Wallace's life was in imminent danger from his exploit. The affair was
reported to the English governor of Ayr, who sought him diligently, and
would have put him to death had he been captured. But he took to the
hills and woods, and lay concealed in their recesses until the deed was
forgotten, being supplied by his friends with the necessaries of life.
As it was not safe to return to Ayr after his period of seclusion, he
made his way to another part of the country, where his bitter hostility
to the English soon led him into other encounters with them, in which
his strength, skill, and courage usually brought him off victorious. So
many were the affairs in which he was engaged, and so great his daring
and success, that the people began to talk of him as the champion of
Scotland, while the English grew to fear this indomitable young
swordsman.
At length came an adventure which brought matters to a crisis. Young
Wallace had married a lady of Lanark, and had taken up his residence in
that town with his wife. The place had an English garrison, and one day,
as Wallace walked in the market-place in a rich green dress, with a
handsome dagger by his side, an Englishman accosted him insultingly,
saying that no Scotchman had the right to wear such finery or to carry
so showy a weapon.
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