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We would like to bide the night, but the inn is no' taking folk. Is there any chance, think you, of a bed here?" "I'll no tell ye a lee," said the woman. "There's twae guid beds in the loft. But I dinna tak' lodgers and I dinna want to be bothered wi' ye. I'm an auld wumman and no' as stoot as I was. Ye'd better try doun the street. Eppie Home micht tak' ye."
"There was a lad o' that name was hanged at Inveraray i' '68 for stealin' twae hens and a wether." "The man I mean is long and lean, and his head is as red as fire. He gave me your name, so you must know him." His eyes showed no recognition. He repeated the name to himself, mumbling it toothlessly. "It sticks i' my memory," he said, "but when and where I canna tell.
But sune I gaed to my bed, being heavy wi' sleep, for I had traivelled for twae days. The next morn I was up at six and out to see the weather. It was a' changed. The muckle tides lay lang and still as our ain Loch o' the Lee, and far ayont I saw the big blue hills o' England shine bricht and clear.
"It is only two verses. My old Scotch nurse used to sing it when I was a little girl-oh, so long ago! I didn't know I could sing it." She began without more ado, standing in the middle of the room, with her back towards the door. Annie was dowie, an' Willie was wae: What can be the matter wi' siccan a twae? For Annie was bonnie's the first o' the day, And Willie was strang an' honest an' gay.
'I took the pledge last Martinmas, and I havena touched a drop o' whisky sinsyne. Not even at Hogmanay, though I was sair temptit. He swung his heels up on the seat, and burrowed a frowsy head into the cushions. 'And that's a' I get, he moaned. 'A heid better than hell fire, and twae een lookin' different ways for the Sabbath. 'What did it? I asked. 'A drink they ca' brandy.
But they never look near the place, and Maister Loudon in Auchenlochan does the factorin'. He's let the public an' filled the twae lodges, and he'll be thinkin' nae doot that he's done eneuch." Mrs. Morran had poured some hot water into the big slop-bowl, and had begun the operation known as "synding out" the cups. It was a hint that the meal was over, and Dickson and Heritage rose from the table.
Oh! the tane had a daddy was poor an' was proud; An' the tither a minnie that cared for the gowd. They lo'ed are anither, an' said their say But the daddy an' minnie hae pairtit the twae. Just as she finished the song, I saw the sharp eyes of Lady Lucy peeping in at the door. "Lady Lucy is watching at the door, Lady Alice," I said.
It wouldnae be greatly to my taste; and forbye that, I see reasons against it. First, it's now unco dark, and it's just humanly possible we might give them the clean slip. If we keep together, we make but the ae line of it; if we gang separate, we make twae of them: the more likelihood to stave in upon some of these gentry of yours.
They were roarin' mad by now, and twae had out their knives, but they couldn't do muckle, for it was gettin' dark, and they didn't ken the ground like us, and were aye trippin' and tumblin'. But they pressed us hard, and one o' them landed me an awful clype on the jaw. They were still aiming at our tents, and I saw that if they got near the fire again it would be the end o' us.
"Now let us make believe that we've hoisted our sails on 'Mononday morn' and been in Noroway 'weeks but only twae," said our leading man; "and your time has come now," turning to us. We felt indeed that it had; but plucking up sufficient courage for the lords o' Noroway, we cried accusingly, "Ye Scottishmen spend a' our King's gowd, And a' our Queenis fee!"
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