But the rowel has gored the flanks of us all! and who amongst us will not lay himself and fortune at the foot of him who plucks away the tyrant's heel ?" "It all held our cause in the light that you do," returned Wallace, "the blood which these Southrons have sown would rise up in ten thousand legions to overwhelm the murderers!" "But how," inquired he, turning to Monteith, "did you happen to be in Ayr at this period?
and how, above all, amongst the slaughtered Southrons at the palace ?" Sir John Monteith readily replied: "My adverse fate accounts for all." He then proceeded to inform Wallace, that on the very night in which they parted at Douglas, Sir Arthur Heselrigge was told the story of the box: and accordingly sent to have Monteith brought prisoner to Lanark.
He lay in the dungeons of its citadel at the very time Wallace entered that town and destroyed the governor.

Though the Scots did not pursue the advantage offered by the transient panic into which the retribution threw their enemies, care was immediately taken by the English lieutenant to prevent a repetition of the same disasters; and, in consequence, every suspected person was seized, and those already in confinement loaded with chains.

Monteith being known as a friend of Wallace, was sent under a strong guard toward Stirling, there to stand his trial before Cressingham and the English Justiciary, Ormsby.

"By a lucky chance," said he, "I made my escape; but I was soon retaken by another party, and conveyed to Ayr, where the Lieutenant-governor Arnuf, discovering my talents for music, compelled me to sing at his entertainments." "For this purpose, he last night confined me in the banqueting-room at the palace, and thus, when the flames surrounded that building, I found myself exposed to die the death of a traitor, though then as much oppressed as any other Scot.

Snatching up a sword, and striving to join my brave countrymen, the Southrons impeded my passage, and I fell under their arms." Happy to have rescued his old acquaintance from further indignities, Wallace committed him to Edwin to lead into the citadel.