sharply about to keep his eye upon all his pris
oners
Beattie regained his cell without uttering
another word but that very night Old George him
s elf o n guard left his lantern hanging for a couple o f
hours o n a nail above the little grating o f Beattie s
cell
Within Peden the Prophet prayed while his
companion wrote page after page putting each into
his bosom as it was nished
And the burden of the Wise Man s prayer was in
deed that of a true prophet

Thou l ov es t

al l

d e vouri g wo rd s
n

thou d ec e i tful to n g ue I

And this he repeated time and again

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

14 2

penseto all of which the aforesaid B E will speak

more at large before the Honourable Council if in i t s

great wisdom an opport unity i s a fforded him

The turnkey s petition was shorter but equally to
the point
.

The garrison of t h e Bass to the Privy o f Edinburgh

This is to inform Privy that the man called Capt
G rif treats us sham eful kickin g and lashing withou t
reason H e is no Captain but a common soldier sent
away fo r ill doing o u t o f the south count ry H e is
also a re bbl e and s ai d three times that he would
strangle o u r worthy c o rpral and s u b commander
George Jex who fo wt very valiant for the King s
father against the U surper C ro m m l e G u v e rn r G ri f
swore also many t imes by the blood o f the King which
shows that he was art and part in a plot to murder the
King as is clear to all here Hoping that you will
take order with this fal s traitor G rif and giv e us a
new G o v e rn rsuch as has fowt again C ro mm le an d i s
rea dy to ght again against all Tyrant s and Usurpers
whatsoever

I N N A M E o r T H E GA RR I S O N O F T H E B A S S
.

To this vigorous epistle no personal signatures were

appended but there was no need to be part icular,
George Jex had signed it all over
Both these documents were given to the sherman
Al lister and were carried to shore and despatched by
a sure hand to Edinburgh by means indeed of the
unconscious nephew o f Prayerful Peterwh o had he
suspected what he was carrying would undoubtedly
have sunk the packet in the s e a But coming from
the usual covenanting quarter and dropped into his
boat at the hour o f dusk by the confederate o n the
cliffs above all passed without suspicion and the
double missive sped o n its way
But underground mines sometimes work not alt o
,

D UKE JAME S AMU S E S H I M S ELF

14 3

gether according to expectation There is something

the matter with the fuse The explosion happens t o o
soon o r t oo late or the powder is damp
Now His Maj esty s Privy Council for S cotlan d was
at this time a body singularly nervous an d touchy
More than once it had taken up allegations against
one o f its own members upon anonymous authority
However it chanced that when the denunciations ar
rived from the Bass the President my Lord of Lid
d e s dal e was in an excellent humour and was not
greatly mov e d either by the proposed revelations of
Be attie Ellison o r by the obviously interested c o m
plaints o f the soldiers He would most likely have
re enclosed both documents to the Governor of the
Bass for note and comment had it not been fo r the
chance presence at the Council table of no less a per
s on than His Highness the Duke o f York himself
At this time th e Duke was always on the watch fo r
whatever would help him to get creditably through
the next hour and it struck him that it would be sport
to have the treacherous Whig and the indignant Gov
e rn o r brought face to face

And who is this gove rnor ? he demanded n

gering the letter Beattie had written and which c o n
s i de ri n g how little light o ld George s lantern a fforded
was really a triumph of caligraphy
Liddesdale looked a little di s c o m t e d but he an
s we re d adroitly enough
Your Grace he is an o f cer of Colonel G rah am e s
recommended strongly by him for the postindee d
h is o wn resignation was threa tened if it were not

yielded

Ah Colonel Grahame said Duke James in an

altered tone
there is more in this man than I
thought Let me see ! the Colonel will be in Edin
burgh tomorro w night and c an answer fo r himself
What s ay you ? Let u s have the tell tale Whig an d
.

'

T HE

1 44

C H E RR Y RIBBA ND

the Colonel s prot g before us

Then we c an
call in Colonel Grahame and ask him what had best be

done !

I can tell your Grace that beforehand said Lid

F o r the scribbling Whig there will

de s dale dryly
be a rope need ed down in the G ras s m ark e t and as to
Captain G rif I j udge that Colonel Grahame will not
let us o ff under a Baronetcy o f Nova Scotia for him
By S t Anthony I love a man
cried the Duke

it pleasures me that a little laird and colonel of horse

I would give a hundred
c an thus override yo u all !
pound to see Colonel G rah am e s face when you tell
him that h is man i s in danger o f his life on a Whig s
information H aI promise myself m uch entertain
ment
Let the examination be settled for Tuesday
and let the Whig and the Governor be sent fo r sepa
I shall preside at your m eeting
rat e ly from the Bass

in person
The Duk e turned on his heel and strolled o u t leav
ing the Council to glance uneasily at each other
"
V ery well fo r him said my Lord Liddesdale at
last Colonel Grahame have we always with u s but
H e will rate us
m y Lord Duke have we n o t always !
l ike curs when the Duke is gone !
Tuesday was not long in comi n g lled congenially
for the members o f the Privy Council with the s e n
t e n c i n g of preachers the depriving of doubtful o f
c i al s
the ning o f n on church attending lairds and
the issuing of warrants o f apprehension against all
rebels Whigs and rigorous Presbyterians Yet there
sat hardly o n e about that council table wh o had n o t
been all three
a fact which perhaps caused them to
be all the keener in carrying out the orders which came
to them from London
The Duke was unusually prompt The ordinary
President o f the Council the Earl o f Liddesdale
s tood aside to give him the chief Seat Buccleuch t h e

'

THE

146

C H E R R Y RI BB A ND

Council from the cage into which the prisoners about

to be examined were introduced This change had
been made ever Since the great day when huge S andy
Gordon called the bull of E arl s t o u n had charged
among them with his gaud o f iron and as saith t h e
record loundered them soundly upon the broadest of
their apparel with the bar of iron till all the courtyard
itself was lled with the cries of the mighty Privy

Council o f S cotland

Let the Whig with the lo n g tongue be brought

i n ! said the Duke leaning back and thrusting both

thumbs into his waistband
Bring in Beattie Ellison
ordered Lidde sdale
succinctly indicating the iron cage o f witnessing with
his forenger
Upon Beattie the Bass had put it s mark and h e
looked mean and sneaking moving restlessly about
like a trapped animal behind the bars

S tand still in o n e place and answer my Lords !

s aid the soldier wh o with a drawn sword stood behind
him
That is the Duke him self at the table head
Of all present only the Duke of York an d S ir George
Macke n zie manifested the least interest in Beattie or
in his testim ony
I t was the Duke o f Y ork wh o asked the quest i ons
A continual though languid curiosity possessed h im
I n other circum stan ces he would have been the chief
gossip of a village and lled the post to a m arvel
You wrote the Privy Council a letter offering to
discover certain secrets which concern the Governor
of the prison in which you nd yourself Well tell
me what do you expect to gain by that supposing fo r
a moment that we Should nd you are well i nform ed
and your information useful

Only the protection o f my Lords and the c on

s c i o u s n e s s o f having served the King

said Beattie

only liberty to continue my studies in the art s !

,

DUKE JAME S AM U S E S H I M S E LF

x4 7

Doubtless that you m ay proceed to Holland and

thence come back full e dg e d with treason to mislead

the poor ignorant folk o f the hills said the Duke of

York

Nay urged Beattie with seeming earnestness I

am indeed no fanatic My brother serves His Maj esty
in h i s Dragoon Guards I would serve him in t h e
churchhaving leanings to such a life

As a curate ? Under the authority o f a bishop

and ordained by him ? demanded S ir George Mac

kenzie better accustomed to probe wavering an d W hig
gish consciences
Beattie appeared to nd a difculty in speaking
H e gulped but at last got o u t the single word

Yes !

Hum said the Duke of York somewhat bored by

S ir George s interruption
very well Now let us
"
hear what you have to say

My Lords said Beattie begi nning his prepared

speech may it please you it has come to my knowl
edge
Get on
ordered the Duke sharply speak plain
and short as you value your neck

The commander of the troops on the Bass calls

himself Captain G rif
said Beattie his real name
is S ergeant Maj or Rys lan d of Co m et G rah am e s troop
of Dragoons and my brother with his o wn eyes s aw
him kill o ne o f His Maj esty s most faithful se rvants
the Laird o f Houston in Galloway cousin to the Laird

of Lag and o n e o f the o fcers of the local militia

At this Liddesdale looked up sharply

a
he began wh y we have been s e arching fo r
H
that fellow everywhere
But the Duke of York silenced him with a wave of
his hand

Give the man his tether h e murmured it is yet

a good half hour before Colonel Grahame will be here

C H ERR Y RI BB A N D

THE

14 8

Then in a louder tone he added And s o your brother

told yo u thisthe soldier o f dragoon s
No said Beattie
hastily eager to have all the
credit to himself he is all o n the Governor s Side I
myself knew S ergeant Maj or R ys lan d when he was
quartered in Irongray village I recognized him at once
when I was sent prisoner to the Bass Of the murder
there were several witnesses all belonging t o the mili
tia except my brother who s aw the killing by accident
from the side o f Ke rs lan d quarry hole

S o yo u would lay aside the Whig cloak for the

curate s cassock my lad
inquired the Duke of Y ork

smiling with a languid sort o f nesse you have then

no vocation for the military scarlet like your brother ?

None my Lord Duke !

said Beattie wh o not
knowing the King s brother imag ined that he was

speaking to the Duke o f Queen sbury I had tho u ght

that I might be indulged with a cure o f souls under

your Grace s own eye !

A faint quiver o f mirth passed about the board
James felt it as something in the air for o f course the
obduracy of his Roman V iews were known to all

I do n o t thi nk that entirely likely he said smilin g

that were a change indeed

But as to this R ys lan d being a Dutch spy he

went o n upon what do yo u base that charge ?

My Lord said Beattie he was formerly in the

service o f the Prince o f Orange !

H em remarked the Duke carelessly I am not

over fond o f my good s o n in law but I would not hold
it su f cient ground for calling a man a s py that h e had
once served with the Prince He breeds good soldiers
o u r Buckram Man and this governor fellow even by
your o wn telling seem s to be monstrous ready with
weapons

There remains his freedom with the provi sion s

continued the Duke after a pause I s e e not much

,

T HE

150

C H E RR Y RIBB A N D

havi ng distribut e d indiscri minate charity to the fanat

ics your prisoners on the Island in order to gain their
good will in any future troubles

My Lords said a new and rm voice of a m ilitary

brusqueness I am here to an swer these charges

that is if y our H ighness will permit m e to speak

Duke James nodded indulge n tly with a half mocking
smile at those about him
In S co tland everything is permitted to Colonel

Grahame s o far as I have seen he said I am glad

that I have left most o f my valuables behind m e i n
Lo ndon except ( he added in an undertone ) Ann e

Hyde whom God preserve !

Col Graham e took no notice of an y thing but the
permission to speak

Then he said grimly I will answer these accu

This gentleman s n ame i s G rif
s at i o n s o n e by o n e
R ys lan d
I asked of the Privy Council to confer o n
him the brevet rank of Captain upon h i s appointment
as Governor o f the Bass which I now further ask o f
them to conrm I t is true that he killed in a duel
after the most serious provocation a certain pestilent
fellow named the Laird o f Houstono n e o f those
whose stupid excesses give the King s service an ev i l
n ame
From him C apt G ri f Rys lan d took no favours
H e accepted o n e of H ouston s o wn friends for a s e c
o n d waived his choice of weapons o f position every
thingand allowed the fellow three several chances
o f making an apology
F o r me I would n o t have
given him one And thensent him ying to his own
place
At this moment a messenger entered the Council
room breathless with haste and kneeling the while
handed a sealed letter to the Duke He ipped it
Open read it hastily changed colour and with a serious

Yo u must excuse me gentlemen all ?

he quitted
the table and the room
,

D UKE JAM E S AM U S E S H I M S E LF

15 1

It was an evil moment for G rif R ys lan d For at

the door as if struck with a sudden thought Duke
James turned and calling o u t Colonel Grahame pray

I have need o f your coun cil !

He was
a ttend me
gone and Grit s defender with him
Liddesdale moved into the vacant place at the head
o f the table and there was a long silence
G ri f kept
his place immovable his hand o n h is sword hilt and as
for Beattie nobody regarded him at allnot even the
s oldier who with drawn sword had been Set to guard
h im in the iron barred cage

Ah S ergeant said Liddesdale at last it may be

After all killi ng is
a s well to defer this business
killing even if it be no murder whatever Colonel

Grahame may s ay And there are other matters

H e put o u t h is hand selected Old George s letter
an d read it aloud
"

What have you to say to that ? he asked with

s omethin g of a brow beating air
"
S imply t h is said G rif I found a lot of j ail refuse
o n the Bass th riving on the plunder of the prisoners
ignorant of the manual o f exercise ignorant of drill
i gn orant of musketry practice
On these points they

have been informed That is all

"

The Laird o f H ouston was a notable man said

Liddesdale and usef u l to us We cannot look ove r
that altogether At the same time S ergeant we rec
o g n i z e that yo u are a gallant man and fo r the present
would not put any personal restraint upon you But
t ill we have further deliberated we order you not to
return to the Bass and hold yourself ready to appear
before us again when we summon yo u

I will do more said G rif R ys lan d with the per

m ission o f the mo st noble Council
I am a soldier of
fortune I have served many masters in many lands
I have never yet been faulted n o r will I now What
I have done I am ready to answer for I therefor e re
.

THE

52

C H E R R Y RIBBAN D

Sign the brevet rank which at the request o f Colonel

Grahame you bestowed upon me as well as any claim
to that which my commander has j ust asked for me
I retire to rest this o ld sword my Lords of the Coun
I had a daughter and s h e is dead
Why should
c il
I break any more a thankless bread
I have striven
to serve the King fai thfully and my sole wish is that
the King s Councillors had been better content with
me
G rif bowed and went out none hindering hi m or re
turning his salute

Again there fell a silence which after a whil e

Q ueensbury broke This i s your doing Liddesdale

he said I hope yo u see your way through it I t

st rikes me that the K ing has lost a good servant and
a stout sword this day !

And that queried Tarbert what are you going

to do witht h a t 9
H e pointed to Beattie standing still in his cage
Liddesdale looked at h im thoughtfully a moment a
doubtful frown on his brow H e was o n the point of
sending him to the F ree Toom for all such as got
in the way o f Charles the S econd s Privy Council
that i sto the G ras s m ark e t o f Edinburgh But after
a long look at the y oung man s fac e he changed hi s
mind

Faith he said he hath after all a look o f Jamie

S harp We may make something o f him yet O fcer
o f the Chamber give this lad a bed at your house and
entert ain him t ly at the expense o f the Kingbut n o

claret mind He hath complained o f it

A nd s o laughing at the smallness of his own j est
the President of the Coun cil drew his peers off to the
consideration o f t he other business which lay before
them And G ri f R ys lan d wandered down the H igh
S treet o f Edinburgh once more a free man
,

C H ERR Y RIBB A N D

THE

154

They have to answer for them to the Bl u i dy

"
Mackenzie
H e thought awhil e Then suddenl y he Slapped his
hand on h is knee
I t s that red s o dje r Raith Ellison the Whig turn
coat that Governor G rif made commander when he left
the I sland G rif has not come back and this is the
third day They will ken wh at that means
He is in
disgrace i n the grip o f the Council and they are hunt
ing the poor young man like a partridge among th e
m ountains I declare I will take o u t the boat and see
I t was no di f cult thing that m ornin g for John o f
He
t h e Lengthy Body to lay a course fo r the I sle
h ad his sail set and his shi ng lines displayed
They will not know any betterexcept Allister

"
t hat i s
he said and I may as well s e e the fun
But o n the Bass it was no fun fo r Raith Ellison I t
was true that he had been left as interim governor o f
the Bass in the absen ce o f G rif R ys lan d departed to
Edinburgh to answer the demand o f the Privy Coun
c il
Again st him O ld George with all save T yars the
E n glishman and the sher lads Allister and hi s
c ousins formed a rm conspiracy
O ne daytwo days
three days the m utineers had
waited eagerly for news
Then from Edinburgh
written fairly upon o fcial paper and bearing the stamp
o f the privy council came to George Jex the news that
t h e petition o f the garri son o f the Bass had been gra
Governor G rif would no more re
c io u s ly listened to
turn and as fo r B E ( wh o communicated this i n t e l li
gence ) he was being entertained with kindness within
t h e precincts o f the Council Chamber itself at the ex
pense o f the King and was in the way of being ex
"
a lted to greater honour
I t was little but for such men it was enough
George Jex would have li ked to receive a denite
m andate con stituting him governor of the fortress and
at

M UTI NY UP O N

T HE

THE

BA S S

155

prison o f the Bass but his band of followers cared not

at all for t h at They had no particular objection to
O ld George a s a governor
They knew well that they
would frighten bully coax or c ompulse George at
their will But of one thing they were certain They
would no longer obey Raith Ellison Whoever was
Governor of the Bass he was not The disgrace of
the master bore with it the downfall o f the man
But Raith Ellison had had som e months training at
the hands of a soldier great among soldiers H e had
learn ed more things than one and he had no lack o f
courage
At the rst symptom o f dissatisfaction he ha
promptly knocked over the culprit a hulking fellow
named Co rk co dal e a S tranraer Irishman as the sayi n g
i s Next he ordered him to be placed in a cell an
order which in the absence o f O ld George and the
unknown sentiments of Maurice T yars was grum
b lin g ly and even insolently obeyed
By the time Old George appeared peace had agai n
been re s t o re t h at is to all appearance Raith was
making the usual round o f the prisoners cells steeling
his heart to meet the silence o f his father and the
averted eyes of Gil He asked at each door whether
there were any complaints to make arranged for the
cleans ing det ails of the day and was about to leave
the cell behind the bars of which stood Peden the
Prophet when the old minister wh o had never taken
h i s eyes off the young man s face motioned him to
c ome closer

S nows o n Lebanon he said in his usual mystic

m anner
s nows that are near the m elting !
H usks
in the swine troughs of a far country ! The prodigal
i s an hungered and there is none to give unto him
Apples of S odomgrapes o f Gomorrah Oh bitter
bitter fruit
The young do foolishness in the sight of
t h e Lord but their s in is not unto death
O ver t h e
,

THE

156

C H ERRY RI BBAN D

wall w i th you lad For you the wicked bend the bow
They spread the net O ver the wall I tell you and
the Lord o f all the families of the earth be gracious

to the son o f poor stubborn William Ellison

S omething about the Prophet s mannera tang of
invincible reality in his message bore in upon Raith
Ellison The corner of the bars o ffered a foothold
not from the side of the p risoners but from that of
the terrace walk along which the sentry o n duty was
wont to march But he was at that moment in the
main guard along with O ld George Jex an d his fellow
.

ru f an s

Their plan was to fall upon Raith as he went out

A knife in his throat and a quiet berth among the
straw at the back of the guard room would do his
business till the night should come Then they could
dispose of the body as everything is disposed o f o n the
Bass over the cliffs which descend sheer into the s ea
To his surprise Raith found a stout doubled rope
securely attach ed to an iron ring in the wall I t was
Al lister the s h e rm an s cradle o n which he swung the
p risoners packages rst to the lit t l e s t an d o f rock
from which he lowered them into the boat o f Long
bod ied John lying immediately beneath In an i n
stant Raith had reached the same perch o f peril From
here with a leap and then a short crawl on hands and
knees he got upon the turf o f the I sle j ust at the
place where the nests o f the gannets m ustered thick
Raith Slipped on the half rotten piles o f s ea
e st
weed The older birds moved awkwardly away before
him The younger lay meekly crouching closely to
the ground as if praying him not to tread upon th em
S ome were quite small and only partially edged
Others were covered with ne down while yet other s
were apparently ready to y
Curiously enough the parent gannets did not rise
with the clamorous ostentation of most sea birds And
.

'

THE

15 8

C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

a Suspicion darted through the mind o f

O ld George
Tom E ars m an s down at the landing

place waiting for more news he said run along you

and s e e that the Lobster back is safe in the cells
Fetch word quick what he i s doing there s o long and
o u lads get up o n the rack and be ready to j ump o n
y
Not a sound !
h i s back when I give the word
The sentry ran from o n e cell to the other looking
Peden receiv e d hi s
fo r Raith in every case vainly
anxious inquiry with the text which certainly all things
considered had some bearing o n the circum stances

Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their

cords from u s !
A n d as the di s co m t e d sentinel made his way back
the voice o f the prophet ran g in his ears with the stern
message He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh

the Lord shall have them in de ri sion

But though the rage o f Old George Jex burst out i n
a perfect fury on his return it was checked by the
sounds that came from above S hots out cries e xcla
mations V iew halloos the scampering o f men in purs uit
o f an escaping quarry
From the corner above the castle Raith was plai n t o
be seen m aking his way towards the eastern portion o f
the I sle

We have him gasped Old George wh o was not

made fo r uphill exercise all that part i s bare cli ff and

m ade slippery by the birds

Crack Crack
went the shots as Raith made a
dart across the open grass o r took shelter fo r a
moment behind a rock He had only a double barrelled
pistol with him the legacy o f G rif wh o h ad advised

him always to carry it among that scaly crew

He
as k at his s ide
had however in addition his powder
and plenty o f balls loose in his waistcoat pocket S o
he waited glancing with care at h i s priming and
remembering with a kind of thankfulness how that
H owever,

TH E M UTI N Y UPO N TH E BA S S

159

very morning before entering o n his ro u nds he had

recharged both barrels from the Governor s o wn
store H e lay quite still The bullets clipped sharply
o n the rocks near him and some o f them sped away
i n new directions humming like bumble bees
On e
almost spent burned his ear as if a red hot pin had
been thrust through it He did not know that he had
be en wounded till the blood dropped on the back o f
h i s hand
Go o n take him ! Take him
shouted Old
George painfully labouring up the slippery grass

forward with you cowards ! He is unarmed I tel l

you ! S eize him before he gets down the cli ff
One Bully B e llows a gutt e r rat of the Edinburgh
High S treet advanced his musket in both han ds
I see him
he shouted After mewe hav e
him He will not knock us about any more
with a kind of barking noise R ait h s pistol
P i ng
Spoke It was a long and heavy arm made for a
cavalry man s holster but G ri f had shown him how t o
wear it unobtrusively underneath his coat

You can t carry it so on horseback he had said

for if yo u fell the stock would break your leg B u t

when you have to go on foot into a company which
may be honest and may not why then Raith lad
S ir Double Mouth is almost as good as a trusty com
rade at your elbow !
Bully Bellows came on Shouting but at that little

ping down he went al l his length o n the grass I t

was a steep place and his body rolled over and ove r
apparently as pliable as a bag o f wool till it reached
the bottom of the slope H is companions had refuged
behind some rocks and the one nearest to B u lly
reached o u t a cautious hand and drew him into shelte r
also
Old George regarded the wound at rst with alarm
and then suddenly his face cleared
,

TH E C H ER R Y RI BB A N D

60

I was none so easy in my mind before he said

but this settles it He has killed Bully Bully is as
good as dead And if we kill the murderer now it i s

in self d efence
Which was exceedingly clear to all concerned and a
comfort to other troubled minds besides that of George
J ex The only m an dissatised was Bully Bellows
him self who being only Shot through the shoulder did
not wish to die even though it was pointed o u t to him
that by s o doing he would certainly save his com rades
necks from a chance of the gallows
in case the law

e rs should make any mistake over yonder

as
Old
y
George said sententiously pointing to the smoke of
Edinburgh upon the far horizon
But Raith lay still ambuscaded be hind his rock s j ust
where the Slope be gan to lean towards the easterly
cliff The assailants knew n o t h o w many shot s he had
to distribute among them But they remembered well
enough the long hours that Raith and Captain G rif
used to spend ring at the mark And indeed the
sight o f Bully Bellows twisting himself in agony at
their elbows prevented them from being t oo forward
in pursuit
Old George might order and swear They were
used to that I f George Jex were s o bold let him g o
himself and take the Lobster back prisoner o r shoot
h i m through the head if s o b e pleased
As fo r them
another t ime would do very well

S ee here called o u t Red Bob a ke e ly from the

a
a
k
f
this i s your j ob George At
S l t m r e t o Glasgow
it ye go
For us we are not such fools as to run after
a man that can crack an egg at thirty paces with a
"
bullet

Nonsense ye black cowards cried George Jex

he has no more than a shot or two at the m ost It

is but a rush and all is over

I dare s ay retorted Red B ob

and two o f us
,

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

162

obv i ou s that it would not be possible for Raith to re

m ain where he was S o he stripped h is red coat
which made him everywhere so prominent a mark
He was now in his shirt and breeches a clean limbed
lithe gure accustomed from his y outh to running and
climbing All at once he stood erect shouted de
ance and then as instantly ducked thus escaping the
volley that Spatted viciously o n the rocks which shel
t e re d him
Then while the greater number of the hostile pieces
( and certainly all those o f the best and quickest shots )
were thus empty Raith made a bolt for it cutting di
ag o n ally across the turf in the direction o f the lower
and more indented northern side
Only two hasty bullets sped in the track of the fu
Maurice T yars vainly called o n those wh o had
g i t iv e
gone round to the cliffs to c u t him o ff
But he had not to deal with men o f any desperate
courage and the aspect o f Raith Ellison his shirt and
sleeves spo tted with blood a knife in o n e hand and a
horse pistol in the other was certainly disquieting
I nstead of closing in the men wh o had been sent
along the northern Side cleared o u t at Sight o f him as
fast as they could
T yars himself however with Old George ( now on
his mettle with anger and j ealousy ) were already close
be hind I t was as much as Raith could do to cross
the little plain of birds nest s to the edge o f the crags
be fore the fusillade began again more furiously than
before
T yars wh o now took the command in spite of Old
George ordered the pursuers to spread o u t and take
the fugitive on either ank S o step by step Raith
was driven back to the verge of the precipice No
further rush was tried however for some time T yars
being the only man present with the courage to face
that deadly double barrelled pi s tol
,

1 63

TH E M UTI N Y UPON TH E BA S S

But at last by dint of climbing and crawling face to

t h e rock one after another of the garrison appe ared
to right and left of him some higher up and able to
direct a raki ng re without exposing an eyebrow
others beneath but within easy range a position from
which the dropping re of their old fashioned musket
oons and re lo ck s was hardly less dangerous
Raith glanced behind him to make o u t his position
He was o n Hughie s cliff A few steps more and he
would be driven to the verge As a reminder a m u s
ket ball clipped the toe of his boo t and stung him like
a knock on the funny bone This made him angry
He bent and removed his boots making up his mind
to what was before him
At the same moment T yars seeing his prey hard
pushed tried a rush signalling those to the east and
west to close in upon him Raith stood erect red
the two barrels of his pistol into the advancing crowd
and saw the Englishman ing up hi s hands suddenly
and fall forward Then dashing his empty pistol in
the face of his nearest assailant who rushed at him
with uplifted sword he took a short run and spran g
o ff Hughie s c l iff into the s e a
The mutiny upon the Bass was at an end
,

X X IV

C I I A PT E R
THE

DE I L s

B AC K K I T C H E N
-

on the still sea water scarcely rocking lay the

shing boat o f Prayerful Peter Needless t o say the
owner was not on board But o n a pile of nets prone
in the stern his hand o n a guiding o ar and his ey es
j ust above the gunwale lay the Long Body of John of
that Ilk He was close in under the freeboard and
all but the sharpest observers might have thought the
little shing craft wholly empty
But Long bodied John was by no mean s blind
The interest of these little puffs o f smoke seen mount
ing from the light grey turf o f the Bass and the white
j ets springing from behind the rocks had drawn him
as near as he dared to g o which in this case was
much nearer than if Captain G rif had been in co m
mand when a cannon ball plumping within twenty
yards of his bows would most likely have conveyed a
hint that a nearer approach had better n o t be at
tempted
But John knew that those o n the Bass that day
were far too busy to think of his shing boat with
only an oar trailing over the stern and a little bushing
o f sail hardly bigger than a man s coat spread out in
the bows to give her steering way
Long bodied John was so near that he could hear
the rattle of musketry and now and then the hoarse
cries o f the men as they encouraged each other The
Sharper and faster spi t spi t of R ait h s pistols li e could
n o t distinguish
But when at the last he s aw the
O UT

1 66

T H E C H ER R Y RI BB A N D

to make the circuit o f the rock H is lip curled scorn

fully

There s never a man 0 them that s t to handle a

"

boat growled Long John they darena gang near

the rock for the surf a but Allister and his cousins
an d I s e answer fo r them
The shrewd o n e o f the Long Body proved to be
right The boats were indeed put out from the land
ing place but as they were mere cockle sh ells for size
as was necessary seeing that they had to be lifted
bodily out o f the water and swung o u t of th e reach of
the waves by a small crane erected for the purpose
those in them did n o t venture close into the cl iffs

Aye yonder s Allister said Long

bodied John
narrowing his eyes till the pupils became mere specks
after the manner o f seafaring folk I c an s e e his arm
wag wagg in
I ll wager n oo he is tellin them that
the lad s to a certainty droo n e d and that it s a mere
riskin 0 life an d limb to gang farther in to seek fo r
himwhilk wad be true eneuch if the wind were to

tak a we e turn into the North

He watched the boats pas s along between him and
the steep bare cliffs

No o he e xc lain e d they are brave and het Lord

will they never gang o n What s Al lister t h in ki n
aboot ? There s the airm up again
H e is layin it aff
grand Y e wad think he was Maister Peden himsel
at a s acramentthe useless loon What for does he
no put his back into the oar and gang o n Ah that s
better
Crackle ! Crackle
went a volley o f musketry
and the smoke rose from t h e boat side

Losh sirs they hae gotten him said Long bodied

John
wae s m e ! What for could he no hae keep it
closer doon
But no i t s only the silly ignorant car
les ring away the King s poother and shot at the geese
an d Tammie Norics !
Praise the ( Lord fo r the fools
.

TH E DEI L

1 67

BACK KI TC H EN
-

that are on the earth Fo r assuredly He hath sent

great plenty 0 them to the Bass
Very anxiously all that day Long bodied John
watched the wind Certain n e combed mares tails
icking longer and thinner o u t o f the north lled him
with uneasiness Also as the day began to close in
a clear greenish light in the s ky strengt hened his
fear
The boats retired after having in vain made the c i r
cuit o f the I sle The men evidently glad to have the
place to them selves scrambled about the rock in two s
and threes wantonly ring o ff their guns among the
home returning solans and s e a mews

Thae puir lads in the barred cells said Long

bodied John guid pe e t y them this n icht b y their
lone selves and siccan a crew to deal wi
But he himself had something o n his own m ind
He dared not trust his uncle with the secret Peter
and he were good enough partners on most occasions
but there were times when the nephew kept his o wn
counsel most carefully This was on e o f them He
did not believe that Prayerful Peter would have sold
the escaping Raith to his enemies o n the Bass Nev
e rt h e l e s s a quiet tongue never did a man any harm in
this worl d so far as Long bodied John had seen S o
he s at silent at the evening meal in the cottage and
only went o ff to his vigil under the rock a little earlier
than usual
He had been right in his prognostication The wind
was indeed rising o u t o f t h e north beaconed by the
clear emeral d light and in an hour or two the Deil s
Back kitchen would be no desirable place o f residence
or even house of call
Yet John dared not hasten The gloaming must
come rst There might be spies on the island His
uncle would ce rtainly be watching from the cave abo ve
the hut in C an t i e Bay With a heart that yearned
.

TH E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

1 68

towards the poo r fugitive ( though s e t against his double

estate of ru n n ag at e and red s o dje r J ohn watched
the white waves crawl and snatch and whiten along
the black gully where he knew Raith Ellison to be in
hiding
At last a heavy cloud rising sullenly over the Fife
L o m o n ds and the distant coast banking up in ridge
behind ridge of crenellations gave John courage to
approach I t was a dangerous piece o f work at best
The wind was now blowing straight in shore and he
was risking both his boat and his life close to the most
But J ohn of the Long
dangerous cli ffs o f the I sland
Bod y thought nothing o f that H e did as much
every night of his life and for less than a man s
safety
H e ran the boat in towards the Bass till the loom
o f the cliff was imminent overhead and then turning
the boat sideways to keep steerage way o n her he
shouted at the pitch of h is voice Raith Ellison I am
a friendLong John Paton S trip and swim o u t to

me I c an come no nearer
Raith heard but indistinctly The rising tempest
had already begun to send the waves roaring into his
retreat and he could easily s e e that the tide had only
to rise to a certain height before he must be drowned
Moreover as the water sucked away towards the nar
ro w entran ce o f the Deil s Back kitchen it gave him
an u gly s u ggestion o f irresistible power though no
more than his foot and ankle had been seized Raith
felt for the rst time in his life what he had n o t ex
pe rie n c e d even o n H ughie s rock the sense o f being
trapped and taken
But he heard the voice faintly and each time that
the boat passed and repassed he ca u ght Long John
Paton s message more clearly At rst he thought
Can I trust him
But when the next wave came
through the narrow black passage fringed with pho s
.

THE

70

C H ERR Y RI BBAN D

was w i thin the little land bound anchorage of Can t ie

-

Bay the better it would be for him

But what was he to s ay to his uncle I t was clear
that Raith Ellison must be taken t o the cavethe cave
up among the rocks under the foundation s o f Tantallon
But there must be no word breathed about an escaping
soldier of dragoon s coadj utor of Captain G rif s u s
pended and perhaps imprisoned by the King s Privy
Council
A S for Raith he lay most o f the way unconsc i ous
But when at last they g o t behind the lee o f a little
island the o n e furthest to the east going seaward the
water became less troubled and Long bodied John
wh o was prepared for most o f the emergencies which
confront t hose wh o go down to the s e a in shi ps pro
d u c e d a ask o f good Bordeaux cognac and made his
passenger drink a stiff tass o f it
"

No w listen
he said
I am risking my o wn life
by this Raith Ellison Ye k en that My uncle m ust
not be told who yo u are Y e are an Ellisona pris
oner escaped from the Bass ! Mind ye that H e has
only seen you in your soldier s coat and at a distance
Peter Paton does not com e to the landing place o the
Bass oftener than he c an help S ae if you canna tell
a lee keep your mouth shut and let m e do it for ye
Understandyou are a Covenant man an Hebrew o
the Hebrews and we are gaun to hide ye in the cave
I will talk to my uncle I ll c h ai rg e mysel wi o n y
lees that hae to be t e lle d
The boat came in rapidly Prayerful Peter was
there waiting in the darkness to make all fast

What have yo u g o t there John

he said as he
handled the rope His nephew stooped and w hi spered
in his ear

Well better s ay nothing for the present grum

bled Peter it s an awkward j obo n e s o n up in Edin
burgh making acquaintance wi the thumbikins and
,

I 71

T H E D EI L S BA C K KI TC H EN
-

another dead ahint t h e dyke There will be a good

price to lift for a this danger an d riskbesides dam
age to my boat in sic a storm And s ae I will tell my

Lord Ke n m u re when him and me settles ac c oo n t s

For many o f the nobility and gentry o f S cotland
men who themselves took no part in O pen rebellion
against the Kin g had formed an association amply
fu rnished with money to aid threatened persons to
escape to Holland o r Ireland and to sustain them with
money while in exile there And fo r his services
which were undoubtedly valuabl e Prayerful Peter re
c e i v e d excellent emolum ents c h i e
y as he said by
means of my Lord Ke n m u re wh en he came into that
country to visit his friend the Earl o f Haddington
Prayerful Peter was no ill hearted man in the main

w
but as his nephe said
the world had s e t a sore

grappling iron in him

He did much good by stealth which he would have
blushed to nd fame but he had fno obj ection to nd
the waters return his bread as minted gold He was
true to his o wn party perhaps would have been s o
even without interested reasons But as his nephew
shrewdly calculated it was as well n o t to present Raith
Ellison to Peter Paton as a penniless exile cast o ff by
both parties in the s tate disowned by his o wn father
and pursued to the death by Peter s excellent custom
ers the present garrison o f the Bass
Raith slept soundly that night Hot brandy and
water a comfo rtable bed made u p o f webs o f Flan
ders cloth a bundle o f Valenciennes lace for his pil
low two or three sea cloaks fo r a covering and the
shut door of the cave beneath the brow of Tantallon
made no such despicable lodging and entertainment
for a man who had spent the m orning in being shot at
and the afternoon in the Deil s Back kitchen
H e woke more than once durin g the night and lis
tened to the howling of the storm without But the
.

172

T H E C H E R R Y RI BBAN D

fumes o f the cognac were still in his brain an d he

only turned over o n his side and sleptslept till Long
bodied John hi s morning duty at the Bass done ung
the door suddenly wide and let in the s u n of noonday
upon the startl e d sleeper
,

TH E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

1 74

Aweel he s o the stock continued Peter the

auld Ellison stockS impsons by the mither 0 them
There s siller there o n bai th sides and Dan l ower at
Barnston Mains is guid fo r a h an dfu o t h o o s an ds o ny
day Dan l will na s e e a puir man wranged that has
perilled his life and property for the Guid Cause Na
na I can trust Dan l
They we re within a couple of hundred yards of the
cave when Prayerful Peter suddenly resolved that he
would lie up that day in Cobbs Hole another o f their
hiding places s ome distance o n the other side of Tan
tallon
What s the use 0 mair nor ane 0 u s trailin up the

road to the cave he said and guid kens wh a may be

s p in
That
puir
lad
there
is
in
danger
0
his
neck
y
and a them that s c o n n e c t it wi him will be in the same
condemnation I t s surely enough that yin 0 u s should
rin the risk ?

Indeed then I weel ken what ane that will be

said Long bodied John with a secret grin
Prayerful Peter raised another long sigh o f relief
from his breast as if by machinery

Ye are a ne lad Lan g John Paton he said and

if I should dee afore ye ye shall receive the reward 0
your faithfulness Aye that will y e !
"
But in the meantime m uttered John to him self
ye tak precious guid care that ye will be blythe and
hearty even if I should swing in a tow !
He opened the door of the cave o n the rock and
went in It was as aforesaid the high tide o f noon
and Raith s at up suddenly blinded o n his bed o f
Flanders cloth
Long bodied John pitched him a
shirt a pair o f stockings s e a boots and a s h e rm an s

knitted vest
Try o n thae things ! he said I m
t h i n k in nane 0 them will be ower sma for ye and if
o n t h i n g needs a reef ta en up there s s ome thread and
y

a sail needle in the locker yonder

IN

TANTA LLO N CA V E

75

In spite of the no n descript nature of his attire it was

not long before Raith stood up tall and handsome and
when his host had ung a pailful o f spring water over
his lodger s head he watched him rubbing the close
curls dry with a towel

Dod he said to himself

he s a good lookin
blakedeil thrive him
And somehow he was glad that it was not at the
cottage down yonder in the curve of Can t ie Bay that
Raith was to have his abode F o r though t o all ap
ran c e John did not raise his eyes twice a day to
a
e
p
Ivie s face yet a great and sudden worship o f the girl s
beauty had arisen in his heart
And it wad be a gye cross grained affair g in I was
to save a lass s life look at her till my e en were fair
dazzled wi the bonny face 0 her and then draw
anither lad oot o the self same water to tak her awa
frae me
As Long John communed thus with himself he was
seated on an upturned b asket o f wattled willow The
thoughts which ran through his brain were not pleas
ant to Long John Paton
He remembered now the s c o fn g s of the soldiers at
the Lobster back concerning his favour at the gover
nor s house What if he should also have gained
favour with the governor s daughter He resolved
that he would sh for information and if possible dis
cover what were the feelings o f Raith towards pretty
Mistress Ivie hi s uncle s guest down at the cottage in
the bay
Raith rolled up his sleeves and began to ll the toes
of the boots with straw whistling the while His host
had set o n a goblet o f porridge to boil o n the clear
charcoal re which the Patons used for their small
Spirit still Raith had begun t o feel the faintness of
hunger
It was n o t till the platter o f porridge and milk had
,

THE

76

C H E RR Y RI BBA N D

been d i spo s ed of and Long bodied John was busy

fry i ng a freshly caught ounder that the conversation
engaged

I t would be a sore time that ye had 0 it at the

Ba ss ? queried John sprink ling dry meal o n the
spattering s h
Raith nodded with his m outh full o f bread and
butter

I s aw them huntin ye like a hare y esterday he

went o n
their guns were cracking like a j oiner
knockin in nails in a puir man s co fn It is a Guid s
mercy ye are here to tell the tale !

Yes said Raith carelessly the rascals did hunt

m e close but at least I had a double barrelled horse
pistol and for a while I gave as good as I got or per

haps something better

Ony b u ryin g s amang them think ye

That I cannot s ay smiled Raith well pleased

enough with himself but I saw at least two go down

like sacks o f corn

Losh said Long

bodied John
dinna tell m y
uncle that
H e is a man great for peace A nd b e
sides if they baith dee that will be twa less ration s to
be sent to the Bass and s o a loss to his pocket ! Na

s ay naething to him
"
I have not seen your uncle this m orning Raith
interrupted to s ay either o n e thing o r another to

him
He thought i t curious that his chief host should
appear s o little
Long bodied John coughed suggestively

Young man he said ye are verra snug where

ye are I f I were you I wad lie up here weel co n
tent I c an an swer for your welcome But I canna
promise ye ony great wale 0 visitors and even my
uncle may keep oot o the road H e ha s m on y thing s
o n his mind y e s e e
-

'

THE

78

C H E R R Y RI BBAN D

a words but she l o okit pro o d I saw her a time o r

twa doon at the landing place wi her faither waiting
for me to fetch the letters in
Without another word he melted away down the cli ff
going noiselessly in spite of his great sea boots and
Raith was left alone with his mind working He must
s e e G rif R s lan d o n his way back and warn him of what
y
had taken place at the Bass I t never entered his
head that that perfect soldier Captain G rif could be
revoked o f his functions
The Privy Council may be cruel to poor wander

he thought
but they cannot be altogether
e rs
fools G rif Rys lan d is worth an army !
Then hi s mind returning upon G rif s daughter i t
seemed t o him that he could s e e her smile at him
across the shining blue sea on which the northerly
wind was bringing out Short leaping surges o f a daz
The smile o f the dead girl seemed
z li n g whiteness
to dazzle him H e s aw Ivie as he had seen her s tand
that rst day ringed with the yellow o f spring about
her wrists and maki n g a coronet for her rippling hair
H o w still seemed the rocky isle o f the Bass to day
s e t blue and hazy above its spreading plain of sea
Yesterday they had hunted him to take his life up
across that pale greenish roof of t urf upon which to
slip was to die Desperately he had dived from these
very cli ffs into the sea yet to day he was safe in this
shelter waiting for he knew not what
His soldier
i n g had come to a quick end
G rif R ys lan d had been
called away and wh o knew whether he would return
any more to the Bass
Butwith a sudden hope and an upspringing of pur
pose Raith remembered his father H e was yo n der
with Mr Peden and quiet Gil in the power o f the
sam e m en wh o had tried s o hard t o slay him
A s he lay in the cave m o n t h there came from far
the heavy sullen detonation o f cannon o n e dull roar

,
.

IN

T A NT A LL O N C A V E

79

following the other He could not under s tand the

possible purport o f such ring The Westland men
could never be attacking Edinburgh as they had
attacked Glasgow after Drumclog Raith lay and
wondered rather lazily caring little about the matter
Meanwhile Long John Paton carried his great body
and dangling arms shamblingly down the cliff towa rds
the cottage He had seen from an angle o f the path
Ivie wanderi n g out upon the shore It seemed to him
that he ought to warn her to keep closer in to the
house He felt that he owed this to his uncle s inter
ests But he had also a question o r two to askthat
is if Ivie s smile did not reduce h im to his usual v a
cant inanity in her presence The simple fellow could
talk about her to his uncle Wh en alone he could
devise the most wonderful conversations with Ivie
R ys l an d
But when he found himself face to face
with Ivie herself he was reduced to a gru ff manner
and monosyllabic replies
I vie was walking slowly to and fro on a strip o f
sand all ridged an d rippled towards the sea by the
blowing o f the wind from west to east

Mistress Ivie said Long bodied John with an

awkward salutation
there s ae thing I wad like to
s ay to
e
y

Only one John smiled Ivie who still retained a

good deal o f her ancient Eve why I know many wh o
would like as quiet a spot to say quite a number o f

things to me

Dav e rt
thought John nipping himself hard to

provoke a repartee I should ken an answer to that

It s no the least use sayin And so hae I

For weel
do I ken that Jock Paton could never get a word o o t
o him stupid blockhead that he is If s h e wad only
keep her e en aff me ! It s the wee sparks in them
that does fo r me
Aloud he only remarked Umph
.

1 80

T H E C H ER R Y R I BBAN D

But you had o n e thing to say at least suggested

I vie
you know you said s o yourself ! Com eo u t
with i t S ee I am all in a tremble with suspense

Did I no tell ye Peter Paton

Long John s

n
i
l
heart communed with it self o t n u re jo ce fu l y that
she s a t h e g it h e r different frae thae twa proo d Wes t
country madams I dinna think after a that a man
wad be muckle pestered wi brushes and besoms and

washin s in h e r hoose
Then Ivie clasping her hands and with eyes mock
petitionary begged that J ohn would deliver his mes
sage S he excused herself to her o wn conscience b y
the promise to tell Marj ory S impson as soon as s h e
went within

Weel said John

then the truth i s that ye
shouldna be walkin here in braid day if ye want to
h ide unkennedas if ye were o n the Bass wi a reid

s o dje r ahint ye to do your will

Long bodied John s eyes glanced at Ivie s face
There was a shade o f thoughtful sadness upon it which
somehow took John by the throat But his expression
cleared at her next words

After all s h e said softly

it i s scarcely well
done of m e to leave m y father s o long in the belief

that I am drowned
I m t h i nk in he will hae to h i de a we e langer w i th

o o t kennin that ye are t for your meal 0 meat

said

J ohn drily
At least till the Lords o the Privy C o n n

c il hae dune wi him

D o you mean that my father is no longer Gover

n o r o f the Bass
demanded Ivie S peak o u t man
s a what you have to s ay clearly as if you were speak
y

ing to a man
That was a
A : if h e we re spe a h i ng t o a m a n I
good idea but John felt that in order to carry it o u t
he must shut his eyes

Aye then he said taking courage it s true as

,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

182

Long bodied John took hold of Ivie s wrist with a

curious compulsion at once awkward and gentle

Na na he said bide ye la s sie and hearken

Y e are a heap better where ye are and y our faither
too will be glad when he kens It s like thiswhen
a man has a woman to think aboot in trouble he canna
daur and shoother and b ran g e his way through as he
Believe m e Cap
c an when his hat covers hi s family
tain Gri t is the better able to stand up to the Edin
burgh Lord bodies for no hae in a bonny youn g lass
hin g in to his coat tails And a s for the lad yonder
o n the heuchs I m g u e s s in that when he was keepin
a dozen 0 them at bay wi an auld horse pistol ahint
a rock he was gye and t h an k fu that ye had ta en the
the rst loup aff Hughie s Craig !
Do you m ean that Raith Ellison fought the ras

cals yesterday ? Ivie asked the little spark in her

e yes kindling into a ame

I do that ! said Long bodied John I had but a

puir o pe e n io n o the lad aforeaye trotti n after
women folks skirts
Women folks
cried Ivie speaking sharply

Weel thenyours Mistress R ys lan d said John

sheepishly my thick s h e r s tongue do e s na aye get

o ot wi what I would hae it s ay !

Then they did not kill him

Ivie asked a little
breathlessly

Na they didna answered Lon g Jo h n Paton

coolly but I m t h ink in there s some 0 them that
will be n e edin a hole or twa stoppit wi lint and oint
ment this m o rn in
"

Oh
said Ivie then I hope it is O ld George Jex
that is if it is anybody ! But Raith Ellison how
did he escape and where is he now
The countenance of the long bodied sherman lost
it s glow of intelligence
"

Eh but he said it wad tak w i ser folk than me

-

I N TANTA LL O N C A V E

18 3

to tell y e that
What I do ken is only that the lad

sa
e
awa
the
life
in
him
though they s ay
w
i
f
wo n

no wi muckle mair

He will have gone to look for my father

she
meditated heaven pity those poor rascals when Raith
Ellison and my father come back !
John did not tell her that by the common report
it was little likely that either of them would ev er set
foot on the Bass again as soldier of the King As
Ivie and Jock went toward s the house they met Pray
e rfu l Peter with the laden look o f o n e who has heavy
tidings to divulge Long John Paton stared to s e e
him about the shore at that hour of the day

Are you not afraid that the soldiers will grip ye

he demanded of his uncle generally s o fearful

The s o dje rs will hae something else to think o f

replied the elder
The blow has fallen The man
o f iniquity has lled up his cup to the brim
T HE
K I N G I s D E AD
They were dumb for a moment From the far dis
tance beyond the fog in which lay Edinburgh came
again the throb of that distant cannonade
"
They are proclaiming the new King said Long
bodied John the Papist James Lord send we may
mak a better of it
.

X X VI

C H APTE R
CU P

THE

LIP

A ND T H E

L O N G BO D I E D J O H N S incomplete tale of the peril

and escape o f Raith did not at all satisfy Ivie R ys lan d
The news o f the death o f one king and o f the acces
sion of another did not concern her nor did s h e con
sider what e ffect the event might have o n the fate of
her father G rif Rys lan d had always kept her with
his sword and though she desired and had perhaps
found another way the Way of Loving Woman yet
the ties of blood proclaimed them selves strongly so
soon as s h e knew o f her father s danger
Nor did Marj ory S impson forbid She was a wise
woman and knew that blood held to blood at the end

Bairn s h e said the sher lad was right Bide

it s little good ye could do your father The Lord
will deliver him in his time I have over yonder two
as perilous a plight as your
o n e in Edinburgh in
fatherbesides Raith o u t there o n the Bass with the

livery of the oppressor o n his back

He is n o t therethey have chased him away

H e has escaped out of their hands

The news cam e from Ivie s lips like a cry s o s u d
de n ly that E u ph rain drifting silently in as was her
wont stood amazed before them
Marj ory S impson
had ri sen her grey hair tossed back with a sudden
gesture There was a erce and eager look on her
face

What
what do yo u say ? That
s h e cried

he ha s left them
Tell me all

T H E C H ERRY RI BBAN D

1 86

But Ivie with natural taste had made use o f it to throw

round her shoulders at night when s h e went wander
ing on the S hore o r t o shade her head from the s un
in the daytime Then Long bodi ed John his eyes
twinkling with pleasure at his o wn shrewdness mur
mured within himself over and over
That s fell
bonny
I t was me that gied it to her
And the repetition would make him happy for all
day
Down o n the shore Ivie found no one S he wanted
to see Jock in order to talk to him again S he would
even have been grateful fo r Prayerful Peter but that
worth y lay up in Cobbs H ole o n the other side o f T an
tallon and rarely appeared near Can t ie Bay except
for meals
Ivie looked under her hand this way and that scan
ning the cli ffs for any sign s o f life Nothing was to
be seen Then it came to her that s h e mus t get to
some place from which s h e could s e e the Bass Per
hapsi t was j ust possibl es h e might be able to s e e
something o f Raith Ellisona boat with a sin gle fugi!
tive an y thi n g to take the edge off her apprehension
o f bloo d s hed and death
S he mounted the grassy heuchs diagonally picki n g
the easiest way and the same time remembering Long
Jock s admonition s to keep herself well conc ealed
Up and up s h e went the great blue grey pyramid o f
rock out in the Firth rising with her till at last she
could see the whit e lines o f the fortications and even
the tiny j utting spar of the crane n o bigger than a
perch in a bird cage All seemed quiet There was
no j etting smoke that day about the rocks No t a
soul was m oving Even the birds were stran gely still
A little higher and s h e would be able to s e e the
landing place Perhaps the soldiers o f the garrison
had manned the boats and were still in pursuit S he
mounted slowly her ey es seaward
.

T H E C U P A ND T H E LI P
9K

9%

91
6

9K

a
le

God i n h i s h ea v e n

1 87

v ie

S he turned at the words and there at a cave s mouth

stood Raith pale as death his hand o n his heart as if
abo ut to faint o n the spot He leaned against the
rough rock l intel She took a step or two forward
He put o u t his hand involuntarily as if to ward her o ff

You have come back he gasped

you have a
messagefo r me
Ah she had forgotten Of course he had long
thought of her as dead
To him S h e must appear as
a spirit But with the quick instinct of the loving
woman s h e did the right thing to reassure him
S he laugheda clear rippling laugh that showed
her milk white teeth Then s h e held out her hand
frankly as if s h e had bidden him goodnight only twelve
hours before
Do you think you are the only o n e wh o can j ump
into the s e a from Hughie s rock and be the better of
it
she cried gaily
He stood still speechless till persuaded by the
warm touch of her hand that she was indeed no spirit

Well since I am here she continued have you

nothing to s ay to me
Or would you rather go down
at once and s e e your mot her and E u ph rain
My mother and E uph rain
he gasped once more
Ivie smiled again less brilliantly but perhaps more
sweetly

My mother too now s h e Said s h e has been

willing to adopt me
Ah it was delightful to Raith to hear her s ay that
Yet wait if s h e had had any thought o f him would
she have spoken like that ? Discouraged and gloomy
he looked about him avoiding her eyes
Where are they
he asked baldly S he pointed

downward with her hand

There s h e said in the
cottage in Canti c Bay
,

TH E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

1 88

And did that long fellow Paton know

the man
he inqui red
wh o brought me here
Certainly said Ivi e it is his uncle s house
We

cook their meals and keep the house clean

Ah said Raith
I must think abo ut this H e
never told me either about my mothero r about

ou

That said the girl was doubtless his uncle s

orders They would know that you had been a sol
dier and as your mother and E u ph rain are staying
here to assist the escape o f the prisoners it would be

their policy to keep you apart

It may be said Raith but I think there was

something else t o o
At which the girl smiled secretly for Long bodied
Jock s adoration was o f course an o l d story to her
Raith and s h e s at down on the little worn seat
within the arch o f the Cove but without the door
You do not tell me h o w you came to be saved
he said after a pause

I thought you knew s h e answered it was Long

John Paton wh o shed me o u t o f the water beneath
H ughie s C raig Why did he not tell yo u
He never whispered a word o f the matter even
though he did as much for me
"

s
h
e
It seems then
went o n that both of u s
owe o u r lives to him

Raith exclaimed generously

No t only o u r lives

but clothing shelter foodwhich makes it all the

stranger why he should wish to keep us apart

Does it ? s h e said meekly xing her dark eyes

upon him Men were s o alike to her so vain yet so
simple
But there was something daunting in Ivie s eyes
something arresting tempting intoxicating not long
to be endured unmoved
Impulsively Raith caught her in his arm s

T H E C H E RR Y RI BB A N D

19 0

heard that y ou were very happywith the de

vout ! said G rif Ivie s face fell more at the tone

than at the words

Do not laugh father s h e s ai d quickly

I have
changed my mind about many things A nd s o will

you when you see and know

He smiled but did not laugh any more H is eyes
were even sad

I am o ld and tough he said I do not change

m y m ind easily A stout heart a good sword an easy
wrist and a keen eye will take a m an through most

things The rest is mostly fo r women

Why are yo u dressed like this ? s h e said rub

bing her ngers over the plain dark cloth of his coat
not even a tassel to your sword hilt ? Wait till I
get down I will make you a beauty !

I think not he said I must go aeld to seek

some other service I am no longer Governor o f t h e
Bass nor yet soldier o f the King I have gotten both
fee and leave Moreover Charles the King i s dead
and to James his brother I o we no loyalty l

You are not a soldier father ? exclaimed Ivie

scarcely believing her ears

I did not s ay so he answered I shall remain

a soldier till I die I am only o u t o f work that is all

I o we no allegiance to any man

( H e turned to

Raith at this point )

But how came y on here
and in these togs Mr Interim Governor o f the

Bass ?
G rif R ys lan d listened while Raith told his tale
His eyes grew cold and hard as he nodded quickly at
each point the conspiracy to kill Raith as he returned
through the main guard the escape over the slippery
Short grass of the plateau the long afternoon chase
the Shooting the closing in and gradual forci n g over
the cli ffs

And what had you to defend yourself

G rif de
I

T H E C UP A ND T H E L I P

man de d

9I

suddenly His lips were tight closed and his

j aw grim His face was not now pleasant to s e e

Only the double barrelled pistol you gave me

said Raith
I fear I hurt o n e o r two o f them

i
r
f
R
l
an
Fear
cried G
heavens man I
d
ys
h Ope you blew them toahemIvie !
I mean I hope
that Raith did not miss his mark Who were the
black mutineers

The Glasgow keely and the Englishman s aid

Raith

What T yars
cried the ex g overnor
I had

thought better of him

S o did I confessed Raith but they would never

have driven me to j ump o ff Hughie s rock but fo r
him They had not even brains enough to keep the
higher ground and pepper m e with no danger to

themselves
Ah ! said G rif as if making a mental note
T yars was it
Very well T yars
H i s daughter caught him by the arm

But father s h e said yo u are never thinking o f

going back to that place ? They would kill you
They would never let yo u landalone and without

authority
H er father smiled and patted her head
"
I have not yet made up my mind what I shall do
he s ai d
This young man and I will I h Ope live to
do many things together But if we do go to the Bass
these rascals shall not guess at the fact till we have

them gripped as a terrier grips a rat

After this Grif s at fo r some time silent thinking
deeply his eyes on the blue cone o f the rock

F o r the present we will let all be as it is

h e said
only I will go down with you to the cottage and you
c an introduce me to the Ellisons as your father
Nay
"
lad he said his hand laid soothingly on R ait h s arm

I am no soldier o f the King now and what I hear

.

'

T HE

92

C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

shall not be noted with an ear o fcial Perhapswh o

knows
the outcome may be gladsome for all of us
For yo u Raith boy bide here where yo u are and s ay
not that you have seen either father o r daughter The
long bodied sher chap will s ay as little o r I am much

m istaken His tongue only wags when he wills

And sometimes not then

interposed I v ie smil
ing with subtlety
And both t h e men wondered what s h e mean t
.

TH E C H E RR Y RIBB A N D

194

them what as sistan ce we can I trust there is

no wrong
Her voice shook a little I t would be hard if s h e
were now to be sent back to Edinburgh or c u t o ff
from all communication with her blind husband an d
her sons in their p ri son
"
Madam said G rif Rys lan d
have no fear You
have kept and succoured my daughter For that I
It is tru e
o we you more than a poo r soldier can pay
that I was for some tim e Governor of the Bass Once
But now I am
t oo I was a soldier o f the King
neither
The Privy C ouncil reli eved m e o f o n e
of ce and the King s death delivered me from any
oath o f allegiance I had sworn Now I am only a
man glad to have found my daughter and grateful
for your care o f her I am sure this young lady s s o
c i e t y has been
most comforting
Indeed it must
have been o r Mistress Ivie would not have left m e s o
"
long without news o f her
H e looked at E u ph rain as he spoke a deep quiet
penetratin g gazefull o f kindliness and real grati
tude E u ph rai n ushed under it There was some
thin g curiously disconcerting about this man s eyes
S he longe d to be gone and yet Oddly enough s h e
l ingered
E very m oment her mother expected her to break
but
o u t again st all wh o had favoured the persecution
instead E u ph rain s at down again at her mother s
feet and silently resumed her work without looking
up

I hear you have been to Edinburgh C aptain said

Marj ory S impson

Call me G rif he said

that is plaines t and best
"
I have presently no military title

Well then Master G ri f said Marj ory with her

usual q u iet readiness heard you anythin g of my s o n
Beattie since you went thither ? He was under your
a ord

TH E S I L V ER H I LTE D S WORD

19 5

care at the Bass but the night before yo u went t o

"
dinburgh
he
was
carried
o ff by King s o f cers
E
G ri f nodded without a smile

As to that I can relieve your mind he said s e

I do not think he i s in the slightest dan ger

ri o u s ly
A n d at present he i s even released from his imprison

ment
E u ph rai n glanced up quickly at her mother
she said
Pray God he hath not denied the faith
Bo th the women looked at G ri f Rys lan d as if he
c ould answer the unspoken question
I only know he was put to lodge with the o f cer

of the Privy Chamber he said guardedl y and also

that there is no dange r to h i s lifenot s o much indeed
as to my own "
At his words the ush died out o f E uph rai n s face
and left it pal e S he stole o n e quick glance at Gri t
R ys l an d as if t o nd o u t if indeed he were telling all
the truth But he was still looking at her xedly
and her eyes dropped instantly S he wo ul d nd out
S he would question him even if her mother dared not
S he would know if Beatti e
3
S he did not dare to put her suspicion into words
even to herself
Altogether G rif R ys lan d made a very favourable
impression o n the two women as indeed he could do
when he tried The black brows w hi ch knotted s o
darkly when it was a matter of quarrelling with men
o r at the crossing of his will i n the pe rformance o f
duty were n o w smooth Open and placable
E u ph rain rose and went out leavi ng her mother
and Ivie with the newcomer As s h e went through
the little passage which served for a div ision between
the lower room s and also for the foot of the ladder
by which o n e mounted to the tiny garrets above she
s hivered with a curious fear at the sight of the long
d angling sword with the worn waist belt of black
,

THE

196

C H E R R Y RI B BAN D

leathe r clasped here and there with at silve r C lasps

and buckles I t was hanging sideways and s h e pulled
the sword out a little way and read t h e beginning of
the A N D R E A F
on the blade He had fought
with thatperchan ce he had killed a man with that
sword nay almost certainly Had not R aith seen
him slay the L ai rd o f Houston a great strong roaring
man of whom all the country side stood in terro r slay
him with o n e blow in the quarry o n th e edge of the
Ke rs lan Wood
E u ph rain had never seen anyth i ng like that sword
before I t seemed s o purposeful s o m uch a pa rt of
the man S he began almost to wish that he had worn
his uniform and tried to imagine S ergeant Maj or G ri f
as she had once o r twice seen him ride by o n h is way
to I rongray crossing the wate r at the ford with a gay
lift o f his hand to the reapers in the eld and a guid
ing shout to his men behi nd him
It is strange but E u ph rai n had never had any love
affair and knew not in the l east what the symptom s
were like S o nothing told her to beware o f harbo ur
ing curiosity in the matter o f a long silver hilted
sword with an Andrea Ferrara blade
But shame rushed to her face in a ood of c rimson
when the chamber door Opened sil ently an d the owne r
of the weapon appeared d r awing the little cottage
latch close after hi m E u ph rain actually emitted a
little c ry S he had the blade s o far o u t of the scab
bard that the heavy hilt would have overbalanced and
the whole might have fallen to the ground had n o t
G ri f wh o did everything with swift and silent speed
caught it as it fell With a single movement as it
seemed to E u ph rain and without the least conscious
ness he gi rt the sword belt about him the silver
tongue o f the buckle clicking smoothly into it s place

Thank you he s a id
I had hung it up s t u
,

pidly

T H E C H ER RY R IBBAN D

19 8

Well he said something of humour coming into

his voice perhaps I might if the pay were good
H e added under his br e ath And if I only knew
which was the Good Cause !
The pay
E u ph rai n caugh t re instantlythe
daughte r o f William Ellison speaking within her the
reward of iniquity may buy Aceldama the eld of
Blood but thirty pieces o f silve r cannot buy the breadth
o f a foot in the N e w Heavens and the New Earth

You mistake m e s ai d G rif R ys lan d far more

gently than any would have expected of him I onl y
me ant that all payment is not m ade in coined money
I f I were sure
he stopped and looked keenly at the
girl wh o the light fading from her eyes and cheek

looked steadily upon the ground

No no he went
I am an o ld m an It is folly More need for
ou
m e to think o f sheathing my sword rather than of
drawing it anew That at least is pe rm itted even by

your law

I t is tru e she said sadly and reluctantly o f a

certainty it is written
The fruit o f the Spirit is love
j oy peace
against such there is no law

love
Ah h e repeated he r words a little wistfully
j oy peacebut where I pray you sh al l G ri f R ys l an d
nd these
E u ph rain stood at the doo r and watched him go up
the cliff path and turn the corner

I t i s all so different s h e said I thought t o hat e

himI was s o sure I could have struck him in the
face at rst An o ld cru el wicked man that is what
I imagined And nowh e i s n o t o ldnot s o old even
as Gil to look at H e is not cruel though he has
been a soldie r And o h whatever he says I am sure
that he i s not wicked
Then s h e sighed

I wish he had left that sword behind s h e said

there was a spot o n the handle I am sure I could

have got it out without his knowing

,

C HAPTE R X X V II I
C OU

N TE RP L O T

A H said G rif R ys l an d with a sigh sinking into

the corner of the worn cliff sea t which uncle and nephew
had used s o long till indeed the smell of rough s e a
clothes hung about its polished curves even in windy

weather
Ah I have lost Ivi e
Raith paled and his heart gave a great leap What
was her father about to s ay ?
You mean
he began you mean
I mean the women have gotten herbody and
soulthey have taken her from me Oh it is j ust
and right S he has been t oo long among men And
as for religion G od knows I never had any o f my own
to teach her But though she never knew Credo from
Creed nor Paternoster from Assembly s Catechism
she was always better than I I t would have been

an insult for me or any man to teach her anything

S he is as an angel of heaven said Rai th warmly

Her father looked at hi m curiously

Hardly well not altogether he smiled at the

enthusiasm o f the young man several o f your sex
and age have not been of that opinionat least not
to nish with But Ivie is a good a true maid I
never s aw that s h e needed aught else But the hearts
of women are di fferent They yearn for respectfor
commonplace Madame This and Mistress That to ap
prove of themeven for their place in a circle of g o s
sips all busy with tongue and needle over their several
seams ! Ivie t o o
m y Ivie that once would wake

T H E C H ERRY RI BBA ND

2 00

bright as a bird every mornin g by ve 0 the clock

and out to the stables to comb my war charger s t ai l
Ah poor Gustavus s h e made it like spun silk oating
in the wind

H er o wn hair is like that m urmu r ed the y oung

man as if to himself

Like my horse s tail si r ? said G rif turning upon

him sha rply I hope you do not s ay the like to the
lady herself I can tell you s h e has been used to c o m

But
no mat
i
n t s m uch more prettily turned
m
l
e
p
ter all that is over now The women have taken her

S he is n ot a man s possession a ny more

H e looked down at his sober coloured dress with a
curious sadness and even pity fo r himself

And yo u G rif R ys lan d he went o n what bette r

are you ? An alde rman o f the ward in all but the
waistcoat slopeyou r coat as it might be made fo r a
baili ffyour sword a m ai d s playthingah l
H e lost himself in thought rubbing his thick frost y

hai r absently
But indeed it is time he said we
will hang Andrea up You Raith shall hamme r in
the nail I will blunt his edge We will g ie him to
t he b ai m s to play withah no not that But we will
hang him up all the same
Love j oy peace agai nst
such there is no law !
S o s h e said
Who said
interrupted Raith
He had been thinking
G rif glared at him
aloud

I did not s ay any one said

he retorted r udely
a lmost in his old m anner

It sounded like a text said Raith to excuse him

self like like my father

Well what the worse o f that ? exclaimed G ri f

impatiently I do not know but your father has th e

ri ght end o f the string h e and the others

Raith looked wistfully over at the Bass

I wish they were well out of that he said the

,

TH E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

20 2

and then ca s t me o ff like an o ld shoenay not with

I owe still more to those
h a lf s o much ceremony
ra scals o n the Bass for thei r lying letter to the Coun
cil and for their mutiny aga inst you

Never mind about that

sai d Raith sm iling
tha ks to your old hor e pistol they got more than
n
s
they g ave

That answered his chief has nothing to do with

it I was Governor o f the Bass Being called away
I made over my authority to you Instantly my back
was turned they plotted murder and m utiny
Either
I will teach them a lesson o r G ri f Rys lan d will nd
peace and rest in his last long sleep
An un ce rtain foot came up the path and Prayerful
Pete r started back at th e sight o f the newcomer

Never be s h y Peter said G rif come your ways

m an ! I have much to say to yo u Yo u are a true
manwhen well enough paid I have strolled down
from Edinburgh to s e e what c an be done in the mat
t er o f the Bass It is as yo u know overrun by a crew

o f rascally mutineers

Aye said Prayerful Peter

and the deil s ai n
trouble I hae to get a silver groat oot 0 them But
noo
when ye are here Captain G rif the y will
be s m a s m a m e naye they will sing to a mino r
tune

I do not wish to be known as governor o f the

Bass said G rif R ys lan d but my duty is to take the

place o u t o f these rascals bloody hands And I call

u pon you to aid me

Me exclaimed P raye rful Peter edging away as

if he m editated a bo lt down the path ye ken brawly
I am nae fechte r I am aye man 0 peace and hae
been ever since I was a we e callant rin n in the sands
and h owki n for crabs Wh en ither c al lant oppressed
m e o r h i t me I never did o ny thing but greet at the
time But after I aye keeled him wi a stane ahint a
,

C O U NTERPLOT

20 3

dyke o r maybes pushed a stack 0 corn on the tap 0

him when he wasna lookin
G rif laughed heartily

No no he said reassu ringly I was far from

expecting you to help us to take the Castle o f the Bas s
by storm and escalade Ye shall never quit the rm
ground on this side

Deed that will I no ! said Prayerful Peter with

intense conviction

And all that you will have to do is j ust to hold

your tongue

That I am well used to doing said Peter grin

ning

Yo u must however supply us with some arm s

and a boat or two manned by somebody yo u can t r ust

Arms
said Peter shaking his head that is
dangerous talk Nae body kens better than your
Excellency
Hang his Excellency
I want none o f it I tell

you once for all cried G rif Rys l an d

Weel said Peter ye ken at ony rate that a

arms offensive and defensive are forbidden under the
severest pains and penalties The farmers barns and
steadings have been searched to their very sarkings
not once but thirty times

And that said G ri f Rys lan d threatening Peter

with his nger is the exact reason wh y y o u will have
the whole store hidden away somewhere amo n g your
coves and shelters that the devil himself could n o t

follow all the nooks and windings o f

Peter Paton wagged the tufted semi circle o f beard
which he wore like a ruff under his chin He knotted
his brows with an air of doubt

It will tak siller he said

the like 0 that !
T h ere s siccan a risk to be run besides a the de t ri
ment to the weapons

Hark ye Peter no more of that cried G rif

TH E C H E RRY RI BB A N D

2 04

ternly the black knot beginning to gathe r wam in g ly

I will stand good for all You know I have done as

much before an d that I do not break my word Let

us s e e the arms and ammunition

They are no here said Peter guarded ly ye

My n e v v y and me will bring them
c ouldna expect it
frae whaur they lie This is a place far ower public
fo r the like 0 that
But there s nae thing that puir
auld Peter wadna do for you Captain G rif though he
d oes it at a gr eat ri sk to his neck
But I ken a true
gentleman Aye I ken him He aye tak s the like
0 that into ac o o n t on s e t t li n day
s

'

T H E C H ER R Y RI BBA N D

2 06

hold thei r tongues afterwards Two of these were

S impsons cousins o f E uph rain s from the farm o f
Nether Barnston over the hill
To these lads nothing was said as to the pu rpose
o f G rif in chastising the garrison o f the Bass for thei r
mutiny and attempted murder o f Raith The release
especially o f the Ellisons and Mr
o f the prisoners
Peden was the bait held o u t
It was understood that the secret was to be s a
None s ave those actually risking thei r
c re dly kept
And in especial no woman
l ives were to be informed
was to hear a whisper of the matter
Yet since G rif R ys l an d had business each day down
at the Cottage the matter of secrecy was not so simple
as it appeared H e went down to see Ivie but he
tal k ed to E u ph rain and he r mothe r I n particular
there was o n e tree at the corn er of a small and b e
draggled garden o f pot herbs fenced about from wan
dering cattle by tarred ribs of boats and split thwarts
and wattled together with long sea grass o u t of the
bunkers on the shore Under shade of this E u ph rai n
often sat o n hot afternoons The dark little room
wherein her mother s at talkin g to Ivie seated o n a
stool at Marj ory S impson s feet made her head ache
So s h e went and s at under the stunted oak i t s branches
all bent away from th e s e a by the blasts of winter
It made a good enough shelter however from the
s u n and it was here generally that G ri f R s lan d found
y
her H e did not wear his sword now and had assumed
a blue bonnet instead o f a broad hat But for all that
he looked ale rt and clean lined and soldierly in spite
of his burghal costume

You have laid aside your sword s h e said look

ing at him a little disappointed

I would rather s ee
"
you draw it against the enemies of the King !
Which King
he asked softly

MY K I N G ! s h e answered him looking up with a

.

R YS L A N D S

GRI E

S WO RD KN OT

2 07

bold proud look in her eyes which must once o n a

time have been her father s

Will you then venture to enli st m e ? he said

still very lo w

I do enlist you s h e answered re on her face

There is but o n e battle worth g h t in g b ut o n e
priz e worth winning

Ah ! said G ri f R ys lan d suddenly

s h e asked
not
Yo u wi ll deliver the prisoners
thinki ng it wise to pursue her meditation
I will try I have promised in company with

your cousins ! He had been o n the point of saying

brother
But fo r the present he had thought it bet
ter to conceal from all but Ivie the proximity of the
a e l d family
prodigal son o f the M
y

After the p risoners are safely out of danger we

shall s e e ! he told himself And indeed it was time

enough
F o r the present he interdicted any c o m
merce between the cove and the cottage a prohi bition
which s at Specially heavy on Raith who had nothi ng
to do all day but to s e t out the ammunition to overhaul
and clean the muskets pistols and other weapons and
especially for long hours together to look over the
lying prone o n his breast and chin to watch for
c li
Ivie as s h e walked up and down the sand with her
father deep in talk Once or twice s h e raised her
hea d and glanced upward in the direction o f the cove
and that was all poor Raith got for his pains
Had Raith known of the inte rviews under the old
s c ru n t e d oak tree at the corner of the yard he might
have had yet more reason to complain B u t the cul
prit s were entirely sheltered from his gaze and s o the
matt e r passed unseen As for G rif he excused him
self thus : They are young things with all their lives
before them A little waiting will do them goodh e
basking up in the cove like a lizard on a rock and s h e
stretching her neck to s e e round corners down here o n
,

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

20 8

the bea ch But for me I am an old man and i t must

be now or never
Like most excuses this completely satised the ex
cuse maker For the others also as usual they did
not count
It was the day before the gr eat attempt The as
sault was to be made in the dark time o f the moon
Long bodied John had taken over a good cargo of
brandy the night before and on his return had fore
told that barring Allister and his two mates ( wh o
would only drink in reason ) there woul d not be a sobe r
man on the rock for twenty four hours John had
however left word that if the garrison wanted any
more beer they must have all the empty barrels
waiting for the boats next night s o th at he
might carry them to the brewery where they could
be relled

There will be o n e man sober enough for that an y

way the long bodied one prophesied

George Jex
will see to the beer o r I am a Dutchman
That afternoon then recruiting sergeant E u ph rain
more zealous than ever fo r the Good Cause had gone
o u t earlier than usual to the shadow o f the o ak tree
I t was a burning day very still the s ky of a white
glimmering heat through which far away obj ect s could
be seen o f a warm pinkan effect not uncommon in
the later heats o n the east coast o f S cotland
G ri f R ys lan d appearing suddenly without noise as
if he had dropped o u t of the white lift above gr eeted
E u ph rain
The gi rl lifted her eyes S he had been
thinking seriously gravely with a soft digni ty as ever
S omething about E u ph rain s steady conviction always
silenced the j est o n G rif s tongue when he came n ear
her As usual he told himself that s h e made him feel
a better man But the doubth o w she would receive
the remark kept him from repeating a commonplace

You a r e o u rs o u r soldier ? s h e said

o f lovers
,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

2 10

The r e was a spot or two o n i t she blushed

hotly as s h e faltered an explanation

there on the

hiltI have cleaned them And here

she put up
her hand and undid the broad blue ribbon o f the co v
Then s h e tied it in a little bow
e n an t from her hair
knot threading it with trembling nge r s through t h e
silver ligree of the hilt
I give you that ! s h e said And ed eet of foot
to the house leaving him standing rapt with the
sheathed sword and j angling belt in his hand
E u ph rain s gage was her o wn maiden snood
That
is to say it w a s the promise of herself

C HAPTE R

X XX

P R I S O N B R E A KI N G

DA R K innitely spangled nightthe s e a beneath

purple black As they advanced the rock rose grad
u al ly up into the zenith till it shut out the Pleiads a
huge formless velvety shape I t was the eve of the
great venture
The two boats moved silently with only a little sail
s e t in the bow s o that the tr ai l o f phosphorescent
wake might not be seen from the rock Bubbles
winked now an d then as the breeze freshened The
freeboard leaned over fo r a moment to the chopping
clatter of the little waves but for the most part there
was all about the stillness of the ultimate peace
On the Bass not a light was to be seen not a lan
tern going to and fro no gleam even from the bay
onet of the soldier pacing his beat along the terrace
walk

d runk as owls
All drunk
commented Jock o f
the long body wh o had his reasons for knowing that

brandy was strong enough to account for twenty such

Old George would keep awake to ship the empty

beer barrels though said the younger of the S imp

s o n lads
That I will wager ! We shall nd him

growling and fuming as usual

Murderous hound ! muttered G rif R ys lan d b e

tween his teeth
The soft lap o f waves made itself heard along the
outlying rocks The oars o f both boats were put o u t
to keep way on them when the little s craps of sail
,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

2I 2

were taken in forward Long bodied John put both

hands to his mouth conch fashion and sent a long pier
cing shout upwards
Thrice the call went unan
s we re d but after the fourth the light o f a lantern was
seen wavin g and staggering above am ong the rocks
Who are you answer or I will let y a carronade

at you ?
I t was O ld George s voice and it seemed
that he had forgotten the appointment o f the evening

Ready with the beer barrels there if eve r you

want anothe r d rink George J ex
cried Long J ohn

Man the cranewe have but little time to lose

Easie r said than done

grumbled O ld George
that brandy o f yours was the very Beelzebub There s
not a man except maybe Allister that s t to d ri ve

r ound the winch

Well there s a she r lad o r two here George tha t

would be glad of a groat cried Long bodied John

shall I send them up to give ye a hand ?

Never answered George valiantly not a foot

does any new gospelling herring catcher s e t o n the
isle o f the Bass I ll work h er mysel rst

Verra weel then said John but ye will nd

nae boats I din na want the bottom driven oot o my
uncle s prope r ty by a beer cask coming at u s in the
dark like a thunderbolt frae t h e lift Guid nicht to
ye George ! The lads in t h e main guard will sobe r
aff by this time next month and it will do them a
world 0 good to do wit h oo t t h e t ippe n ny ale till then
wi a that b ran dy in them to begin wi
"
No no cried O ld George with sudden anxiety

they would brain m e an d that s a fact S end up

your shers but see that they are decent lads

S o the two S impsons G rif R ys lan d and Raith Elli
s on were put ashore to do the deed and they scrambled
up the cliff swiftly all o f them knowing the way in the
dark as readily as at noonday S oon the walls o f the
little low fortications stood up blocking thei r path
-

THE

2 14

C H E RRY RIBBAN D

prisoners were to be ready Not a word ! Not a

soundonly be ready !
A cradle of leather and iron had been slung with
ropes to the pulley of the crane Allister whose part
had already been assigned to him had seen to it that
all the heads were o u t of the casks

S end a light o n e down rst said Raith till we

Are you there Allister
s e e how the winches work
you and the others
At this moment G rif came out of the prison with a
line o f shadows at his back which crouched under the
darkness o f the terrace wall

In with you rst he said as Gil Ellison s t ood u n

certain whether o r not to leave his father

H e i s in good hand s !
whispered his guardian

I will send him down nexti f you are safe !

Then aloud he cried All ready below John
Readylower away

George Jex he said yo u are captain o f the

winch Give the word You command here
Do I
growled George I wish I had my lan
te rn t o s e e what I was commanding

Better without it considering our cargo

said

r
if
well if yo u won t I willlower away lads !
G

All right belowlowe r awayl O wly

cried
Old George determ ined not to relinquish without a
struggle the authority he had bought s o dearly by
twenty hours O f comparative sobriety
Gil went
down easily the shers and Allister on o n e side and
the S impson lads on the other braking and letting g o
the handle bar as was necessary
All right below
cried George J ex as the rattle
o f the winch stopped and the crane swung a little to
the side

R ight all send us another and look sha rp !

came the voice o f Long bodied John from below
An other cask was put on the empty cradle the la r
.

PRI S ON B REAKI N G

2 15

gest and best I t was William Ellison s turn and

there was a doubt whether or no he would submit
without a protest But Peden the Prophet was at
his elbow

Go William he said I must get to the shore

to die there My soul cannot wi n loose here G 0

rst it is the will o f the Lord

They guided him to the cask George Jex growling
at their landward awkwardness Half a dozen of his
fellows if only they had been sober could have cleared
the lot in the t ime they had been lowering away
one

I dare s ay said G rif still through h i s woollen

screen
into the s e a ! But we manage to get them
safe into a boat
Let her go !
Who i s giving the word you or I
grunted Geo g
r
!

Jex lower away lads and careful

And s o by George s instructions rst blind O ld
William Ellison and then Peden the Prophet were sent
safely down into John Paton s boat The other p ris
oners followed one by one
Then it was time to take action o f a more denite
ki nd

Ahoy there is Gregory s boat lled ? deman ded

,

G rif R ys l an d

Room for j ust o n e more !

One more then

And the last to top the cargo !
I t was the signal sign and countersign G ri f Rys
land with a quick sweep of his arm wound the woollen
comforter round and round Old George s mouth
cramming the end well between his teeth Raith s e t
the cold rim of a pistol muzzle to his t emple and the
S impson lads bound him conscientiously hand and foot

You will go without a cask George said one of

the last no empty kegs for you

S o they fastened
him bodily to the c radle and s wung him off i nto the
darkness
,

2I

TH E C H E RRY RI BB A N D

Got him
cried G rif as the paying out of the rope
stopped without the usual j erk

O ver run
the word came from below
That one
s ea
a
little
dip
i
n
the
But
no
ha
r
m
don
Haul
o
t
e
g
away
On bo ard this time
The shout came up George
had found rest

Let Gregory go o n with his cargo said G rif

and bide you near the lan ding place with the smalle r
boat All clear below
S tand out from the cli ff

All clear
G rif ca st o ff the hooks of the checking chains an d
tumbled the whole apparatus rope s cradle hooks an d
all into the water

A little gunpowder said G rif and we could h ave

sent the c rane by the board t o o

George ! c ried a voice from the guard r oom in

which they had supposed all the men to be lying snor

ing d runk George what s all that ? S how a glim

George !

Only the beer casks

growled G ri f imitating

Geo rge Jex a s well as he could and I ve lost my

lantern

S omething wrong there lads cried the voice of

T yars the Englishman
tumble up the re fellows

That s never Old George s voice !

"
Let us alone they growled from their various
couches I tell you it is only the shers fo r the empty
beer casks

Aye that s what it i s ! said A llister f rom the

terrace end

S omething wrong shouted T yars from hi s place

ah if I were not on my backprecious soon I would
s ee
Wake up there you drunkards ! Wake up ye
crawling S cots ye beggarly brandy swillers
Get
d own the muskets from the racks
Fix bayonet s

S trike a light !
.

'

T H E C H E R RY RIBBAND

2 18

But G rif R ys lan d was already gone into that white

belching house o f ame which roared about him like a
furnace
He emerged afte r what seemed hours but was only
a few brief seconds bearing a struggling man over his
shoulder
Both were blackened and scorched almost
beyond recognition

Oil and salve there

and o h a
G rif cried
mouthful of water
But n o one of these was to be had The guard
had only given a little foul water each morning to the
prisoners and that had long since disappeared

h
I know ! said Rait
suddenly there are medi
cines in the governor s housei n the secret cupboard

i f they have not found it o u t

But it was impossible to pass through that aming
bursting brasier of the guard house now white h o t
and not to be looked at even from far without a hand
held before the eyes

Over the wall at the corner o f Pe de n s cell !

Raith explained to Alli ster but the sherman though
bred to the rocks shrank back affrighted
I t is hard enough in the daytime impossible at

night he said I have never done it from the side

o f the prison

Well said Raith I did oncebut I was run

ning for my life !

I t was for another s life now yet he did not hesi
tate For that man was G rif R ys lan d I will ll
the pitcher of water rst h e said do yo u be ready
to catch it when I swing Allister The rope is still

there I suppose
Allister nodd e d a little ashamed of having hung
back A s he had promised Raith was not long gone
H e brought the water rst safely enough but as he
ran for t h e governor s house up the hill some of the
scattered drunkards caught sight of him His gure
,

PRI S O N B REAKI NG

2 19

stood clear in the erce white ligh t from the burning

guard house
Lobster back s ghost ! they cried laughingly too
drunk to be afraid as at another time they would hav e
been
let us have a Shot apiece at Lobster back s

ghost
They were however far too tipsy to take
aim Raith found all things in the governor s hous e
put to sack and pillage But the little private c u p
board had not been found Raith could see every
thing clearly for the re made all within bright as
day The guards had smashed the small irregularly
Shaped lozenges o f glass whorled in their lead guards
like the bottom s o f bottles and the glare from the
crackling roof and aming spirit came in undimmed
H e slid back the secret catch a bar cunningly c o n
Opening the panel h e
c e al e d above a wo o d e n cornice
speedily found what he wanted and sped back again
untouched One of the men got in his way a m uske t
in h i s hands but Raith simply Opened his mouth and
ran roaring at him At which the s o t slipped an d
went headlong o n the bird sprinkled turf
Raith got back safely enough and the wounds o f
both G rif and the Englishman were dressed F o r t h e
moment however they could not be moved though
G rif as he lay and groaned could not but admit tha t
the position was a serious o n e enough
The re in the guard house would be a sig nal t o all
far and near that someth ing serious had occu rred u pon
the Bass Doubtless there would be inquiries offer s
of assistance and s o o n s o soo n as it was light o n t h e
following morning I ndeed daybreak was now fas t
approaching But certainly G rif could not be moved
Furthermore they must either kill the Englishman o r
carry him with them in order to keep his mouth shut
The white h o t ruins of the guard house still glowed
shutting them in completely o n that side Raith and
Allister might have made their way by the cliffs to t h e
-

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

2 20

overnor
s
house
but
thi
s
was
clearly
impossible
fo
r
g
the others

It is a pity s aid Raith

that the crane is de

s troyed

Pity exclaimed G rif to rt ured by the thought O f

the mistake he had made as well a s by the pain o f his

wounds
I t is a catastrophe ! G rif R ys lan d never
s e t up for a wise m an or a good soldie r aga in
You

have c u t Off y our own retreat

,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

222

pain o n his face though he was not only severely

burn ed but had also R ait h s bullet still unextracted
in his shoulder H e said no word though he listened
to everything and occasionally smiled a strange
smile
Raith caught o n e o f these and took the meaning to
be that T yars was now sure of his revenge At least
it was plain that he was waiting for something to hap
pensomething which he knew and expected but of
which his captors were ignorant
It was about seven o f the clock o r nearer eight
perhaps that Raith Ellison growing desperate as the
morning went o n offered to chance it through the yet
glowing embers of the guard house and run down to the
landing place to s e e whether o r no Long bodied John
were still there in wait ing It was an off c han ce but
he was willing to risk that o r anything H e found
that by throwing earth and rubbish o n the glowing
ashes and smouldering beam s ( for the roof had fallen
in ) some sort of a practicable path might be made
over the debris S till his boots were well nigh burned
o ff his feet before he got across and it was manifestly
impossible to carry two wounded m en over such a
place
H e had not gone far when he stumbled over a sleep
ing man all tumbled in a heap as if he had been dead
yet lying ( as a drunken man instinctively does ) with his
head to the hill The m an whom he knew fo r o n e
the sourest and most ru fan ly turnkeys only
of
grunted without rising o r indeed s o much as opening
his eyes
Raith ran rapidly towards the landing place The
black water foot with it s rude pier of native rock was
already quite near when all o f a sudden he heard
close at hand as it seemed in his very ear the thunder
o f a great gun
Then as if at a given Signal the s e a mist divided
,

Ms

S WI FT S U R E I N T H E B A Y

223

swirling away in wreaths and coils melting from b e

fore the s u n and lo within a mile o f the shore plain
and fair on the sunny blue water a full rigged King s
ship was j ust coming to anchor The snowy sails
were dropping swiftly as the fog rose and as Raith
stood uncertain he heard the rattle and splash o f the
anchor chain into the deep still water
Raith turned and ran back to the terrace walk with
a tightness about his throat They were caught in a
tra p indeed Now at last he could interpret the mean
ing of the smile o n the Englishman s face
As he ran Raith could s e e that several of the drunk
ards were also on their feet aroused by the near thun
der of the Ship s cannon S ome were merely yawning
and shaking themselves listlessly But he stopped for
nothing He had seen enoughmore than enough to
hang the m all There was no boat at the landing
place and the King s ship was saluting the Castle and
Prison o f the Bass
As he e w rather than picked his way over the still
burning rubbish he s aw that they were holding up G ri f
R ys l an d to look
What ship is that ? he was asking hurri edly

I s there no boat at the landing

We are prisoners !

I will tell yo u said the Englishman composedly

now speaking for the rst time that is His Maj esty s
rs t rate S wift s u re Captain George T e ddi m an from
the Nore doubtless sent to examine the state o f t h e

Castle and Prison of the Bass

S o saying he lay back with the air o f a m an wh o
has played his part well
Let me down
said G ri f
,

R ys lan d

The Englishman lay still a moment o r two and then

with great force j erked himself up on his elbow

Yo u have all your heads well in the noose he

said looking round him but you Capt ai n G rif saved
my life at the risk of yours when these drunken ruf
,

T H E C H E R RY RIBBA ND

2 24

an s

would have left me to roast alive I am an Eng

lishman I hold no pact with a parcel of dirty S cotch
thieves and turnkeys I am a soldier like yourself and
though I have some lead in m e which I owe to that
young man there I will stand by you if s o be that ye

will accept of me
There was nothing else to be done They all lis
tened to T yars the Englishman wh o without doub t
had been thinking hard as he lay silent

First then he s aid prime and re that gun in

the corner I t was made ready last night fo r the com
ing o f the ship today O ld George saw to that B ad
as he i s he was the only half man among that cow

a rdly crew
And from his bed he dire cted the ring of the sa lut
ing g u n which Raith reprimed and touched off a mo
ment after

There now sai d T yars

that is about all I can
do for y ou The rest you must manage fo r yourselves
That wi ll give you an hou r o r two s grace They neve r
come ashore for i nspection early o n a King s ship
And even then most likely it will only be a boat s
crew with a bo y o fficer That i s unless they have
some suspicion If I were in your shoes I would herd
up these rascals outsideand get them in here with

as little shooting as may be

Raith could s e e h im
G ri f also had been thinking
turning impatiently from side to side

Thank you T yars he said I always thought

If
I
could
only
go
o u t and help
But
u a man
o
y
o u lads must do the best yo u can and leave T yars
y

and me to guard the Castle

S ix they were wh o went to disarm and bring back
the entire drunken garrison Raith was in command
With him were Allister and his two cousins the sher
lads of the Bass while the two young S impsons Jame s
and Archie brought up th e rear Raith left them t o
.

'

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

2 26

them as his c hi ef had said Then systematically he

began to lock in his captives two in a cell while G ri f
and the Englishman looked on with approval Raith
laid the keys beside G rif Rys lan d in the shadow and
marshalled h is forces for another attempt

Remember there ought to be ve m ore said

T yars
Pierce Colvin Conroy M
a c B ean
and the
Keely ! Put a stopping shot in the Keely and the

rest will come like lambs

Ra ith had a more di f cult business before him now
and it struck him suddenly that as the ve whom
T yars had named would assuredly be in ambush wait
ing for him it would be well for his forces to divide
He p roposed therefore that he should go out himself
by the difcult and dange rous passage on the cliff
side o f Peden the Prophet s dungeon To his su r
p rise Archie S impson his younger cousin offered to
accompany him though as before the shermen hung
back What is more Archie made his offer good and
by means of the r ope an d ring fastened in the wall
R aith and his volunteer found themselves o n the mar
gin o f the cliff towards its no rthern side and not fa r
from where he had formerly been driven into a trap at
the point o f H u g h i e s R o ck
But this time he was laying the snare him self and
it was quite unseen that he an d the younge r S impson
stretched away keeping under lee o f the rocks on al l
fours till they were assured o f having turned the posi
tion o f the enemy Then crossing behind the conical
summit o f the Bass they cautiously descended the
southe rn s ide sure of taking the enemies position in
the rear Presently they heard beneath them the
crackle o f an irregular volley and looking from b e
hind a rock they s aw the blue smoke of gunpowder
lazily drifting from behind a little breast high ri dge
which commanded the entrance to the Castle Allis
ter his two comrades and the elde r S impson could be
.

Ms
.

S W I FT S U R E I N T H E BA Y

2 27

seen carefully picking thei r way across the smoulder

ing debri s of the guard house
From behind the rock another gun spoke Then
making a sudden dash Allister and his three advanced
rapidly till they also got into shelter

There must not be much more of this noise said

Raith in a lo w voice
or we shall have the King s
ship sending o ff a boat s crew to nd o u t what is t h e

matter

Better nish then ! said Rai t h s cous in Archie

a lad o f an excellent courage
Raith nodded and they glided down with the utmos t
circumspection till they found themselves with thei r
guns cocked looking over the rear of their enemies
position within a yard o r two o f their unconsciou s
backs as they peered and watched for the chance of
a shot at those in front

Do not move at you r peril said Raith

We
have you covered ! Thro w you r guns as far as yo u

c an over the rocks in front and then turn about

But the Glasgow Keely was quick He had turne d
at the rst word and discharged his piece point blank
at Raith The young man s bonnet ew o ff and fo r
a moment it seemed as if all would follow the Glas
gow man s example But Raith sprang over and
knocked the Keely senseless with a blow from t h e
butt o f his gun while from beneath Allister and t h e
others came swarm ing S o taken between two res
what remained o f the mutineers ( o r o f the faithful
garrison according to the point o f view ) was fain to
yield up i t s arm s and follow meekly in the company o f
their captors T wo o f them carried the unconsciou s
Keely wh o alone that day had showed himself worth y
o f his city and upbringing
In this order they entered the Castle and were duly
locked up in the remaining empty cells

Now said the English man t o G ri f R ys lan d I

-

'

TH E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

2 28

do not know how far y ou are ready to go o r what

p r e s su r e you are willing to put o n this ra scaldom But
Take
s o far as I ca n s e e it is your heads o r theirs
their uniform s and g e t into them as fast as may be
There is still a suit of the gove rnor s in the garret up
at the house Ellison s scarlet also though a little
touched with sea w ater is still presentable I sa w o n e
You wil l make
o f the turnkeys with it the othe r day
a small appearance of course with two wounded men
and one of these t he governor But half your force
can be o n shore for provisions these sailor me n will

know no better
G rif listened grimly nodding approval as T yars pro
c e e de d from point to point

You mean it is a question o f making these fel

lows hold their tongues
he said
E xactly assented the Englishman shortly
Then I charge myself with that
said G ri f
La ds go fetch my uniform T yars will direct you
Meanwhile give me an a rm o n either side good lads
I will talk to these brutes ! Thank hea ven Raith
Elli son that yourI m ean that there are no wom en
o n the Bass to hear m e
G ri f R ys lan d hobbled to the cells and held a sho rt
colloquy with the inmates o f which the matte r was

Yo u know me ye gutter scum

somewhat as follows

I am G rif of the D ragoons

By appointment I am
King s Governor o f this I sland When s ummoned t o
Edinburgh I left Raith Ellison of my regiment to be
Deputy in my place Ye rose in m utiny and would
have m urdered him like the villains ye are
Now
listen to m e the rope is about your necks There i s
a King s ship in the bay An examining o f cer will
come o n up to the Castle in a little If ye let him
know by word or look that ye are not the ordina ry
conventicle prisoners whom ye have let escape in your
drunken folly I will shoot yo u o n the spot for mutin y
,

'

C HAPTE R X X X I I
C A PT A I

N GEO R GE

T E DD I

MA N S I N S P E C T I O N

OF

T HE B A S S

as the Englishman T yars had fo retold af ter

din ner ( that i s the S wif t s u re s dinne r fo r those on
the Bass had none ) before a boat was seen to put off
from the ship with an o fcer gall a nt in gold braid and
lace seated in the stern sheets
The Castle o f the Bass ran up a ag in honou r of
the visit and red a gun But within every man had
a qu aking heart

Take m e once more along the line o f cells said

And he gathered his black
G rif t o the S impsons
brows into a knot before he began h i s course

Lads he sai d to the prisoners I will tell you

I was sent here to command the Bass to
o n e thing
be o u t o f the wayb eca u s e I k i l l e d a m an t h e Laird
I t was a
o f H ouston you may have heard o f him
little thing and I have n ever boasted of it But b e
lieve me if any o n e o f you disobeys me in j ot or tittle
this day o f all days I will make him o n the spot no
better than the Laird o f Houston S o keep that in
you r minds good lads
Raith thinking ha r d was down at the landing place
with Alliste r and o n e of h i s sher relatives The boat
seemed to approach with stupe fying slowness I n
spite o f the eight stout sailor men each with a clubbed
pig tail down his back it seemed to stand still in the
water F o r Raith was in a hurry to have it over that
he might know his fat e and that o f the others up in
the Castle
I T was ,

T E D DI

MA N

I N S PE CT S TH E BA SS

23 1

What no j etty
call that a landing place ?
s
e
a
Where in the name of
certain
divinities )
(
am I to brin g up my boat ?
It was a stout middle aged o f cer in a cocked hat
with much gold lace upon it who spoke There was
a younger o f cer beside him nursing a sword across
his knees but though the crew carried short cutlasses
which rather impeded them in rowing they were only
ordinary man O war s men and Raith xed all his at
tention upon the elder ofcer

No stage for landing c an be made here Captain

he said courteously the storms would sweep it away
and besides it is accounted part of the defences of the

Isle
S o it iss o it might well be if the enemy were
all over ft y v e and well grown about the girths '
Hey lads ship your oars half o f you and gi ve me a
boost The other half stand ready to fend off Don t
scrape Lieutenant Grime s paint or you will hear o f
the matter I can t save yo u
It was as Raith had divined no other than Captain
George T e ddim an o f the S wift s u re who stood ple
thoric and panting o n the black rocks between
Allister and the sher lad

Arms pulled o u t o f my sockets o h always do

that here ? Custom of the p lace t oo ? What thi s
is a smooth day is it ? And who are you ? Why
your unifo rm l o oks as if it had been keelhauled The
best you have got Ellison of the DragoonsColonel
G rah am e s !
Ah I have heard o f himowns all
S cotland the Duke says I mean the King God bless
him ! But it shall never be said that George Ted di
man j udged any man by t h e t o f his c lothes His
o wn Lord knows i f it were not for ship s discipline
and Reggy herewell the less said about that the

better !
He glanced up at the steep track to the Castle
-

C H E RRY RI BBAN D

THE

2 32

Where s the swinging c ran e I heard so much abo ut

a t the T rinity ? he exclaimed told m e you could

heave a man up as easily as a pound of saltpetre I

don t see it
I t went over the rock into the s ea du rin g the last

sto rm s i r ! s aid Raith

Ah cried the Captain turning about come out

then fou r o f you and the others put o u t a bit to keep
the paint safe A captain o f a rs t rate r must not g o
up to a King s Castle as if he were a snatch purse on
the highway But what are dragoon s doing here ? In
that service you all s e t up fo r gentlemen I hea reven

the privates !
To this Raith answered nothing a glance from the
young o f cer wh o had been called Reggie warning him
to be silent

And wh y should you n ot

cried the Captain of the
God knows I m
S wg s u re stopping to get h i s breath
t h e last man t o question gentility in any man wh o be
haves h im self
But dragoons o n an islandwhere
d ye keep your horses
S omething wrong there surely
something to note down something to remark upon

in my report !
At t his Raith grew somewhat frightened
This
man for all his peaceful aspect and questionings might
prove more troublesome than o n e more impe rious
He hastened to explain

I am o f His Maj esty s Dragoons he said o r

rather perhaps I ought to s ay I was I came hithe r
with my superior o f cer wh o requested that I should
be allowed to accompany him H e is gove rn or o f t h e

island
His name ?
Captain G rif R ys lan d
said the visitor
G rif R ys lan d ah
The captain o f the S wif t s u re stopped on the slope
which h e had begun to C limb half because he was glad

'

TH E C H E RRY RI BBA N D

2 34

a snug an cho rage i t would be for an o l d salt with a

great deal of gout and a very small pension

S o he went his way leaning o n the arm of the young
o f cer and it was not till he was more than half way
up that he called Raith once more to his assistance

The daughterthe pretty daughter he demand

ed is s h e with her father up there

No said Raith carefully

I believe s h e i s at

present o n the mainland with friends

Ah a pity that a manifest pity Captain Teddi

man grunted
I believe Reggie that we will not
have a long time to remain The ship is o n a lee shore
I do n o t like the anchorage I must hasten S i r
s ir

But the girl where has s h e gone ?

That I do not know said Raith t ru thfully s h e

h ad an accident o n the Bas s
was blown by a whirl
wind from that rock yonder and since that s h e has

not I believe wished to return

The Capt ai n looked about him and Shook his head

I do not wonder he said

I am o f the young
lady s faction The deck o f a ship n o wthat is level
and one does not get blown o ff it S h e wo u l d be better
there To tell the truth th ere is a s ly ol d fo x in o u r
Navy o fce o n e Mr S amuel Pepys he told me there
never was such a girl for beauty as this mistresswhat
is her namethank you Ivi e R ys lan d
And s o prattling o n Captain George T e ddim an
reached the heap o f smoking ruins which was all that t e
mained of the guard room Here he stood eyeing th e
confusion with uplifted h ands

What have we here ? he cried battle m urder

and sudden death ? Where s Captain Ry s lan d ?

Wh ere i s the governor ?

During R ait h s absence the S impson lads and the re
m aining shermen had covered the most traversable
portion o f the r uins wit h turf o n which they had laid
boards
.

T E DD I

MA N

I N S PE CT S

THE

BA SS

2 35

The gove r nor was hurt last night saving a wounded

man out o f the burning g u ard house sir said Raith

he i s waiting for you at the other side

Go o n in front cried Captain George T e ddiman

hang me if I have scrambled up a place like this since

I was a middy and mastheaded fo r smoking tobacco

Governor G rif seated o n a chair was awaiting his visi
tor H e kept the upright position with conside rable
pain but his bandaged hands and th e di fculty he had
in rising spoke for him Another chair had been placed
close alongside Raith took in the new aspect of the
Castle of the Bass at a glance S ave for the r u ins o f
the re which they had passed and the haze o f wood
smoke in which the entire island was enveloped all
might have been as it was of old The sentinel paced
sedately and regularly up and down T h e two S imp
sons mounted guard at either end A face peered
here and there from the prisoners cells On the strip
o f green grass between the soldiers lodging and the
prison a mattress had been placed for T yars
He
held the key of the situation and if he were false to
his promise they might expect to be hung man by man
from the yard arm of the S wzf t m m
The young ofcer spoken o f as Reggie had turned
at the entrance upon seeing the small extent of the
prison yard

S tay where you are he had said cutlasses out !

Carry !
It was only intended as a little bit o f naval Sho w
but to Raith glancing back it had the aspect of a
thundercloud Not that he and his comrades could
not account for these but behind them were there not
hundreds and hundreds of others backed by all the
great guns of a ship o f the line ready to batter down
the defences o f the Bass stone by stone !
But when he looked again Captain George Teddi
m an had taken h is place peaceably beside G ri f R ys
~

T H E C H E RR Y RI BBAN D

2 36

la nd The naval o i c e r had observed the sti ff descent

o f the governor into his chair and being a kindly man
h e suggested that a mattress in the shad e would be
more comfortable
S o o n e was brought and on it G rif reclined afte r
begging the Captain s pardon for being forced to re
c e iv e h i m in such a fashion

George T e ddim an s ir was the answer Geo rge

T e ddi m an has seen t o o many wounded men n o t to
know how one ought to treat him selfs o that he may
the soo ne r be t again fo r the s ervice o f the Kin g
G o d bless him
And o ff went the great cocked hat a second time
As was the custom in these early days of the disci
pline in a standing army the sentry presented arm s
each tim e h e passed and repassed the spot where the
Captain o f the S wzf t s u re confe r red with G ri f Rys lan d
The monotony o f the performance irritated the
seaman
Tell t h at whirling m ountebank to con ne him self

t o marching up and down he said sharply G rif a

little shoc ked gave the order

I t is o u r military custom he said in a little

while yo u would no more notice it than I

Very likely
said Captain T e ddim an
I know
you for a good soldier s ir and I am acquainted with
the circum stances which have brought you here !
The devil you are ! said G rif R ys lan d unde r his
breath He was intensely su rprised and could not
fo r the life o f him imagine what the captain o f the
man o f war would say next

I mean he went o n the duel you fought with

the Laird of H ouston
Once more G rif R ys lan d breathed freely

Ah he said for something to s ay Captain Ted

diman i s well informed

No offenceno offence s i r I t rust

said the
.

T H E C H E R RY RI BB A N D

2 38

now inte rr upted G rif Rys lan d a little s t il y look

ing st r ai ght at Captain T e ddim an whoever told y ou

s o much was likely to be well informed o n that point
also and I must info rm you that I gave the rasca l

three C hances fo r his life

r eplied the ship s c ap

T oo many by three sir

ta i n you Should have spitted him at the rst pass

and then taken h i s brothers one by one I am n ext
in the s uccession as I was telling that nephew of
y ou r s down below If eve r you should come acros s
the Houstons and they had any desi r e to carry o n the
quarrel y ou will not forget to do a good turn to an
o l d s e a do g in search o f a snug harbour
an dif I
may s ay s o o f a good wi feye s a good wifenot too
,

old

The emphasis with which he spoke these l a st wo r ds

an d the knowing wink with which he accompan ied
them s o astonished G ri f that he drew him self a little
up o n his couch with a g rimace o f involuntary pain
Captain T e ddim an motioned to his young o f ce r
"

Reggie he said go and talk with the young man

wh o met u s at the landing place down there
I have

something to s ay to the Governo r in private

H e waited till Reggie had gone o ff with an ex

c e e din g ill grace and then leaning towards G rif he
instantly began demonstrating with his nger vivi dly

The circumstances are like this he said I must

tell you and yet I feel that I am taking a certain ad
vantage of a man on th e breadth o f his back
Tis
not like George T e ddim an s o to do but then the
chance has com e upon me unexpected and in fact a
man was talking to m e about it j ust as we left the

Navy yard
H e wonde r ed if i n
G ri f R ys lan ds he a d whirled
deed h is ears were hearing aright He began to think
that either he must be dreaming o r th a t he had an
affair with a madman
,

T E DD I

MA N

I N S PE CT S T H E BA SS

2 39

Fai th continued the old sailor what I said about

the Houstons was in j esto r half j est and half earnest
like Yorkshire pudding But this is wholly earnest
like English roast beef and a mug o f Rocheste r beer
You have a daughter Captain R ys lan d

I have assented G rif with a grim rming o f

the mouth
Well then said the Captain O f the
I
S wift s u re
am a plain man of mat ure yearsno j ackanapes like
that Jack Houston or any H ouston o f the lot o f them
You won t spit George T e ddi m an for what he is going
to say I am neither a rich man n o r a poor man I
am captain of a rs t rate andwell they may need
me by and by ! Now if your daughter be Open to an
honest man s offer of marriage I tell you sir I make

it here and now !

But c ri ed G rif in great astonishment you have

n ever so much as seen my daughter !

No I have not said the Captain o f H M S

but what of that in the navy ? I k n ow

S wift s u re
o n e wh o has aye and a man whom I c an trust bet
ter than myself when it is a matter o f petticoatsa
man of much experien ce and innite j udgment among
womenkind s irM
S ecretary Pepys o f the Navy
r

Board
An d what in the name o f the S e v en Devils knows

Mr Pepys of the Navy Board o f my daughter ? G rif

demanded restraining himself with some considerable
dif culty

Why our Mr Pepys s i r the seaman went on

is a great man s irmost learned and has a stone

in his bladder about which he reads papers to all the
greatest surgeo n s at the Royal S ociety Also he is
S ecretary of the Admiralty and indeed has n e w made
the service eet ofce Trinity and alla very great

man s i r !
But what ha s this great Mr Pepys to do with m y
,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBA N D

24 0

demanded G ri f, wh o was
d aughter ?
t h e man before him had a crack in his

no

w su r e that

brain case

Truth then I tell yo u said Captain T e ddiman

Mr Pepys saw Mistress Ivie more th an once when
h e was in S cotland with my Lord D uke o f York
n o w most fortunatel y His Maj esty the KingGod
w
as
bles s hi m
H
ere
another ou rish of the laced
(
H e went d own to the south to pay his
h at ! )
respect s to Colonel Graham and my Lord Nithsdale
and doubtless there was m uch talk about the beauty
And if you will
o f your honourable daughter s i r
pardo n an honest seamanalso concerning the length
And Mr Pepys told me that there
o f y our sword !
was talk t oo and that if s h e would only go to Cou rt
But Mr Pepys
S h e would surely make her fortune
wh o is a sober man and demure though o f so grea t
e xperience ever asserted and maintained that the maid
was the sweetest an d honestest maid that ever was
Nay M r
an d would make a man the best wife
Pepys even went s o far as to s ay that but fo r the fact
t hat he res t ed under a v o w to remain ever faithful to
the memory o f his sainted wife Elizabeth he would
h ave married her himself

I am innitely obliged to Mr Pepys ! quoth G rif

d rily

Nay but it would have been an honour si rto

an y manH e s o high in favour with the King and
a ll
an honou r fo r any man a man o f such excellent
j udgm ent and expe rienced Faith o f S aint Charles
Martyr but if I h ad fty daughters
t h e Blessed
Mr Pepys might have them every o n e and he would
-

s ir

But said G rif wh o now began to observe fr om a

distance the impatience o f the younger naval of cer
and s aw that it would not be at all a bad thing t o keep
Captain George T e ddiman in play as long as possible
you have not come to you r o wn pa rt in the matter

T HE

24 2

C H E R RY RI BBAN D

of cousin H ou s toni t will blow overnever fea r lad

A n d then what say you

Captain T e ddim an said G rif R ys lan d an hon

est man always deserves an honest an swer I am a
soldier o f fortune s ir I c annot tell where fat e may
lead me or for whom my sword may ght but I shall
ever remembe r with pleasure your words

A nd yo u will convey my request to Mistres s Ivie

That I will do Captain !

Bid her thin k it ove r She m ight do worse sira
good o ld fellow not ill looking nor yet unse rviceable
better than a score of young rakes for ever gadding
about that I ll swear ! The older they are the more
tender like game hung up in the larde r S i r ! That s
what Mr Pepys says about lovers Sir an d a good j udg
Then She has her husband unde r
m ent to my mind
h e r hand not fo r ever pe stering her but o n deck when
She calls for him or wants a golden groat to buy the
C hild a gown as the saying is
And by the way
plea se to mention that T e ddi man Tho rpe is a j aunty
little man or an d if She will only s ay ye s to an old
fellow that is ready to love her all h i s life o n the
recommend o f Mr Pepys o f the Navy Board she wi ll
never regret it Sir and I would build her a parlour to
the S outh from which s h e could s e e the fairies danc
ing o n Moel Berwyn a nights all the summer through !
By this time the dg e t s o f the young ofcer wh o
had be en called Reggie had become quite i n s u ppo rt
able Flags were uttering from the S wift s u re which
were evidently m eant to have a meaning for him H e
ca m e up and salut ed his supe rior O fcer

I be g your pardon Captain T e ddiman he said

but there is a storm rising and they are getting

anxious about you on the Ship There is you will
remember but a poor lan din g place here an d the coast
be hind i s dangerous reefs and half cove r ed rock s as
far as o n e can see
,

T E DD I

MA N

I N S PE CT S T H E BA SS

24 3

Captain T e ddim an rose with a j erk

c an I serve
Indeed I must be going he said
you in anythinga boat load of provisions anything
Delighted ! And my report ? Let m e
O f the sort ?
see doubtless you will make your own about the re
S o I need n ot mention that But the prisoners n ow
I suppose I had better take a look at them j ust t o

be able to say they we re all safe

S tep this way s ir said G rif R ys lan d in a loud

voice wh o knew that the critical moment had n ow
come
Your arm Raith m y pistols
And s o quite slowly they made their way along the
front of the cells

My wig what an unholy s et o f ru f an s ! exclaim e d

Captain T e ddim an wh y I had al ways thought you r
Covenanters were a poor feeble folk somewhat hardly
treated like o u r F o xit e s But these lowering rascals
look as if they had all the Sins in the decalogue t o

their credit

Most of them have said G rif briey

Ah here we are at the end Capt ain T e ddiman

breathed a sigh of relief give me your hand Reggie
No do not accompany me I will not pe rmit it get
to the sick bay Sir and stay there Your young man
Ellison will do That is his nameI shall not forget
it Fall in there men And Captain G rif do not
forget my message to Mistress Ivie I swore to Mr
Pepys that I would do it some day if ever I met yo u
And I would not dare to face him at the
o r the l ady
Admiralty if I had not
A singular mana man o f
insight s ir women and ships s i rwomen and ships
much the sameonly a genius can tell em apart !
Lord I was never any j udgenever set up to be
And so saying and occasionally stopping to pant
and wave his hand on the steep Slope Captain George
T e ddim an completed to his o wn satisfaction the visi
t at i on and inspection of the Bass
.

C HAPTE R X X X I I I
GOO D B YE T O T H E B A S S
-

promised two boat load s of provisions were duly

delivered together with the Captai n s compliment s to
the Governor a recom mendation not to forget his
promise together with the added information that the
arable area of T e ddim an Thorpe was over four thou
sand acres and th e mansion house commodious though
sadly in need of repair which the owner would s e e
about at once
The Governor by the mouth of Raith r eciprocat e d
the good wishes of Captain T e ddi m an and requested
him to give himself no uneasiness about the fullment
o f his promise
The Governor o f the Bass further
wished Captain T e ddim an a most prosperous voyage
and s o these unusual courtesies between two high c o n
tracting parties came to an end
The S wzf t s u re sa iled in an hour standing fairly out
t o s e a to the innite relief o f the present inhabitant s
o f the Bass at least o f as man y o f them as were able
t o enj oy the spectacle
After the last utte r of white had passed away to
the northward the prisoners that is to s ay the some
time garri son were requested to turn to and carry up
the provisions from the landing place to the store
houses near the governor s house Raith an d the two
S impson lads stood over them with loaded muskets as
they worked O nly t he Keely was left at home still
su ffering from t h e broken head h e had received from
R ait h s brass shod butt
T HE

THE

246

C H E RR Y RI BB A N D

helple s s i n you r handss o have they Well do you

leave m e here o n the Bass with the provisions all the
guns and ammunition you can Spa r e and I will u nder
take to hold the men of the garrison three days with
After that I
o u t a word said or a message sent
will fright them into yi ng fo r their lives by the tale
o f h o w they them selves let dow n the prisoners with
the ying crane the night they we r e s o drunk They
will never know the di fference At any rate the cells
are empty and they o r some o f them are manifestly
responsible D o not trouble The y will put as much
ground as possible between themselves and the Bass
when they come to t h ink ove r what I Sha l l say to
them They are cowards all except the Keely and
he has had enough of the Bass to serve him fo r one
whi le H is head rings like a hive o f bees
And fo r y ou yourself T yars
dem a nded G rif
what will you do

Oh fo r me I st and by the r ock said the Eng

lishman smiling
What ha ve I done ? One rebe l
res a b al l into m e There it i s in my shoulder to
prove it S ome othe r fools and drunkards set the
guard house on re while I lie wounded and nearly
roast me alive I have still more to Show for that
Never fea r Mau ri ce T yars will have his ta le pat long
Long bod ied John
b efore any reinforcements ar rive
will bring me what I need and lend m e a hun dred
weight of rock at my feet if I die A nd who knows
when all get their own I may be rai sed to honou r b e
cause of all this
Go your ways gentlemen You are
a good soldier Captain Grif and I wish you well
y ou too Raith Ellison But there is be e r in the
storeroom which will t ake a long tim e to drink and
be ing a simple m a n I think I will go on s tanding by

my duty
And s o he did till the k i ng stood no longe r fo r him
s elf but trippe d it to S t Germ ain and Mau ri ce T yars
,

G O O D BYE T O T H E BA S S

24 7

was still on the Bass, when a second time , the prison

,

ers broke out and overcame the garrison which

though a great t ale indeed comes n o t into this
Things being s o there was nothing for it but to wait
for night and the advent of Long bodied John But
t wilight came and presently night yet with them no
Long bodied one his boat nosing comfo rtable against
the black rocks controlled by a single sweep o f hi s
hand or an o ar over the stern
Whereupon A llister who most ardently desired to
be gone volunteered to cross in o n e of the ski ffs which
were kept on the rock in order to nd o u t what had
become o f the faithful messenger of Prayerful Peter
H e started before ten O clock and it was close on one
when there came a c ry from below Duri ng the i n
t e rv al they had seen T yars safely installed in the store
house where were all the ammunition all the
Spirits all the food H e had C hosen from among the
turnkeys one in whom he thought he could place some
little condence

At least he s aid I can f right the life out of him

O f that I am certain
And with the keys all the loaded muskets and pi s
tols at his elbow and the only cunn ing brain on the
i sland it seemed a likely thing that T yars would be
able to ca r ry through his prog ramme In the mean
time hi s chosen Colvin a soft rag o f a man a head
hanger by nature promised most faithfully t o pass t he
prisoners food and drink to and fro to them till the
moment came for setting them free
Now it was time to s ay goodbye and that part was
perhaps more curious than all the rest

Captain said T yars I owe my life to you and

be ing a common man perhaps I ought to s ay nothing

S ay o n said Captain G rif we all owe o u r lives

t o yo u ten times over

Well as a man Captain sa id T yars I Should

,

TH E C H E RRY RI B BAN D

24 8

be proud t o serve unde r yo u by s e a or land but a s

a Governor of this island and prison I think you have
failed from your duty

Ah you think s o do you said Grif calmly

well I think differently and I know most about it
I have no time to explain even were an explanation
due But if ever yo u and I meet safe and wellI
shall be proud to explain my conduct either with
pistol or with swo r d

The sabre is my favourit e weapon

suggested
T yars calmly

Very well then I have no obj ection s to the sabre

quoth G ri f R ys lan d
Goodnight to you
Goodnight and good lucktill o u r next
Expl anation
interj ected Captain G ri f and was
gone leaning heavily o n the arm s o f Raith Ellison and
the younger S impson
D own at the landing place they found only Alliste r
with his t wo com rades both standing about him look
ing very stricken and disconsolate

I cannot s e e any Sign of Long bodied John he

said nor yet o f his boat S o I had to run over to

the Berwick shore and borrow A llan Donald s S he
i s not so very roomy but it is a clear night and She

will hold us all neatly

,

T HE

25 0

C H E R RY RI BBA N D

But Rai th was before him and G rif but for his
hu rt would have s e t out also Raith Ellison r an
along the little strip o f beach his feet slipping among
the leathery star s h e s stranded by last m onth s high
tides H e spran g ove r Peter s fence o f tarred boards
d ucked his head under E u ph rai n s oak t ree an d was
at the door I t swung loose on its hi nges and a pile
A
o f garments on the oo r within caught his eye
gr eat fear o f what he might s e e when he entered po s
sessed him H e pushed O pen the door and beheld
only a rude h air covered trunk with brass nails the
lid burst O pen by violence and strewed a round a
quantity o f women s dresses and old pieces of clothing
I t was evident that an attempt had bee n made to
b ring some things hastily together for transportation
but that an interruption had c u t the work sho rt neve r
t o be renewed
Rai th rushed to ea ch o f the room s below stairs
without pausing to knock
Everything had been
overturned The feather beds and mattresses were
stabbed through and through with swords Many
letters and fragm ents o f letters lay about some o f
them written in Gil s han d some in that o f Beattie
H e also found the main part o f an address in M r
P e de n s well kn own writing
F o r Marj ory S impson
s pouse t o William Ellison o f M
a e ld
where
oeve
r
s
y
sh e
may be by the grace o f God at present abid
,

111g

Up the ladder which r ose within the little passage

r ushed Raith now wild with fear No Ivie there
n o t a Sign o f his mother or E u ph rain
The Ba ss
prisoners who were to have come here what o f them
H e dared n o t think He was o n the point o f return
ing to the boat when in the dust of the trampled gar
d e n among the pot herbs which had been stamped
o u t of existence h e s aw a piece o f paper quite unlike
an
f
o
the rest I t was the leaf o f a book a nd it stuck
y
,

TH E LETTE R O N

T HE

RO S E BU S H

25 1

in the notch of a little rose bush as if placed there by

design
He took it in his hand I t was unfortunately torn
across as if the writer there had been caught i n the
act and the greater part altogether lost
But he read these words in a handwriting which
made R ai t h s heart turn to wate r It was but a little
co m er roughly triangular which remained

Lag was the rst word clear and unmistaka ble

Then as the paper increased in Size he read : With
four o i c e rs
revenge on my fath
horses to carry us off
where are you
z

Ivie
Like a m an wal k ing in a dream Raith took h is way
back to the boat He found every o n e disembarked
waiting for news G ri f R ys lan d was sitting on a little
s e a weedy rock gazing at the Bass whi ch now l o omed
up C lear through the haze of morning There was a
thin mist about it pe rfectly blue and distinct lifting
and vanishing with the coming day

They are gone ! saith Raith hur riedly

Al l
alleverything has been tu rned over But I found

this !
He thrust the paper into G rif s hand
Ivie s handwriting ! the Captain said slowly

knitting his brows to take in the meaning of the

snatches where got you t h is ?

Outside stuck o n a rose bush
said Raith

Ah said the elder man we must go back If

Ivie had time to write that perhaps the others

E u ph rai n
might also have left a message
The others E u ph rain
Raith had hardly
thought o f that

But we have no time we must pursue at lea st

I must
It seemed that he must instantly start upon the
trail wi thout preparation like a dog put on a sce nt
-

THE

25 2

C H ER RY RI BBAN D

But his chief s word s recalled him to his dut y

That is impossible said G rif brusquely

rst
we must nd o u t al l that can be learned at the c o t
tage Then we will hear what Allister has to s ay
about the cave above After that we will take coun cil
together Remember Raith these lads have thei r
Own troubles as well as we
They have risked them
selves already more than any could have expected of
them This affair is oursyours and mine An d I
alas for the time being am worse than useless in a
chase We must go cunningly therefore not like a

bull at a gat e
All the same the rest had done G rif good an d now
he took R ai t h s arm and moved to wards the cottage
with much less di f culty than he had shown in descend
ing the cliff to the landing place o f the Bass
Captain R ys lan d wh o as S ergeant Majo r had seen
many military pe rquisitions in S cotland at once an
n o u n c e d that this was not an affair with which the
government o r the regular troops had anything to do

A privat e vengeance he said m editatively but

whose ? Lag I hardly knowyet we m ust suppos e
it was either he o r some o f the friends o f the Laird

o f Houston

S he say s Lag plainly said Raith despondently

as h e looked at the three letters which the familiar
name o f the great rough riding cruelty monge ring

persecutor o f S cotland there c an be nothing w o rse

than that

Courage said G rif Rys lan d there is more here

than meets the eye Four o fcers I vi e says with
Lag I know all the o ffi cers who are in S cotland
W in dram Inglis Theo O g ilt h o rpe Douglas Fraser
not to speak o f the G rah am e s Not o n e o f them would
associate with Lag if he could help it an it were not
that devil Peter Inglis ! If it were any from among
the regiments it would be he But more likely they

T H E C H ER RY RIBBAN D

254

would bring a relay over and above in the ca se o f any

of the carrying horses goin g lame ! At least that i s
what I should have advised had I been concerned in
such a business

But said Raith Ivie only mentions ve men

I knowI know said G rif impatiently thinking

forward rej ecting this and weigh ing the other but
we have on ly a corner of the letter Ivie wrote B e
sides s h e mentions Lagi t may be himself in pe rson
o r more probably some retainer o f his
armed with
the authority of his master But gentlemen and o f
cers even if only o f the te rritorial forces do not lead
and feed horses Depend upon it there were one or
t wo attendants for that purpose let us s ay six o r

seven for the whole number o f those in th e business

Rai th was Silent his mind a prey to the most terri
ble thoughts G ri f with a pale dete rm ined face put
o u t a kindly hand and patted h i m reassuringly on the
shoulder

If it is for Ivie y ou fear be reassured he said

al so I think for the others But if it be an a ffair of

vengea nce against us they must have taken your
m other and Sister because they were found in the
sam e house with my daughter They might ve ry
likely know the men an d at any rate could n o t be
left with the power of giving information The force
ful carrying o ff of the women even in times o f trouble

has never been lightly treated by the law o f S cotland

And i f it were Ivie

said Raith in a hoarse
voice

If it were Ivie they sought

G rif mused a little
well in that case the men know me Rob Grier of
Lag does at all events They would know me I s ay
And so long as they knew that Ivie R ys l an d s father
was in the same world with them I do not think s h e

has anyt hing very terrible to fear

Then all at once the remembrance of his inte rview
,

,
.

T H E LETTE R O N TH E R O S E B U S H

25

with Captain George T e ddim an came over him as the

captain o f the S wift s u re had sat looking down o n the
smooth waters of the Firth

I have it ! he cried
The Laird o f Houston
Had he not four brothers The capt ai n o f the S wift

sure said so Do you know ?

I have heard tell s o said Rai th to whom noth

ing of the Captain s conversation had been comm uni
,

c at e d

clappe d his hands as one wh o nds a treasure

and his face looked a little less drawn

That is it he said
Lag and the young H o u s
tons They are all o f o n e clan In truth Captain
George T e ddim an if I get my hands on your good
cousins the Houstons and it tu rns out as I think why
then you have a chance o f succeeding yet to the
Houston estates !
The comfort was cold certainly but it was the best
the two men could discover at the moment and they
had therewith to be content
Just then Allister came along the beach in haste

Well ? said his ex chief as he approached what

news of the coves

Nothing said Allister no o n e has been nea r

them The boat with M r Peden and the others must
have be en afraid to land I went over to Old Pete r
Paton s lie u p o n the other Side o f the Castle o f Tan
tallon, and to one or two other little hidie holes that he
has But no o n e has been there All was safe and
in good order Onlythe lads must have gotten an
unco scare I ll be bound for that They will have
gone away to the s o u t h art Maybe they will have
put ashore about C o u de n h am or S t Abbssome
place where there will no be ower mony folk to look
on !
It was only a mile or two over the elds to the
farm of Nether Barnton and one of the S impsons was
G ri f

T H E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

25 6

soon back Knowing the country he had r un at full

spe ed all the way without exposing him self But he
also brought no news All was quiet at his father s
They knew nothing there o f th e prisoners who as
Allister said must have held away to the south by
s e a n o r yet anything o f the late tenants of Praye rful
Peter s cottage at Canti c Bay O n coming back how
ever Archie S impson had encountered o n e of hi s
father s herds wh o had come across the trail of an
awesom e pack 0 muckle horses h au din away for Gif

ford and S tow

They be nane blate ( continued the shepherd ) for

they gaed richt through standin corn and ilke thing
that stood in their roadeither tinklers or right high
gentrice they maun hae been !
This o n the whole was the most valuable info r m a
tion which had been obtained and G rif made his c om
m
n t s to Archie S impson upon it
li
e
p

I t is evident he said to Raith Ellison that th e

fellows have come quietly along the shore road from
Edinburgh As far as C an t ie Bay they were merely
But on ce
s o many gentlemen travelling fo r pleasure
their C oup made and the net lled they were c om
e
ll
d
to
strike
for
the
south
by
the
least
frequented
e
p
routes What we have to do lad i s to follow them

as fast as we can
But that considering Captain G rif s inj uries was a
thing s o di f cult of accomplishment that it seemed all
but impossible I t was curiously enough the m ore
silent of the two S impson lads wh o shed the rst ray
o f h Ope on the problem

S ir said James S impson we are in for a penny

and are quite prepared to make it a pound I t will
b e well fo r us to lie quiet and See what comes of ou r
doings o n the Bass Neither Archie nor I want to mix
my father up with these matters any more than we
c an help
We have meant to go with Allister fo r a
.

C HAPTE R X X X V
LA

GS

RA ID

was the evening o f the attempt upon the Ba ss

The men had all gone hours before those wh o were
to take part in the assault o n the Bass down the coast
towards North Tynemouth from a certain wild and
sheltered cove between which and Tantallon John
Paton s boats were to proceed to avoid a t ro o pm e n t
of people in so public a spot as the s e a front o f Canti c
Bay As for Prayerful Peter he betook himself over
to Linton to ask the commander of the troops s t a
t ion e d there if he were haply in need of any good Hol
lands and s o in case o f any inquiry that he might
have an alibi of the most supe ri or sort under his
hand
But the women abode still in the hou s e as is
mostly the case with women As it dusked Ivie and
Marj ory S impson r emained within talking together
The love that had grown up between these two was

wonderful as Marj ory S impson said passing the

love o f men
an articl e greatly overrated s o She
declared
But o f this Ivie was not so sure and said s o

That i s because you are young bai rn said Mar

j ory smiling indulgently

And did y o u think s o when you were y oung ?

demanded Ivie with an answering smile
Maybe no maybe no
answered the elder
woman more seriously
my Sins and faults o f youth
do thou O Lord forget That is a bonn y pray er
IT

LAG S RAI D

259

that we shall all need to put up o n e day But then

the young and the fair like yo u Ivie lass never think
of that And maybe it is as weel

I know I have been often foolish said Ivie but

left the rest o f the sentence unachieved as she had a
trick o f doing The time for sincere penitence for

her faults of youth was not yet

E u ph rai n was still without and her mother growing
vaguely unquiet rose and went to the door to look
after her The girl was standing under the dwarf oak
in the corner o f the little s h e r folks garden S he
was not looking towards the Bass the spot to which
her mother instinctively turned her eyes S he gazed
instead xedly into the south in the direction which
the boats had taken Her mother stepped out of the
cottage door and walking softly went and touched her
o n the arm
What are you thinking of E uph rain
s h e Said
gently
The girl s pale grave face took on a sudden ush

and She replied Of nothing mother I was only re

m e m b e rin g that they would be getting ready the boats

now

God help them and guide him safely back He

is a light to the blind and feet to them that walk in
darkness And gie me my man again if it be Thy
will
Marj ory S impson s prayers were short always
S eldom did S h e kneel to s ay them Perhaps they re
sembled most those of the publican in the temple
Her husband and M r Peden would wear away a at
stone in their C losets with their knees They would
spend whole nights in crying And in this they were
deeply earnest I t was o f their kind and time and

country But in Marj ory s cauldrife East as her

husban d called it where most o f the ministers had

long ago
conformed and where there were no
.

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

2 60

blowings of the t rumpet on the mounta i ns no r any

slaughte ring of the saint s o f dyk e backthere was yet
a true and real type of pietyMarj ory S impson s
kind
And s o her brief prayer was said S he repeated
the last phrase only as if it were a precious thing
apa rt which she could not let her God overlook

A n d, L o rd, g i e m e my
my s e l
S uddenly E u ph rain , keen

m m o m om

of

ia

me

ear and o f an anxious

heart cried out Oh m o ther look yonder
S he pointed up the little steep road by which the
cottage of Can t ie Bay communicated with the cliffs
above There was still a certain brightness all along
the west an orange hue that lin gered long merging
at last into a smoky red o f fuller tone than the prim
rose and ro s e le af o f the morninga hint o f storm in
it t oo
But fo r all these thin gs lovely as they were Eu
What She s aw and pointed o u t to
ph rai n had no eyes
her mother was a group o f horsemen black against
the dulling gold of evening There seemed to be at
least a dozen of them F o r some had dismounted as
if to make the descent while ce rtain othe r s led each
a couple o f horses The group stood clear and cleanly
revealed and then the moment after all scattered and
began to descend

They are coming hither said Marj ory r un t o

the quay and put o u t the lantern

This was a little light which was to be the signal
that all was safe for the landing if the attempt to
release the prisoners should have succeeded
E u ph rain ew as s h e was told and not only did
s h e extinguish the lantern but She tossed it into the
harbour to the great future indignation and anger o f
Prayerful Peter to whom the article belonged H e
found it afterwards and spent hours in polishing it
,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

262

hers ) is not this pretty Mist ress Rys lan d the daughte r

of the very man we are after ?

My n ame is Ivi e R ys lan d answe red the gi rl

proudly I am G rif Rys lan d s daughter

Then where i s y our father ? demand e d Lag in

a loud and truculent voice ?

That I do not know said Ivie very quickl y

Bless methey have made qui te a psalm singe r of

you cried Lag you have their very answe r pat as

butter I had heard better o f yo u than that But
neve r fea r we have ways and means with pretty
r eluctant maids Whigs o r j igsthere i s the match
between the ngers that burns slowly to the bone
o r a couple o f cords around you r pretty thumbs and
hey ! up to the ceiling with you You would never
believe how heavy you weigh for all that j imp w ri st of
yours And yonder is Roddie Naughton behind there
with a pair of thumbikins in his pocket

That will do Lag said the elder o f the other

four there is not the least need fo r it to come to

that My dear tell us if you have seen your father
where and at what time and I promise you that no

ill shall befall you

For a moment Lag looked sulky b u t evidently the
new speaker had some hold over him for from that
moment he gre w much less blusterous H e contented
himself with ordering Roddie Naughton his body
servant and three other young fellows wh o ac c o m
him
who
indeed
resembled
rather
the
personal
i
e
a
n
d
(
p
retainer s o f a powerful laird than regular dragoons ) to
search the cottage f rom roof to doorstep with a tor
r ent o f imprecation upon their heads i f they miss e d
thei r man

My fathe r Iv i e answered steadily and calmly

has gone away H e stayed with us certain days

after he had been in Edinburgh But he departed
towa rd s the s outh this ve ry mo rning and I have no
,

LAG S RAI D

2 63

idea what was his destination He did not speak of

it to any here !

They all lie said Lag

The only way is to
m ake them speak We have the art in Galloway as

my kinswoman here can tell you

Indeed sai d Marj o ry S imson with t h e softest

grace in the world I can have no claim to be a kins
woman of the Laird o f Lag save through my husband
whom he has made a prisoner in the Bass yonder
along with my s o n Gill while Murdoch my other
s o n is indebted to this same kinsman for a quiet rest
ing grave

Aye aye goodwife interrupted Lag and your

youngest s o n Raith by o u r latest despatches was still
wearing the King s coat and persecuting the saints o n
his own account while here ( he pulled from his pocket
a letter ) is a screed in the clerkly hand of that sweet
plant of grace Mr Beattie Ellison who under the
fostering care of my Lord o f St Andrews goeth fast

and far o n his way to a bishopric

The man wh o had interrupted Lag before laughed
lightly at this It was better than talk o f torture and

t h u m b ik i n g
It is of no use to torment the poor

woman he said if the man has escaped us we must

e en take what we c an get The women must come
with us And I know more than o n e o f my young
men who will envy us the company of pretty Mistress
Ivi e here to say nothing o f this moorland posy H ey

?
Roddie lad no word of the old bird up above

Neither hilt nor hair my Lord high nor lo w

said Roddie we have tumbled everything and looked
at all the letters They are naught but Pray for
poor auld S cotland
and
Woe is me fo r a deceitful

heart mostly written from the Bass ! N o t a line

from the st o f G rif R ys lan d which I know very well
as indeed I should having stood his abuse for three
years
.

TH E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

2 64

Ah ,

then said the other

I must as k these
ladies to make prepa rations for depa rture as quickly
as m ay be We have no time to lose and the horses
have fa r to go before the morning !
But La g motioned the speake r a little apart and
with him the th ree othe r young men in the dress of
o fce r s

My Lo rd he said wh y burden ourselves with

the o ld dame ? S he can do no harm here S he only
knows me and Robert Grie r is every man s craw
bogle His cha ra cter i s past praying for in this
r ealm It cannot be hurt Take the pretty wench I
say and the other also for this young fool at my elbow
hath taken a notion to make the acquaintance o f the
pale Puritan from the m o s s h ag s o f M
He
ay e ld
thinks that perhaps he might nd something to s ay to
her by the way that would make her look less whey
faced
Heaven Speed him S he has great need
But for the o ld damewhat use is there ? S he will
only hamper us !

The man wh o had been addressed as My Lord

and whose attire was of a conspicuous plainness as
compared with that o f the militia o fcers held o n his
hand to enforce silence

Yo u are a fool Lag he said

I tell y ou these
a r e not your ne damsels that need but a Marry
come u p to j oin your revels
There are fe w in an y
land to be compared with in beauty with Mist ress Ivie
that I c an swear to
Lag threw up his head and whistled mockingly

S o my Lord is caught also

h e said and pray
in that case what will become o f our poor S t e e v ie
here o n whose behalf we were acting and who was t o
combine at once love and revenge ?

Let S t e e v i e do the be s t he can fo r him self said

My Lord but mind you I will have no insolen ce o r

indignities Hear y e that Robert Grier and your tail !
,

C H A PTE R X X X V I
H OU

STON

I N-T H E-H

O L L OW

was on the thi rd day towa rds evening that the

three women almost s o over weary as to be unconscious
o f themselves were commanded to dismount in front
o f a t all o l d gre y stone house with man y gables and
turrets I t was situated near the sea side for though
s h e could n o t catch a glimpse of the s e a Ivie had felt
the soft pad of sand under h e r horse s feet only a few
minutes before Also s h e had smelt the tang of a salt
sea weedy Shore and the air had freshened m omenta rily
e r e they turned
But the ho u se itself stood fa r back from the bea ch
They made their way in the deepening twilight up a
narrow gully Ivie could s e e that it was wooded to
the top on either side the bare white cliffs showing
bleached and ghastly in the gloaming dusk Then all
at once they came upon the steep wall o f a cliff all
overgrown with little bushes and chance rooted birches
and pines
The place was a manifest oz z l ao s ac
There was no further route for any horse and if the
cliff was scalable for human foot it did not look s o i n
the twilight The cliffs seemed to reach almost to the
zenith and to r ub o u t Cass i opeia herself
They had stayed to rest during the day a t unknown
fa rm houses surrounding them with their armed fol
lowe r s driving all the inhabitant s into the barn o r byre
setting a single guard w i th a musket over them there
and addi n g to the number o f prisoners all wh o ap
This being
proach e d during th ei r pe riod of soj ourn
IT

H O U ST O N

I N-TH E-H O LL O W

267

accomplished My Lord and his par ty took po s session

of the housethe troopers and servitors contenting
themselves with the stables A room was s e t apart
for the three women Food was served mostly only
por ridge and milk made of dark coloured poorly g round
moorland meal for they never stopped nea r a town o r
in the richer and more thickly populated part s of the
country
Thus they had come to their j ourney s end My
Lord ( of whose name they were still ignorant ) hastened
with well bred gravity to assist them to dismount But
the young man slight and dark wh o had been called
S t e e v i e was al ready at Ivie s stirrup
H e had shown
himself throughout the j ourney careful for her wants
and o f a delicacy which the others with their loud
voices and rough ways altogether lacked

Chambers have been prepared for you said My

Lord
I trust that you will have no reason to c o m
plain For me I must bid you good night I have a
little farther to go though not far I hope to have
the pleasure o f seeing you tomorrow at latest also o f
learning from your own lips that you nd your c o n n e

ment here as little irksome as possible

I t was with no little fear that the women saw him
depa rt H e was evidently the m an among them wh o
could by his presence best protect them from the
brutality of Lag and this lawless crew And indeed it
was not long before they found o u t the difference
which the restraint of his presence had made
They were shown by a sullen old woman keen eyed
however and with hair thin and white but very
smoothly braided to a large upper chamber

This She said is to accommodate the young

lady ! S he grinned as s h e nodded towards Ivie

And

you two she added unceremoniously

n ot having

been expected must go a story highe r !

But at this Ivie cried out instantly S he would not
.

2 68

T H E C H E RRY RIBB A N D

on an y con s ide ration be sepa rated fro m h e r friends

and companions They would all stay here perfectly
well The room was large There was a couch which
let down in the S cottish manne r the panels be i ng
c arved of anc i ent bl ack o ak Ivie would gladly t ake
that for herself
The old woman shook he r head doubtfully

I canna tell she said beggars manna be choosers

Ye are no mistress 0 this hoose that I h ae hea r d tell
0
There has been a heap o trouble bringin ye here
bonny lass and noo ye will hae to be a guid bairn and
do as y e are t e l le do r My Lord and S t e e v ie no to

mention S ir Robert will ken the reason wh y !

S he went down stairs and afte r the women had s at
and listened disconsolately enough to the loud clangou r
of excited voices beneath them they heard steps come
out o n the hall There were the sounds o f a violent
quarrel

I tell you I will have my way cried a voice which

was evidently that of Lag

I have put up with My
Lord s megrim s because he i s My Lord but I ll be
hanged drawn and quartered if Robert Grier will be
your lap do g S t e e v ie H ouston after going as far out

of my way to serve you in your revenge !

The house is mine said another voice in a tone

less hectoring
my revenge such as it is i s to my
self And if you have helped m e my brother and I
too have helped you many a time when your purse
was emptie r than it is today when it runs over with
the nes o f all t h e Whigs in three counties
Ivie recognized the voice of the dark Slender young
man wh o had been kind to he r upon the j ourney S he
sighed as the matter grew clea r to her Her father
had slain this man s brother The motive then was
clearly revenge

H ey day cried Lag what a pother about a two

penny jilt Why she cast h e r eyes about h e r f reely
.

TH E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

2 70

the young tomor r ow in the morning though the Ell i

sons were my blood kin half a dozen times ove r !

And My Lord
said S t e e v i e Houston
what
will you answer to him
"

Oh cried Lag what I have answe r ed befo r e I

will answer againthat it is a pity but the thing is
done I tell you neither My Lord nor yet the gov
No
e rn m e n t o f London c an do without Robert Grier
nor will they for many years till there is not a black
Whig in Galloway nor a Whig s canti n g wife nor a
m outhed daughter
Whig s m ealy

I shall have a word to say to that last it was a

new voice which struck in now I see naught amiss
with the m aid Ellison and that I tell y ou to you r
face !
Ho dish clout l roa red Lag l a ugh i ng and ang ry at
once
S t e e v i e is goo d enough and he may have to
answer it in the morning if my anger holds and his
wench obeys not the summons But yo u Sirrah get
you gone o r I will wring your bairn s neck like a three
weeks o l d pullet Brief by all the rents and m ails of
Lag and Rockall by all the Whig nes I ever lifted
if this pretty sham W h ig g ie o f yours
o r hope to lift
does not come to supper with u s tonight I swear to
take out both the old and the young Ellison in the
mo rningboth o ld cow and the young quey and I will
drown them in S olway tide an hour befo r e high water
They have intercommuned They have conventicled
They have fathers and brothers wh o have fo u ght
against the King They have both w r itten and spoken
tre as on I n ne I s wear to do it cost what it will
and come what may Afte r all it is onl y for Mistress

R o s e lips that My Lord cares a button

The door slammed There were no more wo rds on
the landing below only the sound o f a pair o f feet
coming up toward s the room which the three women
still occupied together Ivie pale and dete r min e d
,

H O U S T O N I N TH E H O LL O W
-

27 1

had ri sen and now stood near the window S he

seemed to be busied changing the position of some
weapon covered with a dark leather Sheath S he had
taken it from her garter and now put it carefully in
her bosom Marj ory S impson sitting in her chair
saw the light of the solitary candle glint on a n inch o f
steel as the girl tried a spring to s e e that the blade
slid easily
It was the youn g man wh o had been called S teeve
Houston wh o stood at the door H e was tall Slight
and dark with a pale and delicate face very di fferent
from those robustious riders drinkers and shouters
his brothers according to the esh
o f catches
Though n o w the eldest of the Houston family and the
heir o f his dead brother he yet looked the youngest
by a dozen years

I ask your pardon ladies he began but I am

commissioned t o ask if any of youif Mistress Ivie
R ys lan d in particular would accept of our poor hasty
hospitality I kn ow it must be a thing repe llent after
the way you must think yo u rs e lf t re at e d But but
if you wouldI think it might be wiser S ir Robert
is much set upon it H e is a dangerous enemys o if
o n e o f you

Certainly I will come ! said Ivie her voice clea r

and unmoved not a tremor breaking her calm utter
ance
I shall come down and sup with you Mr
S tephen Houston and with your associates Be good
enough to let these ladies be served here in my cham

ber
A princess could not have said it with more dignity
.

C HA PTE R X X X V I I
T HE D U EL

IN

T H E HA L L

T H E Banqueting hall o f the Great H ouse o f H o u s

ton-i n -the-Hollow was o n e o f those lon g low C hambers,

panelled both as to ceiling and walls with black bog

o ak which had been built tted an d decorated i n the
midst o f the sixteenth century in S cotland j ust as the
feudal castles with their arrow slots and tall gloomy
keeps were one by o n e disappearing and when the
S cottish ch ateau a dapted from the F rench and the
acknowledged child of the Auld A lliance was takin g
its place
Tonight both H ouston i n the Hollow and i ts dining
room were ablaze with light Old S ue F ai rfo u l the
housekeeper wh o during the widowhood o f the pres
ent laird s father was believed to have been r aised to
her respon sible position by ardent favouritism bew ailed
from the bottom o f her miserly heart the extravagance
o f the scores of wax candles which burned in the c an
d e lab ra and the cobwebby bottles o f claret and Bur
gundy that had to be carried in basketfuls up from the
cellar Things were differently ordered in h i s time
But o h these young men !

And a to please that thief o a Rab Grie r s h e

grumbled that near ruinated puir Tam and a to do
honour to this licht o luv e for the sake o wh a s bonny
face he gat a s word s t appit in his vitals S i rce me
set her up
Indeedwas I no bonny yince on a day
o r else mony a yin forbye the laird t e ll e d a lee !
But
nae man was ever brought bloody hame i the m o rn in
,

THE

2 74

C H E R RY RI BB A N D

their beauties o f a night

But something about
the girl arrested the intentionsome subtile s u g
gestion of her father as he unsheathed his Sword
that morning in the Ke rs lan d quarry hole
Ivie Rys lan d had changed greatly of late but s h e
had passed all her life among soldiers and time had
been when a supper party at G rif Rys lan d s mo dest
lodging brought together the bravest men o n the army
rosterthe b ravest and the handsomest
Among
such the daughter o f the host had s at and queened it
proud light hearted unconscious of evil daring quip
and repartee with the buttons o ff the foils and playing
the game of fence with all comers without fear o r
favour
And knowledge like that gained in such fashion

the knowledge h o w beauty and wit in woman

c an make a
little thing o f man is never lost I t
persists in spite of all though it may be unused

ready t o ash o u t like a duelling sword from its

case
Ivie found herself at the hea d o f the table between
S tephen and the Laird o f Lag Beneath them o n S ir
Robert s Side were B au l di e and H urst H ouston both
big hairy giant s great toss pots and oath crackers of
his o wn breed lacking only the innate cruelty o f their
chief to be as celebrated as him self On the other
side next to S tephen s at th e youngest o f all David
Houstonh e wh o had cared for E u ph rain o n the
j ourney and wh o fo r reasons o f temper s t o o d a little
apart from the others being if anything inclined to
his elder brother s party S tephen Houston had dur
ing Tom s noisy reign at Houston i n the Hollow passed
most o f his time in London w h ere he lived quietly o n a
little money which had come t o him from his mother
During this time David had been o f little account but
had been compelled to shout with the multitude wh o
rode o n Lag s errands whether h e like d it o r n o t
.

T HE

IN THE

DUEL

H ALL

275

S ince S t e e v i e s return however and the begi nning of

what promised to be a new dynasty at Houston David
had rallied to h is elder brother s side B au ldie and
Hurst swore that this was for what he could get o u t o f
the cupboard
But really young David had never
taken kindly to the chasing and catching o f neigh
bours o r to the shootings and hangings o f unfortunate
wanderers
Among these strangely assorted men Ivie now
found herself Never had She looked s o tall s o grace
ful and s o perfect in beauty The little Changing
re ak e s in her eyes seemed actually to dance like
j et s which break upward from a tall ame as it icks
in the wind mounts a moment and then vanishes
There was almost a j oy on her face perhaps the same
j oy o f combat which shone more sternly on her
father s countenance o n the eve of battle But in
Ivie s case it tinged her C heeks with R ait h s dawn
pink delicate as the rst ush o f day seen very far
up while her lips were full and fresh with the scarlet
o f pomegranate blossom

It was well done to come down to charm half a

dozen soldiers with your smiles said Lag with h i s

rough half j esting familiarity

though I betted that
o u would accept with pleasure
y

S ir said Ivie you have lost your bet I hope

you will pay it
This was a rst Shot in the white For Lag
though a great gam ester and as full o f random bets
as of unminced oaths found it n ot always s o c o nv e n
i e n t to pay as indeed the late Tom Houston had
found t o his cost

And how m ay I have lost my bet my fair lady ?

laughed Lag seeing that here yo u are l
Yo u wagered according t o your o wn words that
I wo u ld come with pleasure
I came not with an y
pleasure seeing that I am brough t away I know n o t

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

2 76

whe r e a ga in s t my will and summoned as at t h e

sword s point to feast with my enemies

S ay rather w i th your father s enemies mist r ess

said La g
I take i t no o n e o f u s is cruel enough of
heart to be pretty Ivie s enemy !

My fathe r s enemies are mine said the gi rl

but G rif R ys lan d is a soldie r o f fortune an d is wont
t o bear the brunt o f his own enm ities
Yet because
he i s no t here to answe r for him selfwh y I will

Hear ! c ried all the H ouston s together S tephen

alone remaining silent soundly answered Lag Let

us sa
no
more
about
enmity
Drown
it
all
in
a
cup
y
o f claret

With all my heart sai d La g

I would not be
thought s o ungallant as to dispute with s o fai r a neigh
A t least I would p r efe r t o choose the subj ect
bour
o f our disputation ! Will you drink a glass with me

sweet mistress ?

I do not d rink win e said Ivie quietl y but I

will pledge you heartily in water to quit roiste ring
and learn a bette r trade
At th is again the othe rs laughed and Lag wh o s aw
himself worse and worse supported as Ivie s b r ight
smile began to do i t s work at last was fain to j oin
also
Ivi e sat at the table head and th e men one after
the other pledged he r F o r each s h e h ad a glance
and a ready reply S he had stories to tell o f cam
in
Holland
and
sieges
in
t
h
e
Rhine
Provinces
a
i
s
n
p g
t h e Great Prince o f Ora n ge
o f the S tadtholder
the King s soni n law at the mention o f whom even
Lag p ricked up his igno rant ears
S he dominated these men wh o we r e he r captors
and some of whom had thought to bring her among
the m as a s co fng a nd a merry j est S he knew s o
much mo r e than them all put togethe r S he could
talk The re was besides the etern a l witchery of he r
,

'

THE

278

C H E RRY RIBBAN D

ning s he seized the whip by the heavy handle a nd

standing erect she lashed Lag with all her force rst
across o n e side o f the face and then across the other
as if he had been a restive horse
H e sprang at her roaring with Open mouth the
marks o f the thong white across his bloated furious
coun tenan ce
I will kill her the infamous little S ergeant s
wench
he shouted He was almost upon the g irl
when Ivi e drawing back unsh eathed the little dagger
which her father had given her years ago in case
the Prince s camp might be taken by the soldiers of
that Most Christian monarch Louis the Great

Hold s h e cried o n e inch nearer and I pu t thi s

where it will rid the land o f o n e foul rascal

Two of Lag s companions held him back foaming

and stamping with passion

S he struck me he
shouted I tell you I will have her bloodher blood

her blood !
Each time he pronounced the word with increasing
fury

V ery well said Ivie

you c an have my blood if
you can get it
Come my father is n o t here to spit
Y
u
o u need a little blood letting
by
the
look
o
o
f
y
your face N ow I will ght yo u
that is
I a girl
if S ir Robert Grier is n o t afraid

I do not ght with girls he m uttered becoming

suddenly more articulate

o u drown them
No s h e answered scornfully
y
tied to stakes in the rivero r yo u get your brother to
do it which is the safer But I am not afraid I am
no poor Margaret o f Wigtown th at can only chant a
psalm Perhaps I am none the better o f that
But
my father taught m e the sword playaye better sword
play and prettier than that of any petty militia man
wh o can but stick on his horse and slash at c abbages

Come she cried agai n a fter a pause y o u would

,

,
.

She
11 h e r fo

rc e

se z ed

th e

wh i p b y

the h e

y h

a n dl e

an d

las h e d

L ag

vs

TH E C H E RRY RIBBAN D

2 80

Well give him a rapier crie d My Lord no not

that cadger s load of metal t only for a wild Highland
But something
m an to heave up and cry Claymore
like this dainty and light like a pen i n the hand of a

ready writer ! Ah that is be tter !

H e turned to Ivie bowing cou rteously

I offer you mine he said it is a good bl a de a nd

has been t ried Theremeasure it with the other
They agree to a hair ! Well sir though my p ri ncipal
i s of a sex that seldom puts nger to steel I th i nk I
c an promise y ou no advantage if all that is true that
I heard from the o fce r s o f H is Maj e s ty s Royal r egi

ments of D ragoons !
My Lord Liddesdale now thoroughly in his element
bade the Houstons clear away the dining table put
t ing it to one side and distributing the lights s o as t o
fall equally At last the unusual combatant s were put
into position Lag now recovered from his wine was
perfectly drunk with anger and fury His eyes in
je c t e d an d his hand trembling he listened without
answering to the taunt s of Liddesdale

Of course S ir Robe rt even nowif y ou would

rather have anothe r taste o f the whip and prefer that
I should tell the matter to my Lords at the Council
table! ueensberry and Tarbet and to the o f cers of
His Maj esty

Blood and death Lag spluttered I will kill the

wench and then I will kill yo u M
Lord
S
ecretary
y
That at least will Shut your m ouththough
o f S tate
I s wing for it

Ah a better spirit cried My Lo rd

on guard
then while his valorous t lasts !
The duel was fought in the long low dining room
o f Houston i n the Hollow
Ivie wore the simple dress
in which she had been carried off from the cottage
in Canti c Bay o nl y fas tening u p he r Sleeve s to the
e lbow

T H E D U E L I N T H E HA L L

28 1

Lag thoroughly infuriated by the pain and shame

of the lash and stung still more by the quips and
threat s of Lord Liddesdale fell to with instant fury
waiting for no formalities At rst he tried to use
his superior height striking blindly scarcely stopping
to defend at all but continuing to attack with a c on
c e n t rat e d fury
Ivie whose instruction from her father had been
continuous from the time when she had searched for
t all reeds out of the Friesland mars h es to fence with
bea rded swordsmen of a dozen German principalities
could h ave played with this considered me rely as
fencing But Lag s superior strength and the fury in
which he was compelled her to keep strictly to the
defensive at least till she had tired the edge of the
attack
The men stood about uncertainly wat ching save
only Hurst who acted as Lag s Second and My Lord
who took the direction o f the whole combat both as
being the man rst in rank and also as having had by
far the greatest experience o f such events From the
crossing of the blades he saw that Ivie stood in no
danger Her command o f her weapon was perfect
and almost without appearing to move s h e used the
slender blade so that it became an impenetrable buck
ler which this strong and furious man tried in vain to
break through !
His ill success made Lag yet angrier and like a
chained mastiff which sees his enemy but cannot reach
him his words now came in sputtering bursts of
foulest abuse

Enough said Ivie S hall we say the right arm ?

That will keep him the longest out o f mischief ?
And the next moment after a feint low in tierce
Ivie ran her adversary through the shoulder j ust below
where the right arm is bound to the shoulder blade
Lag s rapier fell rin ging to the oor and he himself
,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

28 2

suddenly fai nt slipped sideway s into the a rms of Hurst

and his brother A r chibald The colour went slowly
from his face but the anger deepened an d da rkened
on h is brow

uick
he
cried
give
me
a
pistol
and
I
will
end
!

i t to be run through by a girla girl !

But such
a girl ! said My Lord
Wh y m an
drink down a goblet of Burgund y to he r health and
pick up heart ! I would hold it an honou r
A girl
s but I will wager my lands there is not the like o f
e
y
her in S cotland
By the King s head if I were not
wedded to a wife that is much like to outlive mebut
I beg your pardon Mistress Ivie m y tongue run s
from my sense ! And I have no desire to try the
temper o f m y o wn steel wielded by your fai r a r m

And n o w he cried shake hands and fo rgive !

Ah but yo u must s i r
I f you do not I swea r I will
have it all over the country tomorrow ! I f you do and
bear the lady no grudge I wa rrant yo u o n my honou r
that no o n e here shall ever mention it You are a
man in the way of rough usage and have had a
tough ride of it these last days Yo u might very well
have gotten your hurt in a ru fe with a score of Skulk
ing Whigs as you came through the Muir o f Talla l

Out with your hand man o r never mo r e be o i c e r o f

mine !
And s o thus it came to pass that that night the
rst o f h e r I mpri sonment at Houston in the Hollow
Ivie Rys lan d did with a good heart take t he hand o f
h e r father s enemy S ir R obert Grier of Lag
,

'

*6

I n ve minutes afterwa rds she was sobbing he r

heart o u t o n the shoulder o f Marj ory S impson

Oh
it i s no use s h e cried
I am j ust the
girl I used to be and I thought I should be so
different It is all no use

Tell me said Marjory quietly patting her shoul

,

C H A PTE R X X X V I I I
I V IE

HA N D

IS

KI

SS E D

YO U Shall answer to m e for this

cried Lag m y
y ou wh o s e t the S h e cat

Lord o f Liddesdalei t was

upon me !
His Lo rdship waved his hand slightingly

All in good time friend he said when y o u ar e

well over the s h e cat s present scratches I ma y h u
mour you s o far at least as to chastise you fo r call
ing a lady by such a name In the meanwhile S i r
Robe rt Grier of Lag yo u are a young man and I par
don yo u much but be good enough n o t to forget that
I am His Maj esty s S ecretary o f S tate and as such
have a right to commit all brawlers and peace breakers
t o the King s prison

Also said Lag with a s n e e r all such as uplift

and carry o ff women against their will

The S ecretary laughed and bending over r egarded
with interest the work o f Roddie Lag s condential
serving man who with hands and teeth was pau sing
and bandaging the wound o f his maste r with as much
calmness as if it had been an everyday task o r more
exactly an accident which had befallen o n e o f the
troop horses on the march

Ah he said
you forget S ir Robert I am ac
countable only to the King I have my duty t o per
form and I have my own ways o f doing it I f I rode
to Canti c Bay to arrest a notorious duellist an d the
slayer o f the Laird o f Houston your friend an d my
neighbour who is there in S c otland to nd fault with
,

I V I E S HAND I S KI SS ED

28 5

me ? And if I gave these ladies my company it was

because I was o n my way home to Kin gsberry and to
my Lady the Countess Also it was no light thing
to leave a trover s o precious in the hands o f half a
dozen reckless blades like S t e e v i e there and the Laird

o f Lag
A n d does your Lordship m ean to stay he r e in this
house of Houston in the Hollow and guard this pre
c io u s treasure in person
asked Lag
S urely in
time His Maj esty s service might begin to suffer

What Robert cried my Lord Liddesdale smil

ing thou art a wit Getting a lady to send a little
steel through your shoulder begins to purge you o f
gross humours But I will ease your mind Late as
i s the hour and weary as the ladies must be I propose
to conduct them immediately to Kingsberry with a

tting retinue

I t is a great honour snee r ed Lag but I am

not sure that Captain G rif R ys l an d will s e e it in
that light
Or let m e add my Lady the Countess of
Liddesdale when s h e comes to hea r o f it

As for Captain G rif R ys lan d I cannot answer

said the Earl smiling but fo r the Countess I am
better informed being the bearer of an invitation o n
her behalf and a prayer that the three ladies shall i n
s t an t l
y repair to Kingsberry as her guests
The Countess
at Kingsberry

Certainly said My Lord

S t e e v i e be go od
enough t o order o u t your men to attend us Bid your
brothers get fresh horses Provide three suitable for
the ladies and light me yourself to the ladies cham
ber O rstay First dispatch that unamiable an
cient housekeeper to s ay that his Excellency the S ec
re t ary o f S tate wishes a word with them and prays
that they will pardon the lateness o f the hour and the
instancy o f the request which only the unusual nature

of the circumstances could excuse

,

TH E C HE RR Y RI BB A N D

2 86

With a very doleful countenance S tephen H ouston

obeyed He called his brothers now sobered by the
Sha rp encounter o f which they had been witnesses and
still more by the unexpected appearance o f thei r po w
S ue
e rfu l neighbour amongst them so inopportunely
F airfo u l departed upstairs to prepare the ladies for the
S ecretary s visit and Lag whom Roddie had tu r ned
o u t a nished article looked at everyone with a malig
nant eye He was already meditating a revenge which
would settle all scores at o n e blow I t was a good
thing he reected that he was s o near his o wn coun
try If his shoulder mended fast he could easily call
up hi s men now scattered in a score o f little garrisons
and afte r thatwell the egg was in his brain but the
serpent s brood was not yet hatched

cried My Lord looking at him curiously

S t e e v ie

why so sobe r lad ? Have you not seen enough to

know that men do not wreak vengeances o n women ?
Revenge your brother s death o n G rif R ys lan d an yo u
will That is your right
But by the King s head
it must not be o n his daughter ! What a girl S t e e v ie !
What a pe arl among all girls
D id yo u See her pick
her place and send my little Frenchman home into
Lag s shoulder like a marksman pinning the gold o f
the target
But S tephen H ou s ton still stood Silent looking
down My Lord patted him o n the back with a some
what unusual gentleness

May I never pull cork again he cried

if I do
not believe that o u r little S tephen s heart i s touched
Wel l but it will n o t do S t e e v ie ! After all there is
T o m and it is your duty t o have that matter o u t with
Captain G rif I f he fences better than his daughter
I fear your chances are n o t great But yo u c an always
choose the pistol The trigger even s skill not a little
But seriously was there ever such a girl Since this
ancien t realm o f th e S cot s rose o u t o f the sea
Her
,

T H E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

288

he might wish to send to his late fai r a nd g allan t

antagonist
By this time S ue Fai rfo ul with an amusingly af
fronted aspect conveyed to her master the intelligence

that the persons in the great chaumer were p r e

pared t o speak with My Lord

Guide u s to the ladies apartment then house

keeper o rdered Liddesdale

S o they took their way
upst ai rs S ue Fairfo u l ( now much more foul than
fair as to the expression of her face ) preceding them
in each hand a tall wax candle in a silver can dlestick
Next came My Lord and followed him S tephen
Houston an expression o f r ooted gloom o n his s allow
countenance and the shadows thrown b y the lights
deepening his con s titutional melancholy
They went upstairs to the large chamber in which
they found Marj ory S impson E u ph rain and Ivie The
three women sto o d fully d ressed near the replace
Mother and daughter were close together and Ivie
now ve ry pale had withd r awn a li ttle deepe r into the
shade
My Lo rd bowed low a nd then looked at S tephen
Houston as if at a loss how to proceed

Pray int r oduce me to these ladies he s ai d a t

length

This is his Excellency the Earl of Liddesdale

S ecretary o f S tate for S cotland and Lieutenant Gen

eral o f the Kingdom said S tephen wea rily

First then
Said My Lord I must apologise
for disturbing you s o untimeously but what I have to

s ay cannot well be put o ff

That we are weary is true answe r ed Marj ory

S impson
that we are ignorant o f the cause of o u r
present treatment is also true
But since the affair
has been carried out with the knowledge an d by the
assist ance o f Lord Liddesdale we are ready to hea r
what he may have to s ay to u s !
.

'

IS

I V I E S HAN D

KI SS E D

2 89

The Earl winced a little at what Marj ory s wo rds

implied

With the knowledge yes he said

but what
I did was meant to save you from worse things And
now ( his voice suddenly recovered its cheerfulness ) I
have the honor to convey to yo u the invitation o f my
wife the Lady Countess o f Liddesdale that you shall
immediately place yourself under her protection and
accept of her hospitality at our Castle in Kingsberry
It is only a matter of a short mile I have ordered a
suitable escort a litter for madam the Lady of May
eld and ponies for the younger ladies !

We are at the Countess s service said Marj o ry

S impson
but I would have your Excellency note
that I am no Lady o f M
but only the wife o f
ay e ld

William Ellison farmer in that place

I crave pardon I but used the ancient S cottish

style
smiled the Earl
If your husband i s the
Laird of M
ay e l d yo u are the Lady thereof
For
give me it is the custom o f our cou n tryside here
if not o f yours
More than once he looked across to where Ivie
stood still very pale the traces of tears yet on her
face S he remain ed silent however and the Earl for
bore any desire to compliment her o n her perform ance
in the dining room

S he has been overst rained he thought

a week
o f Barbara will s e t that right 1
But as he went o u t with the words In ve minutes

all will be r eady he made Ivie a bow o f special grace

an d depth
Torches of resin and tow dipped in pitch and bound
about with little wire baskets were blazing in front o f
the house of Houston in the Hollow throwing a weird
glow as of c o n ag rat io n into the unblinded windows
of the main staircase As the torch bearers C hanged
their po sitions without the shadows of the bannisters

THE

29 9

C H ER RY RI BBAN D

danced a weird dance and old S ue Fairfo u l w i th the

pair of silve r candlesticks in her hands grimaced like
o n e o f S atan s own witches muttering curses amid the
C urses s h e was indeed
icke ring ames o f the pit
repeating as fast as her tongue could trip it Yet
these were most strangel y mingled with blessings and
God speeds Fo r was not the bonny face of Ivie Rys
land for the sake of which o n e o f he r r oaring lads had
already perished on the point of departing foreve r
from under the roof o f Houston i n the Hollow

And the invitation o the Countess ? S h e mut

t e re d
a likely sto ry ! But far be it f rae auld S ue
F ai rfo u l to contra it s e e in that the hoose will be weel
rid 0 her afore She h as completely cast the glamour
ower puir Maister S t e e v i e whilk s h e was doin o h I
ken it weel ! Already he i s gaun aboot like a new
speaned calf that has nocht but the kitchen dish clout
to sook
The three women came down the stair the two
girls supporting on either side the t ired steps o f Mar
j ory S impson
Ivie had recovered her courage and
some of her colour somehow s h e always did s o in the
company of men whose mere presence braced her to
Show he r self at her best and this wholly without
coquet ry o r taki ng o f thought
The door o f the great dining room was open as they
passed and s h e could s e e Lag lying o n a couch with
Roddie his man still bending over him Ivie stepped
quietly to the porch and laying her hand on the lintel

said
S ir Robert I am sorry that yo u are wounded

H umph growled Lag without s o m uch as look

ing at her yo u will be sorrier yet o n e day

Come away said My Lord

the wild boar is a
noble beast but when it comes to courtesy he were a
fool wh o would expect more from him than a grunt
They were standing in the hall the horses stamp
ing impatiently without in the unaccustomed glare o f

TH E C H E R RY RIBBAN D

29 2

you r self ? Were it not better to come ove r to the

the Countess to morrow and have it o u t with all the
form s

No said S tephen hea r me out ! S hamefully

was this true maid brought to this house o f Hou ston
m y house ! But I wish her to know ere s h e leaves
it that if at any time She has need of the life of the
sword or of the heart and hand o f S tephen H ouston
they are hers and hers aloneas his most humble and
loving respect are hers now and always ! I bid y ou

good night my sweet lady !

And going forward he bent o n one knee and kissed
I vi e s hand before every o n e the Serving men stand
ing gaping as at a play and h i s brothers like j ealous
rivals in the wings muttering to each other behind
their hands

That was the burden

S t e e v i e always was a fool
o f their speech
Naturally it was My Lord wh o rst recovered
himself

Good lack S t e e v i e
he cried
this is public
enough and I s e e not that any o f the form s have been
omitted But as fo r the lady s answer good S t e e v ie
it would not be kind to press her S he is wearied
S he has lost a father wo n a lover and pinked a King s
o fcer all in the space o f a hundred miles That is
surely enough to entitle the lady to speak when it
pleases her S o come to m orrow for your answer but
not betimes I Shall see to i t I mean the Countess
will that the lady sleeps late But ride over fo r your
four hours S t e e v i e and your answer Shall be waiting
You shall have my good word so far as that may
-

I will not My Lord said S tephen H ouston

abruptly
I know my answer already I but wished

to make the lady such amends as I could

Tush man said My Lord

tis bad enough and
,

I V I E S HAN D I S KI SS ED

29

foolish enough to take a wo m an s NO after it has been

repeated a dozen times over But to invent it fo r
yourself that touches the very nadir of folly S t e e v i e
s o my lady Countess will expect you t o morrow fo r

your four hours Do not disappoint her

My compliments to the Lady Countess said

but S h e will expect in vain

S t e e v ie

cried My Lord
I overlook the rude
S t e e v ie
ness of the form in consideration o f the perturbation
of your spirit But in any case help the ladies to
mount Let me conduct yo u madam to your litter
Davie where are your manners
Help Mistress Eu
You were forward enough upon the j ourney
ph rain
But no declarations d [a S t e e v i e mind Or we Shall
all have the devil to pay to morrow with cold in our
windpipes
Then S tephen Houston his head bare helped Ivie
to her saddle Neither spoke nor looked at each
other and with a c ry from My Lord and a wild swing
ing of torches to make them burn the brighter the
procession led away into the dark S tephen stood
on the topmost step and watched them o u t of sight
his eyes on o n e slender gure He watched motion
less till the glare had become but a smoky loom and
last o f all only the faintest S karro w in the s ky ruddy
ing the low lying clouds o f night

C H APTE R X X X I X
LAG

T A KE S

OU N S E L

T H E N S tephen H ouston turned and went i ndoors

O ld S ue F ai rfo u l m et him and shook a trembling hand
in his face

This is m ore than enough s h e cried

to make
your poor murdered brothe r turn in his gravethat
ye should speak such words to that soldier s b ussie
Instantly S tephen was himself again H e was glad
to be angry

That reminds m e he said

I warn you to t urn
out o f this to morrow You have been overlong about
the House o f H ouston A pension and a c o t in which
decently to hide your head yo u Shall have But be
ready with your accounts and your keys to morrow I
will receive them myself
And S usan F airfo u l that has carried them fo r

thirty year what o f her ? said the o l d woman fum

bling with the tinkling bunch at her girdle

But waes
me new men new manners ! I do o t l e s s ye will be
getting the house ready for the new mistress But
ye ll hear a tale o f o r twa o r ye are we d S olway side

is a ne country to be married in

Yo u at least shall be ten miles from H ouston

said S tephen and if you come nearer fo r any pur

pose whatever I swea r yo u shall lose your pen

Si on
After S tephen had gone up to his room ( from whence
he looked long in the direction o f the Earl s Castle o f
Kin gsberry ) Lag called softly to h is manservant
.

T H E C H ERRY RIBBAN D

29 6

been a faithful servant Roddie and never turned

squeamish o r questioned my will I will tell you Rod
die the more that ye may have a shrewd guess as
to what had better be done But as far as I c an
s e e Roddie if only I could travel I could trap the
And my j ustice s warrant could stand as good to
lo t
do for them in front o f a ring party before ever My

Lord could lift a nger to Sign a pardon

Roddie listened with his ear turned a little towards
his master
H e was somewhat deaf but like many
such he would have died rathe r than o wn it

I f you r H onour is inclined to let him hear the bit

enclosure he said
Roddie is ready to listen !

This it is then said Lag putting his hand into

the breast of his coat and draw i ng o u t a thin pocket
book which as his most precious possession contain
ed his commission to pursue and take and if need be
to shoot after summary trial by authority o f the King
any refusing the Test o r otherwise rebels against his
authority
Lag looked lovingly at this document
and read the last clause aloud

A u a wi t u po we r t o s h oo t aft e r s u mma ry t r i a l
,

a ny re be ls ag a i ns t

h is

a u t h ori ty

That
he said
covers the case
all the

cases !

And the letter ? said Roddie wh o was noted for

keeping steadily t o the matter in hand whethe r it
might be the trail o f a moss hag wanderer o r the de
pluming o f a pigeon at the ca ri e s when in their chosen

tave rn the men at arm s played las qu e n e t or picquet

Lag looked around cautiously and inclined h is
ear to the door
"

S ee that no one is about he said and that soft

head S t e e vi e gone to his bye bye The others I

know have not returned

Roddie went to the door
Old S ue Fai rfo u l was
still lin gering uncertainly about the hall whom Roddie
,

LAG TAKE S C O U N S E L

29 7

ordered instantly upstairs for a spying Old witch ad

ding such othe r compliments as occurred to him

Then ye will may be Open the door and s erve

the gentrice if they come in c ryi n fo r mulled wine

this raw unkindly night S h e retorted standing her

ground or rather trying to do so But Lag s roar
from his couch like a tiger from his lair frightened
her upstairs grumbling under her b re at h

Roddie
said Lag that wife has gotten her
fee and her leave S he s S awt an s ain darlingbut
bound to ken a heap about the house 0 H o u s
s h e is
t o n considering the nature 0 her service in the old
Laird s timeaye and Tam s t o omuch about My
Lord t o o doubtless Did ye hear S t e e v i e the cuif ?
He is feared 0 her o r he would never have forbidden
her to come within ten miles 0 Houston ! What
S hall we settle her in auld Lucky Bidde n s
s ay ye ?
yett house ? It will cost but little and s h e will see nae
mair than s h e is paid to s e e What think ye Roddie

We ll s e e we ll s e e Laird
answered that

privileged attendant
but let us hear the letter It
will not take lang to read by the look o f i t there s

but l ittle ink wasted I m thinking !

With that Lag Opened out and read the last i n fo r
mation of Beattie Ellison traitor
I have writ the above inclosure m ore for the pub
lic eye not knowing wh o may be in your company when
this comes to your hand But I add a private word to
tell you rst that G ri f Rys lan d and Raith the dragoon
sometime soldiers o f the King have treacherously
united to release the prisoners o n the Bassamong
others Mr Peden S teel of L e s m ah ag o Gray of
Chryston ( the younger ) H oly Peter Pat ie s o n and o t h
ers All t hese with Rys lan d and the dragoon are now
o n their march southwestward
having landed o n the
coast nea r to D unbar as I h ave t h is morning received
informations Believing that this may be o f i mm e di
,

T HE

29 8

C H E RR Y RI BB A N D

ate value to you to kno w I send it by special messen

ger trusting that you will not forget to ai d with
your good word and support the advancement which
I s o greatly desire from m y Lords o f the Council and
I subscribe myself your Honour s ve ry humble
so

obedient s e rvt B E

The cursed two faced fox said Rodd ie

S ee
S ir Robert he never names his father and brother as
having escaped also from the Bass But he will not let
a sin gle tear t rickle when we catch them through his
informations and s e t them up ag ainst a w al l with the
black mouth s o a dozen musket s g lowe rin at them
I only wish he was in the middle 0 the r aw ! I am
acquaint wi y ae lad that wad weeze a bullet through
the wrat ch wi pleasure

A weel aweel said Lag wh o in his p ri v acies

with Roddie dropped familiarly into the vernacular

let the ill thriven pout alane It s the auld birds we

want t o get our ngers upon When c an I mount and

ride Roddie that s the question ?

A sawbones o r a soldier s O pinion ? asked R o d

die eyeing his mast er quaintly
Hang yo u I want y o u r opinionhow often must
I s ay th at over you deaf auld bald pated tying post

Well ret urned Robbie as imperturbably as if he

had not heard his maste r speak then I think t h at

there s no gr eat harm done
I t was a clean lunge
weel j udged

Hang the j udgm ent o f it ! said Lag

Weel j udged and straight as an arro w ! But ye
ken there wasna the wecht o a man ahint it I t will
be a twa three days afore ye can raise y our ai rm abun e
your heid S ir Robert but I s e e nocht to hinder ye to
mount and ride the m o m gin ye like YC will mak
some gye dour faces when the beast jirg s ye ower the
stanes but what matters that ? Ye will lceve and loup
dykes fo r a that And whatna a haulPeden the
,

'

T H E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

3 00

Ah said Lag with a erce grin you and I will

have something to lay at the feet o f beauty which will
surprise her ah Roddie

Aye quoth Roddie her father s head ! I s aw

Mr Cameron s c u t off o n the day of Ayr s Moss
Earl s h all gave a lad about m y size a guinea for doing
it
,

C HAPTER
KI

XL

N G S B E R R Y ON T H E H I LL
-

L ATE as was the hour the many windowed front of

Kingsberry blazed with light It was in situation
in plan and in surroundings a pe rfect contrast to
Houston in the Hollow
It might t ly have been
"

named Kingsberry o u the Hill

It was o f an alto
gether newer time having been commenced i mm e di
ately before the Civil War s and nished immediately
after them More English than S cottish with a front
all windowed standing on a pi ano n ooi le with wide
stone staircases numberless turre ts crow stepped as
the sole concession to the national taste massed and
uted chimneys and a great hall a hundred and
fty feet longsuch were the prominent features of
Kingsberry But as the cavalcade approached that
dark night the windows with their numberless lights
and the great Open hall door aloft on its terrace rst
took the eye
Happily as the Earl had said it was no long way
from Houston to his Castle palace o f Kingsberry He
had sent on a servant before him to order all to be in
readiness and also to warn My Lady
The Lady Countess o f Liddesdale stood at the top
o f the steps to receive her guests
S he was a woman
of great height reputed in the country to be a match
for any man at wrestling or s t i c u ffs
S he was
counted eccentric and being a daughter of the late
almost royal Duke o f Rothesay s h e could afford to say
and do the most extravagant things without question
-

T H E C H E RRY RIBBAN D

30 2

I t was even repo rted among the vulgar th a t the whole

relation of husband and wife was on an unusual
footing and that more than once the lady had been
known to inict corporal chast isement upon her erring
mate when he stayed out late But as this was likely
to be merely a tale suggested by the relative sizes o f
husband and wife when seen togethe r little credence
need be given to it They were always o n the most
affectionate terms in public and what mo r e need any
o n e requ i re

T h is said the Earl introduc in g Marj ory S impson

a e l d in Galloway
i s the wife o f the Lai rd o f M
y

And none the worse that the goodman wears a

bonnet said the Lady o f Liddesdale forbye he is a

Whig Fo r which I think all the better 0 him and of
you also Whiles I am som ething 0 a Whig mysel
but I am terrible troubled with the auld Adam Ye
have heard o f my father and his father before him
auld Duke Rothesay I t s terrible hard to keep the
esh in order wi forbears like them And this will be
your daughter what s her name E u ph rain pre
serve u s what a nam e I t s like the folk that David
used to sing the Psalms to S elah and S higgaion and
Siclike

And this said her husband p resenting his C hief

guest in a lull Mistress Ivie R ys lan d the daughter

o f Captain G rif R ys lan d late Governor o f the Bass

The Lady o f Liddesdale took Ivie by both shoulders
dre w her unde r a great branched candlestick and
looked at her carefully and long

S ic a din as there has been about ye lassie s h e

said a the men folk clean daft And him my fait h
he couldna bide to take his chack o f dinne r in peace
but m aun mount and ride to fetch ye here as soon as

he kenned that I was at the castle

Hush Meg
began he r husband putt i ng o u t h is
hand t o stop her
,

39

THE

C H E R RY RIBBAN D

priv ate chaumer and warn the Earl to keep oot o t h e

road
S he took Marj o ry s arm in a friendly manne r as
s h e conducted her into he r o wn r oom
We have good Presbyterian prayers every mo rn

ing s h e said in a lowered voice

Honest Mr East
wood him that was outed in the year S ixtyh e was
o u r parish minister
and used to rebuke my faither
Rothe say ( caa ed the Young Deil ) soundly for his
o n g au n s afte r the King came back and a his foreign
sculdudde ry wi him Rothesay aman g the rest ! And
though there has been a word o r twa aboot the Oaths
and t akk in the Test and siclike guid Maiste r East
wood has bidden quiet here in Kingsberry and
neve r been meddled The S ecreta ry pretends neve r
to see him when they meet in the libra ry Or if
there are ither folk there he cries Librarian seek
me the Manusc ri pt volume 0 my Lord the Earl o
Rochesterhis ballants
And then Mr Eastwood

answers briskly I ndeed M y Lord that will I not

and black shame should sit on you r brow to ask fo r
All which passes well enough F o r then
s i c a thing
the guidman can e en shrug his Shoulders and say
ahint his hand He is an original that my wife Meg
likes to keep about he r
S he is Rothesay s daughte r
ye ken
In the m idst o f these c o n de n c e s Mr Eastwood
himself a sedate white haired old man of about sixty
having entered proceeded to perform family worship
with much reverence and true devotion s o that even
critical E u ph rain owned to having been e di e d
As soon as the good man had nished My Lady

said to him And now Mr Eastwood here is a pleas

ant task Will you conduct these ladies wh o are o f
o u r persuasion and s e e that they get their breakfast
The S ecretary will take his alone And as for me
if I put o ff any longe r going up to s e e the lass that
,

KI NG S BERRY

ON

T HE

HI

LL

305

stickit my Lord s rapier through the shoulder o f

Roarin Rob Grier I de c lare I shall perish for the want
like a young wife g ran in g for sowens
o t

9E

16

9E

9*

le

'

Weel
said the bold Countess when She had
heard Ivie s sto ry
ye had need to be b ai th a bonny
and a clever lassyour lad is sure to be hanged your
fai ther like to be and yoursel wi wild Rob Grier on
your track and half the drucken tear the winds in the
country But cannily and kindly lass and you and
mewe ll wear the kye intil the by re yet !
The
lambs are no a deid because the tod is on the hill
Ivie held perforce to her bed by the commands o f
the countess sipped delicately at the tea which the
great lady prepared with her own hands as if she had
been accustomed to it all her life without the least
idea that it cost six g u ineas a pound

Certes lass said the Countess as S h e watched

her ye might do waur than settle ower by with yon

lad S t e e v i e Houston Ye could wind him about your
nger What garred ye fancy the dragoon at ten
shillings S cots a day
But wherefore blush
Gin a
maid s fancy be not free s h e had better be a slave
among the indel Turks ! But frankly the thing

passes me lass

Well said Ivie now at her ease it j ust hap

pened I began by mocking and lightlying him and
then he answered well and featly and mo destly so in
the end I could not but listen Then I liked to hear
him After that he left all and was cursed by his

father ( not by his mother ) because o f following me

Well might he do that cried the Lady Liddesdale

were I a man I declare I would have done the same
father mother and all !

Then on the Bass we were much together and

the days were long and blue And somehow he grew
to be different from all the world and when I was

20

T HE

36 6

C H ER RY RI BBAN D

blown over the rock he th r ew him self afte r me i nto

the s e a and was most hea rt broke when he found me
not Then again after that we found o n e another
and for a littleit seemed as if I could com e to love

him i fI had had t i me !

Then said My Lady quickly

you have no t
yet told him

N o o said Ivie slowly

butI have a guess

that he k nows !

No t he
cried the Countess
I ll wager he is of
your modest breed that I never could abide ! Con
c e it and youth Should go together in a young man
You s ay he is handsome
Ivie nodded the fain test smile o f malice about her
lips

Not so handsome as my father that of course

B u t handsom e yes !

After what fashion ? demanded La dy Liddes

dale
Tallr uddy of cheek hair which curls and shoul

ders broad said Ivie

The soldier s coat suits him

well enough ! But it was not for that I loved him !

F o r what then gi rl ?
Why you s e e with other men all was easy
Ivie
paused to think
They followed like sparrows when
o n e i n g s crumbs in the snow
But he was shylike
a deer looki ng at you o u t o f the wood Yet bold
enough with men and a good ghter which is his
trade but with m e Shy as a maid in short kirtles It
became a delight to m e only to walk by his side an d
hear him stammerthat is till suddenly he found h is
tongue And because he has a white skin one could
s e e a little pulse in his neck uttering away by itself
"
and by that yo u know how fast his heart beat

No o n e e v e r did that for m e sighed the Count

ess
yet I like to hear it
Tis an e xe rc is e I love

more than Mr Eastwood s

,

T H E C H ERRY RI BB A N D

30 8

Why said Ivie lying back o n the pillow an d

r esting her head between her hands indeed I hardly

remember I t is s o long ago I t began I thi nk
about my eyeshis were blue I remember

Ah you remember that do you ? said the

Countess I begin to think that there was nothing s o
very wonderful about it after all

And my lips h e said Ivie stammered

but it

is folly I cannot repeat it !

Go on cried the Coun tess

it is good even to
be made love to at second hand More Shame to an
old woman wh o should be at her prayers
H e said that my lips were not cherry red like those
o f country girls but like the little akes o f pink which

o n e sees above the gold of the dawn !

I never saw it except when we were coming

home from the King s water parties at Hampton and
then I was too sleepy or else had to lecture James
about his conduct with the maids of honour S till it is
marvellousfrom a country lad But you must have

taught him ?
Ivie smiled upon the pillows lazily reminiscent

Perhaps s h e said but it is in him to begi n with

The otherswh y mostly o n e has to awake their v o
c ab u lar
with
a
horsewhip
y

As yo u did fo r Roaring R ob ove r at H ouston

last nightwellthat is not all I s e e it in your

smile

I had some broom i n my hair o n e day Ivie pro

with the same curious far away smile

I
c e e de d
thought it would become me and tease himit was
foolishbut then it was s o lo n g ago I was m u s /2

younger then

By h o w many month s ? said her Ladyship o f Lid

de s dal e

Ando n e does not thinkI threw him a little

Chaplet o f it
I t fell in the dust at his feet
.

KI NG S BERRY

ON T H E
-

H I LL

36 9

S top don t tell me cried the Lady Liddesdale

I know what he did with it

Yes was it not foolish of him for o f course

broom o u ri s h falls o ff s o easily Yo u cannot carry it
that way !

Ah sighed Margaret o f Roth e say daughter of a

ducal house doubtless it was foolish o f him But

then he was young
And alas he will grow wiser
But I am not sure that yo u will like it better when he
does My dear it i s only ugly women who remain

young and foolish all their lives !

X LI

C H APTE R
T HE

HA U N TE D HA G S

OF

W EA R Y

CR A I G

N OW i t

chanced that at the very moment appointed

for the departure of the four riders from the heights
of Barnton Heuch above the Cove o f Can t ie Bay
there appea r ed one o n the scene wh o has hitherto kept
wilfully in the backg round of this history
tho u gh
his commercial schemes and applian ces for the us e o f
the distressed have more than once been found of
v alue
This was no other than P rayerful Pete r But it
was a very different Peter from the retiring an d
respectful person whom G rif and Raith had seen at
the Bass o r upon rare visit s to the m ainland Wild
of aspect piteous and quiver i ng o f mouth he laid s o
violent a hold upon G rif R ys l an d that the hand of
that quick tempered soldier twitched to administe r a
buffet

What is it ? he demanded
do you not see man

we are already mounted fo r a j ou rney ?

No j ourney do ye gang no on e 0 ye till ye h ae
satised my j ust and lawful claim s
cried Praye rful

Peter The besoms that I t reated like queensyea

like the daughters 0 kings ( you yoursel being witness
Mr G rif R ys lan d ) hae left me mou rning like the
al i c t e d dove
They hae gane wit h oo t paying board
and lo dgi n four callendar months and near o n to ve
Since I saw the colour o f their siller ! And the guid
sawmont and the grilse the s e a s h and the at s h
herrin fresh frae S ant Ande r s Bay and saithe off the
,

T H E C H E RRY RIBBAN D

312

wills We are going to nd them

I f you like
you c an come with us and s o make sure o f your

money !

H e must p r ovide himself with a horse then

c ried the elder of the S impson s

Our father c an

spare no more from the farm work

Come cried Peter that will I speedily if s o be

that at the j ourney s end ye promise me satisfaction
for my outlays and troubles of mind endured both by

me and my nephew !
Prayerful Pete r was as good as his word H e had
a pony hidden away somewhere in some secret cove
fo r in ten minutes he had overtaken them
o r ravine
riding none s o ill for a man o f his years and weight

Now said G rif who was still feeling his inj uries
in Spite o f the easy riding qualities o f Mistress S imp

son s S abbath Peat barrow

hearken to m e Master
Peter For the sake o f lucre you have forced you r
self upon u s

To recover my j u st du e s l said Peter

also to
further the Cause o f the Oppressed

Now S ir
continued G ri f R ys land sternly
you must do as you are biddenride and halt with
the others keep your tongue still and fret us with n o
complaints That is if you do not want to be left at a
dyk e b ack with the corbies pykin g at you r b an e s l
Mind I have not forgotten my old trade Pete r !
O f course G rif said this to intimidate their compau
ion Fo r they all j udged it better to take him with
them on such term s than to leave Prayerful Peter to
run the country pouring the tale o f his losses into
every ear
On the j ourney it came to be a m atter o f course that
Peter who was acquainted with every inch of the
ground and who from his experience in evading the
authorities could keep well o ff the highways o f tra f c
was allowed to go on ahead pointing o u t the ground
.

,
.

HAUNTED H AG S

OF

C RAI G WEARY

3 13

along which the party was to pass and in general act

ing as advance guard
It Seemed sometimes to Raith as if Peter took rather
too much upon himse lf and as if upon more than one
occasion he intentionally delayed them under pretext
o f a dangerous passage or a troop of horsemen cross
ing the valley on their way to the nearest garrison
town
He had spoken o f this to G rif but he preoccupied
with the pai n of his burn s and the increasing di fculties
o f each march answered merely that Peter knew him
too well to play any tricks
Nevertheless Peter was playing t ricks though the
present trick was an innocent o n e They were at
length well o u t o n that great heathery plateau which
stretches from the Lamm e rm o o rs and M
o o rfoo t s south
to the S olway Many a moss had they to ride around
yet ever they returned to their appointed route bear
ing southwest the direction o f the party which had
carried off I v ie and her companions
A black peaty ridge in reality elevated from the
plain only a few feet but seeming mountainous in that
weary level o f bent and heather rose directly before
them and at sight of it Peter s agitation grew al most
painful Raith pointed o u t to him what seemed a
dryer route

No no he answered his teeth chattering with

anxiety
the Hags 0 Craig Weary the Haunted
Hags 0 Craig Weary are a kenned place Mony is
the prayer that has been put up there If there be
Wanderers of the persecuted and scattered remnant
o n ywh e re o n these wi ld uplands they wi ll surely be

found at the Hags 0 Craig Weary

Raith glanced at his informant s face There was
something in it he did not trust but it was evident to
him that G rif could n o t go much further without res t
and really the place was as safe as anya deep hollow
.

TH E C H ERRY RI BBAN D

3I 4

scooped i n the face of the moor with d ry ey ots an d

pen in sulas and heather amid the green scum o f the
morasses
All at once Archie S impson held up his hand and
the whole cav alcade stopped as o n e man The spirit
o f caution infected even the horses i n these days
Clea r on the thin chill breeze of even there came to
thei r ears the plain tive rise and fall of a psalm
The Folk ! cried Peter with Something like a

sincere j oy they are there

We shall s e e perhaps
of t h e boa t s !
we will get wo r d

You r ascal ! said G rif

I believe you have

brought us here on purpose

And you will live to thank me all you r days Cap

tain G ri f s ai d the unabashed Peter yo u could have

come to no better place WaitI will go forwa rd

and s e e

No
commanded Gri f do nothing o f the so rt
I would not trust you alone the length o f twenty ells
Go with him Raith The rest will wait you here
But r st lay me out on the heather and let A rchie

there attend to m e
Could not A rchie go as well as I
Raith asked
the question in a low voice H e hated to let anothe r
do a han d s tu rn fo r Ivie s fathe r Nevertheless he
went slowly and o n foot
I t was a singular sight
which met h is eyes at the edge of the moss
D eep in the bosom of a cup o f peat from which
most of the moisture had sucked away Raith s aw a
little company of m en upon thei r knees The psalm
had been s ung and now one erect amon g the othe r s
prayed He could hardly believe his eyes It was
M r Peden himself William Ellison knelt beside him
with a hand o n Gil s shoulder Under his feet were
the full m uste r of the pri soners from the Bass And
yonder on a little hillock keeping his watch with a
gun at his shoulde r held clumsily like an o ar Raith
,

TH E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

3 16

M r Peden ended without amen or benedict i on

which also was his custom For he a f rmed t h a t those
wh o wo n to heaven would have all eternity fo r a bene
diction while those who did not would be none the
bette r of all the benedictions that were eve r sa id o r
sung In which certainl y there was some rea son an d
truth

And now said Peden suddenly resuming hi s nat

u ral voice come your ways forward lads I bid you

welcom e William Ellison this i s y our s on your
true s o n Raith to whom more than any other you owe
your deliverance from prison and to whom in the
days to come ye shall owe yet more Lay your hand
and take your hasty curse back
o n the lad s head
again lest it blight you in That Daythe day when
at the sound o f a trumpet ye shall stand before the

White Throne
And as Raith came rather unce rtainly forward M r
Peden ran to him with an alertness extraordinary in
s o frail a man and o n e s o wo rn by years and t rials
H e took the young man by th e hand and put it in
that of hi s father wh o was now standing up in his
place his face pale and his lips trembling
I s it even s o
he said
a r e you my very s o n
my youngest s on R ai th and has the spirit o f the
Lo rd worked in you also
He put his hand o u t t o
feel R ait h s dress
No soldier s coatno more the garb o f S atan ?
And he girt his s h e r s coat to him fo r he was naked
he murmured as if to himself
Gil grasped his brother s hand silently and would
have compelled him to s it down But in a few words
Raith told of the quest he had come u pon and h o w
Captain G ri f had been hurt in saving the soldier o u t
o f the burning gate house upon the Bass
And when William Ellison frosted a little at the
name o f the ancient governor of the King s prison
.

H AUNTED H AG S OF C RAI G WEARY

3 17

Mr Peden said quickly

H e is indeed yet a man of
desires But fear not fo r him also the angels of

God stand waiting !

S o leaving Prayerful Peter to talk apart with his
nephew Raith strode back over the heather and soon
G ri f and the young S impson lads were among the pris
oners whom they had aided to escape It was
a strange meeting there in the black heart o f the mo
rasses and yet even here they were by no means safe
For it was the hottest time of the persecution and par
ties o f military were continually o n the move from
post to post
It was a quiet evening showing only a sober russet
ush before the long grey gloaming of the moors
William Ellison s at strangely sweetened and C hanged
hi s son s hand in h i s
I have never been against yo u in my heart son

Raith he said
God kept me from that great s in
And though I laid the ban upon you it was done in

haste and without hatred

Yet for that shall you be punished William

said Mr Peden
and though the punishment shall
not come through one s o n it shall through another
But neither in the day o f shame curse him lest he
cr
said b e looking up
y to the Lord against you

to heaven ) I would rather be compassed about with

armies of armed menyea with drawn swords and i n
s t ru m e n t s o f death than have mine own curse which
my proper lips have uttered return back upon m y

head
,

C HAPTE R X L I I
AN

H I G H H IL L

THE H ILL

AS

B A S HA N

OF

M A N Y were the remarkable sayings uttered by Mr

Peden among the Hags of Craig Weary I ndeed some
o f them have since been imprinted as prophecies which
they never were o r at least not so in any direct sense
The fate o f the earnest seeker after G o d even though
circled with perils and fainting under his cross co n
t ras t e d with the lot of the evil and bloody man wh o
should not live o u t half his day s formed the chiefest
pa rt o f his meditations
Yet Sometimes he had visions and then he would
Speak strange things which seemed to com e to him
from above S peaking fo r instance o f the care which
weighed on the hearts o f G rif and the Ellisons and
yet more heavily on the young heart o f Raith he had
these remarkable expressions
No harm hath yet
befallen themI s e e them in a grey towered house
amid high cliffs and trees The ungodly are there in
great number but there is o n e also wh o draws a sharp
sword and with it strikes a great enemy o f the truth
Yet the Lord shall move even the hea rt s o f the great
ones o f the land to protect the helpless Nevertheless
even so of peril there is no lack for all o f u s both
with them and also in this place Let us go to the

Hill which is called Aron

And as soon as G rif was a little recovered from his
weariness the thing was done Fo r not only were
there parties o f the troopers observed crossing some
pa rt o f the waste and beating it as if fo r a quarry but
.

T H E C H ERRY RI BBAN D

3 20

some ridin g double o n horseback others leading the

overweighted steeds o r in front pointing out the way
a large body of troopers was observed headin g in their
direction At rst it appeared that these men were
simply crossing towards S anquha r and at sight of
them G rif ordered all his pa rty to l i e down in the
nearest crevasse o f the peaty moor But it chanced
that Long bodied John less accustomed to the charge
o f a horse than to t h e demeanour o f a boat let slip the
rein s of his pony which instantly went bounding and
prancing over the bog ourishing its heels and i n g
ing back it s head in the delight of disobedience and
freedom
Even so it seemed for a moment as if the ban d o f
horsemen would continue its march But after a vain
attempt at recapture had been made it was evident
that the soldiers had halted to consult Then a de
t ac h m e n t of a dozen broke o ff from the main body
and rode strai ght in the direction o f the fugitives
There could no longer be any doubt that the party
was discovered G rif instantly ordered all wh o had
horses to mount the o ld and inrm o f the party and
make as fast as might be for the Hill o f Ben Aron
Luckily the distance was not great but the ad v ancing
party had by much the easier route and at the rst
sight o f the fugitives o n the Open face of the moor a
shot was red by the party o f r econnai ssance proba
bly as a signal to the main body
If
No w there followed a moment o f great anxiety
G ri f and his people failed to reach Ben Aron rst and
t o protect themselves behind the breast work o f rock
they would assuredly be ridden down upon the Open
plain which at this point perhaps because of the
drainage of the river was well adapted for the e v o lu
tions o f horse
As they made what haste they could G rif looked
wistfully at the tall ridgy hill ( which in the East
,

H I GH A S TH E HI L L O F BA S HAN

2
3 1

country would have been called a Law ) with its dark

rocks and dense cover of hazel and birch bushes A S
the enemy advanced towards them they spread out in
a fan

Ah
said G ri f those fellows are commanded
by a man who knows his trade He does that to dis
turb o u r aim if we should attempt to return their

re
A n d indeed the horsemen did beg i n to ride up and
down weaving in and o u t intricately but no longer
advancing quickly
S omething is holding them
something we do not

said G rif we shall make it yet !

s ee !
Then young Mr Grey of Chryston brother to him
that was killed at Ayrs Moss with Mr Cameron
asked permission to s ay a word

S ir he said to Captain R ys lan d I know this

country That band of horsemen yonder can do us
no hurt fo r the present They are o n the wrong Side
of the river
Which river pray demanded G rif who s aw none

The Aron Water sir said Grey we call it the

Lane of Aron It is slow and very deep the botto m
black peaty sludge mixed with quicksandno horses
could win through
What they are fo r trying i t
after all !
And indeed one bold fellow riding well ahead of
hi s company set his beast s head to the water and
plun ged in But at the very rst ou ndering leap
something seemed to pull the charger under with a
j erk The rider was entangled in his stirrup irons
The black water leaped up sullen and sprayless heavy
as lead I t seem to engulf both horse and man They
sank from sight in those fatal deeps and were seen
no morewhile a loud and angry cry arose from his
companions in the ranks behind
Nevertheless no one dared to venture nearer t h e
.

ZI

THE

322

C H E RRY RI BBA N D

wate r o f death o n the still and sullen surface of which

oat e d a draggled hat plume the feathers of which
had but lately au n t e d s o cavalierly on the breeze o f
the uplands
But presently as if in revenge the fusillade crackled
The smoke oated up from the short cavalry carbines
The men gay in their red coats rode here and there
seeking a place o f crossingbut perhap s not too an x
ious to nd it
G ri f watched their evolution s with a ne contempt

Militia he said and if I am not mistaken the

Laird o f Lag s command

Meanwhile the w a nder
ers were hastening on towards the hill o f safet y

Do not hurry cried G rif

the bullets cannot
reach you They are but wasting ammunition No
ai th
he
added
privately
to
R
do
not
reply
We
will
(
)
save o u r powder and ball fo r more immediate c on

sumption
The second and larger party o f the troopers had
n ow come up with the advance guard and there was
another halt for consultation

Lag is nding o u t his mistake said G rif

he
will now do what he ought to have done at rs t fol
low the water up till he nds a ford How far might

that be ?

A matter o f three miles for horses of that weight

said Grey o f Chryston with the condence o f knowl
edge
G ri f motioned with his hand towards Ben
Aron and all proceeded to climb the narrow and dif
cult way which led across bare rocks and by Slippery
footholds into that rocky fortress

I t is as well said G rif that the river happened

to be where it i s and the enemy o n the farther side
Otherwise they could have stood at their ease below
and tumbled us o ff three at a time as we cam e up
these rocksgoat pathsnaught else I wonder how

the horse s kept their footing !

,

T H E C H E RRY RI BB A N D

3 24

a nd but fo r the tongue of land by which they h ad

arrived would have succeeded in making i t wholly a n
island At both co rners but especiall y on the west
ern Side there was a place at which a bold fellow
might attempt an escalade Then once ar rived a t the
top he might open an oblique re upon the men lying

behind the breastwork

I n fact said G ri f if they
nd their way up the r e they will completely e n lade

o u r position !

Then I will take that western angle m y self wi th

y oung Chryston o r some other good man as a c o m

panion i said Raith his spirits as eve r r ising a t the

thought o f danger and still more that h e was to ght
under th e eyes of Ivie s father G ri f R ys l an d shook

No he s ai d
his head
I cannot do without you
t ied here by the leg or rathe r wanting the legs I
m ust have you free to see that eve ry man is doing his

duty To whom think you shall we give the place ?

Grey seem s a clever fellow said Raith m e dit at

in g
but we do not know him well enough yet
What say you to Gil my brothe r H e is a good
marksman and if you tell him to do a thing he will

stay and do it as the sayin g goes till the kye com e

hame ? Then let Grey have the othe r corner and give
each a young S impson they a r e brave lads but lack
ballast while Gil has ballast enough fo r Captain Ted

dim an s S wift s u re

But will not y our brother wish to stay by you r

father ? suggested G rif ple a sed by his lieutenant s

quick dispositions

Let Mr Peden go with him to the cave said

Raith at once it is on the othe r side They will be

in complet e safety and even Peter Paton c an stand a
watch there to S e e that no tricks ar e t ried on the

r iver
front
At this moment and while Raith was gone to car ry
o u t G rif s i n s t r uctions and his own suggestions P r aye r
,

OF

H I GH A S T HE H I LL

B A S HAN

3 25

ful Peter came up to the Captain as he lay o n hi s

couch of tall b rown grass and bracken fronds

And it is to this that I hae come ?

he began

with a certain truculence me that has been a man

the sounds
o f peace and never was within ear shot o
0 war longer than the time it took my heels to leave
them ahint ! Am I Peter Paton to be prisoned on
this s o rrowfu hill to be ta n and j udged in the com
pany of kenned rebels and manslayers ? And then as
li ke as not the G ras s m ark e t and the conscation o a

my guids and chattels

As like as not
said Grif smiling
but you
should think of the j oys of martyrdom Yo u were
discoursing about suffering for the Cause only the

other day ?

The j oys o martyrdom cried Peter Shaking his

st over his head

man I couldna even be happy
amang the j oys o h e e v e n if I thocht t h at a the guid
gear I hae won and thocht for, and toiled for was a
gane b l e e z in up like a wisp o strae on a bonre Na
na harps and wings and siclike wad be but a puir
puir compensation for Peter ! Methinks h e wad e en
scrape himsel a hole in the stoor like a drookit
chuckie hen and S it there t h in kin o n his braw hoose
and his twa bonny boats and a the brand new nets
and gear And to tell ye the truth Captain G rif do
ye think that even the noocould I no hae o n yt h in g
If it were only twenty pound it wad be a
o n account
kind 0 consolation to me to die wi it in my breast
pocket and ken that I wasna a thegether C heated O
my j ust dues l

Out o f this friend Peter cried G rif who had had

enough o f the mariner is this a time to be dunning

us for money ? Where are we to get gold and silver
think you in this waste ? Bullets are like to be more
plentiful

But a wee Scribe 0 your hand o h Captain

,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBA N D

3 26

pleaded his creditor

j ust sayin that the amount was
due o n your estatesave us that wad aye be some
thing to a puir dyin man

Raith called out Captain G rif

take that man
up to the cave and bid Mr Peden pray for him He
is beyond me standing yammering there for h is ab o m i
nable money when we a r e all like to be shot ere the
gloaming

Oh s i r s i r cried out Prayerful Peter I beseech

ye to no mak a bad worse ! Dinna tell the Prophet
Thy sille r perish
o r he would wither m e wi a look
with thee
he said to m e only the ither day Ter ri
ble wordss i r I hae never had them oot o m y head
a minut e since
To think that a the gear in the
world and in especial a that puir Peter Paton has got
ten togethe r wi siccan pains should a gang e e in up
in ery ame at the world s end ! It gars me wauken
up in the nicht season sir a in a dawn 0 fear and
drookit wi sweat as if I had loupit frae Hughie s
Rock into the Frith i t s e l

Take him away cried G ri f and never let m e

see his face again If you c an cont rive something to
keep him quiet o n the othe r side I shall be grateful
Warn him that if he wishes to keep a whole skin he
must not come within pistol Shot of G ri f R ys lan d till
he is sent foro r by Tubal Cain I shall mark him !
H e Shall have at least an in stalment of his claim ah
ounce of lead o n account
,

*6

9K

it

*6

3K

*6

T H E CH E RRY RI B BAN D

3 28

hie r ogly phicsX S and 0 s o f different Sizes and de

signs explained t o Pete r himself the state o f h i s
nances
H e summed and sighed and sighed and s ummed
At intervals he Shook his head
If I could hae made it the neat ve thousand ste r

ling I declare I wad e en hae died happy ! he s ai d

but we maun a summit to H is wull ! And yet
with
a
brighter
look
in
a
manner
o f speaking it i s
(
)
m y:ai n Fo r wi the Captain s indebtedness fo r his lass
and the grassum fo r John s savi n g her life( which
Should be fty pound at the l eastforty nine to me
and ane to Johni t is aye betting to be generous
and c o n s ide ri n my trouble and expense wi th ae r ich
Ellison folk and the boat s and a I think we micht
safely and decently make it a hundred and ft yin a
m ain n e r mine already !

H e had added the gures Slowly

And that wad
make j uist v e thousand gowden guineas It s an awe
som e s u m to hing on the frail thread 0 ae man s life
It s a strange thing in Providence when ye come t o
think on t By r icht s a man should hae twa lives

o n e to make his siller and the ither to enj oy it

H e turned the leaves rapidlyaccount s and i tems
A ll were interesting to him
His eye caught an e n
try i n his own peculiar secret writing H e Spelled it

out
Beef ham s and kippe r ed herring for the H ill
Folks twa hundred pound ( S cots )
Ah if th a t had
only been pound s S terlingwhat a c o am fo rt
But
what s this ? S end b y powny back to the cave on the
H ill of Aron
Faith now that s the very place we are
sittin on the noo And here i s the note 0 the twa
pownies back comin an d the ch ai rg e six teen pound s
( S cots ) for ilka ane
Noo said Prayerful Pete r scratching his head

what say y e if I could nd a this guid meat and viv

e rs ?
They a re in a m an ne r 0 s peakin my very ain

'

T H E WI LE S

OF

PRAYERF U L PETER

3 29

I micht e en sell them a ower again

The folk that
bought them are near a deid ! But let me think
the r e s that young Grey 0 Chrystonhis faither was
cautioner for the pro v e e s io n in g o the ca ve Na Peter
that winna do H e micht tell the tale and that wild
ettercap o a G rif R ys lan d wad thi nk nae mair o thraw
ing my neck than if I was ane o thae rabbits there
on the h ill fac e
for a that I hae dune for him and

h is !

Peter looked about him s lowly and cunningly H e

must nd the provisions rst and then he could stay
awake as long as need be that night planning what
advantage he might obtain from discovering the treas
ure trove to the others

They co u ld never be in the muckle cave there he

meditated
where Mr Peden is keeping up such a
din of praying No they would rather be in some
we e covert easy to get at and most likely on the side
nearest the face of rock
S o argui ng he went c a utiously about the hill till he
could look over and then he started back with a cry
F o r advancing up the narrow tongue of land came a
hundred horsemen all in red coats and nobly arrayed
keeping l ine and order drum s beating in Whitehall
fashion on the saddle bow and all as gallant as an o r
dered Show with b anne r advan ced and plumes and
pennons uttering
In front rode a tall man on a great roan horse Pride
was in his port but one arm ( and that the right ) was in
a sling That was where Ivie s thrust had taken him
Perhaps because o f the too early j ourney it promised
to irk him longer than Roddie had foretold
Behind the rocks Peter could see the defenders lying
each man at his post his gun at his Shoulder his pow
der as k and accoutrement s at hand But o n ly the
head of Captain G rif was t o be seen above the barri
cade with which nature had defended the Hill of Aron
.

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

3 30

H e saw too Raith hurrying to and f r o with o rders and

suggestions Peter desired much to tu rn a nd ee but
s omething chained him to the spot

It s bound to be aboot here he murmu red they

wad com e up th rough the hazels yonder and aboot the
hassock o rocks and faithi f that is no the m outh
,

H e put his weight to a n up right stone r olled it ove r

carefully detached a tangle of ivy which clung to the
cli ff and found himself in the entrance hall of a little
cavern Looking in Peter saw the tiny barrels in which
at that time kippered herring were packed for transport
upon pony back lining the sides while from a great
barrel at the corner brine was manifestly oozing
salted beef to a certainty for there was a frosting of
salt crystals about the edge o f the lid and from the

r oof various smoked ham s depended I t was the cac/z e

of Craig Aron

H ere s prov e e s ion fo r an army said Pete r t o

himself
I ll e u hae a chack noo while I am t h ink in
things over They wad neve r h a e fand this trove but
fo r menor m e but for this bonny wee book blessings
on i t s y ellow back ! But losh what s that they a r e
begun the shootin ! D ear me it s an awesome thing
to be trapped like this and me a man 0 condition and
wo rth near on to ve thousand yellow C h airli e s
C h airle s S tuart may have been an ill king o n the
throne but ce rt e s Pete r Paton h as nae faut to nd wi
his lang n ose on a braw c lin k in guinea
He peeped out but the smoke o f battle blew sul
ph u re o u s l y up in his face and a chance bullet ricoch et
ting among the r ocks caused him to draw in his head
in a hurry

S i rc e me
he cried and if there s no La ng
bodied Johnthat s as guid as a hunder pu n d a year
to me riskin his life that i s in a manner 0 s pe akin
my life amang a the e e in bullet s and the deadly
,

'

'

THE

2
33

C H E R RY RI BB A N D

pape r s in this buik Na hanged o r no hanged Pete r !

ye maun j uist bide an d see it oot Maybe ye can pe r
suade the captain o the King s troops that ye were a
pri soner and hadden by the Whigs again your will
I t wad be wort h t ryin o n yway Let m e s e e I used
to ken some ne braid oaths when I was a lad die
That wad please him
a fore I experienced a change !
if o nyt h i n g especially if as I think it is Roarin Rab
G ri er o the Lag
But at that moment Peter heard the voice of Grey
o f Ch ryston wh o released from his post was mount
i n g the hill alon g with Raith
They too were in
s earch o f something

It should be somewhere here said y oun g Grey

my father was at the b i din o f the provendAnd he
a lways told me it was o n the side looking o n to the
p lai n averse from the r iver and not in the main
cave
At th e sound o f their discour s e Prayerful Pete r
i s s ued o u t the light o f self s ac ri c e on his face

Gentlemen he cried as I told you I am no gleg

h and at the ghting with gun and musket with sword
S o this day I h ave wrestled not with
o r b agg o n e t
ca rnal wea po ns but in fervent supplications o that
t here has been revealed unto me this precious store
all which
o f vivers food fo r the body for many days
though I might have k e e pe d for mysel I freely deliver
t o you for the Good o f the Cause hoping only to be
rewarded hereafter and seekin g no reward o n thi s
e arth

No said young G r ey sma rtly indeed I Should

t hink not seeing that my father paid yo u two price s
already fo r every pennyworth o f it
Prayerful Peter ung up hi s hands and his eyes with
o n e action

I am o n e o f the meek o f the earth he s ai d

what I have don e I have done

I have found the
,

,
,

TH E WI LE S

OF

PRAYE RFU L P ETER

333

provender when none else could and ne i ther the mock

of tongues nor the contempt of sinners c an deprive m e
of the inward de lights of a conscience void of offence

S tand out o f the way said Raith hastily for h e

had the birr of battle yet upon him an d was not i n
Did I not b i d
c li n e d to measure words with Peter
you stay with Mr Pedenbesides which you are well
aware what Captain G rif promised you if he caught

you on this side o f the hill

Peter s lips moved as he wen t meekly and forgivingly
away

I t was a pity he said but after all I did t h e

best There was j ust a C hance that that young lad

Grey ( deil tak him sh ould n o t ken o the cave But

he murmured for these ill words and hard usages

It is a comfort to think that I c an aye add somethin g
to the reckoning when it comes to settling day ! Aye
it is a comfort that
When Peter reached the cave in which William
Ellison and the Prophet remained together he found
them both fallen Silent and fo rthwith he began to re
l ate the wonderful providences of which he had been
witness and partakerthe defeat and retirement of
the d rag o o n e rs the losses they had sustained and h i s
own fo rtunate discovery o f the cave with the provisions
H e had begun to urge the need of remembering thi s
to his own credit
But Peden looked him through and through Then
he paused a little as if to decide whether or not he was
worth wastin g words upon But all that he said wa s
only this :
,

Lyi g

lips

are

a n abo mi n at io n t o t h e Lor d I

C H A PTE R
T HE

FI

GHT

X LI V

TH E

IN

MI S T

T HE

defences of the Hill o f Aron are easy to be

u nderstood the river making a bend like the head o f
a pair of Sheep shearsround the craggy bosky m oun
tain the only way o f attack being along the shan k of
the level Shelterless plain the narrow pass guarded by
a solid curt ai n o f rock up which o n e di f cult path
straggledBen Aron was altogether a place which
m ight have been held against an army
But S ir Robert Grier o f Lag was not a man to be
di scouraged by a little n o r had h e come s o far t o go

home as he said with his nger in h is mouth

H e had still eighty v e good m en and from the re
port s o i those wh o had remarked the m usket shots
he made out that a dozen at the outside was the num
ber o f the defenders

They are noways ordinary Covenanters he sai d

to Roddie no canting Psalm singer would have chosen

such a place to ght in Think o f them at Dunbar
when they stood against Noll at Loudon Hill even
when they chased Clavers at Bothwell and at the
Moss of Ay rwhy to get o n the level with a ditch in
front and be Shot down or ridden down o r c u t down
while their m inisters prayed their loudestthese were

ever the tactics o f the S aints !

I f it pleasure you to hear it

said Roddie
I
j udge that the fact of this stubborn defen ce assures
us o f o u r principal prizethe late Governor o f the
Bassa very extraordinary man S ir Robert !
-

T HE

3 36

C H E R R Y RI BB A N D

action would divide the gar rison an d m ake the success

o f the frontal attack almost certain
S i r Robert himself remained like G rif a little back
on a knoll from which he could command the most
part o f the battle e ld H ere he fretted at his o wn
For to render the devi l his due Lag was n o
i naction
coward in battle whatever my Lord of Liddesdale
might hint as to his disrelish fo r sin gle combat
But to catch the weasel asleep was a simple matter
compared with the task o f nding G rif Rys lan d uh
prepared From the night movem ents a thwa rt the
militia camp re s from the unsleeping hum and bustle
among the men he had long ago deduced a night at
tack The neighing o f horses and the distant Sound
o f orders given in a military manner from across the
river informed him that there would be also an attack
in the rear o r at least t he semblance o f it Accord
i n g ly h e despatched the elder S impson with one of the
more active prisoners Turne r o f C ro ch m o re to watch
Lag s squadron as it rounded the hill and be ready to
re upon them if they attempted to cross the water
and take the position in the rear G rif R ys lan d did
not however believe that there was for the present
any idea of that
Upon passing the cave James S impson cried in as
t o thei r errand and Peden seizing a musket which
had been left there for their protection declared
to their utte r su rp rise that he would ma r ch with
them

And do you William Ellison he said

abide
here and uphold all our hands in pray er ! S andy
au ld S andy there r emains but little time to y ou
upon the earth Ye have prayed long enough may
hap s ometimes even wea ried Him with your cryi ngs
and groanings Now s e e if you can do any better at
the ghting trade I f a bullet comes your way it will
be the quicke r waygoin e ven as Richard died at
,

T H E FI GHT

IN

T H E MI S T

33 7

Ayrs Moss s o it was good to die ! I t was b ut the

other day that I s at upon his tomb !

And in spite of all James S impson could say in
Spite of all entreaties the Prophet persisted in ac c o m
panying them and the utmost they could do was to
post him behind a great j agged splinter of rock with
orders n o t to re until the enemy should discharge
their muskets while they them selves went down close
to the water s edge to observe the movement s o f the
turning squadron which having to make a long de
tour had not yet come into sight
Having completed these arrangement s and those for
the frontal attack remaining the same as o n the pre
v i o u s night
G ri f R ys lan d lay down w ith an easy mind
two muskets ready to his hand loaded with buck Shot
with which to sweep the path up the rock should any
assailant gain a footing upon it
Raith made his rounds below full of responsibility
and anxious thought which more than anything else
banishes fear in a young soldier
The cloud o f bluish grey m ist subtly advancing over
the moor sinking now into the scooped out hollows
anon making a leap fo r an outlying crag hanging upon
it a moment as if by spider laments and then s wal
lowing i t whole at last banked itself up against the m u
ral breast o f the barrier of Ben Aron
D eepening like water behind a darn it rose foot by
foot till it puffed C hill and marsh scented in the faces
of the defenders Then with a j erk it reared and
poured over They were in the midst o f the grey
smother which streamed in coils and strands over their
heads and ve minutes later had swallowed the moun
tain wholly save only the highest peaks which stood
clear in the blue air and pale silver sunshine o f the
autumn morning

No w
cried Lag at them !
Then with a cheer and a rush every part o f the de
,

22

THE

3 38

C H E RRY RI BBAN D

fende r s li ne o f rock was assaulted at once The boo t

ed feet of horsemen could be heard slipping and s crap
ing o n the stone as they painfully ascended They
cursed as they slid down again They swore as they
parted with the Skin o f their ng e r tips on the keen
edged raz o ry shale S till not a gun was red S ure
ly the enemy were asleep indeed fo r they made n oise
enough to wake the dead Or could it be that they
had escaped altogether On the contrary very much
on the cont raryG rif s orders were not to re till you
could see your enemy s coat button sthen to pick
the third and aim for that

This plan he expla i ned

sa ved a great deal of
time in the German wars We were troubled with no

prisoners burying parties bein g sufcient

An d s o with G rif and Raith in the cent re imme
diat e ly over the path G il Ellison and Grey o f Ch ryston
at the corners and th e others scatt ered alon g the line
the covenanters waited until th rough a momenta ry
thinning o f the mist the panting st raggling assault
pa rty appeared beneath
Let go
shouted G rif and with o n e o f h is buck
shot laden pieces he raked the path tumbling the
awkward dismounted troopers about like s o many rab
bits Again he cleared a zigzag with his second gun
bu t even So there were too many on the narrow road
way The mist had served the turn of the as s ai la nt s
well and a couple of men would h ave leaped into the
camp falling over G ri f wh o lay imm ediately at the
top had not Raith seen the danger and dischargi ng his
musket at the foremost and clubbing the Second with
the butt he tumbled them both back over the rock face

Thank you for that friend said G rif as he re

loaded calmly I will do as much fo r you when I get
a whole skin upon m e again That thief T yars ha s
handicapped m e cruelly fo r thi s so rt of work H ow
go the others ?

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

34 0

and reverberation s as if doors were opened and shut

between him and it
As he advanced the mist cleared Indeed the mass
Now
o f Ben Aron itself had divided and broken it up
it was ying away o n either side thin and faint as the
northern streamers A watery sun seemed to be try
ing to glimmer through a sky the colour o f tin plate
But close down by the water s edge erect o n a pin
n ac l e of rock like a statue o n a pedestal stood Peden
the Prophet H e held a gun in his hand by the mid
dle o f the barrel S ometimes he shook this at his ad
These had dismounted
v e rs ari e s on the opposite bank
and stood r anked upon the Shore They were ring
constantly loading at will and ring wildly like soldiers
without an o fcer They were also laughing loudly
Bullets whizzed and snapped about the prophet
But he seemed to regard them no m ore than s o man y
booming do r beetles at even fall heard about the doors
o f his manse at the Muir Kirk o f Glenluce
From where he stood Raith could hear t h e troopers
betting wh o would rst wing the old corbie wh o would
bring him down and what each would get from the
government o u t o f the great price that was set upon
his head

If he will only stand there and croak long enough

said o n e
I swear I will have him I s aw that last
bullet o f mine make the fur y !
And indeed at that moment a piece of Pe de n s
white hair clipped by a ying ball had uttered down
to the river upon whose sombre breast it sailed slowly
away light as an autumn leaf

How to get to him thought Raith he stands i t

well but this cannot go o n Even Lag s troopers
bad shots as they are must hit him som e time
S o far as Raith could make o u t as he cautiously ap
pro ac h e d this was the burden o f Mr Pe de n s maledic
tion
,

'

TH E FI GHT I N T H E MI S T

34 1

Spear is not Sharped

he cried iron is not
wrought that shall pierce me Your lead ies harm
less Hearken ye devil s brains and cease your noise
that I may speak My time i s not yet yours i s at
hand H e shall hide me secretly in his pavilion H e
is my shield and my buckler N O o n e of you shall
come near me in lifein death what ye may do to me
it matters little to the poor bo nes and clay which
h ave s o long tethered o l d S andy !
He paused a moment only to resume with e rc e r
accent
Hearken ye drunken with the blood of the saints
go back and tell your master that he shall live long
but it shall be to yearn daily for the death which is de
nied to him He shall suffer the pangs o f the damned
while yet upon the footstool H ell shall devour him
quick while his feet tread the earth and his mouth
drinks in the caller air From him the books are
shut and the seal s e t ! But for youpoor ignorant
blaspheming wretches thus saith the Lord
Flee
from before the great and stormy wind o f my fury
I will break down your wall which ye have made and
this false King s wall that he hath daubed with u n
tempered Popish mortaryea I will bring it to the
ground
But at that moment in the midst o f a yet more
bitter storm of bullets which still ew harmless b y
Raith took careful aim and stretched one o f the chief
fusileers upon the opposite bank an event which
caused a sharp retreat o f the rest toward their
horses
Raith without pausing to think put out his hand
and pulled the prophe t into shelter F o r even n o w
the fugitives ever and anon stopped to re back and
a bulle t chipped white the boulder on which Mr Pe
den was standing buzzing between his feet and o u t
again over R ait h s head Yet the Prophet regarded

T H E C H ERRY RI BBAN D

34 2

it no more than the fal l of a b i rd s dropping in hi s

prison o f the Bass
Instead he turned wrathfully o n his preserve r

Ye have looked o n the ark of G od he c ried

even when I was bearing it up before these Phili s
tines o f Ekron But beware lest ye be smitten as H e
smote the men o f B e t h s h e m is h even as H e smote
Uzzah the s on of Abinadab in the place which is
cal led Perez uzzah unto this day because he put forth
Yet
a nd touched the ark of God upon it s new ca rt
seeing that in igno rance ye did it I will interc e de the
Lord for yo u And indeed to my own eye s s e e
ing you r powder and ball worked m ore powerful l y
with yonder Ashdodites and Dagon worshippers than
all the words o f Alexande r Peden whom they falsely
call the Prophet
But I am an o ld man an d leg
weary Let us go hence For the word t hat was
given me to SpeakI have spok en it And 10 ! it
was as wind unto them

THE

34 4

CH E RRY RI BBAN D

into his duty with his usual ale r t silence Raith

m ade a parcel of provender and took counsel with
Long bodied John Paton how best he should gai n the
mainland The sher looked contemptuously at the
black water which doubtless seemed narrow enough
to him as do all inland waters to those whose eyes
are accustomed to the s e a
I suppose ye are not particular about crossing o n

horseback he said
From what I c an s e e of the
country yont there to the southard I should prefe r
shank s naigie mysel
Raith told him that s o being he got over himself

he asked for no better

Then said John ye must
swim for it and I will ferry over y our clothes and the

victuals
Raith bade G rif farewell without many words

I need not tell you what to do said the latter

what thing you decide upon concerning Ivie my

daughter I will stand to knowing that yo u love h e r
even as I ! As for the others o n e is your m other
and the other your sister You do not need to be
told what lies between you and any that may have
wronged them in a hair s breadth ? But if ye s e e Eu
i
Ellison
in
the
esh
forget
for
a
moment
that
r
a
n
h
p
s h e is your Sister and tell her that G rif R s yl an d bade

o u say that he kept troth

y
At the cave his father kissed him fo r the rst
time that ever Raith remembered

It may be he said that I have been m i s t a e n

that all unwitting I have been an ill father to you
Laddie ye have
A S fo r Mr Peden he only said
far to ganga sore road and a doubtful ending
Your tongue will maybe carry you farther than your
Sword little as ye think it now But mind ye this if
w
as
I
did
never
ye
would
i
n
favour
with
the
great
(
)
and considering that which ye seek I b lam e you not
remember to e e ch them and phrase them as y e
t le d

THE

PH RA Y C H I E L
WA M

34 5

would your ain lass at a lover s t ryst

But above all
young man be not wise in your o wn conceits
Raith swam the black clammy ood of the Aron
Water with a cord about his waist and a bundle o f
reeds under his chin Then Long bodied John drew
back the reeds with the cord while Raith paid o u t the
other end And s o o n this simple raft R ai t h s clothes
his arm s and provender were dealt o u t to him as he
stood naked in the gloom o f the peat bank by the
shore with the watch re s of the enemy burning o n
every hill ridge and wood edge far and near John
Paton pulled the cord and the rushes came back hand
Then he whistled a seamew cry to signify
o ver hand
that all was right and the last link with the little
defenced world o f Ben Aron was cut for Raith El
lison
There was no di fculty fo r o n e s o eet of foot a s
Raith to escape the vigilance o f the sentries F o r
S ave in the immediate vicinity of Lag himself no
strict guard was attempted as indeed is mostly the
way with irregular troops A s G rif R ys lan d had
always said Were it not for lame men and o l d men
the blind men and the m en possessed I would risk
taking to the hills in Spite of Lag and all his horses
But we have too many t o hamper us who have n o t
t h e right u s e of their limb s and o f these the most
useless and decrepit is G rif R ys lan d himself !
,

9%

9E

9K

9%

le

It was towards Lag s own country that Raith now

made his way hiding and sleeping by day travelling
with immense speed all the night s o that in the
m orning he could do no more than nibble at his hard
rye bread and smoked ham drink a draught o f water
a n d s o ing himself down with his sword in his hand
and his pistols ready
It chanced that late one evening he had turned
s omewhat
t o o carelessly into a broader way in a
,

THE

34 6

C H E RRY RI BBAN D

country of trees A man wh o had been st r etching

him self at the roots of a great elm ro se lazil y an d
came towards him

You t ravel well armed he said whither away

stranger an it be a fair question ?

"

I go to the south upon my erra nds Raith an

s we re d his int erlocutor who seemed a great hea rty
not ill humoured man also armed with pistol and
s word but unlike Raith car rying no musket
S o it would seem by the direction o f y our nose

Mine also points south laughed the man but that

is as good as to say Mind your o wn business
H ow
ever I have to travel all thi s night and the count ry i s
not a very healthy o n e fo r lads like you and me S o

for that I made bold to accost you !

F o r what do you take me then
demanded Raith
amused in his turn

I will tell yo u answered the blonde moustache d

giant either a deserting dragoon o ff to s e e his sweet
heart o ro n the same errand as myselfsent t o
bring up more Annandale rogues to ll the blanks i n
S ir Robert s bees byke
I am sure I have seen you
about the Irongray I am from W e s t e rh a mysel as
ye may hear by the gollying o f my Annandale tongue
S ir James ordered us out and we had no more than
arrived when Lag sent me sout h again to beg for fur
ther succoursaying that the Whig s had thrashed
him soundly but that if S ir James Johnstone would
only stand by him for this o n ce he had such a haul o f
blue bonnet s under his hand as had not been caught
together since Pentland

And h o w asked Raith did you come to recog

nize me fo r o n e o f Lag s men ?

Man c ri ed the other winking cautiously through

the gloo m i s there not st ill the regimental n umbe r

o n that great musket that ye carry and the King s
crown o n you r sword basket ? And I can guess mair
.

'

T H E C H ER RY RIBBA N D

34 8

words to have some o n e to talk to through the night

watches

This Houston o f Houston it seem s was a wild

lad in hi s day and like o o r S i r J e e m s a great friend 0
the Laird o Lag ahint us yonder And i li a t ye ken
i s verra likely to stand him in good stead as a re co m
m end where he is this day and that s n ae ither place
than in Muckle Hell
F o r it i s said that he spak some
ill 0 a lass the dochter 0 some puir o f cer 0 dragoons

but fo r a his poverty a lin kin lad wi a sword as

lang as the day and t he m o m
S o th e twa 0 them
focht ower aboot the I rongray A n d
e l zelethere
was the lass s faither s sword through atween his ribs
a s easy as if he been had a caff bed
And that was the
last 0 the Laird 0 H ouston in this world !

But is that al l ? demanded Raith who as yet had

heard nothing h e did not know

A hear till him !

cried his neighbour
man
it s j uist the b e g in n i n O the tale Weemen are unruly
evils as the guid b uik says They are at the bottom
0 a t rouble ever since that bit m ai t t e r o breaki n the
branches and catin the bonny aippl e s No that I care
for aipple s mysel but I suppose weemen are di fferent

we are never sure frae ae minute to anither what

they wad be after
Being a married man mysel
Lord I should ken
Raith demanded of Robin John stone o f W amph ray
with some heat and asperity the remaind er o f the st ory
about the Lord 0 Houston and found him self thus
rebuked

Faith man but ye are a hasty blade Ane wad

t h ink that the lassock was aiblin s ane 0 your twa Ha
Ha ! I had ye there What s the won drous haste ?
I like tellin tales and there s the hale nicht afore us
I t ell ye that there naething t o gar the feet gang ower
the road like a weel t e lle d tale if it we re n a a weel
sung sang Even wh u s t lin is guid when ane has
.

T H E W A MP H R A Y C H I E L
the lilt
i

16

Can ye wh u s t le

349

The Rigs

Bar

'

Gang o n o f coo rs e I ll gang o n I am tellin ye

I t was this o r at o n y rate
a the time am I no ?
it c am to this in the upshot that the Laird o H o u s
ton him that got the poke in the ribs wi the dra

lang
sword
and
needed
nae
mair
weel he
o
n
e
r
s
o
g
had fo wer b rit h e rs And what did they do but they
made a league wi their neighbour Roarin Rob Grier
that is aye ripe for o n y mischief and they s ay wi
anither greater man that ye can c aa the Ye rl o
Kingsberry gin ye likeand ye ll no be tellin o n y
great lee eitheran they gaed to catch the man that
d id it fo r the s layi n 0 their brither
And what they
wad hae dune if they had catched him ye can think
yoursel
H e wadna hae gotten muckle time to s ay
his prayers I m t h in ki n

But the bird was awa though the nest was warm
But what did the ill contrived loons do but they grip
pit the bonny lass that was the cause 0 a this And
alang wi her they took twa i t h e rs near as bonny as
hersel s o they s ayand aff they rode wi them t o
Houston ! Where they hae them safe under lock and
keynaebody being the wiser except twa or three like
oursel s that are little likely to spoil sport It s deil s
truth bein as I had it frae ane that rade a the way t o
the North within sicht o the Bass Rock and back
again and gat gowden guineas for his wark whilk h e
hid and for baudin his tongue whilk he didnao r I
wad hae kenned nocht O the ploy ! What think ye o
that na
Robin o f Wam ph ray laughed aloud and slapped
his thigh at the j est

That s what I c aa something like a revenge h e

said far better than putting swords through a man

o r blawin his br ains oot

I think o u r ways separate here said Raith hur

'

'

'

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

350

I must keep more to the westward

A nd
with that he left his informant standing Open mouthed
in the road gazing after him
I n a minute howeve r
he had recovered him

Dolt that I am he sai d

I believe ane o the
three was his lass after a very likely the yin that
He had the mark 0 the
b e l an g e d to the dragooner
regiment on his gun Aye that will be it
No w Robin Johnstone had a warm heart under his
rude exterior for he ran up t o a hill top and shouted
after Raith
Ye maun haud doon the glen to th e left and keep
o n till ye sight the tap o Kingsberry hill that i s shaped
like a wave 0 the s e a Then Houston will be easy
fand in a hollow by the tide But if the lass be you r
lass I advise ye t o get a horse unde r your hip an d
travel as fast as may be There s a man ower by at
the farm on the h ill yonder that will lend ye ane if ye
tell him that Robin Johnstone o f Wam ph ray sent
y6
Raith shouted his thanks and as far as he cou ld s e e
and a good deal fa rther than he could hear Robin of
Wam ph ray stood on his heathery knowe and shouted
advice as to the conduct o f his a ffairs presumed t o be
amorous and ce rtai nly vindictive
At the farm o n the hill the people had gotten t hem
to bed when Raith knocked but a man cautiously
pushed o u t the bell mouth of a blunderbuss like a spy
glass to take a rst view o f the surroundings and
his eye glanced along the barrel at Raith
He in turn being interrogated stated hi s authority
and proffered his request The rst was well received
but the existence of any horse was denied apparently
however upon strong compulsion from within For a
voice could be heard dully as if m u f e d by bed clothes
stati n g it as a fact that Robin Johnstone was no better
than he should be and that all h is night rak ing friend s
ri e dly,

'

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

35 2

What do ye want ye bl e at in blastie ? demanded

the energetic mother
I w a a ant a white
thing

D ye think a brown thing wadna do as weel

asked the mother softly
The bairn considered a moment and thought it
might

The brown thing proving to be the pliable sol e

of a slipper th e appli cation being singularly c o n s c ie n

t ious and the bairn nding the brown thing to meet

the case with unexpect ed completeness the wh in ge

ing ceased o n the instant
To Raith waiting below the mistress o f the house

entered the brown thing o n her foot S he was

comely to see arrayed only in bedgown and petticoat
and S h e was breathing a little hastily with hones t
toil

Aweel s h e cried as she looked at he r visito r

smilingly
this i s a bonny time o nicht to raise de
cent wives oo t 0 their beds ! But if it s to help ye
laddie ye are welcom e to o ny beast aboot S imeon
F e n n ic k s place And it s h is wife Peg that says it ye

need Speer nae ither leave

I t was with considerable di f culty that Raith drew
himself away from this hospitable dwelling so u n e x
H e left behind him h i s
pe c t e dly Opened to him
musket deciding at the last moment that he would
ride the lighter without it and besides he had re
g re t t e d deeply for the las t dozen miles that he had ever
brought it from the cave of Ben Aron
Mistress P ennick howeve r made h im unload it care
fully before her eyes under the threat that if he left
siccan a deadly thing aboot he r hoose s h e would pour
a pail of water down the muzzle
Afterwards s h e
fed him with oatcake stayed him with ag o n s c o m
forted him with apples with other delights and when
h e was o n the doorstep ready to mount she kissed hi s

T H E W A MP H R A Y C H I E L

35 3

cheek with a hearty smack calling after him that s h e

hoped when the bairns grew up her Watty would
prove j ust such ano ther Also that for the sake o f his
o wn mother Raith was to be sure to bring back the
pony himself when s h e would have more and better fo r
him than the hasty guest s cheer o f a night

And come decently in the daytime s h e added

when a body had some chance 0 making t h e m s e l s

decent and S abbath like and no looking for a the world
as if they had been harled through a thorn hedge
feet rs t
S o with a cordial promise to return and thank S imeon
Finn ick and h is wife for his reception Raith Ellison
rode forth into the night well mounted well comforted
and lightened every way
H e was now on his last stage The mystery of the
disappearance had to some extent been explained
There remained only to nd the lost three And
R ai t h s heart grew full of anger and his w ill becam e
like iron as he rode o n towards the House of Houston to
deliver his mother and E u ph rain and Ivieo r if not
to do j usticefo r himself and for G rif Rys lan d upon
the Houstons o n e and all

G rif slew one thought Raith setting his face hard

if there is aught to avengewell there are four left

fo r me
,

X LV I

C H A PT E R
T HE H O US E

W IT C H CRAF T

OF

N I G H T had fallen upon the worn towe r s a nd steep

red tiled roofs o f the house of Houston i n the H ollow
The trees about the avenue gloomed and drooped in
a dank autumnal fog which creeping up from the
sea rem ained long in the trough of the gorge as if it
had been a salt pool left behind by the retiring tide
It was a strange house that o f Houston duri ng
these days There rested a C loud upon the mind of
the maste r like the evil spirit from the Lord that was
upon S aul when he sat apart with his j avelin in his
hand and none dared to speak to him S o S tephen
Houston dwelt apart H e had sent away o ld S ue the
very next day afte r the duel in the great dining room
S ome of the other servant s he had got r id o f upon
various pretexts S ome had ed from the e rc e r u n
r easonableness o f hi s anger
His once sweet and
melancholy nature seemed utterly changed H e grew
violent and uncertain when he was not utterly silent
And it was whispered that S ue Fai rfo u l a known
witch if ever there was o n e had s ent a devil to t o r
ment him because he had turned her away from the
house where in his father s time s h e had walked a
queen
At any rate there he sat and it was the outcast S ue
herself wh o stealing into the house by devious ways
cooked and set on the sideboard certain dishes which
as often a s not s h e would nd untouched next morn
I ng
-

35 6

T H E C H ER RY RI BBAN D

S tephen Houston s at at his empty table end pistol in

han d o r sword by his side H e did not s ay anythi ng
on ly stared at the door with a xed wistful hopefulness
People said that he was expecting som e on e the
devil averred the country folk Ivie R ys lan d thought
My Lord when he heard o f it
But neither for angel o f light n or fo r angel o f dark
ness did S tephen Houston wait H e expected a man
to come and he was waiting for him
All the house
in the hollow was gloomy about and above him
gloomy and grey an d silent with to his poor troubled
eyes strange Shapes lurkin g in corners and stealing
athwart windows at which the wind s wailed and the
stars looked in
Meantime beneath in the kitchen and store places
S ue F ai rfo u l the witch wife went and came silent and
ittin g as a ghost In these days H ouston in the
H ollow was verily a House o f Witchcraft
-

a
e
r

e
a
r

a
e
r

ar
e

ar
e

at

a
r
e

D usk had fallen when Raith went up the glen H e

m e t rst a ploughman wh o stared at him with pale
frightened face when he asked the way to the House
The man s lips moved in a mutter o f
o f H ouston
prayer I f he had been a Catholic he would have
crossed himself A s it was he looked Raith well over
from head to foot s o that if he should turn o u t t o be
the devil going to seize his o wn he might be able
afterwards to claim some acquaintance in case o f need
But Jock o f the Plough stilts did not Speak That
might have given the Evil One some claim over his
soul H e only pointed with his nger in the direction
o f the wizard haunted mansion hidden and drowned
in the deep green shades of the pines a nd with the
cliffs standing up purple behind it
A boy caught marauding after nut s and crab apples
was of more use
H is eye was taken by the glint o f
R ait h s sword and pistols
He had a long way to go
.

TH E H OU S E O F WITC H C RAFT

35 7

thought the boy and he wished that this tall man

would Spare him o n e o f these to go back with There
was no reason wh y he should but perhaps if he Spoke
him fair he might lend him a weapon if only for the
night With a sword like that o r even a pistol he
would not be afraid of any bogle that ever walked
no n ot of o l d S ue F ai rfo u l herself
S o he explained to Rai th that he would nd the way
to Houston at the second turning of the path Here
he must dive down into the dark well of tree tops
where yo u always shivered even o n the hottest days
There was a murder supposed to have been done there

indeed there were murder spots all about H ouston

That was partly wh y he liked to come
But Raith had no time to hear about murders
Was there he asked much company at Houston ?
The boy could not tell but there were gay doings and
plenty of them over at Kingsberry My Lord and
My Lady both were there Whole oxen and sheep
were killed roasted and eaten there every day He
had been up with his mother to pay the
kane

hens
to the housekeeper wh o had said they
were skinny o ld roosters and not worth the plucking
But then housekeepers always did s ay such things
and it never mattered that the boy could see But as
to the House of Houston he did not know He would
not go near it at night not for a thousand marks
Nobody went near it I t was haunted and bad people
came there S trange voices were heard at night and
light s seen But if the gentleman with the sword
wanted to nd o u t the roadh e Pate B in k ie would
comeas far that is as the end of the loaning The
gentleman with the sword must be a rare and brave one
There was nobody in the village who would go there
in broad daylight
except S ue F ai rfo u l and of course
being a witch she would in a manner be at home in
a haunted house !
,

,
.

T HE

35 8

C H E R R Y RI BB A N D

S uch was Pate B in k ie s report and accordingly at

the close o f day when the glen was looking its eeriest
the boy left Raith at the tail end o f the long avenue of
Houston with a penny in h i s pocket fo r his trouble
and the condence in his heart that he had seen the
bravest man in the whole world
There did n o t seem to be any g r ea t c a use for fe ar
a s Raith tu rned the corne r which shut o u t the view o f
the s e a and the bat s began to it and dip a bout the
tree tops There was only a great hush upon every
thinga silence that was at rst grateful but after
wards grew oppressive even to Raith H e had fancied
and feared the storm y ribaldry which was cha racter
i s t i c of Lag and his crew when i n their cups
Then
they called each other Beelzebub and Baran Apollyon
and S at h an as according to their supposed characters
But here was nothingworse than nothin ga
brooding silence w h ich grew ever de e pe r a n d stille r
as he advanced Could all be over and ( his heart
stood still ! ) Ivie E u ph rain Marj ory S impsona ll
dead and in their graves ?
The thought stopped him trembling and for the
rst timeh e was afraid The night sh u t down
The gorge closed in above The trees gloomy tall
and desolate cast ever a deeper shadow Raith walked
noiseless upon elastic pine n eedles the path twining
Before
an d twisting with the intricacies o f the gorge
him the gloom darkened presently growing black and
overcast as if under the shadow of a mounting thunder
cloud Partly it was the t all wooded C liff which
closed the valley and partly the real gloom o f a storm
that was coming up from the west Rai th might have
noticed this had he not been too preoccupied for it had
been presaged by the red sunset and a certain pearl
ing bubble o n the s e a like sparkling wine j ust poured
into the c u p
S uddenly witho u t w a rning o r expectation Rait h

THE

3 66

C H ER R Y RI BBAN D

intervals the lightning of summer shook ( as i t were )

a sheet white banner above the house
Corridors went right and left Doors were ranged
Be
o n either hand open n erve shaking silent also
fore him swaying a little in the wind which blew in
at the open archway beneath a presage of the sto rm
was a wide door Through it as the lightning pulsed
he could s e e the long narrow strip o f a win dow
clean
of han gings o f curtains of anyth ing
Raith pushed with his left hand and at the same
moment lowered the point of his sword Nothing
moved H e entered and in a moment a s if moved
by a spring like a wolf trap something gripped his
feet H e was ung back The door clapped too b e
hind him with an appalling noise He felt him self
enveloped taken triced against the door His sword
He felt a r ope which
was j erked from his hand
tightened about his neck Beneath a woman was x
ing some ligature about his feet H e could s e e her
and the great bare window mounting up to the ceiling
as often as that white silent banne r of ame uttered
without
H e noted also a long table that ran the length of
the room terminat in g nearly opposite the door to
which he had been fastened When the next ash
came Raith saw the gure of a man seated there
a gure which he was certain had not been there a
minute before when he had seen the o ld wom a n
binding h i s feet

Ah said a voice behold at last the chosen

the preferred
the gay soldier Maste r Raith Ellison
sometime commande r of the Bass in the absence of its
governor now by the last advices from Edinburgh b e
come a rebel whom no man need mourn Well as
yo u s e e we have been expecting you for some time
Master Raith Ellison ! Light the candles S ue We
keep a poor forlo rn house and send out no invitations
,

36 1

TH E H O U S E O F WI TC H C RAFT

but since this gay soldier has seen t to visit u s we

must do o u r best to entertain him

S lowly o n e candle and then another was lighted by
old S ue and Raith was enabled to see his surround
The man who had spoken sat
i ngs more at leisure
in his chair by the table head He leaned carelessly
back and played with o n e o f R ai t h s own pistols rais
ing the dog and snapping it

This i s not primed S ir S oldier he said looking

up reproachfully at Raith what abominable careless

ness in a man o f war Are yo u a marksman Maste r

Raith ? Fo r I a m
And then Rai th had one o f the greatest surprise s
of his life For this gentle melancholy looking young
man picked up a huge horse pistol from the table and
without taking aim red it carelessly straight at him
Raith felt what seemed to be a sharp pinch betwee n
the nger and thumb of his right hand where it was
fastened with a band to the door H e could feel the
blood runni ng down and trickli ng drop by drop from
his thumb

Your o wn fault said the strange young man

shaking his head at him with an air o f reproof yo u

must spread your ngers wider apart It really was
entirely your o wn fault S ee we will try it o n the
other hand
H e picked another pistol from the table and red
with as little aim as before Raith felt the wind o f
the bullet and the j ar of the wood as it entered

Now said the young man move your thum b

slightly and you will feel that it has really hit the mark
I s it not a pretty trick ? But ( he went o n ) t ruly I
have had a deal of practice whilst I have been waiting

here for you

And S tephen Houston waved his hand about the
room R ait h s eyes fascinated followed the gesture
and he was astonished to see everywhere ornament s
,

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

3 62

smashed above the mantel piece a family po rtrait with

the eyes r epresented by black holes a r ow o f dents in
the shape o f a cross driven in a great silver tankard
the black o ak o f the walls perforated in curious pat
terns the ceilings marked with common cat chwords
and phrases mostly in Latin
At ra Cura S e de t
Post
and then done with monstrous ability th e
gure o f a horseman at full gallop
Raith knew instinctively that this must be one o f
t h e Houstons and that he had fallen into a snare
But he did n o t understand at once that the m an b e
fore him was mad that he had carried o u t his plans
a lone o r at most with only the assi stance o f o n e o l d
woman
Under the punctured horseman an other inscription
had been begun but after completion it had been de
faced with bullets wilfully red and all that stood out
clear was o n e word done in closely placed shots and in
l arge capitals :

IVI E
-

I s e e remarked S tephen Hou s ton in his curiously

easy and conversational tone you are looking at my
horseman Your professional eye of course det ect s
ButI
t hat he wears his sword o n the wrong side
am only a beginne r We Shall do bette r yet now that

yo u are come
H e rang a little hand bell placed on the table beside
him

S wing the doo r about he said and I will prove

t o this gentleman that I am something o f a marksman
with the small arm though as there is a good deal of
wood to penetrate I must use the largest pistols with
which as I need not tell you less accuracy is possible
But rst stand o ff a moment S ue and give m e a
candle It is no such easy task this to make a pic
ture o f a handsom e dragoon to please the eye o f his
,

T H E C H ER RY R I BB A N D

3 64

Not so good S ue said the voice

that went too
near We will do the outline o f the body rst good
S ue and leave the head which is the master piece o f

man till we have gotten our hand in

S hot after shot rang o u t The wood splintered and
closed after the bullets H is garments were torn and
pinched
But after a while shut in his nar r ow prison and
with the bullets of the madman cleaving the w o od at
intervals o f a few seconds his feet fast in the wolf
trap a rope tight about his neck Raith swooned away
,

C HAPTE R
OU T OF T H E

X LV I I

D E PT H S

I CRI E D

the great wide house of Kin gsberry and in the

widest and best C hamber thereof Ivie R ys lan d could
not compass sleep It was a night heavy with the
threat of thunder weather S he had left the company
and come up early undressed and now in my Lady s
French oa t i s t e lay like a snowy C loud o n the great
curtained four poster to which s h e had mounted by
steps
Through the windows s h e watched the puls
ing of the lightning over the s e a S he counted twenty
v e very slowly and there was another ash
That
as near as might be made ten seconds
But the
ashes were coming faster now
There was no reason for her discomfort that s h e
knew o f My lady indeed had j ust heard from her
husband that all trace o f the fugitives from the Bass
had been lost
Neither G rif her father nor Rai thherfriend
had been heard of Yet in spite of the good news a
great uneasiness weighed down the girl s heart S he
started up set herself to dress rapidly threw a C loak
abo ut her shoul ders an d went up to the high balcony
called the King s Walk I t was a favourite prome
nade o f hers and My Lord wh o spoiled her in every
thing had ordere d that a key Should be given her to
be used whenever s h e was s o minded
The Ki ng s Walk lay high up o n the leads o f
Kingsberry and by day overlooked many a league of
s e a and
many an acre of land S he could even see
IN

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

3 66

the topmost pinnacles of H ouston hidden deep i n it s

glen rising like rocky islets from a green s e a

There there
she thought
there lies the

dan ger !
As when one awakes i n the dawn with a great
t rouble heavy o n the heart but cannot disentangle it
for a moments o Ivi e on the high terrace of Kings
ber ry knew for the rst time that she was afraid b e
cause o f S om ethingS omeoneover at that strange
house in the hollow
S he did not argue about it S he kne w S he felt
Raith would com e and seek he r Then they would
trap him They would kill him perhaps torture
him And s h e heardwell it was impossible even
though the wind blew lightly that she could hear
le t us s ay rather that s h e thought s h e heardthe
sound o f gun shots very faint in t he direction of
Houston
Unable to contain herself a moment longer s h e
rushed downst ai rs t o My Lady s apartments and
knocked rs t gently and then more loudly for Meg
o f Rothesay Countess Liddesdale was a sound sleeper

Ah yo u said my lady a momentthere ! My

bairn but you are cold and all o f a tremble ! Com e
in beside me Why you are dressed Wh at i s the

matter ?
Then bursting into an agony of tears Ivie told th e
Countess all No w there was little o f fear about Rob
e rt Duke of Rothesay s daughternone o f man
none o f the devil and they said only by ts and
starts even o f God

Bide bairn s h e said immediately I will go wi th

you We will see fo r ourselves you and I No we
will s ay nothing to My Lord What need ! H e
would only Spoil sport ! I will onl y leave a note tell
ing him where to seek us if we are not back fo r
breakfast Feared ? What for should I be feared
.

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

3 68

The two women stood in the wide doorway gazing

S tephen Houston his long black hai r falling all about
h i s face from which eve r and anon he twisted it ner
v o u s ly back s at ring horse pistol after horse pistol at
some part o f the room they could not s e e
He did
not observe them at rst as my lady and Ivie stood
stiff with amazement in the open Space o f the landing
But S ue F airfo u l did and becked t o them and mo cked
behind her master s back even when She was handin g
him the loaded pistols

n
w
There wants little o
he cried there stands
Raith Ellison t h e hand some dragoon done to the life
nothing wanting but the little red hole through the
heart ! And thentomorrowwe shall have a visit

from Mistres s Ivie and he r kind friend My Lady !

Ah
he cried suddenly catchi ng sight o f the t wo
women in the mirror H e rose brought his palm
quickly to his brow as if to be sure it was no vision
And then re aching o u t his hand he seized a pistol and
rushed towards the door

Better still he cried She shall s e e m e do it

And before Ivi e could move from her place he turn ed
the doo r on its hinges and revealed R aith Ellison to
all appearance dead Ivie uttered a great c ry and
rushed forward The madman raised his pistol to
R ait h s breast but crouching low by the table and
r esting an elbow on the edge o ld S ue F ai rfo u l the
witchwife poised hi s brother Tom s great W h ig hunt
ing piece and pointed it at S tephen H ouston
The Silver bullet for the man that turned me o u t
s h e crie d
o f hoose and hame mine for thirty years
and as She Spoke s h e red The madman fell forward
his head striking the oor at Raith Ellison s feet and
with a wild eldritch c ry S ue rushed down the dark
stairs o u t at the door and the dark of the night s wal
lowed her up
The two women were shaken I n s tinctivel y they
,

clung the o n e to the other but strangely enough in

that moment o f terror standing between the dead and
the dying it was Ivie regained her calm the more
quickly Rapidly s h e s aw h o w Raith had been drawn
into a trap and with the sharp edge o f her dagger s h e
The tall countess
c u t the ropes which bound him
received the young man in her arm s and bore him to
the table as if he had been an infant
H is clothes were cut to ribbons Blood owed from
a slight wound in his hand but otherwise he was u n
hurt The mad marksman had been as good as h is
word According to promise he had outlined R ai t h s
shape on the door in bullet holes but the nishing
touch of the silver button through the heart had been
directed elsewhere

He will C ome to m uttered My Lady as Raith

breathed with a heavy lift of the chest half checked

in the middle but the sooner we get all this sorted

Come
o u t with the least talk about it the better
your ways lass we will send My Lord This is lt i s
work !
But Ivie cried o u t in amazement
Leave him
when they might return
s h e cried
There may be more o f them That terrible woman
might come back
Think how s h e mopped and

mowed at u s I believe s h e is mad also !

Well said My Lady then I see n o t what there

is fo r it but to wait till breakfast time when My Lord
will get his letter But then all the world will know
and your lad there stand in more danger from the law
than he did a moment since from the bullets of poor

S t e e v i e s horse pistols
Do you go if you will My LadyI will stay and
keep watch ? said Ivie
Lass I would go fast enoughbut to leave you
here I dare not with that dead man and yo u r lad

not come to himself You would lose your wits !

,

24

TH E C H E R RY RI BB A N D

3 70

I shall not be afraid Ivie a nswe red there a r e

arm s I have a sword and we have found Raith
S o s h e waited having as usual he r way
Meg o f Rothesay was as this history has said with
o u t fear but her nerves were certa i nly tried that night
S he had to pass down the stairs by which S t e e v i e s
murderess had e dthe wom an whom all the world
took to be a wit c h But the count e ss marched bravely
on a pistol i n hand though as s h e said afte r she
would not deny h u mm e ri n owe r a prayer o r twa that

could do no harm at ony rate ! But even this s h e

ceased s o soon as she found he r self out on the O pen
face o f the moor
Then Ivie by the light of the dying candles con
t i n u e d to stand between the dead and the living b e
tween S tephen Houston and Raith Ellison both of
whom had loved her and told her s o Raith was breath
ing quietly now but he had not yet opened his eyes
I vie went to the doo r and closed it The yawning
black throat of the staircase annoyed her but as s h e
swung the door to she s aw the great pulleys above
and the shelf below on which the wolf trap had been
placed to snap as Raith pushed again st it Then s h e
came back an d resumed her wat ch Presently one of
the candles guttered out and the lightning cam e
stronger glittering o n the clea r steel o f her sword
S tephen Houston had never moved since he had fal
len but now fo r the rst time a ood of te rr or cam e
ove r Ivie
What i f he did come alive
S he turned and regarded the dark mass the hands
s tretched out o n e o f them still holding the harmless
pistol which had gone o ff as he had fallen The hand
outstretched on the oor seemed t o move and cl utch
Raith
Raith wakewake
s h e cried suddenly
I want youI need you Raith I shall go mad else !
,

*6

6K

i i6

9k

TH E C H E R RY RI BBAN D

372

fallen a s men fall when they are st ricken suddenly

dead

H e did not kill m e t hen ? h e murm ured as his

rst word I t did n o t seem in the least strange that
Ivie should be with him Of course she would be
there H e had known it before he had opened his
eyes oh ages and ages before ! That was what had
made his heart beat at the rst after it had stopped
and it was her voice that had turned the course o f hi s
soul earthward again out o f the vast blue ocean o f
crystal in which he had been swimm ing
Then Ivie put her head down close to his and spo ke
Raith I knew that you would come here and try
to nd me so I came to yo u But keep stilldo not
t ry to moveall will be well My La dy will be back

presently with assistance

My Lady ? queried Raith t rying feebly to piece

things together He was still partially dreaming and
could feel the long pulsing sweep through that glorious
cerulean where o n e did n o t need to breathe but only
to exist

Yes said Ivie touching his hair do not trouble

to think at all It is My Lady the Countess o f Lid

S he has gone for her husband !

de s dale !
Raith instantly s at erect
H is head swam as his
feet touched the ground and he tried t o steady himself
rocking with his hand on the table

I m ust get away he cried

they would take me

and I might tell i fi f they tortured m eI might

tell where your father i s my father Gil and all the

prisoners

D o not be afraid whispered Ivie only wait My

Lord will ask you nothing that yo u may not safely tell
him
Al so he wishes to see my fatherwishes it
greatly H e has a mission fo r him And for the o t h
ers he has promised my La dy
What
.

O UT

OF T H E

D EPTH S

C RI ED

37 3

That they shall g o free Hus hhere they come

I f it be any other s
S he did n o t continue the se n
tence but thrusting a pis tol in to his ha nd the t wo o f
them waited as the so unds be n e ath gre wnearer

I v ieIvieI am herehave I be en lon g ?

It was the Countess tall as any ma n and looki ng
taller in her rough so ldier s coa t and h u ge plum e d
h a t fea ther e d like t h at o f a lif e g ua rd s m an
My husband
s h e ans wer e d a look o f I v ie s
he
is below with two o r three m en whom he can t rust But
if thi s yo u ng man will g o into an other cha mber and
clothe hi m se lf in thi s suit which I bro u ght fo r h i m it
will save much trouble The m atte r will be l e s s li kely
t o be talk e d abo ut
Then if he is able he will ri de
home with u s t o K i ngsbe rry an d tel l us all abo ut it t o
morr o w m o rn in g I t wi ll do my husba nd wh o i s the
gr eat e st go s s ip in the world m u ch good t o ha ve to wai t
till then He wi ll make fty suppo sings when he

nds that wolf trap

Raith C lad him s elf with dif c ulty stopping at every
mi nute to lean agai n st the cold wal l o f the li ttle ante
c h ambe r throug h the O pe n window o f whi ch the ni ght
ai r broug ht in the smell o f bu rn ing torches
Alrea dy they were ca rrying o u t S t e phen Houston
to h is burial while doubtless h i s dis turbed spirit was
planni ng its i ght t h roug h some more rem ote region o f
the blue coo lnes s the con nes o f whi ch Raith had
t h at ni ght touch e d
In the s e wi s e days there are few wh o gi ve even a
tho ug ht t o witchcraft But it was the uni ver s al b e
lief at the time o f these chroni cles as it was tha t o f
the men wh o pen n ed the Bible narratives But c e r
tain it i s tha t wh ether Old S ue F ai rfo ul was a witch o r
not s h e vani s h e d utterly fro m the ea rth from tha t
mome n t tho ugh a c ti vely s e arch e d fo r throughout
ev ery shire in Sc ot land as all may s e e wh o C h oo s e t o
co ns ul t the r e gi ster o f the Act s o f Privy Co un cil
.

T HE

3 74

C H E R R Y RI BBAN D

I v ie in a happy t riumph brought the b oy ( lz e r ooy

home to his mother And Marj ory S impson clasped
Raith in her arm s and listened to the tale o f the
wondrous rescue and the ight her pale face paling
y et more as She heard how Raith had left them still
The few
a t bay on the roc ky ridges o f Ben Aron

against the many as s h e said but the Lord i s on

their side

And we have a great advantage i n position also

a dded Ra ith simply and meaning no irreverence
His mother looked at him a moment and then s aid
t o Ivie You have a work o f grace yet to do there

The old Adam is sti ll strong in the boy ?

And this Eve stood most of tonight with a swo r d

in he r hand said Ivie and oh but she was f right

ened I had to call o u t t o you Raith

I heard you and I came

he answered But
neither he nor s h e knew from how far
After a little while Raith dr ew E u ph rain aside into
o n e o f the window embrasures and spoke in her ear

I promised to give yo u a message he said

Yo u
will know what it m eans I do not Captain G rif
R ys l an d bade m e tell you that h e kept troth
At which E u ph rain ushed suddenly redde r than
t h e s unrise wh ich was coming up ove r the tree top s
t o the east

I keep it too s h e said under her breath

Then came My Lord in with my Lady who looked
not a whit the worse fo r her adventure

S ir he said yo u have had such a night as few

But for all thattaking my wife s
me n live through
word for it I cannot call you other than a singularly
fortunate young man
And so thought Raith him self except only when
he remembered Lag s leaguer o f the H ill of Aron
and the comrades and friends wh o held the tren ches
and waited fo r him to return
,

'

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

6
7
3

gloamingbut I ll warrant him he i s no J udas

said
Long bodied John stoutly

A bruised reed then s e t in a soil of self and siller

commented Peden yet in his time perm itted to be

an instrument o f the will o f the Almighty

Then he read to them one o f the wa r rior psalm s
the seventeenth by number
i n e ey e b ide me u n de r
K e ep m e as re appl e of M
t /t e s /t a a o w of M
y wi ng s from t h e wi cke d t /z a t op
i
a
a
e
a
e
n
e
m
e
s
t
/
t
a
t
as
s
e
f
ro
r
e
s
s
e
m
m
co
m
m
m
y
y
l
p
p

'

a bo u t

And he bore on the same subj ect in his prayer

likening th e Laird o f Lag to a lion greedy fo r i t s prey

and as it were a young lion lurking in secret pl a ces
And from far o ff o n the long peninsula o f whin and
peat on which the tents and shelters o f Lag s force
were set o u t like a child s toys the sm oke o f the morn
ing breakfast re s gave m eaning to the allegory
D ay by day their assailants had grown more numerous
as Westerhall and Morton sent on their bands of A n
n an dal e and Nithsdale m en and more and more run a
gates ltered up from Lag s own Galloway country
On the very day of R ait h s departure indeed a large
body had arrived with the three Houston brothers in
command glad to be quit of the house and lands
rather than live in fea r o f the increasing madness o f
their elder brother
,
,

9k

9l6

*6

5K

9*

S oon soon shall Alexander Peden pass away

cried the old preacher even now his place knoweth
him not Other t imes Shall arrivea younger day
S end Lord that it be a better Yet let not the o ld day
be quite forgot Let not the man o f the world whose
portion i s in this life guide wholly the kirk and folk
of God Teach us whom thou lettest live to walk
modestly by t h e side o f the great mystery
S oon
very soon there shall be naught hid from S andy Peden

,
.

LO NG BODI ED J O H NMARTYR

377

But teach these poor ones here Thy secret which i s

with them that fear Thee

He ended an utterance less prOph e t i c than usual by
lifting up both hands in the S cottish attitude o f bene
diction Ere he had dropped them again there came
from over the hill a sharp rattle of musketry and
Then ascend
G rif sprang for h i s sword and musket
ing the hill he made the best speed that was possible
to him towards the defence of the threatened
point

Lads to your posts every man o f you he cried

back over his shoulder for ye may be attacked any

moment Where is John Paton ?

But J ohn Paton o f the Long Body was not to be
found He had vanished as soon as Peden had put
the question concerning his uncle There was a $ 115
He had noticed for some
pi c i o n in his own heart
days that there was something fermenting in the mind
of Prayerful Peter and he knew the sign s of the
uncle s temper better than any Now he bitterly re
pro ac h e d himself

H e is a sailor and a sher thought the nephew

as he ran low among the rocks as if he had been
stalking curlews o n the shore in the spring frosts

and that black water they make such a c ry about

would be no more to him than it was to me He h as
ev aded and been captured No he would not sell us
for money There is some principle in the man
Besides which all o f his money is invested on this Side
of the dyke But if he were torturedas Lag knows
howah well then Peter Paton mi ght be brought to

speak !
Before Long bodied John reached the narrow deep
place wh ich he had helped Raith to cross and where
the bank was hard on either Side he found a score of
Lag s men already on the hither side Having forced
the passage they were busy drawing the ir fello ws
,

T H E C H ER RY RIB BAN D

3 78

across with cart ropes and there were oats un der t h e

chin o f each
My uncle s worksurely
thought Long bodied
John And indeed looking up he spied at that
moment Prayerful Peter bound and guarded while a
pair o f sentries were s tim ulating his i nvention with
their bay onets Pete r was bleeding and crying ou t
fo r pity which however he did not nd
Thank God for that
said his neph ew
at least

he h as not sold us for money !

And simply and
without a moment s hesitation he set himself to do his
dutythat i s to undo as far as he could the m i s
chief caused to the defences o f Ben Aron by the
weakness o f his kinsman
H e laid him down behind a rock and began coolly
t o pick o ff those wh o were busiest in the work of
ferrying over th e soldiers The leader wh o had al
ready cro ssed on e o f the younger Houston s H urst
indeedinstantly sent a dozen men to surround and
capture him alive But Long John Paton twining
his legs securely about a stone continued his fusillade
a s fast as he could load and re

I suppose John he said addressing himself

that it s doom s possible that ye are gaun to dee

Aweel mony is the time ye hae been nea r it John
but here it s come at last Ye were neve r great at
John But y e hae had a heap to
t h e kirk wisdom
t o do wi kirk folk and professors in their day Ye
hae saved them and ta en them bodily com fo rt and
and hearkened to their lang
c arried their scribing
prayers And maybe John a that will count ! I
d are say it will John for H e s a j ust God Yo n Yin

Ye hae t ried
s o they s ayj ust and m e rc ifu baith !
mony a time John to straight your uncle s crooked
ways and whiles ye hae dune it Ye hae been a sinner
I dare say John but what wi bein aye in the boat ye
hadna time for a s muckle o that as s ome i t h e rs But
-

THE

6
8
3

C H E R RY RIBBAN D

t /z i nb
i s t re s s I v i e , so the message r a n ,
B o nny
w/z i l e s on f o/z n P a t on o Ca n t i e B ay , t /z a t l o e d y e , a n d

i
e
ex c ept a n ce , a n d
e
w
a
d
l
k
t
/
z
c
/
z
t
ay e d id w/z a li e t o
y
H e wi ll
fo rg i e /z i m f o r t /z a t
H e i s by wi i t n o w
B id a
n e v e r s e e t /z e B a s s ag a i n n o r y ou r bon ny face
g u i d n i e /z t t o a k i n d i e n s f m e f o/z n P a t o n of Ca n t i e

B ay , f i s /z e rm a n

'

a
le

a
le

9%

ale

At the rst glance G rif R ys lan d could s e e that his

long impregnable position had been completely taken
in the rear I n spite of Long bodied John whose
single gun he could hear speaking from below at inter
vals it was manifestly impossible to withstand those
who were already landed on the hither Shore of Aron
Behin d him h e could hear the full roar of battle break
forth A eld cannon constructed of leather bound
with bands o f iron as the O ld soldier recog nised by
the sound had been brought into action This he
knew would terrify the few raw defenders more than
anythin g Fo r like the H ighlanders the Covenant

men could not stand the deep roar o f the Musket s

Mother
What to do ?
To ee was an impossibility To go down and die
with honest John Patongood ! But then wh o would
make term s if terms were to be made with the enemy ?
Retreat was not p racticable The very Water o f
Aron which had been the Wanderers defence now
became their prison
And with Mr Peden and
blind William Ellison the thing was not t o be
thought of
Beneath him Long bodied John at last recognizing
his wounds a nd knowing that the end o f the end had
come had dragged himself up till now he s at o n a
r ock in plain sight where he still continued loading
and ring j ust as many a S unda y afternoon with
,

LONG BODI ED J OH NMA RTYR

38 1

true sher laziness he had s at on a boulder under

Tantallon and practiced upon the s e a me ws as they
i t t e d by

Ye re no a dragoon John he communed with

himself as he s at and loaded while the bullets ew
like hail but ye are doom s ill to kill May be ye wull
wi n through yet ! Lord that s anither ye hae gotten
to your scorea big red man that fell like a gull that
has had his head shot o ff And you John sittin here
composed as King S olomon wi a do z en bullets at the

least intil ye !
But with these words Long bodied John s defense
o f the back door of Aron fortress was over
H e slid
away sideways his head reposing on his musket and
over him stormed the attack towards the crest o f the
hill behind which the defenders were hopelessly ring
their last shots
.

9%

a
le

9K

el

*6

Thus was ended the famous Leaguer of Ben Aron

and as Prayerful Peter explained afterwards d ai ly to
the end of his long and laborious life It was the pil
aye even
n i e wi n k s that did i t I could hae stood death
the s po ilin o my goods ( and indeed there was ac
wretch 0 an Annandale thief that gat my watch
whilk I hae never recovered till this day ) but when
they put my thumbs in the screws Poor Peter had
j uist to blab oot to them a that he kenned aye and
maira deal mair ! And when it came to the knock in
in o the second wedge o the bootsS i rc e me Peter
wad hae s hown them the road he had come across that
water had a that he possessed been lyin in a heap o n

the far side !

S o that after all Long bodied John had spoken a
true word about his uncle s faithfulnesswhich doubt
less was a comfort to that faithful heart

Moreover said Peter with considerable point

,

THE

2
8
3

C H E RRY RI BBAN D

let them that never had thei r feathe r s i the gled s

claws their thumbs i the denty thumbikins their legs
snugged in the bit boxie they c ae the Boots cast the
rst stane at Peter What ken they what they micht
hae dune
And o f thi s mind was King William himself when
Prin cipal Carstairs wh o in his day had been tortured
tried the thumbikins on the King at his request and
the King vowed that for another turn he would have
rendered up every secret he possessed if it were to
King Louis himselfo r s o at least the fact stands re
corded o f him
But Lag had t riumphed Ben Aron was in hi s
hands William and Gil Ellison young Grey S teel
of L e s m ah ag o the brave S impson lad s ( who se fathe r
was good for a swinging n e )all the escapes f r om the
Bass among them the great and famous Mr Peden
and best o f all G rif R ys lan dall were prisoners S ir
Robert s only sorrow was that h e had not been able to
entrap Raith Ellison also but of that he did not yet
despair H e had Spies on his track and near the little
fa r m o n the hill to which he had gone o n the re com
m e n dat io n o f the Chiel o f W am ph ray there were
liers in wait for the return o f the pony and it s
borrower
I n the meantime Lag gua rded the pri sone r s down
the path s e t them o n his own beast s in no S am aritan
spirit tied their feet under the horses belly and s e t
o u t for Morton Castle where he would m eet Colonel
Douglas his comrade in persecution and staunch ally
To him he would deliver Mr Peden who was the only
man o f such mark as to have a price set o n his head
H im he must send to Edinburgh alive b o th because
Robert Grier of Lag was a careful man in the matte r
o f money and be cause he thought that My Lord of
Liddesdale the King s S ecretary was beginning to look
somewhat askance upon him The Prophet then it

'

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAND

3 84

together a nd in a loud voice he proclaimed his mes

sage

Fear not G ri f R ys lan d he cried thou must be

brought before C aesar and 10 G o d hath give n thee all
t hem that sail with thee
,

C HAPTE R X L I X
B I G D EI L A N D

L IT T L E

DE I L

N ow

Morton Castle stands on one of the pleasant

est sites in S cotland and though it be now but a ruin
for the bat to it through while the cu e-o wl mews
t fu lly without yet it keeps still a quiet calm and
even maj estic beauty o f its own
But Morton Castle o n that morning when the pris
oners came down upon it over the fells showed gay
and smilinga cloud o f tents cinctured it about like
butteries that had alighted in a swarm Behind and
higher were grouped the wicker shelters o f the
troopers and camp followers Fo r Colonel Douglas o f
Morto n was a famous commander o f that sort which
conned itself to hunting the hill folk and dividing the
Spoils o f those wh o rem ai ned at home
D ouglas o f Morton had ridden o u t to meet h i s
friend and the two conversed blithely together S uch
a haul had not been made since Pentland as Lag re
not even Bothwell could
pe at e d again and again
equal it
But at the rst word o f shooting and a j oint war
rant Morton started

No t so near the house

he said remember the
ladies ! I cannot have it ! What are all those ne
hills back there for but to Shoot Whig dogs upon ?
I would never have a day s peace again from my
women folk
Henpecked
inquired Lag with an evil grin

Chicken pe e ked said Morton I stand in fear o f

,

25

THE

3 86

C H E RR Y RI BB A N D

my daughters who will not have the neighbours killed

On the eld I
o r even prisoned if they know o f it
can do my part in the King s se rvice w i th an y man
butI like a quiet life when I am at home

H a said Lag I begin to think that my house

o f Rockall with on ly Roddie and none to s ay m e nay
i s better than any of your grea t folks pala ces like
Kingsberry o r Mo rton

Oh said Colonel D ouglas with a sh r ug of his

shoulders
it doe s not make any great di fference
West erhall ove r there obliges m e when I have the

ne e d of a little quiet Whig shooting

But now we cannot go all the way back to West

cried Lag they would mutiny

e rh a with m y crew
And besides I cannot afford to r isk havi ng the prison
ers taken o u t o f my hands

There are no m en o f this neighbou rhood among

them
dem an ded Morton lowering at his friend eye
to eyebut suspiciously as bad men do wh o are yet
equ al in their badness and r espect each other for the
fact

O n my word
said Lag and seeing that the oath

did not carry conviction they are all Western an d

S outh count ry men except a Lothian lad o r two wh o

helped in the affair of the Bass

There should be good money in some of these

said Morton I suppose yo u want m e to look after

Mr Peden for you Well I will take the Bass men
also to Edinburgh You know that the council has
often wanted to have its knife in the backs of these
canny Lo u du n e rs
But if I do it i s halves remember

o r I will have nothing to do with your Shooting

And if I say yes
said Lag
what o f y our
women folk then

Why then answered Morton bide a little here

and towards the darkening we will march the rascals
over to a ce rt ain quiet place at the h ea d o f the Linn
,

T H E C H E R RY RI BB A N D

388

Here she cried young ladies come and let thi s

mettle spa rk bend the knee to you Charlotte F rances
Jean you cannot keep my guest all to y ourselves ! S i r
Robert let m e Show you the prettiest maid in Scot
land and a soldier s daughter to boot Mistress Ivi e

R ys lan d

I think we have met before said S ir Robe rt

bowin g slightly
p a rdon m e my taking the lady s
hand My arm is still a little stiff I had an accident
whi ch troubles me
A nd he contented h im self with again bowi ng to
Ivie

None s o ill said Lady Liddesd al e to herself fo r

a wild boar in the sulks ! I had not thought Roa ring
Rob had as muckle in him
But at an y rate I pricked
him to the quick A nd how goes your siege S ir
Robe rt ? We heard of that What still no success ?
Well it is not the rst time that the dull fellows have
had the best of it But h o w long are we to be favou r ed

with your compan y S ir Robe rt ?

I ride this afternoon he answered

I have im
portant matters forward This is but a passing vi sit

having hear d ( here h e stammered being inexpe rt

at such banalities ) that y our La dyship was i n the
neighbourhood

It i s a favour you do not often pay to He r La dy

ship o f Kingsberry S ir Robert ! returned the dame

glowering down upon him from the height o f s ix foot
four inchesas he afterwa rds said
like a h o o le t On a
perch

And the wicked o ld j ade was laughing at me too

he complained to Morton when they went down stairs

I am sorry you go s o soon continued La dy Lid

I fea r yo u will
de s dal e as S ir Robert was going o ff
j ust miss my husband We are expecting him thi s
evening with an escort !
At the word La g tu rned about

BI G D EI L AN D LI TT LE D EI L
Ah

3 89

he broke in what might your ladyship have

s aid ? A n escortColonel Graham then ? No he is
in the WestCaptain Wi n dram perhaps

I do n o t think Win dram is the name But it is an

English captain o f that I am sure ! Good day to
you S i r Robert
I thought I knew every man that could be mus

he murmured to him
t e re d between Eden and Forth

self and I have drained My Lord s lands pretty dry

Where then c an he have found this escort ?

He applied to Colonel Douglas but from him could
get no information New troops were expected from
Carlisle and doubtless the S ecretary who had all the
strin gs in hi s hand had drawn some of these English
men round by way o f Kingsberry
That would never do fo r me
s ai d Lag anxiously
perhaps we had better march the prisoners over and

nish the j ob out o f hand !

Morton shook his head thoughtfully

We must wait for evening he said I had a note

from Ki ngsber ry only this morning My Lord S ecre
tary will not arrive before midnight and besides we
cannot move the prisonersblind Ellison and all
without attracting attention Why Lady Liddesdale
to crown her folly has actually brought his wi fe and
daughter with her also
Where Here To Morton
cried Lag eager

you j est !
ly

Look if I do said his friend And there walki ng

very peacefully along the green path which wound up
from the burn were E u ph rain Ellison and her mother
Marj ory

Meddling O ld hag, cried Lag under his breath

referring to My Lady Liddesdale

why cannot s h e
get a company o f the grenadier guards where She
might at least do something for the servi ce o f the
king and besides stand a rare C hance o f a bullet ?
,

T HE

39 0

C H ERR Y RI BBAN D

But as i t i s she goes about with the S ecretary i n f ull

c ry after her and her ngers a ll i tch i ng to be meddling

in eve ry man s business !

Mo rton nodded fullest acquiescence O ut of r ea ch
o f his womenkind he could be to the full as cruel
though not naturally s o brutal as his neighbou r of
La g

Ah said S ir Robert afte r a pause I have an

idea I must see Roddie and that immed iately

But he did not conde his idea to his f riend a nd
coadj uto r content ing himself with saying only
I
shall expect you thi s even in g Now I have all these

fellows to look after and mo r e com in g every hour !

Well said Mo rton

the cooks have been busy
in the ki tchens ever Since we knew you were in the
neighbourhood You c an smell the good beef broth
from here But yo u yourself will dine with u s upstairs
at noon

No s ai d Lag I thank you Morton but I have

had enough o f Duke Robert s daughter I will m ess
with the men down in the m eadow H o w goes the
r ant ? Bette r a dinner on the herb than with a
brawl i ng woman in a wide house ! which is being
interpretedbetter dine with Roddie o n the g r ass
than s u p kai l with My Lady Liddesdale in Morton

Castle
H is host laughed and shrugged hi s shou lders again
t o show that i t was all very well for his friend but as
fo r himself there was no hope o r help

But said Morton I did not not know that you

could quote S cripturewe shall have you preaching
o n the heather yet !
uote
S
cripture
said
Lag
well
you
know
the
!
devil did in his time and I suppose we his faithful
servant s may !

S peak for you r self Lag said Mo rton shortly

I do cried Lag I do The rest o f y ou are all

,

C H APTE R L

MARJ O RY S MO T H E R H E A R T

R OD D I E L ag s a l t e r eg owhich is to s ay infe ri o r
devil had come l ike many o f his race of a good house
and upon occa s ion he could conduct himself very much
like a gentlemaneven tho ugh many y ears of S ir
Robe rt Grier s societ y had left him few other virtues
It was then with a not ungraceful air o f respect
that he saluted E u ph rain and her m other as they re
turned from their walk by the waterside i n the h ollow

I am aware he said that Mistress Ellison and

he r daughter have reason t o think but ill o f me fo r that
which is past But times are chan ged an d changing
y et faster so I ask that yo u will hea r me for I am
the beare r o f a m essage from one wh o is dear t o you
F o r a moment Marj ory S impson gazed at the man
as if to read his thoughts
S he h ad seen hi m watch
ing them before
F o r as s h e often s ai d since he r
ma rriage Mistress Marj ory Ellison had to s e e for t wo
But it h ad not occur r ed to her that this was anythin g
more than the su rprise natural to such a man upon
seeing the wife o f a rebel walking freely about Morton
Castle In reality Ro ddie was keenly o n the watch to
see that the t wo women did n o t wander too close to the
an cient gi rnel of Mo rton in which the prisoners were
for the present inte rn ed
T h e o ld woman bowed he r head and answered
plainly and openly

S peak then if you have anything to s ay to Ma r

j ory Ellison o r he r daughter

MA RJ O RY S M O T H ER H EART

39 3

I ba r/ e someth ing to s ay continued Roddie and

it concerns your s o n

And from which son of mine do yo u hold you r

commission you S ir Robert Grier s serving m an ?

demanded Marj ory

From your s o n Beattie

said Roddie with a
cadence in his voice which though helped by his
Highland accent owed something also to his talent for
acting
Now Marj ory had none o f her husband s e rc e n e s s
of abstract indignation And now though her head
was calm and quiet her heart was the stronger

My s o n i s my son s h e said
even though if
all tales be true he has gone in an ill way But I
have had o n e s on returned to mewh y not the
other ?
Then it was that Roddie was almost diverted from
his proper business
He thought that if he could do
a little on his own account his master could not fail
to be pleased

Ah he said speaking gently as he knew how

upon occasion
you mean Raith who was in service
with me in the Royal Dragoons ? I knew him
well
Marj ory nodded for her heart lled at the name of
that prodigal s o wondrously returnedthough i ndeed
s h e had never doubted it

S o Raith has come back to yo u ? said Roddie

looking thoughtfully at the g round Marjory was
about to answer and tell o f her youngest son s kind
reception at the hands of Lord and Lady Liddesdale
For mothers heart s love such things and the telling
would have been sweet especially in such a quarter
But E u ph rain always more suspicious nudged her
mother softly and Marj ory looking up caught the
fencer s glitter in Roddie s eye for a moment lifted
and then dropped

THE

39 4

C H E RRY RI BB A N D

I mean She said

I have heard news of him

And if you will accompany me this evening

sai d the man hiding his Sharp disappointm ent

I
promise you that you Shall have news good news o f
your other s o n

You mean th at I shall s e e him ? s h e que ri ed

now suspicious o n her own account

I promise it ! I swea r it ! he cried all the more

eagerly that he found himself accidentally telling the
truth !
I know that there is no reason wh y yo u
should believe me therefore I have brought a letter
which may convin ce you I t is from your s on Beat
tie now in high favour with the Managers in Edin
burgh and able to do many things fo r his friends

if only they would trust him

H e had intended to tell her how Beatt i e was s o
useful to the m ore ardent spirits o f the Council an d
especially to the bench o f Bishops that it might not
be a very long time before he was made a bishop
himselfs o greatly in need o f able m e n were the
prelates o f S cotland at that time But his Celtic
nesse kept him s ilent

Let m e s e e my son s letter s ai d Marj ory hast

ily stretching o u t her hand
At rst Roddie pretended to hesit ate a s if he we r e
afraid o f exceeding his instructions

The letter is to my master S ir Robert he said

and fo r the most part treats o f affairs o f state and the
servi ces which your s o n is rendering to the govern
ment But there are certain portions which concern
you and yes you may read them
Only yo u will
stop when I ask you seeing that I have no right to
Show you the letter at all But ( h e added softly ) I

can feel for that which i s in a mother 5 heart

Again Marj o ry felt E u ph rain s warni n g arm but
this time s h e was t o o eage r at sight of Beattie s hand
writing to give any heed
,

THE

39 6

C H E RRY RI BB A N D

at the corn edges the owers a foot talle r th an h i s

E u ph rain I wo u l d like t o s e e the boy once
hea d

before I die !

S o y ou shall madam sai d Roddie

I will convoy
you myself I t is no far j ourney You can ride if
you will but it i s s afe r to walk
H e is o n the
King s business and his presence must not be known
I swea r to yo u that if you t rust m e you shall s e e
y ou r s on this night
And indeed it was true enough though the s on
s h e w a s to see was not he whom Marj ory expected

?
And where
tell m e the place
s h e asked

At the head o f the Linn of C ri ch Ope

said the

ser v ing man ! do not be afraid Colonel Douglas

will be there Yo u shall see him ride o ff to the meet
ing with S ir Robert We shall follow in their wake
but cautiously lest you be turned back
Colonel
D ouglas would not allow that
But al l the same you

cannot be afraid to go where he is

No
said Marj ory wh o was eve r unready to

think evil
he seem s an honourable man fo r a

persecuto r

Ah said Roddie there are better and worse

amongst us lads that ride fo r the King Have I think

you done this for mine o wn advantage ?

Why have you done it at all
said E u ph rai n sud
de n ly looking full at him
Now if it had been her mother he would have re
plied that i t was because he understood her griefs o f
separation her love and yearning But he dared n o t
answer E u ph rai n s o Her cool grey eyes outstared
him

Because he replied your brother has conque red

in short space very great power And when he ar
rives at that to which all m e n s ay he is tending he
will not forget poor Roddie wh o has had enough o f
ridi n g and slay i n g under a rough maste r
-

'

,
.

M A RJ O RY S M O TH E R H EA RT

39 7

Poor man
said Marj ory we will go with you
and b ring our friend also

Aye do said Roddie there m ay be news o f her

father also I should not wonder !

le

it

*6

at

C H APTE R LI
T H E PL A C E

OF S LA

U GHTE R

N OW

the Linn o f C ri c h o pe is surely one of the

strangest places in S cotlanddeep narrow cut out
from th e soft sandstone turned as o n a lathe grooved
into a myriad caves arches p ot holes The s u n never
shines there The waters t ear and roar through it in
time o f ood The winds even when there is a pro
found stillness in the upper air moan and c ry down
there like lost and prisoned souls But for all these
reasons it was a great haunt o f the Covenant folk
till it had been rendered t o o unsafe by the near gar
risons at Morton and D ru m lan rig
But at the top where the water o f the C ric h o pe
burn comes down o ff the high tableland there is a
waterfall and a pleasant green space t oo in front o f
it where lovers oft conven e and to which quiet vil
lagers walk out to sit awhile o n the grass and listen
to the roar of the waterfall above and the unqui et
wind in the caverns belo w
But in the latter Covenant days there was no lone
lier spot and no o n e more avoided by all the country
side For there was Ofttimes blood o n the sward
and t h e place where the execution squads had stood
is still pointed out It was cho sen so that the victims
might fall back into the boiling torrent and give no
further trouble I t is told how more than o ne wound
ed but not unto death o r perhaps intentionally spared
by a m ore than usually merciful ring party threw
him s elf b a ckward a nd took the scant chance o f escap
,

T H E C H ER RY RIBBAN D

4 00

knew but that Beattie t o o though now they called

him traitor s py and worse names might come back
to her even as Rai th had done There was no s ay
l

ing if on ce b e s a w h i s m ot /i e r
Duly was Roddie in waiting Before them riding
slowly they could See S ir Robert and Colonel Douglas
going as Roddi e assured them t o an inte rview with
Beattie and My Lord Bishop o f Galloway I t was
calm assured weather and they s e t o u t while it was yet
broad daylight indeed little more than mid after
noon
The Linn o i Cri c h o pe
Many were the legends
and strange tales told by the reside a t M
ay e ld that
the name called u po f wild deep caverns o f ma rvel
lous wildernesses o f trees and ferns o f fathomless gulfs
and roaring oods o f brownies fai ries d an cing elves
and above all o f the honest lads o f the Covenant wh o
were used to lie up there so com fortably in the easy
early days before the coming o f Clavers
That was what Marj ory thought o f as C ri ch ope and
perhaps E u ph rain t oo
but what they did see was very
different
By the time they reached the head of the glen the
s u n was setting an d threw his beam s level o n a row
o f men wh o stood on the edge o f a precipice the green
short grass under their feet and the main abyss
behind A little to the side two men s at o n horseback
calmly conferring together as if the whole were a
little matter o f everyday business They were Lag
and Colonel D ouglas There seemed to be some dif
ference of opinion between them

I t must not be ! said o n e

It Shall be ! cried the other

Then I will have noth ing to do with it ! s aid

Colonel Douglas ! it is murdernothing less

I have my commission yo u Colonel Douglas

y ou r s
They shall die these men ! If y ou do n o t
,

OF

TH E P LAC E

S LAUG HTE R

40 1

wish to be present you can put spurs to your beast

like a faint heart
I shall hereafter call you to account for that word
said Morton

Pshaw sne ered Lag I have more duels o n my

hand than there are days in the year But they nev
er come o ff S tay man and s e e j ustice prettily done
I will regi ster your protest Roddie Kilburn Begg
here ! Ye are to bear witness that Colonel Douglas
does not agree to the execution of these recusants
which is about to take place by my orders Colonel
Douglas had ever a soft side for the rebels But then
he has not had so much trouble upon Ben Aron as we
or perhaps he would n o t have brought them even s o

far !
I t was then that a woman s c ry arose from a little
group that had that moment appeared over the brae

It is my husband ! What are they doing to

him
For Marjo ry S impson had seen Willi am Ellison and
rushed to him The blind man held o u t his arm s
vaguely recog nizing his wife s voice but n o t knowing
what had brought her there
Marj oryMarj ory
he cried and then again
Marj ory
But without a word E uph rain had gone straight to
G ri f R ys l an d where he stood more rmly tied than
the rest hi s hands behind his back

I have not your token E u ph rain he said smiling

a little ! they have stolen it But I love yo u I love

you as I never thought to love woman

Gil wh o stood next watched till either o f the two
women should notice him And in his simple way h e
began to wonder why all his life long never a woman
had thought o f him rs t

A n d Gil my s o n Gil !
cried his mother at last !
what is thi s ? What is this
,

26

T H E C H E RRY RI BBAN D

4 02

Yo u had bet
We a r e to die mothe r said Gil

ter go away I t will do no good

I w ill beg at h is feet for your life cried Marj ory

clasping her arm s about he r eldest son s neck

I
will cast myself on Lag s mercy

S teady mother said Gil be brave Do not let

the wolf see that you give way Keep the tear from
your eyethe smile on your lips ! H e has brought y ou
here for thisto triumph over you to s e e your agony !
I s aw i t I knew it as soon as I s aw yo u coming ove r
the brae in the company of that vile fo x Roddie D is
appoint him mother He has brought you here to
batt en on your distress t o have you kneel and implore

and then to spurn you Mothermoth er be guided

do as I say
Gil had never in his life made s o long a speech b e
fore I t was his swan song And so strange it was
in a moment Marj ory was herself agai n E u ph rain
also dropped her arms from G rif Rys lan d s shoulders

Where is Ivi e ? asked her father ! wh y i s s h e

not with you ?

S he does not know sai d E u ph rain

she had rid
den out somewhere in the mor ning before they cheated
my mother into coming here with a false letter and

message
G rif s lips were very rm but otherwise his face
showed no emotion when E u ph rain bade him fare
well
S tand away there women
what brings you here
shouted Lag cantering forward as if to drive them
bodily over the precipice
a little more and I would
put a bullet in you also as indeed you are well de

serving o f
At the rst sight o f the Ellisons Morton had turned
his horse about and ridden away
The preparations for immediate execution went for
wa rd Lag directing H e put Marj ory and E u ph rain
,

C HAPTE R LI I
J E Z EB E L A N D jE Z E B E L

C H IL D RE N

S T O Pi n the King s name ! cried a voice from

behind
put down your weapons
Who shoots

die s !
I t was the S ecretary o f S tate him self my Lord
Liddesdale and beside him o n the lost ho r se from
the stable o f Colonel Mo rton was Ivie Rys lan d
while a little behind his sword in his hand rode Ra ith
Ellison
Warned in time Ivie had ridden to intercept him
and he would have a r rived long ago but for the curi
nature o f My Lord s escort This was n o t mili
ous
tary but naval
Indeed they were the seamen from
the inspection Ship S wift s u re which had arrived o ff
the coast having in these leisurely days taken all that
time to turn Cape Wrath And in comman d there
was no less a man than Captain George T e ddiman
him self
The landfolk might ride that isM
Lord
Lid
o
f
y
But the sailors had to come
de s dale Raith and Ivie
on
at the trot o f their bare feet except only their
Captainwhich though they did most man fully yet
the horsemanship of Captain George T e ddim an not
being o f the rst orde r the party arrived in no more
than the nick o f time

S ir Robert said Liddesdale

pray Show me
your warrant fo r this execution

I have as you know a general warrant Lag

answered sulkily seeing his p r ey on the point of

J EZEBE L A N D J E ZEBE L S C H I LD REN

4 05

escaping him
It would have been over but for the

fruit of waiting for these women he murmured

And you dare
cried My Lo rd
I shall report
this to the Coun cil Do you know that by the author
ity o f the King his Maj esty James the S econd

Whom God preserve ! s aid Captain George Ted

diman lifting h i s laced hat high in the air

Whom God preserve !

cried in chorus all h i s
hundred and fty seamen pulling at their forelocks
and rolling their tobacco quids

By the King s authority the S ecretary went o n

all particular warrants o f every sort are rescinded
and all prisoners must be delivered up t o be tried by
the ordinary courts of the kin gdom By his Maj esty s
order in Coun cil rebellion does not exist in any part
o f his dominions
and furthermore liberty of con
science and worship has been granted to all !

Ah said Lag ironically I did not know there

were no mo re rebels I thought that I had been busy
ghting a good many o n Ben Aron S o the news
did not reach me But after all seeing that I have
full military authority over this district and that you
My Lord ( with all deference ) have o nly civilI shall
proceed to do my duty in terms o f my commission
and execut e these rebel s taken with arms in their

hands

I dare you on your life said My Lord tak

ing hi s place with Raith between the ring party
and the prisoners wh o bein g bound still remained in
their positions But Ivie had ner arm s about her
father while E u ph rain watched her with j ealous
eyes

S tand away
shouted Lag ! I will take the
responsibility Men prepare to re and if any

interfere their blood be on their own heads !

Captain George cried My Lord

oblige m e

by advancing your men !

.

THE

49 6

C H E RRY RI BB A N D

Catch a hold of th e swabs and heave them over

board
shouted the burly s ea captain showing a good
example For seiz ing Lag about the waist he rushed
with him towards the cliff The hundred and fty
seamen broke into a true salt water cheer and each
seized his man as far as they could make them go
round Those left out helped their nearest comrades
Lag t ried in vain to reach h i s pistols but Captain T e d
diman had him t o o tightly I n a trice there would
have been a strange t urning o f the tables for the
sailors were fa r more numerou s than the troopers
Lag had brought with him
All o f them would
have been over the precipice had not My Lord with
di f culty restraining his laughte r made a Sign with
h i s hand for them to stop

S ay but the word My Lord said Captain George

T e ddim an hopefully
and overboa rd it is
And indeed the st eep sides o f C ri ch Ope would have
settl ed a good many scores had not Lord Liddesdale
found hi s voice

Let them g o he cried but stay keep S ir Rob

ert a moment under guard I have a word to s ay in
his ear And do yo u Captain George take th e men
yonder and untie them They are the obj ects o f the
King s special clemency save indeed those wh o are

specially named in the schedule o f exceptions

The S ecretary Spoke awhile softly to S ir Robe rt
Grier wh o afte r listening made no further obj ections
to rende ring up his prisoners and sulkily proceeded to
withdraw his men

Yo u have rested long enough S ir Robert

coun
s e ll e d Lord Liddesdale
yo u had better march ton ight
for S anquhar The r e may be more need for you in

the west

Ah said Lag I presume there will s o soon as

the King nd s out that proclamations do not put down
r ebell ion so well as o ld fashioned powder and shot

T HE

49 8

C H E RRY RI BB A N D

know you either n ames o r faces Pass on your way

If ye cannot se rve the King at least lead a quiet life
until the better days come If any of yo u be Mr
Peden o r Mr Renwick or Mr S hields o r any against

whom there are special exceptions remember I have

no knowledge o f the fact G oyou will not be mo
lested But there is one Captain G rif R ys lan d wh o
on condition o f special service h as received a pardon
under the Privy S eal and to him I would desire to
speak Gentlemen I bid you all a good evening
And My Lord Liddesdale S ecretary for S cotland
stood with his hat o ff while the prisoners went by
each one saluting as he went and Gil leading his blind
father by the arm Not a word of t h anks was said
and My Lord S ecreta ry s eyes were xed steadfastly
on t h e ground
After all had passed o u t o f sight it was Captain
George T e ddim an who broke the Silence

It could n o t have been better done by Mr Pepys

him self ! S wift s u res you may O pen your eyes and
prepare to com e about
,

9K

9%

The r esult

956

5i?

9%

it

91(

of

My Lord s lengthy confabulation with

G rif R ys lan d was that G rif went immediately to H o !
land with letters to the Prince of Orange o n the part
o f My Lord Liddesdale and a large portion of the no
I t was a very private mission s o
b il it y of S cotland
private indeed that G rif did not return to Brit ai n till
he cam e back with the Prin ce and landed at Torbay
But then it was Colonel G rif R ys lan d wh o stepped o n

shore and h ad a wife with him

A nd that wife was no other than E u ph rain Ellison
For E u ph rain had an unforeseen obj ection to the mar
riag e when rst approached

My brother Raith i s to marry your daughter s h e

said that will have a strange look For in a way I

,

J EZEB E L AN D J EZEBEL S C HI LDREN

4 09

shall be Ivie s mothe r and my o wn brother s mother

in law
I t was certainly a little perplexing but the old s ol
die r cunningly turned the tables upon her

Let us get married at once he said then it will

be as if we knew nothing of any Raith and Ivie mar
If they do not like you for a mother or a step
ri ag e
mother they need not get married ! The responsibility
is with them
But apparently they did For when s oon after
Raith also went to Holland to be an o f cer of the
Prince and as at the same time Ivie must rej oin her
father it was obvi ously impossible that he could make
the long j ourney alone with so beauteous a young v rou w
she arranged matters by going as his wife
As for Long bodied John he did not die but lived
with half a pig of lead in him ( as he said ) to heir his
uncle s properties I t was Prayerful Peter indeed
wh o to some extent saved his reputation by bringing
him home lamenting all the way My braw neffy
my braw neffy to think it should come to this the
bonny lang body 0 him st rung atween twa cuddies
And Captain George T e ddim an having inherited
Houston afte r all promptly sold it to My Lord b e
cause My Lady could not bear to think of such a hor
S O the
ri d place being within sight o f Kingsberry
ancient house of wickedness was razed to the ground
the trees were cut down and the ewes turned into the
valley to purify it s terraces with the bleating of cen
t u ri e s of lambs
May e ld is a happier May e ld now and though
Beattie never was made a Bishop he accompanied the
exiled court abroad and became a great man as a diplo
matic secretary at S t Germain where there was a
dearth o f people wh o could spell especially among the
newer titles which the King scattered s o prodi
gally

T H E C H E RRY RIBBAN D

4 10

But Gil was with his mother and always when the
summer came round there was an inroad o f hea rtsome
little folk eager to hea r from a blind old man who had
sweetened wonderfully with love and time cert ain
strange sto ries of the past
And the end always was as he laid a hand o n each
head in turn
Ye have a good lad for a father b ai rns
But I will tell yo u one thingye have a woman that
is an angel fo r a mothe r Fo r once I William Elli
s on
had a prodigal s on and a hard heart And a
woman both gave m e back my s o n and soft ened my
heartm y old wicked unforgiving stony hea r t And

it wa s your mother Ivie Ellison wh o did that !

Then the infant choir made answer as with one

voice
Of course mother would S he makes us good
too F o r father when he comes in let s u s play with
his sword or anything But mother when we se
naughty and hard and stony s h e j ust whips us and
then after that S h e loves us
But o ld William Ellison crooning on in his co rner
and Marj o ry his wife sitting by his side and holding
his hand repeated over to each other softly like the

question an d answer o f cooing turtle doves

There
is no o n e like Ivieno o n e like o u r daughter Ivie
Ellison !
And neithe r o n e no r the other of them ever remem
bers that once o n a time they cursed her and called
her Jezebel
,

T HE

P r i n t e d by

O R RI S O N

E ND

G I B B L I MI T E D , E d i n bu rg h

U N I V ER S I T Y O F CAL I FO R N I A L I B R AR Y
T h

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b oo k i s D U E

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