"Hear it!"said Ranald;"he hath wagered deeply for a son of Diarmid--And you,gentle Thane--the report of the camp says,that you would purchase with life and lands the tidings that Annot Lyle was no daughter of proscription,but of a race noble in your estimation as your own--Well--It is for no love I tell you--The time has been that I would have exchanged this secret against liberty;I am now bartering it for what is dearer than liberty or life.--Annot Lyle is the youngest,the sole surviving child of the Knight of Ardenvohr,who alone was saved when all in his halls besides was given to blood and ashes."
"Can this man speak truth?"said Annot Lyle,scarce knowing what she said;"or is this some strange delusion?"
"Maiden,"replied Ranald,"hadst thou dwelt longer with us,thou wouldst have better learnt to know how to distinguish the accents of truth.To that Saxon lord,and to the Knight of Ardenvohr,I will yield such proofs of what I have spoken,that incredulity shall stand convinced.Meantime,withdraw--I loved thine infancy,I hate not thy youth--no eye hates the rose in its blossom,though it groweth upon a thorn,and for thee only do I something regret what is soon to follow.But he that would avenge him of his foe must not reck though the guiltless be engaged in the ruin."
"He advises well,Annot,"said Lord Menteith;"in God's name retire!if--if there be aught in this,your meeting with Sir Duncan must he more prepared for both your sakes."
"I will not part from my father,if I have found one!"said Annot--"I will not part from him under circumstances so terrible."
"And a father you shall ever find in me,"murmured Sir Duncan.
"Then,"said Menteith,"I will have MacEagh removed into an adjacent apartment,and will collect the evidence of his tale myself.Sir Dugald Dalgetty will give me his attendance and assistance."
"With pleasure,my lord,"answered Sir Dugald.--"I will be your confessor,or assessor--either or both.No one can be so fit,for I had heard the whole story a month ago at Inverary castle --but onslaughts like that of Ardenvohr confuse each other in my memory,which is besides occupied with matters of more importance."
Upon hearing this frank declaration,which was made as they left the apartment with the wounded man,Lord Menteith darted upon Dalgetty a look of extreme anger and disdain,to which the self-conceit of the worthy commander rendered him totally insensible.
CHAPTER XXII.
I am as free as nature first made man,Ere the base laws of servitude began,When wild in woods the noble savage ran.CONQUEST OF GRANADA The Earl of Menteith,as he had undertaken,so he proceeded to investigate more closely the story told by Ranald of the Mist,which was corroborated by the examination of his two followers,who had assisted in the capacity of guides.These declarations he carefully compared with such circumstances concerning the destruction of his castle and family as Sir Duncan Campbell was able to supply;and it may be supposed he had forgotten nothing relating to an event of such terrific importance.It was of the last consequence to prove that this was no invention of the outlaw's,for the purpose of passing an impostor as the child and heiress of Ardenvohr.
Perhaps Menteith,so much interested in believing the tale,was not altogether the fittest person to be intrusted with the investigation of its truth;but the examinations of the Children of the Mist were simple,accurate,and in all respects consistent with each other.A personal mark was referred to,which was known to have been borne by the infant child of Sir Duncan,and which appeared upon the left shoulder of Annot Lyle.It was also well remembered,that when the miserable relics of the other children had been collected,those of the infant had nowhere been found.Other circumstances of evidence,which it is unnecessary to quote,brought the fullest conviction not only to Menteith,but to the unprejudiced mind of Montrose,that in Annot Lyle,an humble dependant,distinguished only by beauty and talent,they were in future to respect the heiress of Ardenvohr.
While Menteith hastened to communicate the result of these enquiries to the persons most interested,the outlaw demanded to speak with his grandchild,whom he usually called his son."He would be found,"he said,"in the outer apartment,in which he himself had been originally deposited."
Accordingly,the young savage,after a close search,was found lurking in a corner,coiled up among some rotten straw,and brought to his grandsire.
