Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 3).djvu/132

 walls, was sufficient to have routed all the disaffected in Scotland, if collected in a body; and her first reflection was upon the inadequacy of their own means of resistance, to an army strong enough to have defeated Claverhouse and such select troops.

"Woes me! woes me!" said she; "what will all that we can do avail us, brother?—What will resistance do but bring sure destruction on the house, and on the bairn Edith; for, God knows, I think nae on my ain auld life."

"Come, sister," said the Major, "you must not be cast down; the place is strong, the rebels ignorant and ill-provided; my brother's house shall not be made a den of thieves and rebels whiles old Miles Bellenden is in it. My hand is weaker than it was, but I thank my old grey hairs that I have some knowledge of war yet. Here comes Pike with intelligence.—What news, Pike? Another Philiphaugh job, eh?"

"Ay, ay," said Pike, composedly; "a