Page:The Cottagers of Glenburnie - Hamilton (1808).djvu/286

 relent. So a' that the minester said, just gaed for naething; for they said, that by the law of court marshall he maun be shot. Weel, a' houp was at an end; when by chance Mrs Mason fand out, that the major of the regiment was the soa of an auld freend o' hers, ane that she had kent and been kind to whan he was a bairn; and so she wrate a lang letter to him, and had an answer, and wrate another; and by his appointment, she and the minester are gane this very day to bear witness in Sandy's favour, and I wad fain houp they winna miss o' their errand."

The suspence in which poor Mrs MacClarty was now involved, with respect to her son's destiny, appeared more insupportable than the most dreadful certainty. The stream of consolation that was poured upon her by her loquacious friends, only seemed to add to her distress. She made no answer to their observations, but with her eyes eagerly bent towards the door, she fearfully listened to the sound