"That," he said in his grand mellow voice, and now quite restored to his native impudence by the whisky, "that is my reason. Whether I guessed that you had assisted Herries to escape or not, matters little. I may have guessed from your betraying eyes at the inn that you had fallen in love with him at once, or I may not. Let that pass. But I am a good father, and it went to my heart to think that one of my blood should slave at a poor inn, when she should be occupying a lady's position, seeing that she,--I allude to you, Elspeth,--is a lady born and bred. I therefore said, when I saw that Herries was likely to become a millionaire, I said to myself that it would be as well to be his father-in-law. And I charge you, Elspeth, as you are my daughter, to marry this man, and keep your father in comfort in his old age. 'Honour thy father and thy mother' says the Book of books, and do not----" This episode of the devil quoting scripture to gain his own ends was cut short by a choking laugh, which came from under Mr. Gowrie's feet. The old man jumped up, as though a bomb was about to explode, and Elspeth began to explain. "It's the dog," she said in a hurried tone. "It's the----" "No, no," cried Herries' voice from below, and Gowrie, whose nerves were weak with drink, jumped again. "Let me out. I'll trust him." "Whaur the deil have ye pit the mon?" inquired Gowrie, affrightedly. Kind shrugged his shoulders, and lifted the flooring, after he had swept Gowrie to one side. He did not think it was wise of Herries to reveal himself to so untrustworthy a personage; but the mischief had been done, and shortly Herries, red in the face from suppressed laughter, sat up in the gap, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I couldn't help it," he gasped looking from Elspeth to Kind, and from Kind to his old tutor, "to hear that fraud talk about the Bible was too much for me." "Ma ain laddie," cried Gowrie, not at all taken aback, and recovering the colour of his shiny skin, which had vanished in his recent alarm, "here's one who will help you." "I know that one is here who won't betray me," said Herries rising and taking a seat, "guard the door, Kind. Elspeth, don't look so alarmed; it's to your father's advantage to hold his tongue. I should not have revealed myself, else." "Eh," said Gowrie lifting his eyes to heaven, "ma ain pupil taks me for a Judas." "You're quite right," said Herries dryly, "you'd sell me within the hour, if you thought you'd make money. But I am of more value to you alive than dead, or the rope would be round my neck." "If my father did that--" gasped Elspeth, clenching her fists. "Pooh, pooh," interrupted Kind, seeing from the brightness of Herries' eye, and the resolution of his look, that he was quite master of the situation, "let the Guv'nor speak." "The Governor?" queried Herries, smiling.