The inhabitants were already in the streets, country
women with baskets were vending their produce, and the market was
full of people. Malcolm rode on at a foot pace until he was within
sight of the open gate of the town. When within fifty yards of
the gate he suddenly came upon Colonel Leslie, who had thus early
been making a tour of the walls to see that the sentries were upon
the alert, for Duke Bernhard's force was within a few miles. He
instantly recognized Malcolm.
"Ah!" he exclaimed, "Captain Graheme -- treachery! treachery! shut
the gate there," and drawing his sword, threw himself in Malcolm's
way.
Malcolm touched the horse with his spur and it bounded forward; he
parried the blow which Leslie struck at him, and, with a sweeping
cut full on the traitor's helmet, struck him to the ground and
then dashed onward. A sentry was beginning to shut the gate, and
his comrades were running out from the guardhouse as Malcolm galloped
up.
The steward had fastened the holsters on to the saddle, and Malcolm,
before starting, had seen to the priming of the pistols in them.
Drawing one he shot the man who was closing the gate, and before his
comrades could run up he dashed through it and over the drawbridge.
Several bullets whizzed around him, but he was soon out of range,
and galloping at full speed in the direction in which the steward
had told him that Duke Bernhard was encamped.
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