"A despised lassie, sir," answered she, "and an attendant upon Sir Gideon's lady, in whom ye hae a true and steadfast friend; though I doubt that, as ye hae refused poor Meg, her intercession will avail ye little." "And wherefore has Lady Murray sent you here?" he continued. "Just, sir, because she is a mother, and has a mother's heart; and, as ye hae a mother and sisters who will now be mourning for ye at Oakwood, she thought that, belike, ye would hae something to say that ye would wish to hae communicated to them; and, if it be sae, I am come to offer to be your messenger." "Maiden!" said he, with emotion, "speak not of my poor mother, or you will unman me, and I would wish to die as becomes my father's son." "That's right, hinny," whispered Simon; "speak to him about his mother again--talk about her sorrow, poor lady, and her tears, and distraction, and mourning--and I hae little doubt but that we shall get him to marry Meg, or do onything else, and I shall get back to my family after a'." "What is it that ye whisper, Simon, in the maiden's ear?" inquired the laird, sternly. "Oh, naething, sir--naething, I assure ye," answered Simon, falteringly; "I was only saying that, if ye sent her ower to Oakwood wi' a message to your poor, honoured, wretched mother, that she would inquire for my poor widow, Janet, and my bits o' bairns, and that she would tell them that nothing troubled me upon my death-bed--no, no, not my death-bed, but--I declare I am ashamed to think o't!--I was saying that I was simply telling her to inform my wife and bairns, that nothing distracted me in the hour o' death but the thought o' being parted from them." Without noticing the evasive reply of his dependent and fellow-prisoner, the laird, addressing the intruder, said--"Ye speak as a kind and considerate lassie. I would like to send a scrape o' a pen to my poor mother, and, if ye will be its bearer, she will reward ye." "And, belike," she replied, "ye would like to hear if the good lady has an answer back, or to learn how she bore the tidings o' your unhappy fate." "Before you could return," said he, "the time appointed by my adversary for my execution will be past, and I shall feel for my mother's sorrows with the sympathy of a disembodied spirit." "But," added she, "if you would like to hear from your poor mother, or, belike, to see her--for there may be family matters that ye would wish to have arranged--I think, through the influence of my lady, Sir Gideon could be prevailed upon to grant ye a respite for three or four days; and, as he isna a man that keeps his passion long, perhaps by that time he may be disposed to save your life upon terms that would be more acceptable."