Kings of Carrick

88 THE KINGS OF CARRICK.
CHAPTEE VII.
AUCHENDEANE EESPONDS TO THE SUMMONS OF THE PEIVY
COUNCIL.
Weeks passed over ; they grew into months. All the time
Carrick was waiting on a new development, and the retainers
and friends of the Earl of Cassillis were in constant ex-
pectation of a summons to arms. Auchendrane, though ap-
parently determined to play the innocent game, was by no
means so unapprehensive as a consciously innocent man would
have been. It was rarely that he stepped beyond the bounds
of his house ; and, though no open demonstration of the fact
was made, his tower by the Doon was strongly, if not numer-
ously garrisoned. Full fifty men in arms were behind its
rude ramparts ; regular communication was maintained with
friends in Ayr ; and had the Kennedys of Cassillis come down
upon him in force, they would have received a welcome which
might have taken them by surprise. For Mure was an old
campaigner, and Auchendrane Tower was strong by nature,
and well fortified. It boasted one or two cannon, and Mure
had men trained to work them. Nothing was left to chance.
He staked his hopes of being left alone on his apparent in-
nocence, but he staked his immunity not less on his followers,
and the knowledge he had of his ability to hold his enemies
at bay.
The Earl of Cassillis and his brother, the Master, fretted
and chafed over the delay. Though indisposed to such a
course, they had agreed to wait the issue of criminal proceed-
ings against Mure at -the instance of the Privy Council. If
Mure could be condemned in Edinburgh, and executed, as he
would be, if condemned, so much the better; if difficulties
interposed, the alternative was still open to them. Law first,
then freedom of action. If the former struck, good and well ;
if not, there still remained the wild justice of revenge.
Once set in motion, the authorities, after innumerable