released, and their places were taken by the commanders of the enemy's
host.


_III.--Wallace the Regent_


When the victorious chiefs were gathering in the hall of the castle,
Helen looked upon each one with anxious eyes. Would the gentle knight
who rescued her be in Wallace's train? Lady Mar turned a restless glance
upon her step-daughter. "Wallace will behold these charms," she cried to
herself, "and then, where am I?"

Amid a crowd of knights in armour the conqueror entered; and as Helen
raised her eyes she saw that the knight of her dream, the man who had
saved her from worse than death, was Wallace himself!

"Scots, behold the Lord's anointed!" cried the patriot Bishop of
Dunkeld, drawing from his breast a silver dove of sacred oil, and
pouring it upon Wallace's head.

Every knee was bent, and every voice cried "Long live King William!"

"Rise, lords!" exclaimed Wallace. "Kneel not to me--I am but your fellow
soldier. Bruce lives; God has yet preserved to you a lawful monarch."

Eagerly they sought to persuade him, but in vain. He consented to hold
the kingdom for the rightful sovereign, under the name of regent, but
the crown he would not accept. He found a nation waiting on his nod--the
hearts of half a million people offered to his hand.