“To ken what a body’s word ’s worth ye maun trust him first, my lord. It’s no muckle trust I want o’ ye: it comes but to this--that I hae rizzons, guid to me, an’ no ill to you gien ye kent them, for _not_ answerin’ yer lordship’s questons. I’m no denyin’ a word ’at Johnny Bykes says. I never hard the cratur ca’d a leear. He’s but a cantankerous argle-barglous body--no fit to be a gatekeeper ’cep it was up upo’ the Binn-side, whaur ’maist naebody gangs oot or in. He wad maybe be safter-hertit till a fellow-cratur syne.” “Would you have him let in all the tramps in the country?” said the marquis. “Deil ane o’ them, my lord; but I wad hae him no trouble the likes o’ me ’at fesses the fish to your lordship’s brakfast: sic ’s no like to be efter mischeef.” “There is some glimmer of sense in what you say,” returned his lordship. “But you know it won’t do to let anybody that pleases get over the park-walls. Why didn’t you go out at the gate?” “The burn was atween me an’ hit, an’ it’s a lang road roon’.” “Well, I must lay some penalty upon you, to deter others,” said the marquis. “Verra well, my lord. Sae lang ’s it’s fair, I s’ bide it ohn grutten (_without weeping_).” “It shan’t be too hard. It’s just this--to give John Bykes the thrashing he deserves, as soon as you’re out of sight of the House.” “Na, na, my lord; I canna do that,” said Malcolm. “So you’re afraid of him, after all!” “Feared at Johnnie Bykes, my lord! Ha! ha!” “You threatened him a minute ago, and now, when I give you leave to thrash him, you decline the honour!” “The disgrace, my lord. He’s an aulder man, an’ no abune half the size. But fegs! gien he says anither word agen my gran’father, I _will_ gie ’s neck a bit thraw.” “Well, well, be off with you both,” said the marquis rising. No one heard the rustle of Lady Florimel’s dress as she sped up the stair, thinking with herself how very odd it was to have a secret with a fisherman; for a secret it was, seeing the reticence of Malcolm had been a relief to her, when she shrunk from what seemed the imminent mention of her name in the affair before the servants. She had even felt a touch of mingled admiration and gratitude when she found what a faithful squire he was--capable of an absolute obstinacy indeed, where she was concerned. For her own sake as well as his she was glad that he had got off so well, for otherwise she would have felt bound to tell her father the whole story, and she was not at all so sure as Malcolm that he would have been satisfied with his _reasons_, and would not have been indignant with the fellow for presuming even to be silent concerning his daughter. Indeed Lady Florimel herself felt somewhat irritated with him, as having brought her into the awkward situation of sharing a secret with a youth of his position. CHAPTER XVIII. THE QUARREL.