master's restraining hand, and dashed
across the room.

"Back, Bob!" screamed Maggie, and the dark head withdrew. The door
slammed with a crash as the great dog flung himself against it, and
Maggie was hurled, breathless and white-faced, into a corner.

M'Adam was on his feet, pointing with a shrivelled finger, his face
diabolical.

"Did you bring him? did you bring _that_ to ma door?"

Maggie huddled in the corner in a palsy of trepidation. Her eyes gleamed
big and black in the white face peering from the shawl.

Red Wull was now beside her snarling horribly. With nose to the bottom
of the door and busy paws he was trying to get out; while, on the other
side, Owd Bob, snuffling also at the crack, scratched and pleaded to get
in. Only two miserable wooden inches separated the pair.

"I brought him to protect me. I--I was afraid."

M'Adam sat down and laughed abruptly.

"Afraid! I wonder ye were na afraid to bring him here. It's the first
time iver he's set foot on ma land, and 't had best be the last" He
turned to the great dog. "Wullie, Wullie, wad ye?" he called. "Come
here. Lay ye doon--so--under ma chair--good lad. Noo's no the time to
settle wi' him"--nodding toward the door. "We can wait for that, Wullie;
we can wait." Then, turning to Maggie, "Gin ye want him to mak' a show
at the Trials two months hence, he'd best not come here agin. Gin he
does, he'll no leave ma land alive; Wullie'll see to that. Noo, what is
't ye want o'me?"

The girl in the corner, scared almost out of her senses by this last
occurrence, remained dumb.

M'Adam marked her hesitation, and grinned sardonically.

"I see hoo 'tis," said he; "yer dad's sent ye. Aince before he wanted
somethin' o' me, and did he come to fetch it himself like a man? Not he.
He sent the son to rob the father." Then, leaning forward in his chair
and glaring at the girl, "Ay, and mair than that! The night the lad
set on me he cam'"--with hissing emphasis--"straight from Kenmuir!" He
paused and stared at her intently, and she was still dumb before him.
"Gin I'd ben killed, Wullie'd ha' bin disqualified from competin' for
the Cup. With Adam M'Adam's Red Wull oot o' the way--noo d'ye see? Noo
d'ye onderstan'?"

She did not, and he saw it and was satisfied. What he had been saying
she neither knew nor cared. She only remembered the object of her
mission; she only saw before her the father of the man she loved; and a
wave of emotion surged up in her breast.