The sun., 1895-05-26
CHAPTER XVI.


| CHAPTER NNL
pEDEN THE PROPHET.
Yet the chariot OF fire came not, for the TIM
| was not yet. though the grinding of its wheels
| Lord had yet a great days dnrg to do in Scot
| lnnd with Richard Cameron.
another minister rose up 10 speak 70 us, a
murmnr went about, and wonder and Joy Joy sat or :
His beard descended upon his breast;
| "Peden the Prophet!'' was the whisper that
went about. And all bent eagerly forward I,
| look at the famous wanderer. whom all held al
that time to have gifts of ntterance and proph;
been a thousand times. hunted like a partridge
| upon the mountains, hundred times taken In
water. that Alexander Peden might go scathe-
less and speak his n Masters steI viii;
at his first word the fear OF the Lord came upon
ridden SO hard on his track, He sat open
mouthed.. and there WAS awe in his look.
Paen had spokSsn
upon him. and he, cried out for Scotland as was
his wont in those days His voice rose and rang
| rather like the wild wind TINT goes about the
house and about the house. and cries fearful
"A bloody sword, a bloody swoiI for thee. o
puir scotland. Many mile shall they travel In
thee and See norsn but Places n m
Many a conventicle has been wsred on thee,
my scotland. and Welsh and Sempe. Cameron
and Cargil have cried to thee; but ere long they
shall ali be put to silence. and God shall preach
TO thee only with the bloody sword. Have ye
Or have ye been dumb dogs that will not bark ?
II that be so. God will make the tongues that
sSns u a not s T and them se
bleeze upon the burning GOALS of hell
Speak. sirs. or He will gar these tongues that
He hath put into your mouths to popple aud
play in the pOwpot OF hell.'
AS he said these words his eyes shone upon us
and shook It over u.s. And we tremblcd beneath
him ike silly BARNS taken in wrong.
But he went on his way one that cries for
vengeance over an open grave in which slain
may @Ye Hi think that there hath been bloodshed in
Scotland. and SO there hath.dear and precious
but tell you that that which hath been is but
sun t rises in his strength to mid.noon the thune
Not since the black day. OF Boutwell,. have
slept in bed! have been Nazarite for the vow
New Luce! Not even Ritchle here could have
! stood young tree by the rivers VI waters.
Look upon me now-so crooked by the caves
the %
hands. and the Lord Of Battles give, you long
arms when you measure swords with, Charles
praying He @ can only blde in bis SDf hole like us
tooihless tyke. lame and blind; and 9rn his gums
'Crook- back. crab-heart.' sayeth the prov
srb he cred hSt think not no So for, for my
s but % few %S " % YIN the
day Of wrath that is to come in Scotland"
He turned toward the place where we sat to-
denounce us as traitors.9 But he only said
as one that hath the tears close behind:
And there are some OF you, young maids and
weak here present. that shall make name In
Scotland that shall never die"
With that he made an end and sat down.
Then came one. wnite-face and painting, from
Then. indeed. there was great confusion md
Anton Lennox. Who had the heart Of soldier Hs in
him and the wit OF General, commanded the
bshhS hem 10 through the 9ns
could see stern-faced men moving to the front
with guns and swords in their hands; These
were the disciplined mem bers of tho Praying
afterward Renwick. drew together, into one
being with me; and felt that. come what
Mc1ihie ciasped her hands and stood ' as Nnae one
that y gripped with fear yet can master it.
corner Of his company. Then. because she was vas
distressed for him and knew not what she did.
pocket that swung beneath her kirtle calmly
set the H stitches in order; and went on Emitting.
when they wait for anything
one heard his neighbor breathing. Through it
": "Lord." he prayed. pray s' Fit is Thine enemies day.
Hour and power are allowed to them. They may
them to do in their Masters service2 Send them
after those to whom Thou hast given strength to
weak women among us this day. Twine them
about the hill: Lord. and cast the lap of thy
cloak over ruir SANDY and thir pur things. and
near BY, from which there is a wide prospect. it
looked all around and waved his I hands iatf three ee
times. And in minute there befel q wonderful
behind the ridges OF the Duchrae and Drum
glass, arose the level tops Of great sea Of mist
that in % the autumn % drives up The s eastern @ va
leys from the sea, Like river that rises he;
MIN hnd dam rose TIL of b sudden Il
Then Peden the Prophet came hastenins back.
he cried. for the Lord is about to serd upon us
His pillar Of cloud" Then the mist came and
made little by little very thick darkness, and
~ Lads, The pittersst 1t Of the blast is over We
And thouss the dapkn.ss hand pased
that il might be ,aisie Lennoxs hand, for. opsf as
no more Click Of the % Knitting M needies ts AeA'a
~, The mis-. mist came YET thicker; and through It
tutTc sHOue HOW anu tHtI the UlCktrluE OF palg
lightning. that flashed about us all. Then we
heard near us the jangling Of the aocoutrements
OF the troopers and the sound OF voices.
Curse the Whigs mist II has come on
again! We Gamma steer for IL" cried a voice so
near that the hill men stood closer In their
ranks. and my own heart leaped till heard II
beat irreRularly within me-
We marked the sharp clip. clip. as the shod
horses struck the stones with their feet. Now
and then n man would clatter over his horses
head as the poor beast begged or stumbled.
Looking over between the trees. could faint
ly discern the steel caps of the troopers through
the gloom AS they wound In single fiie between
us and the water side. II was but scouting
party. for in a moment We EcarL! u trumpet
blow from the main body which had kept the
road that winds down to the old ford over the
Black Water on the way from Kirk kcud bright to
New Galloway and Kenmuir.
IN a little the sounds camo fainter, and the
swing and trample of the hoofs grew 50 far
away that we could not hear them any more
But the great crowds OF people stood for long
time still. no man daring to move. 1t struck me
MS strange that In that great concourie OF shep-
herds not so much as "A dog harkcd. In mo-
ment saw the reason. Each herd Was sitting
on the grass. with his dogs head In his lap,
wrapped III his plaid. Then came the scatter
ing of the great meeting. And as VIC went our
ways home cannot tell whittier I.ochinvar Jared
or who accompanied him. Nor for many day
did ! see him. though ! both sought and
mourned for hini., Such were the chances OF
our life at that dark time. when brother might
part from brother and meet no more, and when
has lrhN lsa.l