lives should be spared."

Hundreds of swords fell to the ground; and their late holders, kneeling
at his feet, took the oath perscribed. At the head of those who
surrendered appeared the captain who had commanded at the prison. He
was the only officer of all the late garrison who survived, all else
had fallen in the conflict or perished in the flames; and when he saw
that not one of his late numerous companions existed to go through the
same humiliating ceremony, with an aghast countenance he said to
Wallace, as he presented his sword, "Then I must believe that, with
this weapon, I am surrendering to Sir William Wallace the possession of
this castle and the government of Ayr. I see not one of my late
commanders-all must be slain; and for me to hold out longer would be to
sacrifice my men, not to redeem that which has been so completely
wrested from us. But I serve severe exactors, and I hope that your
testimony, my conqueror, will assure my king that I fought as became
his standard."

Wallace gave him a gracious answer; and committing him to the generous
care of Murray, he turned to give orders to Ker respecting the
surrendered and the slain. During these momentous events, Graham had
deemed it prudent that, exhausted by anxiety and privations, the noble
captives should not come forth to join in the battle; and not until the
sound of victory echoed through the arches of their dungeons, would he
suffer the eager Dundaff to see and thank his deliverer. Meanwhile,
the young Edwin appeared before the eyes of his father, like the angel
who opened the prison gates to Peter. After embracing him with all a
son's fondness, in which for the moment he lost the repressing idea,
that he might have offended by his truancy; after recounting, in a few
hasty sentences, the events which had brought him to be a companion of