"Deeficulty do ye ca' it, wumon!" cried Gowrie, who could keep silence no longer. "She's nae mair nor a Jeezebel, a Scarlet Wumon o' Babylon, takin' ma hardly earned siller frae me. Deeficulty says she, aye, and rank cheatin', swindling, embeezling, thieving----"
"Hush," Mrs. Mountford waved her hand, as though rebuking a rebellious subject, "be silent. Mr. Herries, this man----"
"Gentlemon, ye bauld limmer. Aye, an a meenister foreby."
"He came to see Miss Tedder to claim his reward for having betrayed your hiding-place."
"He has certainly earned it," said Herries, coolly.
"Miss Tedder refuses to encourage this Judas-like conduct, since she did not wish to pay the reward unless you were convicted."
"And hanged," ended Angus, laughing. "Why don't you finish the sentence, Mrs. Mountford? I am quite aware that my cousin was only too anxious to have my neck stretched provided she got the money."
Elspeth would have burst into indignant speech, but Herries laid a reproving hand on her arm. Gowrie grumbled.
"Judas ye ca' me, ye jade o' Nineveh, yon great city, and a' for askin' for ma ain."
"You betrayed your son-in-law," said Mrs. Mountford.