And the men slunk off, crestfallen and dismayed.

“Right well have you served that hound, my lord,” said Duncan, “for he was indeed a very brute.  Fear not that his curs will now disobey you, and trust in our faithful men of Bute, who will give their lives ere any further wrong be done.  And now methinks ’twere well that we hastened to the priory, for when we came into the crowd I heard some of these scoundrels speak of the plunder some of their band are seeking in that holy place.”

“Infamous dogs!” muttered Kenric.  “Oh to think that I should be doomed to be the leader of men so wicked!”

Leading the way to the priory, which was to the south of the village, he found that even this sacred edifice had not escaped sacrilege.  The priory grange had been sacked and pillaged.  Two of the friars had been slain whilst defending the villagers who had taken refuge in the sanctuary, and when Kenric appeared at the head of his troops a band of the men of Galloway were in the act of setting the chapel in flames; a heap of straw was piled before the arched door.  But just as the flints were being struck to make a light Duncan Graham fell upon the men, throwing them aside, and the building was saved.

Many hours did it occupy Kenric ere he could, even in a small way, appease the wrath of the much-injured islanders and restore to them their devastated homes.  His men of Bute returned to their ships without so much as a sword wound.

Twelve of the Gallwegians had been slain and many wounded, but even the most unruly now bowed before the commands of the young lord of Bute, and went back in submission to their posts.

The isle of Colonsay had been taken; but, saving only at the moment of landing, there had been no fair fighting, and with such forces behind him, Kenric might have taken the ill-protected island without the drawing of a sword.

The wanton massacre of the women and children was a thing which no man of honour could excuse, and Kenric felt that he had rather have been the vanquished than the conqueror under such conditions.  His grief for those who had fallen victims to the wild Gallwegians was only partly softened by the remembrance that he had at least saved their brethren from further inhumanity.

Having taken formal possession of the island and gathered his forces together, he went on board the ships of Galloway.  There he severely rebuked the men for what they had done, and threatened them with punishment if any should again prove unruly.  Then he picked out two score of those who had been faithful to their posts in remaining on board instead of rushing after their companions, and these he left, under trusty officers of his own, with one of the galleys, in charge of the island.

This proceeding, made in the interests of the people of Colonsay, was in some respects unwise, for by this means the most savage and ungovernable were now quartered aboard one ship.  But Kenric made no doubt that with his own four galleys and their crews he would have no further trouble.