But he had fallen into the power of a Scottish knight, who, though he served in the English army, did not choose to be the instrument of putting Bruce into their hands, and allowed him to escape.  The conquerors executed their prisoners with their usual cruelty.

[Illustration:  BRUCE KILLS COMYN]

Bruce, with a few brave adherents, among whom was the young Lord of Douglas, who was afterward called the Good Lord James, retired into the Highland mountains, where they were chased from one place of refuge to another, often in great danger, and suffering many hardships.  The Bruce’s wife, now Queen of Scotland, with several other ladies, accompanied her husband and his few followers during their wanderings.  There was no other way of providing for them save by hunting and fishing.  It was remarked that Douglas was the most active and successful in procuring for the unfortunate ladies such supplies as his dexterity in fishing or in killing deer could furnish to them.

Driven from one place in the Highlands to another, starved out of some districts, and forced from others by the opposition of the inhabitants, Bruce attempted to force his way into Lorn; but he was again defeated, through force of numbers, at a place called Dalry.  He directed his men to retreat through a narrow pass, and placing himself last of the party, he fought with and slew such of the enemy as attempted to press hard on them.  A father and two sons, called M’Androsser, all very strong men, when they saw Bruce thus protecting the retreat of his followers, made a vow that they would either kill this redoubted champion, or make him prisoner.  The whole three rushed on the king at once.  Bruce was on horseback, in the strait pass we have described, between a precipitous rock and a deep lake.  He struck the first man who came up and seized his horse’s rein such a blow with his sword, as cut off his hand and freed the bridle.  The man bled to death.  The other brother had grasped Bruce in the meantime by the leg, and was attempting to throw him from horseback.  The king, setting spurs to his horse, made the animal suddenly spring forward, so that the Highlander fell under the horse’s feet, and, as he was endeavoring to rise again, Bruce cleft his head in two with his sword.  The father, seeing his two sons thus slain, flew desperately at the king, and grasped him by the mantle so close to his body that he could not have room to wield his long sword.  But with the heavy pommel of that weapon, or, as others say, with an iron hammer which hung at his saddle-bow, the king struck his third assailant so dreadful a blow, that he dashed out his brains.  Still, however, the Highlander kept his dying grasp on the king’s mantle; so that, to be freed of the dead body, Bruce was obliged to undo the brooch, or clasp, by which it was fastened, and leave that, and the mantle itself, behind him.