*CHAPTER IV*
*THE TAVERN BRAWL*
It was high noon as we cluttered up the hill, back to our camping-place.Our day's work was done, but it was not till evening that we were freeto go about our own affairs. Try as I might I could not blot out thememory of the doings of the morning, and when night fell I took my waywith half a dozen companions to the inn that stood not far from theTolbooth in the hope that there I might find some relief from thescourge of my thoughts. In the sanded kitchen, round a glowingfire--for though it was May the nights were still chilly--we found manyof the townsfolk already gathered. Some were passing a patient hourwith the dambrod, seeking inspiration for crafty moves of the black orwhite men in tankards of the tavern-keeper's ale. Others were gatheredround the fire smoking, each with a flagon of liquor at his elbow.
I sat down at a little table with Trooper Agnew, and called forsomething to drink. I was in no mood for amusement, and spurned Agnew'ssuggestion that we should play draughts. The inn-keeper placed atobacco jar between us.
"Ye'll try a smoke?" he queried. "It's guid tobacco: a' the better,though I hardly daur mention it, that it paid nae duty."
Nothing loth, Agnew and I filled our pipes, and the inn-keeper pickingup a piece of red peat with the tongs held it to our pipes till theywere aglow. It was, as mine host had said, good tobacco, and under itssoothing influence and the brightening effect of his ale my gloom beganto disappear. From time to time other troopers dropped in, and theywere followed by sundry of the townsfolk with whom, in spite of theevents of the morning, we red-coat men were on good terms. Close by thefire sat one of the halberdiers--the man who had pushed the head of thedrowning girl under the water with his halberd. The ale had loosened histongue.
"I dinna ken," he said, "but the thing lies here: if thae stiff-neckedCovenanters winna' tak' the oath to the King, it is the end o' a' properorder in the country." He spat a hissing expectoration upon the glowingpeat. "I'm a man o' order masel'. I expect fowk to obey me in virtueo' ma office just as I'm ready to obey them as God and the King ha'e setabune me."
He spoke loudly as though challenging his audience; but no one madeanswer.
The silence was broken by the clatter of draughts as two players ended agame and set about replacing the men for another joust. The halberdiertook a long draught from his mug.
"Tak' anither sup, hinny," he said, reminiscently, as he set the tankarddown. Then drawing the back of his hand across his mouth he continued:"It was a fine bit work we did this mornin', lads. I rarely ta'en pairtin a better job. There's naethin' like making an example o' malignants,and I'm thinkin' it will be lang before ony mair o' the women o' thiscountryside are misguided enough to throw in their lot wi' thehill-preachers. She was a thrawn auld besom was Marget Lauchlison. Ihave kent her mony a year--aye psalm-singing and gabbling texts. Will yebelieve it, she's even flung texts at me. Me! the toon's halberdier!'The wicked shall fall by his own wickedness,' said she: 'The wickedshall be turned into Hell'; 'The dwelling place of the wicked shall cometo naught.' Oh, she had a nesty tongue. But noo she's cleppin' wi' thepartans, thank God. Here, Mac, fill me anither jorum. It tak's a lot o'yill tae wash the taste o' the auld besom's texts off ma tongue."
The inn-keeper placed a full tankard beside him.
"Tak' anither sup, hinny," he said with a laugh, and drank deeply. "Lagwas by-ordnar' the day; I thocht he was gaun to let the bit lassock offwhen he dragged her oot o' the water. But nae sic thing, thank God! Macertes, he's a through-gaun chiel, Lag. The women-fowk thocht she hadta'en the aith when she said 'God save him, an He will.' But Lag kentfine what was in her black heart. She wanted only to save her life.She was far better drooned--the young rebel! Naethin' like makin' anexample o' them when they are young. Certes, I settled her. Tak'anither sup, hinny."
A peal of laughter rang through the kitchen. It was more than I couldstand; for notwithstanding all I had seen and done as a trooper somespark of chivalry still glowed in my heart, and I was under the spell ofher blue and dauntless eyes. I sprang to my feet.
"Curse you for a black-hearted ruffian!" I shouted. "None but a damnedcur would make sport of two dead women."
A silence absolute and cold fell upon the gathering at my first words,and as I stood there I felt it oppress me.
"Whit's this, whit's this," cried the halberdier. "A trooper turnedCovenanter! I'm thinkin' Lag and Winram will ha'e something to say tothis, an they hear o't."
"Be silent!" I thundered. "I am no Covenanter, but it would be good forScotland if there were more such women as we drowned this morning, andfewer men with such foul hearts as yours."
It was an ill-judged place and time for such a speech, but I was on firewith anger. The halberdier rose to his feet, flung the contents of histankard in my face, roared with laughter, and cried, "Tak' anither sup,hinny."
This was beyond endurance. With one leap I was upon him and hurled himto the ground. He fell with a crash; his head struck the flagged floorwith a heavy thud, and he lay still. I had fallen with him, and as Irose I received a blow which flung me down again. In an instant, asthough a match had been set to a keg of powder, the tavern was in anuproar. What but a moment before had been a personal conflict betweenmyself and the halberdier had waxed into a general melee.
Some joined battle on my side, others were against me, and townsmen andtroopers laid about them wildly with fists, beer-pots, and any otherweapons to which they could lay their hands. The clean sanded floorbecame a mire of blood and tumbled ale, in which wallowed a tangle ofcursing, fighting men.
Just when the fray was at its hottest the door of the kitchen was thrownopen, and the sergeant of our troop stood in its shadow.
"What's this?" he shouted, and, as though by magic, the combat ceased.
None of us spoke, but the inn-keeper, finding speech at last, said: "Amaist unseemly row, sergeant, begun by ane o' your ain men, wha wi' ootprovocation felled ma frien' the halberdier wha lies yonder a'maistdeid."
The sergeant strode to the body of the halberdier and dropped on hisknees beside it.
"What lousy deevil has done this?" he cried.
"The Englishman," said the inn-keeper; "Nae Scotsman would ha'e felledsic a decent man unprovoked."
I looked at the halberdier, and saw with relief that he was beginning torecover from his stupor.
"Fetch us a gill o' your best, Mac," said the sergeant. "We'll see if awee drap o' Blednoch will no' bring the puir fellow roon'. And you,Agnew, and MacTaggart, arrest Trooper Bryden. Lag will ha'e somethin'to say aboot this."
Agnew and MacTaggart laid each a hand on my shoulder, but my gorge wasup and I resented being made a prisoner. I looked towards the door;there were four or five troopers in a knot beside it and escape in thatdirection was impossible; but behind me there was a stair. One suddenwrench and I tore myself from my captors and raced wildly up it. At thetop, a door stood open. I flung it to in the faces of Agnew andMacTaggart, who were racing up behind me, and shot the bolt. Frailthough it was, this barrier would give me a moment's respite. I foundmyself in an attic room, and to my joy saw, in the light of the moon, awindow set in the slope of the roof. Rapidly I forced it open, andthrew myself up and out upon the thatched roof. In a moment I was atits edge, and dropped into the garden at the back of the inn. As Idropped I heard the door at the stair-head crash and I knew that mypursuers would soon be upon me. Crouching low I dashed to the bottom ofthe garden, broke my way through the prickly hedge and flew hot-footdown the hill.
In the fitful light I saw the gleam of the river, and knew that myescape was barred in that direction. I saw that I must either run alongthe brae-face towards the sea, or inland up-river to the hills. As Iran I came to a quick decision and chose the latter course. I glancedover my shoulder, and, though I could see by the lights in their windowsthe houses in the main street of the town, I could not distinguish anypursuers. Behind me I heard confused sho
utings, and the loud voice ofthe sergeant giving orders. Breathless, I plunged into a thick growth ofbracken on the hill-side and lay still. I knew that this could affordme only a temporary refuge, but it served to let me regain breath, andas I lay there I heard the sergeant cry: "Get lanterns and quarter thebrae-side. He canna ford the water."
I lay in my hiding-place until the lights of the lanterns began toappear at the top of the brae, then I rose stealthily and, bent double,hurried to the edge of the bed of brackens. Here, I knew, I wassufficiently distant from my nearest pursuer to be outside his vision,while his twinkling light gave me the clue to his whereabouts. Then Iturned and tore along the hillside away from the town. When I hadcovered what I thought was the better part of a mile, I lay down underthe cover of a granite boulder. Far behind me I could see the wanderinglights, and I knew that for the moment I had outdistanced my pursuers;and then to my great belief I heard the notes of the Last Post rise andfall upon the night air. I smiled as I saw the scattered lights stop,then begin to move compactly up the hill. At least half an hour, Ijudged, must elapse before the pursuit could be renewed, and I felt withany luck that interval ought to suffice for my escape. It was toodark--and I was not sufficiently acquainted with the country-side--totake my bearings, but I knew that the river Cree flowed past the town ofNewton-Stewart, and behind the town were the hills which had affordedmany a Covenanter a safe hiding-place from pursuit. Caution prevented mefrom making for the high road, though the speed of my progress mightthere be greater. Caution, too, forbade my keeping to the brink of theriver. My greatest safety seemed to lie along the tract between them,so I set boldly out.
Flower o' the Heather: A Story of the Killing Times Page 4