at bay. The untoward and angry passions which he inherited from his father and mother were awakened by the supposed hostility of those who pursued him; and the restraint under which these passions had been hitherto held by his sober judgment, began gradually to give way. The sergeant now called to him, 'Hamish Bean Mac Tavish, lay down your arms, and surrender !' 'Do you stand, Allan Breack Cameron, and command your men to stand, or it will be the worse for us all.' "Halt, men," said the sergeant, but continuing himself to advance; "Hamish, think what you do, and give up your gun; you may spill blood, but you cannot escape punishment." "The scourge the scourge! my son, my son, beware the scourge !" whispered his mother. "Take heed, Allan Breack," said Hamish, "I would not hurt you willingly, but I will not be taken, unless you can assure me against the Saxon lash." "Fool!" answered Cameron, "you know I cannot; yet I will do all I can: I will say I met you on your return, and the punishment will be light; but give up your musket— come on, men." Instantly the sergeant rushed forward, extending his arm as if to push aside the young man's levelled firelock. Elspat exclaimed, "Now spare not your father's blood, to defend your father's hearth!" Hamish fired his piece, and Cameron dropped dead. But a few brief days passed over, after the enactment of this tragedy, when the unhappy victim of his mother's ungovernable passion paid the forfeit of his crime in the manner appointed for military executions, being shot to death by his own comrades. The same comrades laid, with all becoming respect, the body of their former companion in its last earthly resting-place, the church-yard of Dunbarton. Elspat was seen hurrying with breathless haste to the scene of death; but as soon as she heard the words, "It is all over," muttered by some feeling passenger, she turned from the pathway into the recesses of the mountains, nor was ever afterwards seen of mortal. THE FAIR MAID OF PERTH, AND THE CARTHUSIAN MONK. "Great Tay, through Perth, through town, through country flies, NECKHAM. [The Fair Maid of Perth, Vol. I. p. 289. "At the foot of the rock of Kinnoul, which commanded an extensive view of the windings of the Tay through the rich Vale of Perth, sat the Fair Maid of Perth, listening in an attitude of devout attention to the instructions of a Carthusian monk, in his white gown and scapulary, who concluded his discourse with prayers, in which his proselyte devoutly joined. When they had finished their devotions, the priest sat for some time with his eyes fixed on the glorious prospect, of which even the early and chilly season could not conceal the beauties, and it was some time ere he addressed his attentive companion. |