Page:The Cottagers of Glenburnie - Hamilton (1808).djvu/237

 With much pain, and great difficulty, he reached the town, and went to the public house, to which he had been directed, as the quarters of the sergeant; but on arriving there, had the mortification to find, that the sergeant and his recruits had set off at midnight for the head-quarters, and that consequently all hopes of obtaining his son's dismissal were at an end.

He was, however, advised to send in pursuit of the robbers; and having obtained a warrant, lent his mare to the constable, who promised that he should have his money before night; but night came on, and neither constable nor mare returned. He felt himself in the mean time grow worse and worse; and as soon as day appeared, resolved to return home. Ill as he was able to walk, he had, by resting every second step, got forward to the entrance of the Glen; where, finding that his strength entirely failed him, he took refuge in the first cottage; and, anxious