"Ahoi, mother, halt!--egad, or mind the iron gags, the fetterlocks, and thumbikins!" cried her son, with an alarm that was no way lessened by a violent knocking at the cottage door, where, at that moment, the iron ring of the risp was drawn sharply and repeatedly up and down. The hearts of the poor fugitives forgot to beat! Insult, imprisonment, banishment, or worse, rushed upon the mind of Lady Bruntisfield; the dark, gloating eyes and terrible presence of Clermistonlee, upon that of Lilian: but Halbert Elshender snatched up his musquet and blew the match till it glowed on his sun-burned face, an action which made the women grow paler still. "Beard of the devil! Get into the girnel, Lady Grizel; and you, madam Lilian--quick!" exclaimed the soldier in a vehement whisper. "Halbert," faltered Lady Bruntisfield, "your father was a leal and faithful vassal----" "And I, his only son, will stand by you and yours to the death, even as he would have done. In--in--away to the Beech-grove, ere worse come of it. Mother, ye donnart jaud, doun wi' the lid, and pouch the key. And now, may I run the gauntlet from right to left, if you (whoever you are) that tirl the risp so hard get not a taste of King Jamie's new sweyne-feather!" He screwed his dagger or bayonet to the muzzle of his matchlock, and then demanded in a loud voice-- "Stand, stranger. Who goes there?" "One who must speak with Lady Bruntisfield, whom I know to be concealed here. Open, and without a moment's delay." "Lost--lost! Gude Lord, keep thy hand over _them_ and us!" murmured Elsie, clinging to Meinie, as another loud and impatient blow shook the well-barred door, and found a terrible echo in the trembling hearts of the fugitives and their protectors. CHAPTER XIII. A REVERSE. A fredome is a noble thing! Fredome makes man to have liking; Fredome al solace to man gives, He lives at ease that frely lives. BARBOUR'S BRUCE. Walter was still where we left him in the eleventh chapter, an inmate of the city prison. The gloom, monotony, and degradation affected his mind, not less than the confinement and noxious vapours of the place did his health, and he felt his strength and spirit failing fast. The longing for freedom became one moment almost too intense to be borne, and the next he sank into a listless apathy, careless alike of liberty and life. And as his health suffered, and his ardour died his aspect became (though he knew it not) more haggard and ghastly on each succeeding day. The recollection of Lilian's midnight visit, alone threw a ray of light through the gloom of his clouded fortune; over that event he mused, at times, with unalloyed pleasure. Anxiously he watched every night, animated by a faint hope that she might come again; but Lilian came no more.