The moment Cosmo descried who the combatants were, he knew that Covenant had no fair chance, and was over the wall, and had thrown himself upon them to part them; whereupon the bailiff, knowing his master desired the death of Covenant, let Grizzie go, and would have rushed upon Cosmo. But it was Grizzie’s turn now, and she clung to the bailiff like an anaconda. He cursed and swore; nor were there lacking on Grizzie’s body the next day certain bruises of which she said nothing except to Aggie; but she had got hold of his cravat, and did her best to throttle him. Cosmo did the same for the mastiff with less effect, and had to stun him with a blow on the head from a great stone, when he caught up Covenant in his arms, and handed him over the wall and the gate to his father. The same moment the bailiff got away from Grizzie, and made at him, calling to the mastiff. But the dog, only half recovered from the effects of Cosmo’s blow, either mistaking through bewilderment, or moved by some influence ill explicable, instead of attacking Cosmo, rushed at his master. Rage recalls dislike, and it may be he remembered bygone irritations and teasings. His lordship, however, suddenly became aware of his treacherous intent, and in a moment his legs had _saved themselves_ over wall, and gate, and he stood panting and shaking beside the laird, in his turn the trespasser. The dog would have been over after him, had not Cosmo, turning his back on the bailiff, who had not observed his master’s danger, knocked the dog, in the act of leaping, once more to the earth, when a rush of stones that came with him, and partly fell upon him, had its share in cowing him. “Haud him! haud him! haud the deevil, ye brute! Haud the brute, ye deevil!” cried his lordship. “It’s yer ain dog, my lord,” said the bailiff, whatever consolation there might be in the assurance, as he took him by the collar. “Am I to be worriet ’cause the dog’s my ain? Haud him the sickerer. He s’ be ayont mischeef the morn!” “He’s the true dog ’at sides wi’ the richt; he’ll be in bliss afore his maister,” said Grizzie, as she descended from the gate, and stood on her own side of the fence. But the laird was welcoming his lordship with the heartiness of one receiving an unexpected favour in the visit. “Weel loupen, my lord!” he said. “Come in an’ rist yersel’ a bit, an’ I s’ tak ye back on to yer ain property an easier gait nor ower a dry-stane-dyke.” “Gien it _be_ my property,” returned his lordship, “I wad be obleeged to ye, laird, to haud yer fowk aff o’ ’t!” “Grizzie, wuman,” said the laird, turning to her, “ye dinna surely want to bring me to disgrace! The lan’ ’s his lordship’s--bought and paid for, an’ I hae no more richt ower ’t nor Jeames Gracie’s colley here, puir beast!”