"
Most earnestly and courteously did the Knight urge her acceptance of
the proposed guerdon, but on this point Mysie was resolute; feeling,
perhaps, that to accept of any thing bearing the appearance of reward,
would be to place the service she had rendered him on a mercenary
footing. In short, she would only agree to conceal the chain, lest it
might prove the means of detecting the owner, until Sir Piercie should
be placed in perfect safety.
They mounted and resumed their journey, of which Mysie, as bold and
sharp-witted in some points as she was simple and susceptible in
others, now took in some degree the direction, having only inquired
its general destination, and learned that Sir Piercie Shafton desired
to go to Edinburgh, where he hoped to find friends and protection.
Possessed of this information, Mysie availed herself of her local
knowledge to get as soon as possible out of the bounds of the
Halidome, and into those of a temporal baron, supposed to be addicted
to the reformed doctrines, and upon whose limits, at least, she
thought their pursuers would not attempt to hazard any violence. She
was not indeed very apprehensive of a pursuit, reckoning with some
confidence that the inhabitants of the Tower of Glendearg would find
it a matter of difficulty to surmount the obstacles arising from their
own bolts and bars, with which she had carefully secured them before
setting forth on the retreat.
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