The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-01
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his troops should be well cared for in
the neighboring farm towns. and to
leave visiting guard to see that they
We're kindly treated by the country
people. who hau indeed small reason
to love us.
And as we rode on behind my broth
er had time to bethink me. The words
of Isobel Weir pressed hard upon me
harder, as l think, than even the sight
of John Vernon, whom l had seen ly-
ing dead on the moss. For / never
greatly loved my father, and there is,
so far as / have seen, no great instinct
of affection in that relationship. For
! find that as many sons hate their
fathers as inordinately love them,
while most are wholly Indifferent as to
the matter.
But whenever I rode within earshot
of the preacher, he was crying blood
and vengeance on my head, till the
lads of the escort fell to laughing.
Come nearer. Pat" they called,
when we were out of hearing of the
commander; "he has Just taken a new
text and is expounding your iniquities
under the head Of filthy"
But God knows it was no such
laughing matter to me. For all the
months and years of recklessness and
all the riding and killing came back
salt and bitter on me. And my anger
and enstrangement at them of Iron
gray melted away. ! minded only the
early days and the still Sabbath morns
of the old house-my mother sitting
smelling at a spray of southernwood,
and my father standing by her with
his Bible under his arm, both of them
waiting to take me by the hand and
go our ways down the green loan, un-
der the lilac bushes of the Spring, to
the kirk of Irongray.
"Ah, God!" l cried In my misery,
keep anv other poor soul from so GO
ing against his folk. For me there is,
] know, no forgiveness. But let none
other in blind pride of heart drive devil
ward as ! have done. 1t is true-true
what the lad Robert says-my fathers
blood is on my head"
So in this blank despair We came to
the prison. and the commander directed
the jailer to put Robert in the thieves
hole for safety. and not into the gener-
al room, wherein debtors, ordinary sOr-
ners and all the scourings of south
country rascaldOm were put.
1t was late in the afternoon. and as
soon as Col. Douglas had supped he
went over to call upon his crony, Rob-
ert .Grier. of Lag, who abode mostly by
the White Horse. at the foot of the Ven-
mel; and having sent for the Provost OF
the town and also for a guard to bring
the prisoner, they proceeded to try Rob-
ert Vernon 1t was a simple form, for
the lad had gotten some iron in his
blood over in Holland. and denied moth
ing. He owned that he had been
preaching the doctrine of resistance
He would have none of the Test He
owned not His Majesty King Charles
The Duke was the devil incarnate: in
each of his first half dozen statements
there was enough to hang a parish.
ut is well said cried Douglas; you
are n manful laddie, and come. I hear
of good blood. Thou shalt have the
estate. Robin Grier." he said, turning
to Lag. 1T lies contiguous to your
man. Vernon. is killed in the skirmish' u
But at this 1 stepped forward and sa
luted.
May 1t please your excellencies. -
said ]. II have ever been a faithful SOL
dier of his majesty's. have now serv-
ed with the colors four. years with hon.
or as a private of his majesty's dra
goons. I am the eldest son of Vernon
of Irongray There is surely no reason
why his estates should he forfeit. OF
that my patrinony should be taken
away from me-"
At this Grier of Lag looked sour and
strange; but Col. Douglas beat upon
the table with his hand.
'1t is true-and Pat is good lad
will not see him wronged. ! myself will
write of this matter to the council"
So he bade them to take Robert Yer.
nor back to the prison and there shoot
him instead of hanging him. And this
was counted a great favor.
Tomorrow, at the rising of the sum-
said Douglas.
And so they took my brother out.
May II please you," said I, TO those