Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 4).djvu/198

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
190
TALES OF MY LANDLORD.

ture so rash. What can your single arm, and the few tenants or servants who might follow you, do against the force of almost all Scotland, the Highland clans only excepted?"

"Listen to me, Edith," said Lord Evandale. "I am not so rash as you may suppose me, nor are my present motives of such light importance as to affect only those personally dependent on myself. The Life-Guards, with whom I served so long, although new-modelled and new-officered by the Prince of Orange, retain a predilection for the cause of their rightful master"—(and here he whispered as if he feared even the walls of the apartment had ears)—"When my foot is known to be in the stirrup, two regiments of cavalry have sworn to renounce the usurper's service, and fight under my orders. They delayed only till Dundee should descend into the Low Countries;—but, since he is no more, which of his successors dare take