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"Men of Bute," said he, "I charge you all that if within three years to come any of you shall see this man Roderic MacAlpin within the isle of Bute, or within his forfeited lands of Gigha and Cara, or in any other land in the dominions of the King of Scots, you shall put him to the sword and slay him."
"That have we already done," said the King; "and should this villain again set foot in Scotland, or in any one of the Western Isles, ere his term of outlawry be duly passed, we shall hold no man guilty who puts him to the sword nay, we shall reward him well. As to the lands of Gigha they are now forfeit, and the lordship over them, my young Earl Kenric, shall henceforth be yours."
They said these things, believing that Sigrid had no heart for her children, and that she was unkind to them. But many days thereafter I learned that a strange ship had been seen bearing outward between Gigha and Cara; and it was the ship of Rapp the Icelander, the cruellest sea rover that ever sailed upon the western seas.
Olaf, that never in all his time of sea roving had he touched at the little island of Gigha, and that he knew naught soever of the dear children I had lost." "Greatly do I pity you, Earl Roderic," said Adela, clasping her hands. "And you have not yet found trace of your little ones?" "No," said Roderic.
"And now," said he to Olaf Grimm, "if there be any in Gigha who have wrongs to redress or complaint to make to me, let them be called." But Olaf told him that there were none, for, said he, "since Earl Roderic has been gone we have known naught but happiness and peace." "Long may that peace abide," said Kenric.
But there I escaped and found my way hither to inform your Majesty of these disasters." "Roderic of Gigha?" echoed the King. "So, ho, and 'tis he who hath taken Bute? By St. Andrew, but he shall not long enjoy his conquests. "My lords," he added turning to his companions, "methinks the maid speaks truth. Now turn we back to Stirling and cease this sporting, for there are higher duties to perform.
Better it were that you came to bide in our castle you and Aasta. This is no place for a dog to live in in frosty weather. Where is Aasta? 'Twas her I came to see, for I hear that she has news from Gigha." "News indeed, Earl Kenric. But not alone from Gigha. Roderic is even in Bute." "In Bute! When came he?" "Even this morning he was here in this cave.
"I charge Roderic MacAlpin, king of Gigha," said Alpin, and at that there was a great yell of execration. "Down with the traitor! Death to him!" was the cry as the crowd opened. And Alpin turning round saw Duncan Graham taller by a head than the tallest man there present leading in the criminal, followed by his two companions of Colonsay and Jura. In a moment Alpin sprang forward at his enemy.
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