“Ay, but ye see the decree’s gane oot, an’ what the factor says is like the laws o’ the Medes an’ the Prussians, ’at they say’s no to be altert; I kenna mysel’.” “Ow weel! gien that be a’, I’ll see efter that wi’ the marchioness.” “Ay, but ye see there’s a lot o’ the laads there, as I’m tellt, ’at has vooed ’at factor nor factor’s man sall ever set fut in Scaurnose frae this day furth. Gang ye doon to the Seaton, an’ see hoo mony o’ yer auld freen’s ye’ll fin’ there. Man, they’re a’ oot to Scaurnose to see the plisky! The factor he’s there, I ken, an’ some constables wi’ ’im--to see ’at his order’s cairried oot. An’ the laads they ha’e been fortifeein’ the place--as they ca’ ’t--for the last oor. They’ve howkit a trenk, they tell me, ’at nane but a hunter on ’s horse cud win ower, an’ they’re postit alang the toon side o’ ’t wi’ sticks an’ stanes, an’ boat-heuks, an’ guns an’ pistils. An’ gien there bena a man or twa killt a’ready,----” Before he finished his sentence, Kelpie was levelling herself for the sea-gate. Johnny Bykes was locking it on the other side, in haste to secure his eye-share of what was going on, when he caught sight of Malcolm tearing up. Mindful of the old grudge, also that there was no marquis now to favour his foe, he finished the arrested act of turning the key, drew it from the lock, and to Malcolm’s orders, threats, and appeals, returned for all answer that he had no time to attend to _him_, and so left him looking through the bars. Malcolm dashed across the burn, and round the base of the hill on which stood the little windgod blowing his horn, dismounted, unlocked the door in the wall, got Kelpie through, and was in the saddle again before Johnny was half-way from the gate. When the churl saw him, he trembled, turned, and ran for its shelter again in terror--nor perceived until he reached it, that the insulted groom had gone off like the wind in the opposite direction.