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At length he recovered, looked wildly about
him, then gazed up in the face of the stranger, and made one or two deep
respirations.
"I see," said he, "I remember--set me sittin' upon this little ditch
beside the door--but no, no--" he added, starting--"come away--I must
get them food--come--quick, quick, and I will tell you as we go along."
He then repeated the history of his ruin by Sir Thomas Gourlay, of the
robbery, and of the scene of death and destitution which drove him to
it.
"And was it from Sir Thomas you got this note?" asked the stranger, whose
interest was now deeply excited.
"From him I got it, sir; as I tould you," he replied, "and I was on my
way to the priest to give him up the money and the pistols, when the
situation of my children, of my family of the livin' and the dead,
overcame me, and I was tempted to break in upon one pound of it for
their sakes. Sir, my life's in your hands, but there is something in
your face that tells my heart that you won't betray me, especially
afther what you have seen.


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