The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-06-19

watchful sentinel had deserted danger,
and this was q warning. Forthwith the
congregation rose. There were paths
dangerous to Impractical feet along the
lodges of the rocks leading up to several
caves and places of concealment. The
more active and young assisted theelder
more especially the old pastor and the
women with the infants-and many min
utes had not elapsed till not a living
creature was visible in the channel of
the stream, but all of them hidden, or
nearly so in the clefts and caverns.
The shepherd who had given the alarm
had lain downagain in his plaid instant
ly on the greensward upon the summit
of these precipices. A party of soldiers
were Immediately upon him and de-
manded what signals he had been maxi
ing and to whom, when one of them,
looking over the edge of the cliff, ex-
claimed: "See, see Humphrey, we have
caught the whole tabernacle of the Lord
in net at last. There they arc prais-
ing God among tho stones of the river
Mouss. These are tho Garland craigs
By my souls salvation, noble cathe-
dralT
Filing the lying sentinel over the
cliffs. Here is canting Covenanter for
you, deceiving honest soldiers on the
very Sabbath day. Over with him-out
of the gallery into the pit" But the
shepherd had vanished like a shadow
and mixing with the tall green broom
and bushes was making his unseen way
toward a wood. "Satan has saved his
servant, but come, my lads-follow me.
l know the way down into the bed of
the stream and the steps up to Wallace's
cave. They are called the 'Kittle Nine
Stanes.' The hunts up. Wen be all
in at the death. Halloo--fny boys
hallool'
The soldiers dashed down less pre-
cipitous part Of the wooded banks q lit
tie below the ''craigs" and hurried UP
the channel. But when they reached
the altar where the old gray haired min
lister had been seen standing, and the
rocks that had been covered with people,
all was silent and solitary-not a crea-
ture was to be seen.
"Here's a Bible dropped by some Of
them" cried q soldier, and with his foot
he spun it away into the pool "a bon
meta bonnet" cried another. "now for
the pretty sanctifed face that rolled it's
demure eyes below it," But after a few
jests and oaths the soldiers stood still,
eying with kind Of mysterious dread
the black and silent walls of the rock
that hemmed them in, end hearing only
the small voice CT tho stream that sent a
profounder stiffness through the heart of
that majestic solitude.
Course these cowardly Covenantersi
What. if they tumble down upon our
heads pieces of rock from their hiding
place? Advance? Or retreat" There
was no reply, for a slight fear was upon
every man. Musket OF bayonet could be
of little use to men obliged to Chamber
up rocks along slender paths, leading
they knew not where, and they were
aware that armed men nowadays wor-
SHIPPED God--nen of iron hearts. who
feared not the glitter Of the soldiers
arms, neither barrel nor bayonet-men
of long stride. firm step and broad chest.
who on the open field would haze over
thrown the 1narshaled line and gone
first and foremost if city had TO b..
taken by storm.
AS the soldiers were standing together
irresolute q noise came upon their ears
like distant thunder, but even more ap
palling, and light current of air. as if
propelled by it. passed whispering along
the sweetbriers, and the broom, ami the
tresses of the birch trees 1t came deep.
ening and rolling and roaring on, and
the very Garland craigs shook to their
foundation as il in an earthquake.
"The Lord have mercy upon us--what
Is this2' And down fell many of the
miserable wretches on their knees and
some on their faces upon the sharp point
ed rocks. Now, it was like the sound ~
many myriads Of chariots rolling on
their iron axles down the stony channel
of the torrent. The old gray haired
minister issued from the mouth of Wal
lace's cave and said, with a loud voice.
1.-THE Lord God terrible reixneth."
A waterspout had burst up among the
moorlands, and the river in its power
was at hand. There it concentrating
along into that long reach of cliffs, and
in a moment filled itwith one mass of
waves. Huge, agitated clouds of foam
rode on the surface of blood red tor
rent. An army must have been swept
off by that flood. The soldiers persisted
in a moment-but high up in the cliffs,
above the sweep of destruction, were
the Covenanters-men, women and chill
dren uttering prayers to God, unheard
by themselves, in that raging thunder
From Lights and Shadows of Scottish
Life"