"I do," said Kind, quickly, for he also saw what was meant. "I'll take Mr. Herries to some less dangerous neighbourhood, where he will not be arrested so immediately,--say to some midland town, where the news of the murder will scarcely have penetrated. Mr. Herries' name will not be so known there, and then I'll get a special license, and you can marry him, Elspeth." "That's it--that's it," cried Gowrie exultingly. "Meanwhile I go to Miss Tedder and say that the marriage will take place on a certain day in a certain town. She'll tell the police, and you, Angus, will be arrested. I'll thus get the reward, which we'll employ to hunt down the true assassin, and place you in command of the fifty thousand a year," he smacked his lips. "But Angus may be hanged," cried Elspeth terrified, and clinging to her lover. "Lassie," said Gowrie solemnly, "not a hair of the head of him will be hurt. I can exonerate him entirely." "But how. I don't see----" "Neither do I," said Herries, looking hard at Gowrie. "All the same, I'll trust my future father-in-law, as I am quite sure that he has more use for fifty thousand a year than for five hundred all told." The reprobate rubbed his dirty hands together and chuckled. "I'll hae some mair o' the Glenlivet," said he gaily. "Aye, ye neednae stint pouring oot the gude drink. This is a joyful occasion. I've gotten mae dochter a gude doonsettin', and wull save a desarving laddie fra the rope o' doom, deil tak' them as wove the same." "Will you trust him?" asked Kind aside to Herries, while Gowrie sipped his whisky joyously. "Yes," answered Herries, in the same tone. "He's a clever old sinner, and has some scheme in his head whereby to save me. The money I'll inherit will make it worth his while. Gowrie," he said, raising his voice, "if you pull me through I'll settle one thousand a year on you. Honour bright." "I'll dae it--I'll dae it," the old gentleman smacked his leg. "Losh me, there's a power of drink in a thoosand a year. Lave it tae me, laddie, and I'll be a faither tae ye. Bless ye, mae bairns, hoo happy ye mak me auld hairt." "Oh, take him away," cried Herries, disgusted with the man. "No, no," said Kind imperatively, "when he goes it will be with Elspeth. If he's alone he may get drinking and let out that you are here." "Nae when a thoosand a year's tae be got," said Gowrie joyously, and in his glee began to sing a Scotch ballad in a cracked voice-- "'The day may daw, the cock may craw, But aye we'll taste the barley bree.' "Aye, Robbie Burns, Robbie Burns, weel did ye ken the joys o' life." CHAPTER XVI MR. GOWRIE'S PLOTTING "Have you found him; have you really, really found him?" "Aye! He's rin tae earth like a tod, young leddy."