Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-04-01
vengeance, and it comes p

Dy Ine SWORD, nunureuS more Surreuuer-
ed, and long train of captive chiefs
found release. Castle after castle fell
in rapid succession before the valor of
Wallace, and at last Berwick was be.
sieged and taken. At the height of this
victory letter from Helen Mar inform
ed Wallace that she and her parents
were prisoners at Stirling, and that the
earl's life was in deadly peril.
Il shall be on my knees, she wrote.
'till hear your trumpet before the
walls, for in you and heaven now rest
all the hopes of Helen Mar"
Another swift march and fierce attack
instantly followed. But while victory
hung in the balance sixty thousand Eng
lish were marching on Wallace's little
army of five thousand. The first divis-
ion of twenty thousand essayed to cross
the Forth by a bridge, the beams of
which the Scots had secretly sawed. By
suddenly pulling this down a multitude
were whelmed in the stream, and the
rest, attacked both front and rear, were
soon overwhelmed. The savage valor of
Wallace's followers SO dismayed the
English that the remaining forty thou
sand men laid down their arms without
blow! The citadel of Stirling surren-
dered at once, and the Earl of Mar, his
wife, and the lovely Helen, were again
set free.
In the rejoicings over this triumph
Helen was amazed to find in Sir Viii.
liam Wallace the knight who had res
cued her from the fierce SOULS, and for
whom her heart had cherished a pure
yet hidden affection. Knowing his de-
votion to the memory of Marion she felt
herself destined only to such love as a
nun feels for her heavenly preserver.
But her step-mother's wicked passion
burned with renewed ferceness, and she
plotted to WIN Wallace's regard and
make him king of Scotland. hoping thus,
at her husbands death, to crafty both
her love and her ambition as Wallace's
wife. But he repelled her wicked. ad-
vances, refused the crown, and consented
only to act as regent of Scotland until
Bruce should resume the throne. Among
his prisoners was the treacherous Ayner
de Valence, who, full of jealous envy
against Wallace. sought to stab him in
the chapel. whittier Helen had gone to
pray for his safety. A deadly atroke
meant for him pierced Helens arm. but
De Valence's villalny was generously
forgiven.
War being resumed, after an exchange
of captives, the English Percy was rout-
ed and Northumberland was sacked from
sea to sea by the victorious Scots. King
Edward then marched in person to sub.
due the insurgents, but in the opening
battle between him and Wallace, the
amazed king found himself obliged tt
} retreat for the first time in his life In
this very hour of triumph, envy and
treason began to plot the ruin of Wal
lace. A plan to surrender Dunbar wal
unmasked by the adroitness and bravery
of Helen Mar; Edward invaded Scot
land with hundred thousand men
Wallace's authority was bitterly disput
ed by traitors, and on the field of Fal
kirk his army was nearly crushed. Blu
gathering his scattered forces, he fel
| by night on the English camp, and rest
. ed not till he had driven Edward an,
3 his shattered hosts over the border. Ma
I ny brave Scot was slain in this strug
gle, and Helen Mar was captured by tn
a ruthless Aymer de Valence.
"Swear to me, valiant Wallace, ".ejac
+, ulated her grief-stricken father, 'tha
: you will rescue my Helen"
e $50 help me Heaven !" answere
t Wallace, looking steadfastly upwards.
Resigning his regency soon after, t
quell the dissensions caused by envy {
: his glory, he disguised himself as mil
b strel and travelled to the English cour
l. at Durham, in search of Helen. Here
k met young Robert Bruce whom Edwar
i held prisoner, and even dared to pla
: before the king and Queen Margare
II whose admiration of the strange minstr
= excited Edwards raging jealousy whic
|, was not allayed until Wallace, escapir
d to France. sent him letter declarir
y the queens perfect innocence. Followe
l. soon by Bruce, the two traced Aymer
q. Valence to castle near Rouen, whe
o. Wallace soon penetrated to Helen's pri
l. on chamber. He found her sleeping al
a. murmuring in her dreams, "Save m
ID Wallace p
to Dressed in pages suit, which
re had provided for her, the once more ha
py Helen safely escaped from her heal
i'd less captor, and journeyed with Walla
and Bruce to Paris, where the Fren
er king treated them all with the utmt
VS. kindness. Returning at last to Scotla
en- with their fair companion, the chic
sr- thought it prudent to pass as two brot
ers, Guy and Thomas de Longnevil
ed Joining thus with their countrymen
ed battle against an overwhelming Engli