The Abbot of Aberbrothock

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 197, 19 April 1878, Page 3

The Abbot of Aberb rothock

By Wulliam Adamson. CHAPTER Km. Malcolm,, halving recovered himself, and swallowed -a portion of an immense ifrorn of brandy that Tain brought, he said, in a, dazed sort of manner — * What was it you said, Tain ? Tell me agaitw' 4 1 said that the Lady Jeannie an* the 'Lady Elizabeth. the^Queen'-s ladies, had been stown awa', an thatnaebody kens 'what's become 6' them. They took a •daunder-doon the Abbey in the anunelicbt, an' war seen stan'iri' at the Heys Wall, bitnaebody has seen them rsiri' syne. There's a bonnie hoo-dae-ye-■dae-gaun-on amang the gentles up at •the Abbey.' * That ruffian, Lindsay,' -said Mal•colmij 'this is «ome more of his work. It was my duty before now to unearth 'him, but aiow every energy of body and mind that I possess will be bent to unmask him and bis ruffian gang, and set iis victims at liberty. How did you (learn this, Taraf

' Weel, ye see, I cam' tae ken that the ship that cam' frae Leith the day ?liadjust landet irae France, an' that •she had an extra quid drap o' brandy •on buirdj.an 1 as that's a thing I hae a waekness for, I gaed up tae the Abbey tae see the captain an' secure twa or three barrels, an, afore I cud see him the bonnie lassies war missed, an' the 'halloo began.' 1 Where's Tarn Glen ? Is he up at tlhe Abbey too V said Malcolm.

1 'Deed, yer honour, I hinna seen him sin* mornin'^'He gaed awa' tae St. Vigeans be yer am orders, an, he's •never come back.'

* He's a reckless, foolish fellow but I would be sorrow if any ill came over •liim. If he is not back by morning tsend some one for him, for I will not rest till I have discovered the Queen's 'ladies. This is some of our friends the jpirates' work, Tarn.' * I'm jalousin 1 as muckle, yer honour, :ari' gey sure the Laird o' Auchmithie kens something aboot it.' *I know he does,' said Malcolm fhotly ; 'and before many hours elapse •I will drag it from his ruffian throat. I must away; it I need assistance I will 'Come to you, Tarn.' * I think yer honour sud wait an' tak' it wi' ye. It's no chancie gaun yersel',' said Tarn, as Malcolm crossed the threshold.

1 No, no, Tarn, I cannot wait,' cried Malcolm, as he hurried away, and with swift steps climbed the brae that led to the Abbey.

As he strode along, his mind reverted to the happy hours he had lately spent with the beautiful lady of his love. He thought of the intensity of his passion, and the disappointment, and the pain, and the loss that threatened him in the disappearance of her he adored ; and his anger rose, and his brow clouded, and his hands involuntarily clenched, when he thought how he had been reft alike ot the friend he respected and the lady whom he worshipped.

When he arrived at the gate of the Abbey, he was not surprised to see torches flashing and hear men shouting, and, amidst much bustle and confusion, to note the signs of something very unusual having occurred. The men of Clan Gordon, who were there in great numbers, appeared to be terribly excited, as they wandered about •in an aimless, pur noseless manner.

As Malcolm sprang up the steps, they surrounded him with loud cries hoarse -shouts.

' Has yer honour seen oor 'leddie ?' f Ken ye whar the Leddie Jeannie Gordon is 1\

4 We'll ken noo. Here's his honour wha saved her life yesterday.' * No, my men, I am sorry to say that Ido not know where your lady is. I 'have only just learned of her disappearance; but I «wear that I will not Test ! by night or by day until I have discovered both her and the Lady Elizabeth.'

'Hurrah,' cried a Aberdonian:; 'three cheers for the gallant Ogilvie.'

And, with bared heads and waving 'bonnets, the "Gordons made the Abbey ling -with rasty cheers.

When Malcolm could "make himself •'heard, he asked where *the Earl of Buntly was ?' "'He's doon in the garden lookiri' whar the leddies war last seen,' cried *h e Aberdonian. * Come awa' an' we'll fc* ye till 'im. Bring torches, lads, •and show his honour the gaet.' Knowing, the way quite well, Malcolm strode on for the little well where he had heard the beautiful singing of ! her he loved on the previous day, fol- ' •lowed by the most of the men who had : greeted him so heartily. i 1

By the Heys Well, free from the 3ombre shadows of the , Abbey hoar, in the silver rays of' the moon," stood a large group of men, evidently in earnest discourse.

On hearing the hurried tramp of Malcom and his followers, they opened out, and faced the new comers.

Suddenly a 'voice behind Malcolm cried, "" A gentleman for his. honour the great Earl^" and then another voice cried,** Hurrah for the gallant Ogilivie;" and then another stentorian cheer made the welkin ring. When tbe-Earl- eoserved who it was that wished .him, he advanced with outatretcked hand, and cordially saluted

Malcolm, saying, " Welcome, Malcolm. You have a braw following ; what has made you so popular with them ?"

• They seem to think, your honour, because 1 was so fortunate as to be able to render assistance to the Lady Jeannie yesterday, that I cannot do less to day.' ' And can you do so, Malcolm ? We are at a loss to know what to do. The Laird of Auchmithie here says that some of the heretics have carried the ladies off as hostages, so as to be able to dictate terms to the Queen Regent and the Church.'

'The Laird of Auchmithie, may it please your honour, is -a deliberate, wilful liar,' cried Malcolm, hotly, his anger gaining the mastery, * and I will push his vile falsehoods down his knavish throat. I assert that they have been carried off by him and his pirate followers.'

* Now, by the Virgin,' cried Lindsay, ' I will allow no upstart to traduce my good name. Draw,' shouted he, springing fofward qnd drawing his sword. * I do not know if it is right for a stainless gentleman to cross swords with a ruffian and a pirate,' said Malcolm, sternly, as he drew his heavy sword ; ' but as I mean to punish you, I will not baulk your wish. Defend yourself, ruffian.'

'Now, now,' cried the Earl of Huntly, 1 put up your swords ; this is not a time for brawling. It will not help us to find the ladies. You have made a serious charge, Malcolm ; are you prepared to prove it V

' My Lord, to me the proof is so complete that were I the great Earl of Huntly, instead of a simple country gentleman, I would have the ruffian hung on the nearest tree. You know my charge against him of being the leader of the pirates, and you know how the Lord Abbot scouted the charge, but I will yet prove that charge on his vile carcase. This evening, as I left the banquet with Sir John Carnegie, this man was standing outside the great gate, in conversation with another man, and as I passed he said — " Now Louis sou know what to do. It is our last chance as they sail to-morrow. Take them at all hazards." I said to myself at the time, " What villany is he planning now ?" and when I heard of the ladies' abduction, the proof was plain to me that he was at the bottom of it.'

* This looks serious, Laird ; what have you to say to this ?' said the Earl of Huntlv.

' To say V said Lindsay with a sneer. ' I have nothing to say to the lying charges of every wandering braggart who may turn up ; my answer is hear,' cried he, brandishing his sword. * But my Lord Abbot can prove that I was in his presence at the time this busy body says I was outside of the great gate. This much I may say in deference to you, mv Lord Earl.'

' Now you have proven )'ourself a liar, Laird of Auchmithie,' cried a gigantic Highlander, evidently a dhuniewasle, clad in tartans, and glittering with barbaric ornaments of silver and Cairngorm stones, * I, too, was near the great gate when this gentleman and Sir John Carnegie passed out, and I saw you with a cloak on speak to another man with a cloak on, and I tell you plainly, Andrew Lindsay, Laird of Auchmithie, that you are a liar ; and I tell you that I believe Malcolm Ogiiivie when he says you are the leader of the pirates, and that you have stown awa 1 oor Lady Jeannie and the Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, and you have injured and insulted the whole Clan Gordon.'

1 And I demand liberty from your Lordship and these gentlemen to punish this villain. He has made away with my dear friend John Carnegie ; he has carried off two noble ladies whom we all revere ; he and his vile gang have murdered men, and burned and robbed ships at sea, and he has foully insulted me,' cried Malcolm, moving forward with his drawn sword, and placing himself en gard.

'No. no, Malcolm,' said the Earl of Huntly, raising his head haughtily, and laying his hand on our hero's shoulder,

* Tne Clan Gordon allow no man to fight their battles. Thank the Virgin, they are able to hold their own with any man in broad Scotland, and if this man has beon guilty of what you assert, and what my kinsman can partly prove, it is not an honourable fight with gentlemen he will get, but a short shrift and a hempen cravat. Laird of Auchmithie, yield up your sword as a prisoner quietly, and you will have farr trial^ resist, and you will be hacked to pieces. ■* Let me fight, 1 cried Lindsay, in a thin shrill voice, at the same time unsheathing his sword, and placing his back to a tree j ■* do not disgrace me. Ho help for the Abbey 1 Help, help ! rally, Tally for the Abbey 1' Every sword was drawn, and, with a wide sweep of .his heavy weapon, Lindsay struck down one of his assailants, when he was seized, and immediately disarmed. His cry -of * Help for the Abbey* was, however, taken -up by some of the Abbey servants within call, and in a short time a dense body of men were seen hurrrying down the garden.

Loud cries of Hurrah for the Abbey!!' '.Clan Ogilvie P < Strathmore V f Kedth Marshall' etc., mingled with the wild slogans of the kilted men, startled the Earl of Huntly and the Gordons, who formed in a mass/with their prisoner in the centre.

Malcolm Ogil vie sheathed his sword, and* with bis plumed bonnet elevated in

his extended hand, advanced to meet | the new comers On his coming" within speaking 1 distance he halted and cried, • Inverquharity's here ; .wha helps the Ogilvies V when a halt was cried, and about twenty men, among whom was Tarn Glen's friend Archy, advanced and formed by bis side. Some of the other chiefs who were with the Earl, seeing Malcolm's success, advanced likewise aad drew off tbeir men till there were none left but the vassals of the Abbey. They, being* without a leader, stood irresolute and uncertain what to do, when a cry was raised of — * Here's the Lord Abbot.' Every eye was instantly turned to the Abbey entrance of the garden, and in iront of a crowd of priests appeared the Abbot, accompanied by Sir John Carnegie. " The Abbey men sex, up a loud cheer, and filed into the rear of their reverend masters, while the earl and his men, acpompanied by their prisoner, advanced to meet him. ' Can your Lordship explain the cause of this disturbance, in what ought to be an abode of piece, at this untimely hourT * Your reverence is aware that my sister End the Lady Elizabeth Hamilton have been forcibly stolen away from this abode of peace,' said the Earl, sarcastically,' ' and as this man,' pointing 1 to Lindsay, ' has been accused of their abduction, I have thought proper to make anil hold him as a prisoner, until he either clears himself or is convicted.' ' This man ! Why, this is the Laird of Auchmithie,' said the Abbot, stammering, * the leader of our vassals ; who has dared to accuse him of such a foul deed V 1 1 have, your reverence,' said Malcolm, bowing respectfully, t and I think it will not be difficult to prove it.' * Why, it was you who made a ridiculous charge against him before. This is monstrous ? Your Lordship will set him at liberty. It is absurd.' * Indeed I will not,' said the Earl. •If he can prove his innocence I will be glad ; but the thing looks altogether too suspicious for him at present.' 1 Give him into my custody at present, and I will be surety for his safe keeping. It is impossible that he can be guilty,' said the Abbot. * Well, I will not object to that,' said the Earl ; 'we can hold an examination in the forenoon, before they embark ; but recollect, if he be found guilty he will certainly be hanged.' The Abbot made no reply, and the prisoner was handed over to his keeping, and then the priestly party turned and moved back *to the Abbey. On their arrival, the vassals were all dismissed, except the guards who returned to tbeir duty, while the Laird of Auchmithie accompanied the Abbot to his private appartment. After some conversation the probabalities oi the ladies' fate, and the share that Lindsay may have had in their disappearance, the Earl, with his friends and retainers, retired to their quarters, and Malcolm, with his twenty Ogilvies, were left standing in the bright moonlight by the Heys Well. CHAPTER XIV. The Abbot, accompanied by Lindsay, entered the sumptuous apartment that he called his own; and after fastening the heavy door, and drawing close the gorgeous hangings, he seated himself in a large soft-cushioned chair, while Lindsay stood respectfully by his side. A rich silver candelabra hung from the roof, in which were fixed candles of the fittest wax, that flooded the apartment with a strong white light, revealing the luxury and gross sensualism in which this holy father passed his existence. The 'heavy tapestry on the walls portrayed a scene from Grecian mythology, a bare discription of which would be sufficient to disgust any but those lost to honour and virtue. The quaintly-carved table was covered with fiasks of wine, and dsinty dishes from the hands of his French cook, to stimulate the jaded appetite of this humble follower of Him whose kingdom was not of this world. A large finely-carved crucifix, in ivory and gold, hung over the fireplace, while suspended beside it was a rosary, each bead of which was a large and costly pearl. The Abbot sat for some time in silence, which Lindsay did not dare to interrupt; then, as if he had arrived, at some conclusion, he started from his seat and seized a tflask of wine, which he emptied into a golden goblet, and after a deep draught he reseated himself, saying—- * Now, sir, explain how you have managed to get yourself into this dilemma?' ' Please yonr reverence/ said Lindsay, with a cringing bow, * when you were gracious enough to express your wishes to nae about Lady Jeannie, and where you wished her placed, and year gracious consent to my carrying off the Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, and marrying her with or without her consent, I descended to the great gate, where £ had requested |sonae of my men to be in waiting*, and while speaking to them this upstart Ogilvie passed out with Sir John, Carnegie/and, as you remember, he accused me of being the leader of the pirates. When he had heard of the ladies' disappearance, he came rushnig down the garden with a mob of : those Qighland savages, and, with in-:

suiting language, accu&ed me of carrying them off/

' Humph,' said the Abbot, with a frown, ' but did you really succeed V 1 Yes,' said Lindsay, with a grim smile, 'your reverence may know by this time that I never fail. Your bird is safe in her nest.'

• And where she must ' remain/ said the Abbot, sternly. Lovely as she is. she would be too dearly bought if Huntly discovered what we had been at. Tell me how you managed.' * I did not know at first how to proceed; but, from the beauty of the evening, I thought it likely that the ladies might take a breath of culler air after the dancing, so I scattered my men through the garden, and had the horses ready at Heys Well. As luck would have^it, they did come, and in a twinkling we threw cloaks over their heads, sprang on horseback, and carried them off. We galloped as far as the Boulzie Hill, and then I sent Louis and the other men to Auchmithie Castle with Lady Elizabeth, while I turned and came back to the Abbey with the Lady Jeannie, and, dismounting at the postern you wot of, I conveyed her to the apartment designed for her. From the long ride we had, she must think herself some miles away. I then returned to the garden with all speed, where I met Huntly and his kinsmen, and would have convinced them that the heretics had carried her off, if that * cock o, the hills,' Ogilvie, had not appeared as he did.'

' And how do you expect to get rid of him, and that Highland friend of Huntly V said the Abbot.

* I will either carry them off to the cove, or put a dirk in them,' said Lindsay

' Then to save, my character and your own, you had better go/ gaid the Abbot. * You know you must be here before midday ; spare the steel if you can, it always tells tales.'

• Dead men tell no tales/ said Lindsay, savagely ; * and that young fellow has crossed my path oftener than man ever did before. I will track him like a blood-hound, and woe be to him if I succeed.'

'Well, drink, and we will go/ said the Abbot, pointing to the table, and shrugging his shoulders ; ' and whatever you do, be secret and silent.'

'Trust me, your reverence/ said Lindsay, turning to the table, and pouring out a copious libation, which he drank ; then laughing 1 , he said —

' It is not the first time I have helped you in a like matter, and I hope it will not be the last.'

IWe have certainly snared some beauties between us/ said the Abbot, with a laugh, • but I fear me this Lady Jeannie will be worse to manage than any of them. They say she has a temper of her own.'

1 Her companions will soon break her in/ said Lindsay ; ' they have so long lost all hopes of ever being better than they are that they will be glad to see her as bad as themselves. 7

' What would our guests say if they knew that the Lord Abbot, of Aberbrothock engaged in such pranks 1 But they are not likely to know,' said the Abbot, rising and again imbibing a deep draught of the generous fluid.

• No ' said Lindsay, ' they are not likely to know. Is it your Lordship's pleasure to leave by the private door V ♦ Yes, we will go/ said the Abbot, hastily*; 'we are but losing time.'

Walking to the far end of the room, followed by Lindsay, he threw up the hangings, and pressed his hand on a small brass knob, which caused a door to open, revealing a dark passage. Turning to Lindsay, he said, ' Bring one of the lights ; the place is very dark ;' then, carefully muffling himself in a large mantle, he slowly walked on, followed by Lindsay with the. light. The floor was carpeted with some soft substance that gave back no sound, and they moved on in silence, till they saw a light in the distance, and heard the tinkling of some musical instrument. The light they saw proceeded from a partially open door, inside of which they found themselves behind silken hangings that slightly waved in the soft night wind.

One beautiful voice was singing a plaintive Scottish melody, while otherg, apparently at a distance from the singer, were gossiping and laughing pleasantly, and without restraint.

The* Abbot gently parted the hangings, and peered into the room. It was of large dimensions and brilliantly lighted, and the hangings were gorgeously woven in crimson and gold.

Large Venetian mirrors of great price were placed at eijual distances, giving an appearance of immense size to the apartment.

A beautiful girl, whose raven hair hung in heavy ringlets down her handsome shoulders, and whose thoughts were evidently of a mournful cast, was seated at a harp, while several others, evidently of a lighter temperament, were lolling 1 on a large sofa at some distance, but directly facing the fair harper. Apart from all, in haughty dignity, sat the Lady Jeannie Gordon, A golden cross encrusted with precious stoces rested on her lovely breast, while her tiny hand grasped the haudle of a long keen- glittering dagger. She was •evidently in a state :of great-excitement, for the saut, saut tears ran doW'her cheeks, and Her chest heaved^ and her limbs. shook, and her mihclwasill at <easa. ■ • -■■-•-_--■ ■-*•• .-- .-- •.■-':? -- And wfeere was Malcolm noT? where :

the zealous lover, whose life was de- : voted to her service, whose every thought by day and dream by night, was of the fair lady of his love ? where was he who would have gladly died to have saved her an anxious thought ? where was he, now that the spoiler has fluttering in his grasp the child of purity and light ? - Malcolm was standing at the Heys Well among 1 his Ogilvies, idly waiting for the dawn, idly waiting for light to follow the track of the spoiler, while Lady Jeannie mourns in captivity. When the Abbot had scanned the scene to his heart's content, he dropped the hangings, and, turning to Lindsay, whispered — * I am satisfied ; go and act wisely.' Lindsay made a low obeisance, and, turning the opposite way to that which they had come, quickly disappeared in the darkness. Shading the wax light with his hand, Lindsay silently moved along the narrow passage built in the thickness of the massive wall, until he had left the Abbot at a considerable distance behind him j and then, alter scanning the inside wall with some attention, he stopped at a brass knob, which he pressed in a way similar to the Abbot in his private apartment. A door slowly opened, and Lindsay, holding the light behind him, eagerly pushed his. way through into a long wide corridor, and carefully shut the private door. Then standing quiet, he listened with bated breath, but all was still. Then feeling that his dirk was loose in its ■sheath, he slowly and quietly made his way along the passage with the air and mien of a man confident of his purpose and certain of his way. Waving his light so that it fell on door after door as he proceeded on his way, he at length came to one at which he stopped. Stooping, he placed his ear close to the key-hole, and smiled a grim smile as he listened to the deep breathing of a sleeping man. Cautiously he tried the latch, and somewhat to his surprise found it unfastened, and yielding to the pressure that he applied. On entering the room, which seemed empty, excepting a large bundle of straw, on which reclined the dark form of a man clad in tartans, he flashed the light, as if to make sure that it was him he sought. The light seemed to affect the sleeping man, for he moved uneasily, threw up one of his arms, and muttered something in Gaelic. As Lindsay moved nearer, the sleeper suddenly sat up, revealing the countenance of the gigantic Highlander who not long before had borne evidence against him in the Abbey garden, and whose' testimony on the morrow, assisted by Malcolm Ogilvie, would convict him of falsehood, treachery, robbery, and abduction. Rubbing his eyes drowsily, hs said — ' Fa's t'ere 1 Got for tarn, it's Lintsay !' Then he attempted to struggle to his feet, when Lindsay, dashing his light to*the floor, drew his dirk, sprang upon the still half-sleeping man, bore him to the ground, and sheathed it to the hilt in his back. The unfortunate man gave a horrible shriek that echoed along the corridor like the blast of a trumpet, then Lindr say seized him by the throat with both hands, and held him in an iron grasp until the form that had once been a man, large of body and powerful in strength, genial in manner, and kindly in disposition, lay a mass of inamimate matter. When the breast ceased to heave, and and the limbs to struggle, Lindsay rose, and as he was afraid that fearful cry of a strong man in his agony would waken others or alarm the guard, he hastened to leave the spot. Moving to the door, he remembered that he had left his dirk in the body, and, afraid that it might be brought in evidence against him, he groped his way back to get it. Suddenly he heard the clang of a door at some distance, which startled him, so he hurriedly seized the dirk, and sped out of the room and along the corridor. In his blind hurry, he ran in the direction of the opened door, and he , had nearly reached it, when the noise of his footsteps, no™ no longer cautiously softened, attracted attention, and he hoard voices shouting, and saw torches flashing, and then he turned and fled in the opposite direction. Fast the footsteps sounded, loud the voices shouted, bright the torches flashed in the rear of the red- handed ruffian. With the fleet steps of the hunted deer he bounded along the broad steps of the corridor and down the main staircase, and meeting one of the nightguard, who stood as if he would dispute, the' passage, he drove the dirk into his .breast, dashed him to ihe ground, sprang through the wicket,, and disappeared in the darkness. (To be continued.)

At a meeting held in Lady well Church, Glasgow,~resolutiohs dbjectine* to the re-establishment of a ? Hierarchy. in Scotland were passed, and, it : was announced that Mr Kidston ! had .subscribed rL'SOOO :to a 1

.fund .provided for taking steps to inter- ( . diet tKis : measure by an action iv the Court Of Session, ;