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_The old woman has taken up dirk from table. She puts it down again._ MORAG _sees the action and pushes dirk away so that it rolls off the table and drops to the floor. She hides her face in her hands._) MARY STEWART. Morag, bring in the kebbuck o' cheese. Now that all is well and safe it is we that will look after his comfort to-night. (MORAG _goes into barn._)--I mind well her mother saying to me--it was one day in the black winter that she died, when the frost took the land in its grip and the birds fell stiff from the trees, and the deer came down and put their noses to the door--I mind well her saying just before she died-- (_Loud knocking at the door._) A VOICE. In the King's name! (_Both rise._) MARY STEWART. The hay in the barn, quick, my son. (_Knocking continues._) A VOICE. Open in the King's name! (STEWART _snatches up such articles as would reveal his presence and hurries into barn. He overlooks dirk on floor. The old woman goes towards door._) MARY STEWART. Who is there? What do you want? A VOICE. Open, open. (MARY STEWART _opens door and_ CAMPBELL OF KILMHOR _follows_ CAPTAIN SANDEMAN _into the house. Behind_ KILMHOR _comes a man carrying a leather wallet_, JAMES MACKENZIE, _his clerk. The rear is brought up by soldiers carrying arms._) SANDEMAN. Ha, the bird has flown. CAMPBELL (_who has struck dirk with his foot and picked it up_). But the nest is warm; look at this. SANDEMAN. It seems as if we had disturbed him at supper. Search the house, men. MARY STEWART. I'm just a lonely old woman. You have been misguided. I was getting through my supper. CAMPBELL (_holding up dirk_). And this was your toothpick, eh? Na! Na! We ken whaur we are, and wha we want, and by Cruachan, I think we've got him. (_Sounds are heard from barn, and soldiers return with MORAG. She has stayed in hiding from fear, and she still holds the cheese in her hands._) SANDEMAN. What have we here? CAMPBELL. A lass! MARY STEWART. It's just my dead brother's daughter. She was getting me the cheese, as you can see. CAMPBELL. On, men, again: the other turtle doo will no' be far away. (_Banteringly to the old woman_) Tut, tut, Mistress Stewart, and do ye have her wait upon ye while your leddyship dines alane! A grand way to treat your dead brother's daughter; fie, fie, upon ye! (_Soldiers reappear with_ STEWART, _whose arms are pinioned._) CAMPBELL. Did I no' tell ye! And this, Mrs. Stewa
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