Historical memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor

94 MEMOIR OF ROB ROY.
From this musing mood he was aroused by the sound of
voices at a distance, and the shrieks of a female, which
now and then broke on the silence of the night. It was
now dark, and he listened, and readily distinguished the
direction from whence it came. He immediately deter-
mined to follow the noise, but all was silent. He had not,
however, proceeded far, when he again heard, and hastened
towards it, although this was attended with much dif-
ficulty and danger ; for he had to scramble through hazle
wood, over steep and rugged rocks, and ford streams
which held an impetuous course through deep ravines,
forming eddying pools and foaming cataracts. But no-
thing was too arduous with him in the cause of humanity
or justice, and he doubted not that the cries he heard
were those of some helpless woman who required his aid.
After much exertion, he came at length to an open field
amidst the wood ; but as the voices had ceased for some
time, he was uncertain how to proceed, and he lay down
on the grass. The moon had by this time risen high over
the mountains, and showed in bright illumination the tops
of the trees around this grassy spot ; but it could not
penetrate the deep foliage of the woods, within which all
was dark and impenetrable to the eye. Rob Roy had not
long reclined, when he observed two men emerge from
the wood, but so distant, that he could neither discern
their features, nor distinctly hear their conversation ;
although from their gesticulation he could perceive that
they were much interested in it. He lay quiet among
the long grass that grew around him, eagerly listening.
As they approached, he heard one of them say, — " But
what will her father think of our ingratitude ?" " O !"
said the other, "I care not what he thinks, since his
daughter is under my control." " Yet you do not mean to