Murray withdrew; and Wallace, seating himself, remained with a fixed
and stern countenance, gazing on the ground. Lady Mar durst not
breathe for fear of disturbing the horrid stillness which seemed to
lock up his grief and indignation.

Lord Andrew re-entered with a stranger, Wallace rose to meet him, and
seeing Lady mar-"Countess," said he, "these bloody recitals are not for
your ears;" and waving her to withdraw, she left the room.

"This gallant stranger," said Murray, "is Sir John Graham. He has just
left that new theater of Southron perfidy."

"I have hastened hither," cried the knight, "to call your victorious
arm to take a signal vengeance on the murderers of your grandfather.
He, and eighteen other Scottish chiefs, have been treacherously put to
death in the Barns of Ayr."

Graham then gave a brief narration of the direful circumstance. He and
his father, Lord Dundaff, having crossed the south coast of Scotland on
their way homeward, stopped to rest at Ayr. They arrived there the
very day that Lord Aymer de Valence had entered it, a fugitive from
Dumbarton Castle. Much as that earl wished to keep the success of
Wallace a secret from the inhabitants of Ayr, he found it impossible.
Two or three fugitive soldiers whispered the hard fighting they had
endured; and in half an hour after the arrival of the English earl,
every one knew that the recovery of Scotland was begun. Elated with
this intelligence, the Scots went, under night, from house to house,
congratulating each other on so miraculous an interference in their
favor; and many stole to Sir Ronald Crawford, to felicitate the