The old fellow was so shameless that Herries could say nothing. He stopped rebuking a man who could not feel the force of a rebuke, and went on another tack.
"When you came up to rob me, did you see or hear anything?"
"Aye, but I winna tell ye what I saw."
"You want to make more money out of it, I expect. Well, if you don't tell me, I'll inform the police, and you----"
"Nae, nae, laddie. Dinna dae that. I'll tell ye. I saw a wumon in the paussage. Aye, I dinna ken wha she wis, but I saw a petticoat."
"You SAW her?"
"Dinna pin me tae a word, my manny. It wis dark, ye ken, when I wis paying ye a veesit, an'----"
"About what time was this. After twelve, or before it?"
"It wis nearer one o'clock in the morn," said Gowrie, after some hesitation. "I wanted tae gie the drug time tae dae its marciful work. I wis sleepin' in the tap-room, ye ken, aye, and a weary bed I hed, laddie. When the clock--deil tak it for keeping me awake--struck the haulf-hour, I joost slipped off mae shoon, and crept up tae see ye sleepin' like a bairn."
"Had you a light?"