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The Huron Signal, 1883-06-29, Page 6THE HURON .3IQNAL, FRIDAY JUNE 1883. FIRE ANI) SWORD: A STORY OF THE MASSACRE OF G LENCOE- CHAPTER XXIV. T111 MMU HAND 07 bLAUAMTZ& IdPTaD. While lcc two blethers are hastening towards ]lenaion we shall anticipate their arrival there by a few minutes. In the hie kitchen of the house of All- ister Macdonald, the tacksman of the (:len, with se le mi Sergeant Barber was quarter. ',nearly half -:l -score of Macdon- ald. were gathered, encircling a glowing fire which burned freely within a rudely formed fireplace right on the centre of the earthen donor- • The tackswan had become alarmed the previous day on overhearing an order de- livered by Barber to one of his men,that the whole party - •u'd that night "sleep on their arms," so as to be in readiness fur instant actio t. Ageinst whom that instant action was too be directed was the point which at iii n addressed itself to tke tackaman's o•. -dated eommunieating his suspicions to \ialcolm Macdonald and others around hint, they had that night resolved tt .,it up" and take note of Sergeant Barbers'• suspected proceed- ings. In reply to the tackeman's ea :MU the Sergeant had evasively answered in the same strait-. . his superior Glenlyon had done. that he was under order to march against —me turbulent Glengarry then, that h,• would march his party down the (ileo to G1efflyon s headquart- ers that night and not return to the vil- lage fur a day or two. And, so far true • to his de e%tier 'peed', he did indeed 'repair with his party to Inverriggen. But the departure was merely a "blind" to cover his real intention, which was to c Overtly return and take the sleeping vil- lace by surprise. The tacksman and his friends, among whom was Malcolm, son of the innkeep- er. having thus seen the hated and sus- pected redcoats turn their back on them for the night, were just in the act of separating till next morning, that each might seek the solace of sleep, when the doorway was filled by the presence of John and Allister Macdonald, the re- spected sons of their beloved Chief. Hurried greetings having been ex- changed, the brothers excitedly relabed to the astonished villagers their suspi- Aions of Glenlyon's treacherous and bloody designs on the lives of the Clans- men, of the arrest and murder of the do- mestic, and of his dying admoniti• s to them to warn the Macdonald tenantry that Glenlyon meant fatal mischi -1 to them before daybreali The information staggerel the party. Bad as their opinion of Glenlyon and his subalterns were, they had never dreamed ol;an actual massacre by the soldiery in cold blood. Their suspicions of the arm- ed W hills were ravue, and had never taken any definate forte. They had merely viewed them all along as "nppoai- tee," whom the misfortune of circum- stances had thrown into their midst to be tolerated and—watched. But now danger, red -laded, threatened them at their very door -stops, and they started up as from a cream, one and all \talcolm's first and tenderest thought was of Helen Cameron at the Crags ; but ,believing with the rest that the sergeant had led his party down the (lien to join Glenlyon, he conceived that no dangcr.lay immediately there, and thought n lxt and most enviously of his Boil -beloved Chief. "If the ruffian soldiery meant the but- chery of DI'Ian," he said, "we trust all straightway repair, and at once, to In- vercoe. M'Ian's household must be do - fended, and that to our heart's last drop of hllloo,l." To this the half -score of Macdonald'• gathered under the tacksman's ref were ready to agree ; and it was arrang- ed, after brief discussion, that each man should meantime return to his own hum- ble hntne, holding himself in readiness to answer the nmallcst alarm at a mo- ment's notice. It was now between two and three o'clock of the morning, and the two bro- thers, having thus duly apprised the Au henaion tons, saw it their duty to Icturn at once to In, 'rocs and apprise the Chief of what was occurring among the .d fiery et -red in the Olen. Mal- colm, on parting with them for the night expressed his determination of being with them again before tlayirea:., and in thin nnr!erstandina the friends went each their several ways. Resuming tqeir journey hack through the (:len, the two Macdonald• looked neither to the loft nor to the tight, but pushed straight ahead in the face of a storm of snow and wind which was every hour becoming wore fierce and danger; OUP. The snow. drifted down on them, chill- ing their faces, blinding their evesi;ht, and clogging their steps. But they were hardy eons of the mountain, possesaelof splendid blood, and with nerves unwast- i d and tthwearied by slaw, they rock- ed but little for the beet that blew, or the snows fhat ceaselessly fell. The six inches of snow which •hearty .lad the road rendered l000ntotiun tardy, d not actually difficult, by heavily slog- ging lurging their feet se: halt blinding their eyesight ; but by keeping the main path they were sure at least of comparatively level footing. They had not proceeded more than half way home, however, wbeu the a oi- cee of approaching sten were distinctly heard. The auspisious condition of mind into which the .vents of the peat few hours had thrown them at once suggested hid- ing as the proper course to follow, and, quick on the thought, the two Macdon- ald• ensooneed themselves within tb. Dover of some brushwood and there awaited results. The voices, which were every moment becoming clearer, were that of the red- coats, they oould.presently discern ; and momentarily their muffled forms, wrap- ped in grey military greatooats, were distinctly outlined against a background of falling snow. Sergeant Barber, they were able to note, marched at the head of his men. The party, they also noticed, had been very much strengthened. Instead of some twelvemen, the returning Sergeant now marched before a full score. They were laughing and talking aloud as they passed, and indulged in rude coarse jests, as if tired with strong liquor. "A sheep apiece, men, anyhow," they heard the Seargeant remark, "but the Captain stipulates that the work be quickly and effectually done. The order of the hour roust be no friendship, and no escapee, but military law all through; and the cry must be—God save the King A moment after, the picquet had pass- ed out of sight and hearing in to the ob- scuring curtains of the snow. The% the Sergeant's descent on Glen- lyon's quarters was merely undertaken as a "blind" to put. the sense of alarm away from the minds of the Auchenaion Clansmen, was the conviction of the two Macdonald' as they emerged from the cover of the coppice and resumed their descant of the Glen. The Sergeant, however, had economis- • I his 'opportunity to have his guard doubled, fearing, very probably, the courage and fighting powers of Malcolm, the Inn -keeper's son, whose p.rsAnal valor and spirit he only too well knew, and of young Ronald Macdonald, the impetuous and the daring brother of Al- lister, the tacksman, with other Mac- donald,, who shared in the physieal strength and personal progress which were the inalienable heritage of the Clan. Thus assured of art easy triumph over the unarmed villagers, and a bloody and most exacting revenge on his 's' d lover, the braggart Sergeant was harrying back through the storm of wind and snow which swept the gorge of the Olen, with Glenlyon's latest instructions as to the hour and method of attack secretly treasured up in the malice of his callous heart. The road was heavy with snow-, wa have said, and the progress o' the two Mecdont'de was much impeded by the heavy drifts which were fast settling across every descending hollow of their path. NV•ithin half an hour, however, t'iey hal reached within hail of Glenlyon'• uuarter, and from their familiarity with -he locality were again able to approach the camp unobserved. Great was their alarm to find the camp all but deserted. Approaching a sent., , they were called toa000unt by the redcoat levelling his musket at them and oalling a "halt." The password they had given was re- jected, a new sign and countersign hav- ing been recorded to the soldiery within the past two hour& Advancing towards the Macdon tide, the sentinel—who was none other than L' ickley, who had openly exp. ..ed to his comrade' in arms his dislike of butch- ering the men of the Glen in their beds —at once dropped his arms on perceiv- ing the Chief's sons approach, and hur- riedly and secretly urged them to fly the spot, taking the hi!! passe., if th. y meant to escape with their lives. and secure from insult his young wife, bat t.0 the suggestion of lie brother John, he decided on first directing his steps to Inrerc oe, in the hope and belief that Glenlyon, as the elder Macdonald sirtsgest.d, would surely and oust natu- rally protect from hurt or insult his own niece. Strong in the hope of this, Allister Agreed to accompany his brother John to Invercoe, but ere they had well set out their hearts were smitten with the dead- liest apprehension on hearing the reports of mwtketry echoing with deadly pre - ellen from that direction. " God in heaven !" exclainsed the eld- er Maodonald, " I would give ten years of my life to be at this moment by the side a M'Ln." " Year not, brother," replied Allister, " Milan's arm has ever proved mighty in battle. He is surrounded with true men and brave, who will be answerable fur his life with their own." " Ay, ay; Allister, but what is steel to powder ? or valor to cunning ? Brsadal- bane's minions have scented blood, and the rancor of personal feeling will add, if possible, a keener sharpness to their mali- cious fangs. God ! if the echo of the hills do not deceive me, I hear the noise of musketry all along the pathway of the Glen-" The younger of the Maodonalds an- swered not a word, but the intense work- ing of the features, blanched white with excitement, and the increased speed of his reckless plunging' through the drift- ed snows, attested the depth and inten- sity of his emotions. The maned of tiring which was now distinctly heard throughout the length of the Glen was only too truly prophetk of the harvest which ,dup'-city and re- venge Ova. about to reap. L.eatenant Lindsay, conformable to the orders of his military superior, Glen- lyon, had sallied out from the headquar- ters of the detachment at Inverriggan, and marched direct to the Chief's house at Inveraoe between three and four o'clock in the morning ; and while the snows of winter and the darkness of night yet filled the skies the sleeping village was invested with a ring of level- led bayonets, and the alarmed Clemson, rushing unarmed futon their beds, were shot down or slaughtered in cold blood ere they had the opportunity of either escape or flight. The hones of the chief was the start- ing -Tint of the work of daughter. M'Ian once .truck down, Gloylyon cal- culated on confusion and terror paving the whole village. But the Chief, Lieu- tenant Lindsay well knew, was a man of great personal strength and courage, and he feared an open encounter with him. He stood over six fest in height, and, although fully sixty years of age, the sweep of his gigantic claymore was re- ported to be as destructive in fight as a falling avalanche. With the duplicity of a base cow- ardice, therefore. Lindsay, on arriving within hail of the Chiefs residence, posted half a score of picked men at the door, and sent up a friendly message to him desiring a brief interview on a mat- ter affecting the welfare of the Clan ; and the unauspecting Cehief, having or- dered the Lieutenant to be admitted and refreshments provided for him, got then out of bed,aud, while preparing to dress, the soldiery rushed into his bedroom arid phot him ruthlessly down. "'.:y claymore, friends' my ••isy- more were the last and only words he uttered es he fell forward mortally wounded Iv the assassin bullet" "f the red -coats. Ha' ideheasel f with excitement andhor- ror, the wife of M'Ian sprang from be 1 and threw herself on the prostrate and bleeding body of her cheriahed husband, pleading in her nuguish the just ven- geance of heaven on the heads of his ruthless murderer. But the savage sol- diery had no tender earl for her wail- ,, ail - n Full of malice and private hate, Argyll's milling' seized the helpless lady, and fen c:ously tore the jewelled rings "r ,m off her fingers with their gleaming teeth, and otherwise treated her so cruel- ly that she died the following day. Two of the male house domestics who had leen aroused from sleep by the firing of the muskets came rushing up to Milan's bedroom to learn the cause, and being unarmed, were cut down as they entered. A third person, Duncan Don. the Braemar letter -carries, who happen- ed too he lodged with the Chief that night, hod barely time to leap from bed, and so escape the murderous soldiery by getting out of the house through a beak window. At inverriggen the savage Glenlyon• armed with the military " orders " of hint superiors, and impelled thereto by thel keen zest of rival clanship, was pursuing at the same moment of time • similar brutal and unlooked-for butchery. Here the red -cosh seized half a soon of Mac- donald., whom they had dragged from their beds, turd after having securely bound them hand and foot, they delib- erately shot them singly, and in cruel (1etail. Neiiher were the gray hairs 01 age spared. All ender "seventy" years of age were foredoomed in aceerdsaee with the instructions served, and the tender innocence of childhood was stretch.R dead side by side with the bent and trembling form of afro "Glenlyon has just set nut for Inver- iiggen," continued Buckley, "ani Lieut- enant Lindsay has preceded him by marching on the Chief's quarters half an hous ago. I thank God I am left sentry here. I could not and would not take pari in such work. Fly, Tads, if you value your lives' There is not a mo- ment to lose !" Struck dumb with. horror and amare ment for the moment, the Merdonalds etuld only wring the honest hand of the humane redcoat, and thrilling with emo- tion, hurry blindly forward throngh the mist of snows, leaving -Buckley to re- sume his nut -post watch by the road. Allister, the younger brother. had a double stake at risk in the isaue of the impending masaore. His young wife— who, as has already been stated, was neice to Glenlyon—was located at In- veriggen, and his aged sire, who "laim.d his fealty and heart worship, was living at invereoe, whither lieutenant Lind- say's military party had just gene. In these circumstances both father and wife were in danger, and each claimed pro- tection at his handa- 11i. first natural impala. was to reach 'Save the hale of tit brave youth 1' cried a voice, on witnessing a powerful. and courageous young clansman success- fully resisting the murderous attack of three red -coats, who were tryutg to club him to death with the butt-euds of their emptied muskets, "save the brave youth' life," but Captain Drummond, who wa4. on the spot,drew a loaded pistol from his belt. and savagely shot the bean lad through the head; then turning about, he the next moment ferociously ran kis sword through the b(tdy of a boy who ass clinging for protection to the knees of 1 ►.. if: Glen/yon, Meantime John and Allister the chiefs sons were hurrying frantically towards the scene of slaughter jest 'matted under their father's roof. There was now no longer ground for hope. The work of slaughter was on all sides • bloody and remorseless tragedy. Already they were within hearing of the shouting soldiery and withiu sight of their biasing torches which were filing the huts ..t the Clansmen when the form of • man was seen swiftly approaching them through the thick be.. of falling snow. The figure was running in their direc- tion, and the brother unsheathed their claymores, and stood on their defence. Another moment and their old and trusty friend Duncan Don, the Bresmar letter -carrier, was by their side. "Run, lads,run ! for Godsake,turn and fly ! Your father and mother are murder- ed under their own rout ! Comae !" sed the Braemar post -runner, shocked with horror at what he had just witnes.ed,at- tem pled to drag back the two Macdonald' who were making to rush forward to the bloody scene. "Nay, Duncan, it were unmanly to fly the spot, finding safety in cowardice," urged the brothers. "But what would ye?" he as ked. "Th red work is already done ! Hark, the soldiers are coming ! Fly with sae, or we shall all be shot without mercy or prepar- ation for death ! Come, lads, yb may yet live to avenge this auto hour ! And God grant that it may yet so !" It was as true as his words. The sol- diers were everywhere scouring the vil- lage and its outskirts for fresh victims. Already their forms were seen approuoh- ing. To stay there was to iavite certain death. tad, turning about, the three fugitives sought safety hi present flight. (Tose. uurrmmsvm.. ) THAT NO =Net - MAY . BE dose, It is neoeremedies placed thh`e tai Dm rn rD >r Z —1 < CnZ 0 n 14 - Mae eaea car GO scar C2 Por cis sue C=' n Qo co oma .r -g^ iso r=e art - rd ad NEW ARRIVALS SP&SVM I'' GODS ccL 'Ai AI Irish & Cauadiii Tabs HTTGS D UNLOP_ TO S OF TIIE CHM' OF 1111110 CINNTLilZ,•r��.1 a large number of the yeomen of the Count, we have depicted to, ItEl.A.311304. AST ID MOWZNC3 71�JO]p[ZNJCB, n oonneotioti Pjou bowman for the year 1883, which for material and workmanship Miami to none. 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