“Well,” said Mrs Ogilvy, her voice trembling a little, “I am perhaps not so very clear; but this other thing I have to say is something that is clear enough and new too, and you will know the meaning of it better than me. I have been to-day to the gentleman who was the first to tell me about all this--and who was to have sent out--to defend my son, and clear him, if it was possible he should be cleared. Listen to me, Robbie! That gentleman has told me to-day--that there is an American officer come over express to inquire---- It will not be about Robbie--they will leave him quiet--think, Mr Lew!--it will be for----”
“For me, of course,” he said, lightly. “Well! if there’s danger we’ll meet it. I like it, on the whole--it stirs a fellow’s blood. We were getting too comfortable, Bob, settling down, making ourselves too much at home. The next step would have been to be bored--eh? won’t say that process hadn’t begun.”
“Sir,” said Mrs Ogilvy, “you will not say I have been inhospitable, or grudged you whatever I could give----”
“Never, mother,” he said. “You’ve been as good as gold.” He had risen from his seat, and begun to walk about with an alert light step. The news had roused him; it had stirred his blood, as he said. “We must see about this exit of yours--subterraneous is it?--out of the Castle of Giant Despair--no, no, out of the good fairy’s castle, down into the wilds. You must show me this at once, Bob. If there’s a Yank on the trail there’s no time to be lost.”
“There is perhaps no time to be lost--but not for him, only for you. My words are not kind, but my meaning is,” cried Mrs Ogilvy. “It is safest for you not to be with him, and for him not to be with you. Oh, do not wait here till you’re traced to the house, till ye have to run and break your neck down that terrible road, but go while everything is peaceable! Mr Lew, you shall have whatever money you want, and what clothes we can furnish, and--and my blessing--God’s blessing.”
“Don’t you think,” he said, turning upon her, “you are undertaking a little too much? God’s blessing upon a fellow like me--that has committed every sin and repented of none, that have sent other sinners to their account, and wronged the orphan, and all that. God’s blessing----!”