"It is a fearful state of things," said Steenie, "when women and bairns are not safe at their own firesides."
From that time Steenie sought to evade his pursuers, and his life was generally that of a wanderer. Often he narrowly escaped being taken. Frequently we laid ourselves down without knowing where he was or how he fared; but whether the earth was wet with summer dew or wrapped in winter's snow, he was always the subject of our ardent prayers. How often I would have shared his night-watches if it could have been so. I carried food to him when I knew where he was; aside from this we could do nothing but pray.
CHAPTER VI. DEFEAT AT RULLION GREEN.
In November, 1666, some of our people at the South became entangled, under great provocation, in a skirmish with some of Turner's soldiers; knowing that this would bring further trouble, they resolved to remain in arms. Coming northward, they gathered a little strength as they advanced. On reaching Ayrshire some of our acquaintances joined them, Steenie, Alexander, and good, honest David McDougal with the rest. Moving in a northeasterly direction, they came to Lanark. Here they renewed their Covenant, and called to mind their grievances, at the same time publishing a declaration vindicating themselves from rebellion. Though frost and snow and hunger and fatigue made dreadful inroads on their little army, they pushed on boldly till they came within a few miles of Edinburgh, which, unexpectedly, they found in arms against them. Knowing that they were pursued by a force larger than their own, and that to remain where they were was to sacrifice their lives to no purpose, they began a retreat, and halted at a place called Rullion Green, on a ridge of the Pentland Hills. Here they were attacked by the pursuing army, which had turned out of its course to intercept them. The Covenanters, stout of heart and confident of the righteousness of their cause, fought valiantly, and several times put their assailants to flight; but they were finally overpowered by superiority of numbers. Many of our brave men were left dead or dying on the field, and more were taken prisoners. Some of these met a cruel death afterwards, and several were put to the torture before they were hanged.
Steenie made his escape, and, after long and painful wanderings, travelling by night and hiding by day, he at last came to us weary and worn. Yet, weary and footsore as he was, the poor lad could not venture to bide within or rest one night under his mother's roof. He remained, however, long enough to tell us that several of our friends and neighbors had sealed their covenant with their blood.
"David McDougal fell beside me early in the fray," said Steenie. "With his last breath he exhorted his brethren to continue the struggle. 'Fight the good fight of faith, my comrades,' said he, 'and the great Leader of your cause strengthen your hearts and your hands!' With a sore heart I bent over him and asked if I could do anything for him. 'I want naething mair in this warld,' he replied. 'But gang ye back to the fray, and slacken nae whit while ye hae strength to stand. Tell the folk at hame that auld Davie McDougal regretted that he had but ane life to lay down for his Master. Tell the gudewife that though we gang hame by different roads, we shall meet at the end of the journey.'"
Alexander was taken prisoner, and suffered with those who were condemned to be hanged at the Cross of Edinburgh. His right hand was cut off and nailed up at Lanark, because there he had lifted it in making oath to the Covenant. Thus perished the last member of a peaceful, God-serving family. In considering their fate, one cannot but recall the words of the apostle Paul: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." But, thank God, this is not the only life of Christians; and by whatever way they may be led to that other life, they shall find that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory" that they shall share.