’Retaining none for yourself!’ cried Earl John, for daffing’s sake. For that was his idea of a jest. ’Whatever my desires, I have married a wife that sees to that—even as hath also my Lord Earl!’ quoth Robert Harburgh. And so the laugh was turned against the Earl John, because all knew how carefully the ancient Countess kept the valleys about Cassillis and the Inch clear of buxom dames and over-complacent maids. For, in his youth, Earl John had the name of being both generally and most subtly amorous. Yet, strange to say, the jest thus broken at his expense, put the Earl into a good key, for it was only the outlay of money that he grudged. So he cried out, ’Robert Harburgh, your tongue can be as sharp as your rapier. You have rid us of a great curse here in the south, and there is muckle need in these parts of such a sword and such a tongue as yours to keep the landward oafs in civility. You shall have the lands of Drummurchie, with ten men’s fighting charges to hold them against all evil folk till such time as the land be quiet.’ And Robert Harburgh bowed low to his lord and retired. As he went I clapped him on the back, and said, ’Robert, I would that my long sword had done as muckle for me.’ ’Steady on the hilt! Keep your point low, your tongue silent, and it shall do more!’ he answered over his shoulder as he went by. Then was brought forward James Mure of Auchendrayne, clad only in the suit of russet leather which he had worn under the mail wherein he had been taken. He was ever a hang-dog, ill-favoured oaf, and now looked sullenly and silently upon the ground. His names and titles were first declared. ’Who accuses this man, and of what?’ cried Earl John in loud tones. And every man in the assembly moved a little, as though he itched to be the accuser himself. But since there was none that directly knew of our adventure, no one stood forth save our Marjorie and Nell, till I myself stepped forth with them, with Robert Harburgh and the Dominie a little behind us. ’Now speak out,’ whispered Harburgh of the Long Sword to me, ’and let your nimble wit win you a wife.’ And I looked at Nell, and resolved that if she slipped through my fingers, it should not be the fault of my lack of address. ’Who accuses this man?’ cried the herald, taking the word from his master, for the Lords of Carrick and Cassillis were beyond the paltry fashion of pursuivants. ’I do!’ said Marjorie Kennedy, and all men set their eyes on her. Neither, so long as the case lasted, did they withdraw their eyes from her face. Then she opened her mouth and spoke firmly and sternly her accusation. ’I, Marjorie, daughter of the Tutor of Cassillis, in law wife to this man, charge James Mure the younger of Auchendrayne with the murder of my father, committed, as all men know, upon the sandhills of Ayr. I also accuse him of the murder of William Dalrymple, the lad who carried the message to Auchendrayne concerning my father’s journey.’