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"Then I maun do it mysell, Milnwood," said the housekeeper, "or see a' gang wrang thegither. "Ay, ay," whispered Cuddie to his parent, "e'en sae! I kend we wad be put to our travels again whene'er ye suld get three words spoken to an end. I was sure that wad be the upshot o't, mither."
"It willna be amiss ye should ken," said Cuddie to his master, "that this Jenny this Mrs Dennison, was trying to cuittle favour wi' Tam Rand, the miller's man, to win into Lord Evandale's room without ony body kennin'. She wasna thinking, the gipsy, that I was at her elbow."
"But what ken I if the cause is gude or no, mither," rejoined Cuddie, "for a' ye bleeze out sae muckle doctrine about it? It's clean beyond my comprehension a'thegither. I see nae sae muckle difference atween the twa ways o't as a' the folk pretend. It's very true the curates read aye the same words ower again; and if they be right words, what for no?
In fact, a deep black cloud had already surmounted the setting sun; a few large drops of rain fell, and the murmurs of distant thunder were heard. "The deil's in this man," said Cuddie to himself; "I wish he would either light aff or ride on, that he may quarter himsell in Hamilton or the shower begin."
Lord Evandale had just rode off, when several of the insurgents, who were in the front of the pursuit, came up, denouncing vengeance on Henry Morton and Cuddie for having aided the escape of a Philistine, as they called the young nobleman. "What wad ye hae had us to do?" cried Cuddie. "Had we aught to stop a man wi' that had twa pistols and a sword?
"And are you content to accept of the King's pardon for your guilt as a rebel, and to keep the church, and pray for the King?" "Blithely, stir," answered the unscrupulous Cuddie; "and drink his health into the bargain, when the ale's gude." "Egad," said the Duke, "this is a hearty cock. What brought you into such a scrape, mine honest friend?"
As he spoke thus, Cuddie burst into the room, terror and haste in his countenance. "Oh, my lord, hide yoursell! they hae beset the outlets o' the house," was his first exclamation. "They? Who?" said Lord Evandale. "A party of horse, headed by Basil Olifant," answered Cuddie. "Oh, hide yourself, my lord!" echoed Edith, in an agony of terror. "I will not, by Heaven!" answered Lord Evandale.
"I'm no just free to gie my opinion, stir," said the cautious captive, "on what might cost my neck; but I doubt it will be very little better." "Better than what?" "Just than rebellion, as your honour ca's it," replied Cuddie. "Well, sir, that's speaking to the purpose," replied his Grace.
"You have made a most excellent and useful purchase, Cuddie; but what is that portmanteau?" "The pockmantle?" answered Cuddie, "it was Lord Evandale's yesterday, and it's yours the day. I fand it ahint the bush o' broom yonder ilka dog has its day Ye ken what the auld sang says, 'Take turn about, mither, quo' Tam o' the Linn.
Cuddie also proffered his assistance; but his wife reminded him, "That the bairns would be left to fight thegither, and coup ane anither into the fire," so that he remained to take charge of the menage. His wife led the way up a little winding path, which, after threading some thickets of sweetbrier and honeysuckle, conducted to the back-door of a small garden.
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