did you refuse the better dog that my father offered you in place
of the one I slew?" asked Allan.

"Because," said the husbandman with simple pride, "it pleases me better
to know that my homestead is nightly watched by a brave and gallant
man-at-arms, who, I trust, will permit no marauding Norsemen or thieving
wolf to come near me while I lie sleeping."

And so saying he turned away.

"A murrain on you and your cattle," growled Allan.

And then he began to pace his rounds, leaving the cake of bread and the
flagon of posset by the gate of the sheepfold.

Not long had he been thus engaged when the heavy dew made him feel cold,
and he took a good drink of the posset. This mixture of strong wine and
curdled milk made him strangely sleepy, whereupon, defying the law and
David Blair together, he rolled himself up in his plaid and lay down
upon the heather, to think of King Alexander and Queen Margaret and of
battling Norsemen. The sound of the waves breaking upon the beach, and
the sighing of the night wind among the neighbouring fir trees, soon
lulled him into a heavy sleep.

It might be that he had slept full four hours when, feeling something
cold against his cheek, he wakened with a start and sprang to his feet.
There was a sharp yelp as of a frightened dog, and he heard the movement
of footsteps upon the heather. Then the footsteps stopped and he saw the
staring eyes of a wolf glaring at him through the black darkness.

Grasping his sword, Allan bounded off in pursuit. The wolf trotted away
at an easy pace towards the woodland. Then as Allan approached nearer,
off again it sped, leading him deep into a quiet dingle to the east of
Loch Quien. But at each time the animal paused Allan came nearer and
nearer than before, until at last it seemed that he had come within
striking distance of the brute. He had not his bow with him, or he might
have made short work of the wolf. But he did not shrink from a close
encounter.

As he heard the low snarling growl before him he raised his weapon,
swinging it round to strike. Lightly the wolf sprang aside and the sword
blade whizzed through the air, striking nothing. And ere Allan,
expecting to find the animal lying dead at his feet, could well
understand how he had missed his aim, the wolf had bounded off and was
lost in the darkness.

Then Allan rubbed his drowsy eyes and questioned if he had not been
dreaming. But suddenly from behind him there came through the still air