"And no wonder," said Miss Tedder scornfully, "seeing that he is guilty of the crime."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Of course I do. Would I want him hanged if I did not believe him guilty?"
"Weel," said Gowrie scratching his head, and applying himself again to a now nearly empty decanter, "wumen are kittle cattle."
"Not Miss Tedder," chimed in Mrs. Mountford, "she is not one to bear false witness."
"Well, then, to make a long story short," said Gowrie beginning to feel weary, and finding there was no chance of further strong drink, "my pride objected to my daughter wedding a criminal, and I came to ask you, Miss Tedder, to pay me the reward and come with me to Inspector Trent. To-morrow we can go to this village, and arrest this man. And heaven grant," added Gowrie piously, "that we may be in time to prevent the marriage."
"Whether Angus is married or not matters very little," said his amiable cousin. "I want him tried by jury."
"Weel," chuckled Gowrie becoming Scotch again, now that his story was ended. "Ye canna have him tried ony ither way, ye ken. But are ye sure that the mon is guilty?"
"Certain. He was at the inn, and so was my father."
"I wis there also, yet I'm innocent," said Gowrie, dryly.