Adam Hepburn's Vow: A Tale of Kirk and Covenant

  *CHAPTER XI.*

  *UP IN ARMS.*

  Twelve o'clock was the usual dinner hour at Hartrigge. In spite of thestirring excitement of that morning, the table was spread punctually atnoon, and the family gathered about the board. Before, however, AndrewGray had finished asking a blessing on the food, the dragoons swept upwith a great noise to the front door. Catching sight of a gleamingsword out of the window Jeanie screamed in affright, and her mother'sface visibly paled. But little Sandy, in all a child's delight over agay pageant, scrambled up on the window seat, and fairly jumped withglee at sight of so many prancing steeds. With grave, resolute,undisturbed face, Hartrigge rose from his chair, and turned his eyesupon his trembling wife.

  "If I lose my life this day, Susan," he said, quietly, "promise me youwill rear the bairns in the true religion, and teach them to love andreverence the Church of Scotland and the faith of their forefathers."

  Mistress Gray had no opportunity to reply, for at that moment the doorwas rudely thrown open, and Turner, with a corporal and sergeant, strodeinto the room.

  "Andrew Gray of Hartrigge?" he said, briefly and imperiously.

  "I am Andrew Gray," answered Hartrigge, with corresponding brevity.

  "A vile Whig and a bigoted Presbyterian, a rebel against the king, and aharbourer of field preachers and like vermin," continued Turner, in hiscoarse fashion. "I have just come from Rowallan, but the pulingwomenfolk there have lost their tongues, and could tell us nothing ofthose we seek. In the king's name, Andrew Gray, I command you toinstantly tell me where your canting old father, and your brother, theminister of Broomhill, are to be found. Remember you stand at peril ofyour life."

  Andrew Gray folded his arms across his chest, and looked his questionerin the face with undaunted eye.

  "Very well do I know that I stand at peril of my life," he made answer,calmly. "But I can tell you nothing of those you seek."

  "You will not, you mean," cried Turner, passionately. "By heavens, thename of Gray seems inseparable from dogged obstinacy, as well as fromrebellion and treason. If I tie up your eyes and point a pistol at yourmouth it may refresh your memory."

  Hartrigge spoke never a word; his wife sank weeping helplessly into achair, while the children, all but Gavin, who had left the room,crouched beside her in terror.

  "Woman, bid your husband obey orders, unless you want me to leave him toyou to bury!" said Turner. "I have already wasted too much precioustime among your kind."

  But never a word spoke Mistress Gray. Then Turner looked towards hissubordinates--

  "Bind the obstinate pig-headed Whig," he said, briefly. "If I cannotmake him speak, we will take him to those who will."

  Susan Gray uttered a loud shriek, and sprang to her husband's side; butshe was rudely cast aside, while the officers pinioned Hartrigge's arms.

  "Stop that howling, woman, or I will give you something to yelp about!I've a mind to burn your house about your confounded ears, but it wouldtake too much time to-day. Let the prisoner to horse, and let us beoff. We have other game to bag before sunset to-day."

  As Andrew Gray was about to leave the room he stepped to his wife'sside, and hastily bade her be of good cheer, for his time had not comeyet; then, looking upon the children with a strange softening in hisstern eyes, he waved them an affectionate farewell.

  With the little ones clinging to her skirts, Mistress Gray followed theoppressors to the door, and stood watching while they bound her husbandon a steed. He again turned his face towards her, and exhorted her to beof good cheer, and keep a firm hold upon her faith in God, until theyshould meet again. His words were brought to a sudden close by a blowupon the mouth, administered by the corporal, who was fastening himsecurely to the back of the horse. At sight of the blood, Susan Graycovered her face with her hands, and was afraid to look again. Ere hemounted his horse, Turner peremptorily ordered Mrs. Gray to bring him atankard of ale, or a cup of wine, a command of which she was too muchagitated to take notice. Little Jeanie, however, fearing a newexhibition of the terrible man's wrath, with womanly thoughtfulness raninto the house, and brought out a draught for the general. He smiledgrimly as he took it from the slim hands of the little maiden, andhaving quaffed it, bade her not follow the example of her renegadefather; and, mounting his horse, gave the order to march, and thetroops, with their prisoner in the midst, rode away from Hartrigge.Just then the lad Gavin came through the kitchen with a flushed eagerface, and bearing in his hands an old fowling-piece, chiefly used forscaring rooks and other vermin off the crops.

  "Little Jeanie ... brought out a draught for thegeneral"]

  "Why, Gavin, laddie, what did ye think to do?" asked his mother, with amournful smile.

  "Are they away, mother? If they had killed my father I would have shotTurner with this. I have been down at the tool house, loading it withsome lead I got in my uncle Peter's shop, at Lanark, when I was therewith Uncle Adam," replied the lad, fearlessly.

  "Then they would have surely killed you, too, my son," replied themother, shaking her head; though inwardly admiring the spirit of theboy. "Well, well, Gavin, you will need to take care o' us all now thatyour poor father is away."

  "Mother, what do you think they'll do to him?"

  "My son, how can I tell? But I dinna feel as if any great harm wouldcome to him, for he says his time is not come yet," replied MistressGray. "I think the Lord in His mercy will restore him ere long to hiswife and bairns. But now, Gavin, get away by the fields to Rowallan,and see whether all be well there."

  Just at that moment, however, a messenger on horseback appeared at thedoor, conveying the terrible tidings from Rowallan, and biddingHartrigge and his wife come over at once. Susan Gray, dumb with horror,sat helplessly down, and wrung her hands in despair. Not having heardthe right way of the story, her hopes concerning her husband'scomparative safety swiftly ebbed away, for since they spared not adefenceless and delicate woman, how could they allow such as Andrew Grayto escape unhurt? So desolation and woe fell upon the houses ofRowallan and Hartrigge, and it appeared as if the Lord had desertedthem, and removed the light of His countenance from His servants.

  Meanwhile the regiment had halted on the public road, and after a briefconsultation, a portion, under command of Captain Blane, was sent backto Inverburn, where they were to remain for several days, keeping asharp look-out for the fugitives. They were also empowered to compelall upon whom they could lay hands to attend upon the ministrations ofthe curate the following Sabbath day. The main body of the troops, withSir James at their head, then turned southwards, to scour the hillcountry betwixt Douglasdale and Nithsdale, Turner being anxious to reachhis home in Dumfries, from which he had been absent for a considerablespace.

  In due course they arrived at Dumfries, where Andrew Gray was kept aclose prisoner, prior to being sent or taken by Turner before theCommissioner at Edinburgh.

  It would have been a swifter and surer plan to have conveyed theprisoner direct to Edinburgh from Inverburn, but Turner expected to layhands upon some other marked offenders in the southern districts, and tosend them in a body under guard to the Commissioners. However, he wasunsuccessful, and arrived in Dumfries with his one prisoner, whose onlyoffence was in harbouring field preachers and attending the open-airservices.

  While Turner rested himself at home, his dragoons were not allowed to beidle, but were despatched in detachments to the various villages andhamlets, to keep the inhabitants faithful in their attendance on thecurates, and to extract fines from those who refused, the latter being avery congenial task to the greedy and brutal soldiery.

  One cold, bleak morning, when a party of soldiers were maltreating anold man in the village of Dairy, in Kirkcudbrightshire, four of thesevery wanderers, whom Turner had been seeking, arrived in desperation,seeking shelter and food, and being indignant at the dragoons' behaviourthey set upon them, and compelled them to release the old man and giveup their arms. Encourage
d by their success, they were joined by severalvillagers, and surprised and overcame another party of dragoons, engagedextracting fines by violence, some little distance away. Furtheremboldened they marched into Dumfries, took Turner prisoner in his ownhouse, set Andrew Gray at liberty, and constituted themselves into asmall army. Thus took place the first rising against the Government,for which Andrew Gray, and many like him, had so ardently longed. Withtheir unwilling prisoner they proceeded northwards, and were joined onthe way by others, both on horse and foot. Captain Wallace was chosenas their leader, and by his side rode Andrew Gray, for he was certainlyone of the boldest and most resolute among them. Travelling the sameroute as Turner had come, they entered Inverburn on a Sabbath morningjust as service was about to begin. Entering the church, they ejectedthe curate, but did not take him prisoner, he being beneath theircontempt; then they shut the church doors, tore up the book of servicein the churchyard, the gates of which they then locked, and proceeded tothe village, singing a psalm as they went. At Mistress Lyall's a haltwas made for rest and refreshment, and then Andrew Gray rode off rapidlyto Hartrigge, to assure his wife of his safety, and tell her theirresolve, which was to proceed to Edinburgh, expecting to increase innumbers as they went.

  Space will not allow me to dwell long upon the happy meeting atHartrigge, when the husband and father was so unexpectedly restored tohis home. But upon hearing that he was again going forth, Mistress Grayominously shook her head.

  "I'm for peace, Andrew," she said, in a low voice, "an' what's a handfulof country folk against the soldiers of the king? Ye'll be slain incauld blood. Better, far better, bide at hame."

  Hartrigge only smiled in a lofty and superior manner at the weakness ofthe woman, and then inquired concerning the fugitives as well as thefolk at Rowallan.

  "Grandfather and David are safe enough, but waes me for Rowallan andit's bonnie sweet mistress!" said Susan Gray, with fast filling eyes."Of course ye canna have heard that Agnes is awa' frae a' the terrors o'these troublous times, and that Adam Hepburn sits a widower by hisdesolate hearth."

  Andrew Gray gave a violent start. It was indeed news to him. Then,with many tears, his wife related the sad story to him, which he heardin absolute silence.

  "An' yet ye would still say, Peace, peace! Oh! Susan, woman, I fear yeare a coward at heart!" he said, sternly. "I will to Rowallan; surelyAdam Hepburn will be determined to avenge his wife's death."

  "Sure enough. He has made his vow, a terrible vow before God, Janetells me," said his wife. "And when will ye be back to your home again,think you, Andrew?"

  "Ah, that I cannot tell. Be of good cheer, Susan, and look well afterthe house and the bairns. The God of Hosts will preserve me, so long asHe sees it to be His good pleasure. So again farewell."

  So saying, Hartrigge again bade farewell to his own home, and turned hishorse's head towards Rowallan.

  Near to the place he saw a figure in the distance, somewhat resemblinghis brother-in-law, and yet the face seemed greatly changed. When hecame nearer, and the figure, recognising him, advanced to meet him, healmost started at the terrible change upon his sister's widowed husband.He had not shaved nor trimmed his beard since his wife's death, and hiswhole aspect was that of a man whose interest in life was dead. Hisface was haggard and worn, his eye restless and yearning as if lookingever in vain for some beloved object, his appearance sad and miserablein the extreme.

  "You have managed to escape, Andrew," he said, quite quietly, andwithout evincing either surprise or pleasure.

  "Yes, and the Presbyterians are in arms at last; I have travelled withthe company from Dumfries, increasing as we came, and there is now anarmy of nineteen hundred under Captain Wallace's command, lying in thevillage of Inverburn," responded Hartrigge, slowly. "Our destination isEdinburgh. If you still wish to avenge the murder of your angel wife,now is your time, Adam Hepburn."

  Adam Hepburn drew himself up, and the light of a passion terrible to seesprang into his glittering eye. He clenched his right hand, and raisedit to heaven.

  "Now, O Almighty God, for the fulfilling of my vow," he said, solemnly;then, turning to Hartrigge, briefly announced his willingness andimmediate readiness to accompany him. They returned first to informJane Gray of their intention; bade her either go to Hartrigge or getyoung Gavin to abide with her awhile, and not having time to seek theministers in their shelter, they returned hastily to Inverburn. But JaneGray immediately proceeded to the hiding-place, and informed her fatherand brother of the rising of the Covenanters. Then David Gray's eyekindled, and the whole expression of his countenance indicated hisdesire to go forth with his brethren in defence of the Covenant. Seeingthat, the old man blessed him, and bade him go. So David Gray stole bythe field paths to the village, and joined the army just as it wassetting forth upon its adventurous march.