Minutes that seemed hours passed. At length she heard feet and
voices, and presently her father called her name, but she was too
agitated to reply except with a moan. A voice she was yet more
glad to hear followed--the voice of Malcolm, ringing confident
and clear.
"Haud awa', my lord," it said, "an' lat me come at her."
"You're not going down so!" said the marquis angrily. "You'll slip
to a certainty, and send her to the bottom."
"My lord," returned Malcolm, "I ken what I'm aboot, an' ye dinna.
I beg 'at ye'll haud ootby, an' no upset the lassie, for something
maun depen' upon hersel'. Jist gang awa' back into that ither vout,
my lord. I insist upo' 't."
His lordship obeyed, and Malcolm, who had been pulling off his
boots as he spoke, now addressed Mair.
"Here, Peter!" he said, "haud on to the tail o' that rope like grim
deith.--Na, I dinna want it roon' me; it's to gang roon' her.
But dinna ye haul, for it micht hurt her, an' she'll lippen to me
and come up o' hersel."
"Dinna be feart, my bonny leddy: there's nae danger--no ae grain.
I'm comin'."
With the rope in his hand, he walked down the incline, and kneeling
by Florimel, close to the broken wall, proceeded to pass the rope
under and round her waist, talking to her, as he did so, in the
tone of one encouraging a child.
"Noo, my leddy! Noo, my bonny leddy! Ae meenute, an' ye're as safe's
gien ye lay i' yer minnie's lap!"
"I daren't get up, Malcolm! I daren't turn my back to it! I shall
drop right down into it if I do!" she faltered, beginning to sob.
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