"Now ye must know, that some one who was na’ very friendly to their side of the question, happened to be in the house at that time, and heard their foolish talk; and what does he do, think ye, but rins awa’ to some o’ the nearest farms and collects several others like himself; for ye see people in these days were na’ deterred by fear o’ the laws frae just doing as they liket; and they all marched to the public-house, with the wicked intention o’ killing the soldiers. Some say an old miller, o’ the name o’ Baird, who lived near here, and who had been a sore enemy to the Royalists, and had obtained a free pardon frae the Government, when aince he fell into their hands, headed the party. Wi’ blackened faces, and guns, and swords, in their hands, they rushed into the room where sat the men. One of them, on perceiving their entrance, caught up a chair to defend hinself, but one o’ the Covenanters thrust his sword wi’ such force through his body, that it stuck in the wall behind him; while the others were finished wi’ the butt-ends of their guns. Eh, sirs, but these were wild times. And this part o’ the country was in a very disturbed state about that time; for just before the battle o’ Bothwell Bridge, the royal army lay encamped all over the Muirhead up on the hill yonder; for it being a high situation, they had a good view o’ all the country round; and whenever they ran out o’ provisions, the soldiers just gaed to a’ the farm-houses round about, and took away cattle, meal, butter, and everything they could lay their hands on without saying by your leave, or thank ye kindly for what they got. Ye must know that that standard belonged to the Telfords of Muirhead; it was one o’ them that carried it to the battle o’ Bothwell Bridge, and my husband’s mother being one o’ that family, he kens plenty _aboot_ the Covenanters. Well, as I was saying, the dragoons went to all places they could think on to procure provisions for themselves, and provender for their horses, and they honoured Mrs. Telford often wi’ a visit at these times—for she was well off in this world’s gear; and I’ve heard my husband say—he had it from his mother, and she had it again from hers—that whenever the soldiers found there was more meal than they could conveniently carry away, they thought nothing o’ tumbling the lave (remainder) a’ doon the hill, not caring one straw how _they were to be served_ that came ahint them. "However," continued Mrs. Anderson with a laugh, "they sometimes were cheated too, when they came to clear the byres and stables o’ them that could ill afford to lose their cattle, as ye will hear by the following story o’ the then mistress o’ this house, who was sorely troubled by visits frae the thieving dragoons, who were sure never to go away empty-handed. Well, one day they came for the purpose o’ stealing her cattle, when, just as they were conveying them away, she ran after them, telling them it was as much as their lives were worth, to take