The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-17

TT was day of intense excitement in
 the lordly castle of Boutwell,, held \ by the venerable Earl of Mar for his brother-in-law, the lord who took his title from the hold. Lord Mar had been set upon by English soldiers in the streets of Lanark and brought back to the castle grievously wounded His life had been saved only by the timely arrival of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Ellerslie. Re- turning from the castle of Sir John Mon- teith with a mysterious casket that tho latter had committed to his care, he had come opportunely on the fight between Mars men and the Englirh soldiers
 Wallace conveyed the wounded earl to his own house, but the vengeance of the English governor, Heselrigge- for the English had Scotland under their feet at that time-followed them to Ellerslie. Lady Wallace was killed by the governors own hand in her hall, perishing with her unborn child. The house was given to the flames and Wallace was driven fugitive to the wilds of the Cartlane Craigs. The earl was saved only by being concealed in the bottom of a dry well. After the brutal soldiery had gone he was carried to Botliwell castle by Halbert. the aged harper of the house of Wal lace. a
 The spirit of the old Earl of Mar was unbe ent by age. Smarting under the outrages he had felt and witnessed, he proclaimed vengeance against the Southron and proposed to summon his own and his brother's-in-law followers to arms that they might join with the men of Lanark whom Wallace hao with him in the wilderness.
 q am sure," said he to his nephew, young Andrew Murray, that your father, the noble Bothwell, would were he here, agree with me tnat LII time has come to act if Scotland is not to be forever ground beneath the heel of the oppressor.
 "Oh. my uncle" exclaimed the enthusia stic Murray, "surely the time for Scotland's freedom has come! l will lead my fathers vassals 10 SIT William Wallace and avenge our wrongs and Scotlands.
 Before long a messenger arrived at inc castle with the intelligence that Wallace had descended on the castle held by Heselrigge, destroyed the gar rtson and burned the hold. lie nau avenged the death of his beloved Ma ,,ion bv killing the English comnanu- . CT with his own hand. The liberty or scotland. which mad seemed lost ior- ever, had found a champion asah"
 Lord Mar gave orders for all the vas gale of 3othwell to assemble on the 1oi- lowing morning on Bothwell Moor. NO one entered more enthusastlcaiiy ii,,o the preparations for again lliting .me standard of Scotland than the earl daughter, the young and beautifui Heieii. Jf Murray's form and bearing were the nerfection of youthful grace and lofty mort. that of his cousin was the periec- ton of female lovelness and nlgh-preo grace. Through her beauty shone Ihou, estv and spirit that held spellbound all who looked on her ~ a. iocir of Sir william Wallace's hair which Ia sent me as a token that the messenger irst arrived was surely from him. lie writes to me that he cut It from ms own head with the captured sword or Hesei- riuee. the sword yet wet with his wire blood. You can see the stains on It. yrorp if into a banner which Murray shall carry to Cartlane CraigS and enl- hroider the motto God arms me upon the standard Those words are the words oi Wallace . h.. gin her task the gallant Murray foiioweo f,a,. with his eyes, and for the first time realized that within his heart was reel ing for her stronger than for cousin R,It there was one among the housenoio of Earl Mar who viewed with alarm ana bitterness this preparation for the de- liverance of her country. It was the
 
 the young and beautiful Princess of Ork- nev who was closely allied to the houses of cummin Soulis and March, those pro- Enrlish lords whose treachery both to Bruce and Baliol had helped so well to hiring about Scotlands enslavement.
 "Consider, my lord,' said this proud and ambitious lady. Consider. Your pro- 5ect is wild and needless Now that Belio has surrendered his crown to Edward is not Scotland at peace?"
 "A bloody peace, Johanna answered the earl. "A peace filled with plunder and assassination. I have seen and felt enough of Edwards Jurisdiction. It is time should awake-that Scotland should awake-and like Wallace, die or be free. "
 As soon as the countess left her lord she cent a letter to her kinsman Lord Soulis The next morning, as Lord Mar was de ,,,,er,ng his instructions to the 50 brave chiefs who were to lead the men assem- h,ad on Boutwell, moor. the door of his anartment was burst open and in strode Ford soulis. A man in splendid English or,,,or with a train of Southron soldiers followed the recreant Scot. The ear started from his couch and demanded "Tord soulis, what is the meaning of this unapprised visit!
 ..The ensign of the 1iege lord of Scot land is my warrant" answered Soulii
 prig0nar in thf