"No matter. You're nothing better than a housebreaker if you enter
any building about the place."
"I brak nae lock," returned Malcolm. "I ha'e the key my lord gae
me to ilka place 'ithin the wa's excep' the strong room."
"Give it me directly. I'm master here now."
"'Deed, I s' du nae sic thing, sir. What he gae me I'll keep."
"Give up that key, or I'll go at once and get a warrant against
you for theft."
"Weel, we s' refar't to Maister Soutar."
"Damn your impudence--'at I sud say't!--what has he to do with
my affairs? Come out of that directly."
"Huly, huly, sir!" returned Malcolm, in terror lest he should
discover who was with him.
"You low bred rascal! Who have you there with you?"
As he spoke Mr Crathie would have forced his way into the dusky
chamber, where he could just perceive a motionless undefined
form. But stiff as a statue Malcolm kept his stand, and the door
was immovable. Mr Crathie gave a second and angrier push, but the
youth's corporeal as well as his mental equilibrium was hard to
upset, and his enemy drew back in mounting fury.
"Get out of there," he cried, "or I'll horsewhip you for a damned
blackguard."
"Whup awa'," said Malcolm, "but in here ye s' no come the nicht."
The factor rushed at him, his heavy whip upheaved--and the same
moment found himself, not in the room, but lying on the flower bed
in front of it.
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