You seem to have
some reluctance to answer the question."
"Weel, I hey, my lord."
"Then I must insist on your doing so."
"Weel, I jist winna, my lord. It was a' straucht foret an' fair;
an' gien yer lordship war i' my place, ye wadna say mair yersel'."
"He's been after one of the girls about the place," whispered the
marquis to the gamekeeper.
"Speir at him, my lord, gien 't please yer lordship, what it was
he hed in 's han' whan he lap the park wa'," said Bykes.
"Gien 't be a' ane till 's lordship," said Malcolm, without looking
at Bykes, "it wad be better no to speir, for it gangs sair agen me
to refeese him."
"I should like to know," said the marquis.
"Ye maun trust me, my lord, that I was efter no ill. I gie ye my
word for that, my lord."
"But how am I to know what your word is worth?" returned Lord
Lossie, well pleased with the dignity of the youth's behaviour.
"To ken what a body's word 's worth ye maun trust him first, my lord.
It's no muckle trust I want o' ye: it comes but to this--that I
hae rizzons, guid to me, an' no ill to you gien ye kent them, for
not answerin' yer lordship's questions. I'm no denyin' a word 'at
Johnny Bykes says. I never hard the cratur ca'd a leear. He's but
a cantankerous argle barglous body--no fit to be a gatekeeper
'cep it was up upo' the Binn side, whaur 'maist naebody gangs oot
or in. He wad maybe be safter hertit till a fellow cratur syne."
"Would you have him let in all the tramps in the country?" said
the marquis.
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