bright beams of the moon he hastened through the town.

Abruptly turning an angle leading to the Mouse River, a cry of murder
arrested his ear. He checked his horse and listened. The clashing of
arms told him the sound had issued from an alley to the left. He
alighted in an instant, and drawing his sword, threw away the scabbard
(prophetic omen!), then, leaving his horse with one of his servants
hastened, with the other three, to the spot whence the noise proceeded.

On arriving he discovered two men in tartans, with their backs to the
opposite wall, furiously assaulted by a throng of Edward's soldiers.
At this sight, the Scots who accompanied Wallace were so enraged that,
blowing their bugles to encourage the assailed, they joined hand to
hand with their gallant leader, and attacking the banditti, each man
cut his opponent to the ground.

Such unexpected assistance reanimated the drooping strength of one of
the two, with whom the cry had issued. He sprung from the wall with
the vigor of a tiger, but at the moment received a wound in his back,
which would have thrown him at the feet of his enemies, had not Wallace
caught him in his left arm, and with his right, cleared the way, while
he cried to his men who were fighting near him-"To the Glen!" As he
spoke, he threw the now insensible stranger into their arms. The other
man, whose voice had first attracted Wallace, at the instant sunk,
covered with blood, on the pavement.

Two of the servants, obeying their master, carried their senseless
burden toward the horses; but the third, being hemmed in by the furious
soldiers, could not move. Wallace made a passage to his rescue, and
effected it; but one base wretch, while the now wounded Scot was