can gie
my denner to Angus: he'll want hertenin' for the wuddie (gallows)."

So saying he put the bannock in his pocket, flung his broad blue
bonnet upon his head, took his stick, and ordering Oscar to remain
at home and watch the prisoner, set out for a walk of five miles, as
if he had never known such a thing as rheumatism. He must find
another magistrate than the laird; he would not trust him where his
own gamekeeper, Angus Mac Pholp, was concerned.

"Keep yer ee upon him, Janet," he said, turning in the doorway.
"Dinna lowse sicht o' him afore I come back wi' the constable.
Dinna lippen. I s' be back in three hoors like."

With these words he turned finally, and disappeared.

The mortification of Angus as he lay thus trapped in the den of the
beast-loon, at being taken and bound by an old man, a woman, and a
collie dog, was extreme. He went over the whole affair again and
again in his mind, ever with a fresh burst of fury. It was in vain
he excused himself on the ground that the attack had been so sudden
and treacherous, and the precautions taken so complete. He had
proved himself an ass, and the whole country would ring with mockery
of him! He had sense enough, too, to know that he was in a serious
as well as ludicrous predicament: he had scarcely courage enough to
contemplate the possible result. If he could but get his hands
free, it would be easy to kill Oscar and disable Janet. For the
idiot, he counted him nothing. He had better wait, however, until
there should be no boiling liquid ready to her hand.

Janet set out the dinner, peeled some potatoes, and approaching
Angus, would have fed him. In place of accepting her ministration,
he fell to abusing her with the worst language he could find. She
withdrew without a word, and sat down to her own dinner; but,
finding the torrent of vituperation kept flowing, rose again, and
going to the door, fetched a great jug of cold water from the pail
that always stood there, and coming behind her prisoner, emptied it
over his face. He gave a horrid yell taking the douche for a
boiling one.

"Ye needna cry oot like that at guid cauld watter," said Janet. "But
ye'll jist absteen frae ony mair sic words i' my hearin', or ye s'
get the like ilka time ye brak oot." As she spoke, she knelt, and
wiped his face and head with her apron.

A fresh oath rushed to Angus's lips, but the fear of a second jugful
made him suppress it, and Janet sat down again to her