John Burnet of Barns: A Romance

by John Buchan

  CHAPTER XIV

  I FALL IN WITH STRANGE FRIENDS

  I lay there, still with fright and anxiety, while the wind roared aroundmy hiding-place, and the noise of the horses' feet came to my ears. Myfirst thought was to rush out and meet them, engage the company and getthe letter back by force. But a moment's reflection convinced me thatthis was equal to rushing on my death. There was nothing for it but tobide where I was, and pray that I might not be discovered.

  The noise grew louder, and the harsh voices of the men echoed in thelittle glen. I lay sweating with fear and I know not what foreboding,as I heard the clatter of hooves among the slates and the heavy tread ofthose who had dismounted and were searching every tuft of heather. Iknow not to this day how I escaped. It may be that their eyes wereblinded with mist and rain; it may be that my hiding-place was securerthan I thought, for God knows I had no time to choose it; it may be thattheir search was but perfunctory, since they had got the letter; it maybe that they thought in their hearts that I had escaped ever the back ofCaerdon and searched only to satisfy their leader. At any rate, in alittle all was still, save for the sound of distant voices, and withvast caution and great stiffness of body I drew myself from the hole.

  I have rarely felt more utterly helpless and downcast. I had saved myskin, but only by a hairbreadth, and in the saving of it I had put thematch to my fortunes. For that luckless letter gave the man into whosehands it might fall a clue to Marjory's whereabouts. It is true that thething was slight, but still it was there, and 'twas but a matter of timetill it was unravelled. All was up with me. Now that I was thusisolated on Caerdon and the far western ridges of the Tweedside hills Icould have little hope of getting free, for to return to safety I mustcross either Holmes Water, which was guarded like a street, or the lowerTweed, which, apart from the fact that it was in roaring flood, could nomore be passed by me than the gates of Edinburgh. But I give my word itwas not this that vexed me; nay, I looked forward to danger, even tocapture, with something akin to hope. But the gnawing anxiety grippedme by the throat that once more my poor lass would be exposed to theamenities of my cousin, and her easy, quiet life at Smitwood shatteredforever. An unreasoning fit of rage took me, and I dashed my foot onthe heather in my hopeless vexation. I cursed every soldier, and damnedGilbert to the blackest torments which my heart could conjure.

  But rage, at the best, is vain and I soon ceased. It was indeed hightime that I should be bestirring myself. I could not stay where I was,for in addition to being without food or decent shelter, I was there onthe very confines of the most dangerous country. Not two miles to thenorth from the place where I lay the hills ceased, and the low-lyingcentral moorlands succeeded, which, as being a great haunt of the morevirulent Whigs, were watched by many bands of dragoons. If my life wereto be saved I must get back once more to the wild heights of the upperTweed.

  I climbed the gully and, keeping lower down the hill, made for themountain, named Coulter Fell, which is adjacent to Caerdon. I know notwhy I went this way, save through a fantastic idea of getting to thevery head of the Holmes Water and crossing there. Every step I took ledme into more perilous ground, for it took me farther to the westward.It was my sole chance, and in the teeth of the wind I wrestled on overthe long heather and grey sklidders, slipping and stumbling withweariness and dispirit. Indeed I know not if anything could havesustained me save the motto of my house, which came always to my mind._Virescit vulnere virtus_! The old proud saw cheered my heartwondrously. I shall not shame my kin, said I to myself; it shall neverbe said that misfortune did aught to one of my name save raise hisvalour.

  When I reached the head of the ridge I thought that the way was clearbefore me and that I had outdistanced my pursuers. I stood up boldly onthe summit and looked down on the Holmes Water head. The next minute Ihad flung myself flat again and was hastening to retrace my steps. Forthis was what I saw. All up the stream at irregular intervals dragoonswere beating the heather in their quest for me. Clearly they thoughtthat I had made for the low ground. Clearly, also, there was no hope ofescape in that quarter.

  With a heavy heart I held along the bald face of the great Coulter Fell.I know no more heartless mountain on earth than that great black scarp,which on that day flung its head far up into the mist. The storm, ifanything, had increased in fury. Every now and then there came a burstof sharp hail, and I was fain to shelter for a moment by lying on theearth. Very circumspectly I went, for I knew not when through the wallof mist a gleam of buff coats or steel might meet me. In such afashion, half-creeping, half running, I made my way down the hills whichflank the Coulter Water, and came at length to the range of low hillswhich look down upon Biggar and the lowlands of Clyde.

  I struggled to the top and looked over into the misty haughs. The daywas thick, yet not so thick that I could not see from this littleelevation the plain features of the land below. I saw the tail trees ofCoulter House and the grey walls and smoking chimney. Beyond was theroad, thick in mud, and with scarce a traveller. All seemed quiet, andas I looked a wild plan came into my head. Why should I not go throughthe very den of the lion? What hindered me from going down by the marshof Biggar and the woods of Rachan, and thence to my hiding-place? Itwas the high roads that were unwatched in these days, and the bywayswhich had each their sentinel.

  But as I looked again the plan passed from my mind. For there below,just issuing from the gateway of Coulter House, I saw a man onhorseback, and another, and still another. I needed no more. A glancewas sufficient to tell me their character and purport. Gilbert verilyhad used his brains to better advantage than I had ever dreamed of. Hehad fairly outwitted me, and the three airts of north and south and westwere closed against me.

  There still remained the east, and thither I turned. I was shut in on atriangle of hill and moorland, some three miles in length and two inbreadth. At the east was the spur of hill at the foot of the HolmesWater and above the house of Rachan. If I went thither I might succeedin crossing the breadth of the valley and win to the higher hills. Itwas but a chance, and in my present weakness I would as soon have laidme down on the wet earth and gone to sleep. But I forced myself to goon, and once more I battled with the snell weather.

  I do not very well remember how I crossed the Kilbucho glen, andstumbled through the maze of little streams and sheep drains which coverall the place. I had no more stomach for the work than an old dog hasfor coursing. To myself I could give no reason for my conduct save asort of obstinacy which would not let me give in. At a place calledBlendewing I lay down on my face and drank pints of water from theburn--a foolish action, which in my present condition was like to provedangerous. In the pine-wood at the back of the shieling I laid me downfor a little to rest, and when once more I forced myself to go on, I wasas stiff as a ship's figure-head. In this state I climbed the littlehills which line the burn, and came to the limit of the range above theplace called Whiteslade.

  It was now about two o'clock in the afternoon, and the storm, so farfrom abating, grew every moment in fierceness. I began to go hot andcold all over alternately, and the mist-covered hills were all blurredto my sight like a boy's slate. Now, by Heaven, thought I, things arecoming at last to a crisis. I shall either die in a bog-hole, or fallinto my cousin's hands before this day is over. A strange perverted joytook possession of me. I had nothing now to lose, my fortunes were solow that they could sink no farther; I had no cause to dread eithersoldier or weather. And then my poor silly head began to whirl, and Ilost all power of anticipation.

  To this day I do not know how I crossed the foot of the Holmesvalley--for this was what I did. The place was watched most jealously,for Holmes Mill was there, and the junction of the roads to the upperTweed and the moors of Clyde. But the thing was achieved, and my nextclear remembrance is one of crawling painfully among the low birktrees-and cliffs on the far side of the Wormel. My knees and hands werebleeding, and I had a pain in my
head so terrible that I forgot allother troubles in this supreme one.

  It was now drawing towards evening. The grey rain-clouds had becomedarker and the shadows crept over the sodden hills. All the world wasdesert to me, where there was no shelter. Dawyck and Barns were in thehands of the enemy. The cave of the Cor Water was no more. I hadscarce strength to reach my old hiding-place in the hags above Scrape,and if I did get there I had not the power to make it habitable. Agravelled and sanded couch with a heathery roof is pleasant enough inthe dry weather, but in winter it is no better than a bog-hole.

  Nevertheless I slid down the hill as best I could and set myself tocrossing the valley. It was half-filled with water pools which theflood had left, and at the far side I saw the red, raging stream ofTweed. I remember wondering without interest whether I should ever winover or drown there. It was a matter of little moment to me. The fateshad no further power to vex me.

  But ere I reached the hillfoot I saw something which gave me pause,reckless though I had come to be. On the one hand there was a glimpseof men coming up the valley--mounted men, riding orderly as in a troop.On the other I saw scattered soldiers dispersing over the haughland.The thought was borne in upon me that I was cut off at last from allhope of escape. I received the tidings with no fear, scarcely withsurprise. My sickness had so much got the better of me that though theheavens had opened I would not have turned my head to them. But I stillstaggered on, blindly, nervelessly, wondering in my heart how long Iwould keep on my feet.

  But now in the little hollow I saw something before me, a glimpse oflight, and faces lit by the glow. I felt instinctively the near presenceof men. Stumbling towards it I went, groping my way as if I wereblindfold. Then some great darkness came over my brain and I sank onthe ground.