Historical memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor

MEMOIR OF ROB ROY. 137
In this pause Rob Roy cut the cords that bound
the girl, and drawing his claymore, attacked the
officer, who speedily fell. The soldiers beset
him on all sides, but having killed two of them,
the rest fled to the town, and left him master
of the field, to the unspeakable joy of the young
woman, and the great delight of the peasantry
who stood around,
Leaving the field of action, our hero imme-
diately bent his course towards home, pursuing
his journey with all expedition, lest he might be
overtaken by the military, for his interference
with them on this, occasion ; but when he found
himself, as has been stated, thus forcibly de-
prived of his property, and in a manner which
he considered both unjust and oppressive on the
part of Montrose and his factor, he seemed to feel
it as a duty he owed to himself and his family, to
take ample revenge on the authors of his misfor-
tunes ; and for that purpose he retained a party of
men, who were no less resolute than himself, and
keen to enter on exploits that promised them
redress.
His first act of hostility against Montrose
was at a term, when he knew the tenantry
of that nobleman were to pay their rents,
notice having been given them of the time.