My Marion will have pleasure in entertaining, for days or weeks, the friend of her husband." While Wallace spoke, he advanced to his horse, to which he was lighted by the servants of the castle.

A few English soldiers lingered about in idle curiosity.

As he put his foot in the stirrup, he held the sword in his hand, which he had unbuckled from his side to leave space for his charge.

Monteith, whose dread of detection was ever awake, whispered: "Your loosened weapon may excite suspicion!" Fear incurred what it sought to avoid.

He hastily pulled aside Wallace's plaid to throw it over the glittering hilt of the sword, and thus exposed the iron box.