master of all these strode through the kitchen, opened a door,
passed down a long passage, and ushered his relative into a room full of
stacked papers, driving whips, favourite bits and bridles. The grate was
still full of burned papers. A tall five-branched silver candlestick
stood in the middle of the table, and along the wall were ranged a few
chairs of the rudest fashioning, but all polished with use.

He motioned to Eben of Stonykirk to take a seat in one of these and
proceed with what he had to say.

"I can only give you a quarter of an hour," said the Laird. "I have an
appointment with that wee wastrel of a man-of-law, McKinstrie, down at
the Foulds. He is coming express-like from Cairnryan to meet me--and
it's me that will have to pay for his time!"

Whereupon the spy opened out his case and the great man of horses and
beeves listened intently. The Duke of Lyonesse wanted a carriage to
drive into England, where his brother, the Duke of Cumberland, had an
estate. The neighbouring great lords were all Jacobites at heart. Yes,
even the Earl Raincy had point-blank refused his carriage--a service
such as any gentleman might render to another, whatever might be his
political opinions.

"And so you come to me to hire," said Kennedy, scornfully. "I do not
keep post-chaises, man."

"No, cousin, no," said the spy earnestly, "your name need not appear at
all. Only leave the door of your stable unlocked, or at least so barred
that we can easily get through without doing damage, and we will answer
for the rest. And I will pay you fifty pounds down on the spot."

"That is not anything near the value of the horses," said Laird
Supsorrow, keeping his eyes fixed upon his cousin so that he might
divine where the trap lay.

"No," said Eben, "it is not. But if one of your men rides after--that
is, a few hours in the rear, the horses and carriage will be delivered
to him at the boundary of the kingdom of Scotland just at the farther
side of the Gretna bridge--"

"H-m-m," said Kennedy McClure, "if you deposit the money here, and
obtain a written security from his Highness to indemnify me for any
damage to the horses or vehicle, you are at liberty to do as you like
with Ben Marrick's equipage. On my side I shall arrange with Saunders
Grieve, my yardsman, that you shall not be disquieted in taking them."

"Would not a word from my Lord Wargrove suit you?"

"No," thundered the Laird, "let me have his Highness's fist and seal