The Last Reiver

After British Army General Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington’s rebels at Yorktown, Virginia, the American Revolutionary War rapidly drew to a close. A few weeks after the surrender, Captain Alex Mackenzie had completed his short and informal discharge ceremony from the Continental Army at Yorktown and had traveled to Philadelphia where he and his brothers, Robert and Hugh, received an urgent and alarming message. Their father, John was in trouble with the English authorities back in their native Scottish border lands. After quickly booking passage on a ship bound for Edinburgh, the three brothers set sail back across the Atlantic to see if they could help their father escape the wrath of the British authorities.

“John Mackenzie, I have a warrant for your arrest. This is your last warning before we break the door down!” shouted the angry sheriff.
Agnes McCredie walked over to the front door where on the other side, the sheriff was fuming. The elderly Agnes mustered up her courage and cleared her throat.
“Och, guid sir, the laird is nae at the hoose, ye ken,” shouted the old housekeeper through the front door to the sheriff, who stood outside on the stoop.
“Open up in there, old woman, we’ll search the house for him anyway,” replied the sheriff.
“Juist a wee moment sir, while I gang fer the pry bar t’ lever the bolt, haud on please!” shouted the old housekeeper who was already clutching the pry bar in both her hands while she pressed her ear to the door to see if she could hear what the sheriff was saying to his men.