"and I look to have nae wrang
amang ye. If this is no the prisoner ye sought," he said, addressing
Earnscliff, "ye'll render her back to me again. I am answerable for her
to those that aught her."

"For God's sake, Mr. Earnscliff, protect me!" said Miss Vere, clinging
to her deliverer; "do not you abandon one whom the whole world seems to
have abandoned."

"Fear nothing," whispered Earnscliff, "I will protect you with my life."
Then turning to Westburnflat, "Villain!" he said, "how dared you to
insult this lady?"

"For that matter, Earnscliff," answered the freebooter, "I can answer to
them that has better right to ask me than you have; but if you come with
an armed force, and take her awa' from them that her friends lodged her
wi', how will you answer THAT--But it's your ain affair--Nae single man
can keep a tower against twenty--A' the men o' the Mearns downa do mair
than they dow."

"He lies most falsely," said Isabella; "he carried me off by violence
from my father."

"Maybe he only wanted ye to think sae, hinny," replied the robber; "but
it's nae business o' mine, let it be as it may.--So ye winna resign her
back to me?"

"Back to you, fellow? Surely no," answered Earnscliff; "I will
protect Miss Vere, and escort her safely wherever she is pleased to be
conveyed."

"Ay, ay, maybe you and her hae settled that already," said Willie of
Westburnflat.

"And Grace?" interrupted Hobbie, shaking himself loose from the friends
who had been preaching to him the sanctity of the safe-conduct, upon
the faith of which the freebooter had ventured from his tower,--"Where's
Grace?" and he rushed on the marauder, sword in hand.

Westburnflat, thus pressed, after calling out, "Godsake, Hobbie, hear
me a gliff!" fairly turned his back and fled. His mother stood ready
to open and shut the grate; but Hobbie struck at the freebooter as he
entered with so much force, that the sword made a considerable cleft in
the lintel of the vaulted door, which is still shown as a memorial of
the superior strength of those who lived in the days of yore. Ere
Hobbie could repeat the blow, the door was shut and secured, and he was
compelled to retreat to his companions, who were now preparing to break
up the siege of Westburnflat. They insisted upon his accompanying them
in their return.

"Ye hae broken truce already," said old Dick of the Dingle; "an we
takena the better care, ye'll play mair gowk's tricks, and make yoursell
the laughing-