CHAPTER V.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 193, 22 March 1878, Page 3

CHAPTER V.

Theapartmentinto which our hero and his companions were shown by the host of the * Three Angels,' told at a glance the comfortless way in which oar ancestors lived. The rough stone walls were covered with coarse woollen hangiogs, which waved from side to side under the influence of the night wind, which seemed to have free admittance. The floor was strewn with rushes, as was the custom at this period, and what with the dirt brought in by the feet of the guests, and the refuse of the dishes and drinks on the table, carelessly thrown down, presented the genteel smell and appearance of a modern pigstye. On one side was a box-bed of fir-deals clumsily nailed together, the shding-lids of which were drawn close, while here and there stood heavy stools aud forms, keeping guard, as it were, on the immense oak table that occupied the centre of the floor. When Malcolm entered this handsome and comfortable apartment, his first action was to take off his bonnet and sword-belt and throw them carelessly into a corner, and then to demand from the landlord what they could get to eat. Tarn Anderson o' the ' Three Angels' gave a grin as he began to enumerate the names of the various dishes he had prepared for the mastication of the numerous guests that he expected would honour his hostelry with their presence during the Queen Regent's visit. ' There was a gude venison pasty frae Conside,' said he ; c there was baith beef an' mutton, roast, boiled, an' fried ; hares an' rabbits ; a noble salmon frae Carnoustie ; a fine turbot frae Torrensha'en ; an' herrin', haddock, mackerel, and cod irae Auchmithie ; an' labsters an' partans frae the old Shore-head. As for drink, he had real French wines an' brandy, Dutch gin, North Port whisky, and St. Vigeans ale, an' in ony o' them he didna believe there was a sair heid in a barrel- fu'. Malcolm laughed at the parrot-like way in which the landlord went over his culinary list, and then told him to bring in what was readiest and handiest. After being served and the landlord dismissed, he turned to Tarn Glen, who continued to stand behind his chair, and asked him what had been the matter as they came in? Tarn, with a strange mixture of deference and familiarity, said — 'That some o' thae heretic bodies had been unco cheeky; an', after standin - * a heap o' impudence frae them, they had just tae pit them oot.' ' Did they show fight ?' said young Northesk, anxiously. ' There wis twa deil's buckies, thst cad themsel's Henderson and Leslie, that wis awfu' misleard. An' it hadna been for me they wad ha'e been in the Abbey dungeons afore noo.' 'The reckless fools,"' muttered Carnegie to himselfj ' they will ruin everything ;' then speaking aloud, he said, ' Was anybody hurt V ' Weel, there wis some clours gaun, but there wis naebody muckle the waur. Ane o' the fisher bodies got a wallop on the heid wi' a stick ; but I think they're geyan thick in the skull thae fishers. But, lord, yer honours, that same ane wis tellin's aboot a ship that had been fund aff the Bell Rock a' broken an' smashed, an' a' body in her lyin' wi' they're throats cut. An' it wis that gcmeril Leslie roarin' oot that he thocht it wis the Papists that did it that made a' the row. We wisna gaun tae stand that, ye ken, an' that Henderson ane was the fallow yer honour that tumbled in the dirt the day, an' he kent me again.' ' Weel, Tarn, I wad advise you to keep oot o' a fight, for if you get hurt, you know you would have to be sent homp, an' then what wad I do % But as long as I mind, I may tell you something I want you to do. When I had to kill that hcrse to-day to save the Lady Jeannie, I left my dirk sticking in the brute's side. That dirk was my grandfather's, who was killed at Flodden — a kind of an heirloom — and I would not like to lose it. So you'll get to bed soon to-night, anil get up in the morning, and inquire your way to St. Vigeans, and try if you can get it back; if it's amissing, promise anything reason- : able, and I'll pay it. ■*• Aye, yer honour, I sud ken that dirk weel, it's the ane wi' the cairn- ; gorms, and the silver bull's head bedded , in thistles. Dinna fear, I'll bring it back, if I fecht a' St. Vigeans fort.' ; ' Now, mind what I told you,' said Malcolm, laughing ; *no fighting. IJair words are better than hard blows.' 1 < Weel, weel/ said Tarn, as he was ? leaving the room, * I'll bring the dirk, onyway.' * fc *Do you think there is any truth, j John, in Tarn's story about these murdered sailors f said Malcolm, when Tarn had made his exit. 'Indeed, I would not be surprised,' said John, *if it was true. If it is, that will be. three in less than six months, and I think you will say with me, that •* it leaves a sad stain at somebody's door k What would you think of any man whc would monopolise all the "power and' tht revenues of two counties, and yet woulc c permit deliberate murder to be regularlj done at his own doo^, without even inquiring, far less trying to find out th< 2 perpetrators.'

' I would think that he was unfit for his position, and that the sooner he made room for a better man the better,' sulci Malcolm. ■ 1 Well, that man is the Abbot of Aberbrothock,' said young 1 Northesk ; ' he wallows in luxury and sensuality, for which thousands have to pinch both back and belly. He is more powerful than the Queen Regent, and yet he will not exert himself to prevent murder from being done within a few miles of the Abbey.' 1 Are you not rather rash, John, in speaking in this way about one of the high dignitaries of our holy Church V { The higher the dignity the brighter the example he ought to show,' said John ; but this man is only a sample of his class. The Romish Church is doomed in Scotland.' ' Surely things are not so bad as that,' said Malcolm. ' But I fear you have a good deal of the heretic in you, John. You should be cautious what you say when the country is in such a state. All true men should join together and try to reform without destroying. I see great room for improvement, but I see no reason for destroying our holy Church.' ' Rut it is impossible to reform the Romish Church. You ought to know that she professes to be infallablc, and that she will cling to her wealth and power to the last. The Apostles were poor fishermen who laboured with their hands Tor their daily bread, but these men who claim to be their successors are among the lords of this world, wearing purple and fine linen.' * Well, well,' said Malcolm, * we will drop this subject before we quarrel. 1 have pledged my word to the Queen to fight for her and holy Church, and I will keep my word, and you can keep your reasons. Come, I will give you a toast in proof of our friendship. Here is the Lady Jeannie Gordon, the loveliest, the purest, the noblest, and most perfect of her sex, and confusion to the man who refuses to drink.' * J will drink your toast,' said John, laughing, 'if you will drink mine; and that you may not promise in ignorance I will tell you at once. Here is the Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, who is lovelier than the loveliest, purer than the purest, nobler than the noblest, and more perfect than the most perfect of her sex.' ' Well, you know, I cannot drink that,' said Malcolm, gravely, while John again laughed, 'so I think the best way will be to toast the ladies both together.' 1 That will be the best way,' said John, *■ so here is the Ladies Gordon and Hamilton, the loveliest, the purest, the noblest and the most perfect of their sex, and may we soon be assured of their love.' 'So be it,' said Malcolm drinking. ' And now how are we to get you introduced to your fair mistress V 'It is fashionable for great ladies living at the Abbey to visit our Lady's well, and drink the water in the morning. What do you say to strolling in that direction to-morrow morning, and take chance of meeting them 1 If tbey nre not there, we will likely get* a hint from somebody where we are likely to see them. I thought of going home to Eathie to-night ; but now I think I'll wait.' ' A good plan,' said Malcolm. 'We will act on it. Pass that wine flask ; this brandy is too head}'.' When Tarn Glen left the presence, of his master, he strolled into the kitchen, where he found Jock Smith, the fisherman, sitting* propped up in a chair, with his head swathed in an immense circumference of flannel, and a large goblet of whisky-toddy in his hand. His companion was seated beside him, with a goblet to match ; and, while administering consolation, he appeared equally anxious to get to the bottom of it. The revellers were thinning off; but there were still a few who had not their drouth thoroughly quenched, and who were still engaged in tbat meritorious operation. The landlord, landlad}', and servants, were still on hospitable cares intent ; and from the noise proceeding from the rear of the house, it was evident that the private rooms were filling fast. When the landlord got his eye on Tarn, he saluted him with — ' Weel, man, hoo are ye noo after yer fecht V ' No bad ava, bit yon fallows wad hae provoked the heart o' a stane.' ' Gudeness, frien',' said the host, ' it's lucky that my stick missed yer heid. Jock Smith oot there has got an unco lick, but a fisher's head ia no easy broken, an' he'll be better bely ye. What are ye gaun tae drink V ' I dinna care if I tak' a drap whisky. What I got frae ye last wasna ill tae tak.'.' The landlord seized a wooden dish, and filled put a quantity that bore a most suspicious resemblance to a modern half-mutchkin, which Tarn took, and after wishing the donor " Gude health,'"' quietly sent., down his, throat, with a hearty "Ha, ha," of gratification, and then giving himself a shake, and laying hold of the landlord's oak stick, he said ' That he. wad* tak' a turn doon the street tae streek his legs, bul that he wadna be lang.' Passing through the kitchen and oul into the street, he sauntered slowlj •downwards, passing numerous' grouos I whose loud voices and quarrelsom' •tones showed that they had been making acquaintance with John Barleycorn

and that it was possible that fighting had occurred in other hostelries besides the " Three Angels." . At the foot of the present Hill Street stood a clump of trees, the shade of which threw a darkness round about. Hearing voices speaking; sometimes loud and angrily, and sometimes low and pleasant, he quickly approached and tried to listen what was going on. But though he heard the murmur of the voices, he failed to distinguish what was said, so, dropping on his knees, he quietly wormed his way nearer the sound. Getting in behind a tree, he loosened the dirk in his belt, and with his oak stick in his hand, he waited to hear what would come next. Then the loud noise broke out again, and Tarn listened to the following colloquy : — ' I tell ye, Archie, that thae fishers has towed her iv, an' I saw her lyin' at the pier no an hour syne. An' I tell ye, man, twa o' oor men's lyin' in the hold wi' knives in them, an' they are sure tae be kent by plenty o' fouk ; an' ye ken we cudna keep oor deevils frae the drink after the job was dune ; and when we saw the fisher boats in the distance, ye ken, we had to cut an' run, and we had a narrow escape. Sac, yell aff to Auchmithie, an.d bring twa boats an' their crews, an' we'll cut her oot and scuttle her, an then '11 be naebody the wiser. Noo, see hoo quick yell be, an' I'll be waiting for ye.' ' Weel, gin yer honour thinks sac, I'll gang, but I dinna think there's muckle fear. Ye may expect us in three or four oors." There was a rustling in the brushwood, and then Tarn saw a human figure step out of the shade, and then make its' way up the Boulzie Hill, over the crest of which it soon disappeared. Tarn now turned his attention to the movements of the proprietor of the loud voice, for he felt that he was on the eve of some discovery connected with the murdered sailors. So he followed the footsteps cautiously that he now heard crashing, through the brushwood, and in a short time he came out again on the Hill Strept. when he saw a tall, stalwart figure at some distance before him walking in the direction of the Harbour. To take the other side of the street and follow quietly was the impulse of a moment, aud in a short .time Tarn landed his game in a small hut beside the pier. Then turning, he bounded up the street with the swiftness of a hare, darred in through the kitchen of the " Three Angels," and, dashing open the door of the private room, hurriedly presented himself, to tbe astonished gaze of his master and young Northesk. ' Well, Tarn, what in all the world is the matter V ' Lord, yer honour, I hae fund it a' oot noo. I hae catched the fallows that did it.' ' What hae ye found out, Tarn 1 Wha hae you catched V ' The murderers o' thae puir sailors ; the ruffians that kill an' rob honester folk than themeel's. I heard the hail affair, an' we can catch them like rats in a trap.' Here Tarn related what he had heard, and also thafc he had followed the one that seemed to be master, and that he could show them the place where he went. ' I think that Tarn's news is important,' said young Northesk, ' and I will go and gather some of the Abbey men, and try ancl capture these pirates.' ' I will get some of mv father's men,' said Malcolm. ' and I think we should tell the landlord. He will be sure to know where there are men who can be got speedily, fbr there is no time to be lost.' ' Well, you can do so, and T will be off, as I will haye farthest to go.' ' Well,' said Malcolm, ' tell the landlord as you pass, and be as quick as you can.' The landlord came, and after he had heard the story, he entered into the thing with great spirit. * I'll get a score o' men,' said he, ' an' I'll gae wi' ye masel', an' I'll get a lot o' fishers at the Auld Shore-head, whin we get there, an' I hope we'll catch the villains.' Malcolm hurried away for his father's men, and in an hour both he and young Northesk had returned, and in that short time there were forty stout, ablebodied men drawn up before the door of the ' Three Angels,' well armed, and ready to obey whatever orders they might receive.