ere's
nothing less than my fine bones upon the cast of it, and I'll have to
break this seal."

"It is my wish," said Catriona.

He opened it, glanced it through, and flung his hand in the air.

"The stinking brock!" says he, and crammed the paper in his pocket.
"Here, let's get our things thegither. This place is fair death to me."
And he began to walk towards the inn.

It was Catriona that spoke first. "He has sold you?" she asked.

"Sold me, my dear," said Alan. "But thanks to you and Davie, I'll can
jink him yet. Just let me win upon my horse!" he added.

"Catriona must come with us," said I. "She can have no more traffic with
that man. She and I are to be married." At which she pressed my hand to
her side.

"Are ye there with it?" says Alan, looking back. "The best day's work
that ever either of ye did yet! And I'm bound to say, my dawtie, ye make
a real bonny couple."

The way that he was following brought us close in by the windmill, where
I was aware of a man in seaman's trousers, who seemed to be spying from
behind it. Only, of course, we took him in the rear.

"See, Alan!" said I.

"Wheesht!" said he, "this is my affairs."

The man was, no doubt, a little deafened by the clattering of the mill,
and we got up close before he noticed. Then he turned, and we saw he was
a big fellow with a mahogany face.

"I think, sir," says Alan, "that you speak the English?"

"_Non, monsieur_," says he, with an incredible bad accent.

"_Non, monsieur_," cries Alan, mocking him. "Is that how they learn you
French on the _Seahorse_? Ye muckle, gutsey hash, here's a Scots boot to
your English hurdies!"

And bounding on him before he could escape, he dealt the man a kick that
laid him on his nose. Then he stood, with a savage smile, and watched
him scramble to his feet and scamper off into the sandhills.

"But it's high time I was clear of these empty bents!" said Alan; and
continued his way at top speed, and we still following, to the back-door
of Bazin's inn.

It chanced that as we entered by the one door we came face to face with
James More entering by the other.

"Here!" said I to Catriona, "quick! upstairs with you and make your
packets; this is no fit scene for you."

In the meanwhile James and Alan had met in the midst of the long room.
She passed them close by to reach the stairs; and after she was some way
up I saw her turn and glance at them again, though without pausing.
Indeed, they were worth lo