Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 4).djvu/281

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OLD MORTALITY.
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volution would have brought you nothing but good."

"If," said the old woman, "it has brought the land gude, and freedom of worship to tender consciences, it's little matter what it has brought to a puir blind worm like me."

"Still," replied Morton, "I cannot seehow it could possibly injure you."

"It's a lang story, sir. But ae night, sax weeks or thereby, afore Bothwell Brigg, a young gentleman stopped at this puir cottage, stiff and bloody with wounds, pale and dune out with riding, and his horse sae weary he couldna 'drag ae foot after the other, and his foes were close ahint him, and he was ane a' our enemies.—What could I do, sir?—You that's a soldier will think me but a silly auld wife—but I fed him, and relieved him, and keepit him hidden till the pursuit was ower."

"And who," said Morton, "dares disapprove of your having done so?"