Wyseby

122
wyseby: a legend
CHAATER XVI.
THE INTERVIEW.
Yet seven days, and around the castle of Lochmaben
there were sights aud sounds of rejoicing. Over-
night the chief and Catharine had arrived, unac-
companied, however, by the warrior of the harp, who
had again mysteriously disappeared ; and with morn-
ing came an order from the Bruce that the Borderers
should hold themselves in readiness to march and join
the forces of Randolph, designed to attack the now
retreating and famine-wasted army of Edward, on
the eastern marches. There was, in truth, high
rejoicing in the camp of Scotland. The insolent
freebooters who had stolen upon their security were
chastised, and they believed the mighty army of in-
vading England to be wholly in their power.
Though the might of man, my child, is to the
silent might of nature as a sunbeam to the blaze of
a burning world, yet still great is the might of uni-
ted man ; puny it is, though still great, when called
into action by gold, but fearfully mighty — all but
all-powerful — when prompted by common cause, and
eheered on by a wild, deep, soul-emanating enthusi-
asm. With the first intimation of the retreat of the
enemy, and their course, the woods rung with an
hundred axes. Cottage after cottage arose in vale
and on upland, and again, from many a sacred altar
— a cottage hearlh. that divine incense — blue, quiet