y.

"Angus Ferguson here! And ye would have kidnapped the child given to me
by the court's decree, ye villain! It's nae gude ye would have been
intendin' to the wee bairn. I thought ye dead ere now, but its scotched
and not killed ye must hae been by that forest fire twa year back. But
now I'll see to it that ye do no mair harm in this section. I hae got ye
whar I want ye at last, ye contemptible dog," exclaimed the factor,
unconsciously in his excitement reverting back in some degree to his
brogue.

"Can ye blame the fatherly instinct that urged me to come here, knowing
as I did that I took my life in my hand?" growled the other, sullenly.

"Fatherly instinct be hanged. Ye never knew what it was in the past.
Always hae ye been a rogue, with a double tongue in your head. Fatherly
instinct, in faith, I hae a gude idea ye meant to carry off the child,
if naething more than to stab me, whom ye hate like poison?" said
Gregory, and his words burned like a scorpion's sting, for the man burst
out into a string of oaths.

"And I would have succeeded if it hadn't been for this meddling young
fool, this son of the daughter you thrust out of your flinty heart. He
held me here, curse him! I defy you, Gregory! Do your worst with me. Not
another word do you get out of me now," and he shut his teeth hard as if
the tortures of the Inquisition might not force him to speak.

The factor shot one look at Owen, a look that was benign, even full of
hearty thanksgiving, and it was evident that by his act of that night
the lad had fully bridged the gulf that had lain between them; he held
the whip hand now, and it would be his grandfather who would be suing
for forgiveness ere another sun had gone down.

"Fatherly love ye say, Angus Ferguson? I do not believe it. There was
another motive that brought ye here the night. My scouts hae told me
that ye were with the crowd that camps on our land, and so I know ye are
hand and glove with those who are at war with me. It was as a spy ye
came here to see what we meant to do. If it were war times ye should
meet death for such an act; as it is, the law has a claim on ye, and
I'll do my best to see that it is satisfied. Ye shall be kept close in
the dungeon under this house until I have a chance to send ye to the
headquarters of the mounted police. Men, take him away and see that he
is properly searched before ye leave him. I would not put it past the
scoundrel to fire the house and burn us all in