gh, "what's wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me? Nothing. Why do you think there is anything amiss?"

"You are flushed in the face; your breath comes quick as if you had
been running, and there's a set about your lips that spells anger."

"You are a very observing man, Flemming," replied he of the plaid. "I
have been walking fast so that I should have little chance of meeting
any one. But it is as well to tell the whole truth as only part of it.
I had a fright up the street. One of those young court sprigs riding
to the castle tried to trample me under the feet of his horse, and
struck at me with his whip for getting into his road, so I had just to
plaster my back against somebody's front door and keep out of the
way."

"It's easy to see that you live in the country, Ballengeich," replied
the cobbler, "or you would never get red in the face over a little
thing like that."

"I had some thought of pulling him off his horse, nevertheless," said
the Laird of Ballengeich, whose brow wrinkled into a frown at the
thought of the indignity he had suffered.

"It was just as well you left him alone," commented the cobbler, "for
an unarmed man must even take whatever those court gallants think fit
to offer, and if wise, he keeps the gap in his face shut, for fear he
gets a bigger gap opened in his head. Such doings on the part of the
nobles do not make them exactly popular. Still, I am speaking rather
freely, and doubtless you are a firm friend of the new king?" and the
shoemaker cast a cautious sidelong glance at his visitor.

"A friend of the king? I wonder to hear you! I doubt if he has a
greater enemy than myself in all Scotland."

"Do you mean that, Ballengeich?" inquired the shoemaker, with more of
interest than the subject appeared to demand, laying down his hammer
as he spoke, and looking intently at his guest.

"I'd never say it, if it wasn't true," replied the laird.

It was some moments before the workman spoke, and then he surprised
the laird by a remark which had apparently nothing to do with what had
been said before.

"You are not a married man, I think you told me?"

"No, I am not. There's time enough for that yet," returned the other
with a smile. "You see, I am new to my situation of responsibility,
and it's as well not to take in the wife till you are sure you can
support her."

"What like a house have you got, and how far is it from Stirling?"

"The house is well enough in its way; there's more roo