assassin of Arthur Heselrigge! One, who by the brightness of his armor
seemed to be their leader, stopped under the tree, and complained he
had so sprained his ankle in leaping the wall, he must wait a few
minutes to recover himself. Several soldiers drew toward him; but he
ordered them to pursue their duty, search the house, and bring Wallace,
dead or alive, before him.

They obeyed; but others, who had gained admittance to the tower through
the now forced gates, soon ran to him with information that the
murderer could nowhere be found.

"But here is a gay ladie," cried one; "perhaps she can tell of his
hiding-place." And at moment Marion, with Halbert, appeared amongst a
band of men. The lighted torches which the soldiers held, shone full
on her face. Though pale as monumental marble, the exquisite beauty of
her features, and the calm dignity which commanded from her eyes, awed
the officer into respect and admiration.

"Soldiers, stand back!" cried he, advancing to Lady Wallace. "Fear
not, madam." As the words passed his lips, a flight of arrows flew
into the bosom of the tree. A piercing shriek from Marion was her only
answer. "Hah! my lady's falcon!" cried Halbert alarmed, doubly, for
the fate of his master. A sudden agitation of the branches having
excited an indefinite suspicion in a body of archers who stood near,
with one impulse they had discharged their arrows to the spot.
Halbert's ready excuse, both for the disturbance in the tree and his
lady's shriek, was prompted and warranted true by the appearance of a
large bird, which the rushing of the arrows had frighted from her nest;
she rose suddenly from amongst the branches, and soared away, far to
the east, with loud screams.