against good faith to invade what is forbidden: but from the weight I
am rather inclined to suspect it contains gold; probably a treasure,
with which the sordid Baliol thinks to compensate the hero who may free
his country from all the miseries a traitor king and a treacherous
usurper have brought upon it."

"A treasure!" repeated Monteith; "I never thought of that;-it is indeed
heavy!-and, as we are responsible for the contents of the box, I wish
we were certain of what it contains; let us consider that!"

"It is no consideration of ours," returned Wallace. "With what is in
the box we have no concern; all we have to do is, to preserve the
contents unviolated by even our own eyes; and to that, as you have now
transferred the charge to me, I pledge myself-farewell."

"But why this haste?" rejoined Monteith, "indeed, I wish I had
thought-stay only a little."

"I thank you," returned Wallace, proceeding to the courtyard; "but it
is now dark, and I promised to be at home before the moon rises. If
you wish me to serve you further, I shall be happy to see you at
Ellerslie to-morrow. My Marion will have pleasure in entertaining, for
days or weeks, the friend of her husband."

While Wallace spoke, he advanced to his horse, to which he was lighted
by the servants of the castle. A few English soldiers lingered about
in idle curiosity. As he put his foot in the stirrup, he held the
sword in his hand, which he had unbuckled from his side to leave space
for his charge. Monteith, whose dread of detection was ever awake,
whispered: "Your loosened weapon may excite suspicion!" Fear incurred