STEWART.  Who can tell?  Before dark came, from far up on the slopes of Dearig I saw soldiers about; and away towards the Rannoch Moor they were scattered all over the country like black flies on a white sheet.  A wild cat or anything that couldna fly could never have got through.  And men at every brig and ford and pass!  I had to strike away up across the slopes again; and even so as I turned round the bend beyond Kilrain I ran straight into a sentry sheltering behind a great rock.  But after that it was easy going.

MORAG.  How could that be?

STEWART.  Well, you see I took the boots off him, and then I had no need to mind who might see my steps in the snow.

MORAG.  You took the boots off him!

STEWART (laughing).  I did that same.  Does that puzzle your bonny head?  How does a lad take the boots off a redcoat?  Find out the answer, my lass, while I will be finishing my meat.

MORAG.  Maybe he was asleep?

STEWART.  Asleep!  Asleep!  Well, well, he sleeps sound enough now, with the ten toes of him pointed to the sky.

(The old woman has taken up dirk from table.  She puts it down again. MORAG sees the action and pushes dirk away so that it rolls off the table and drops to the floor.  She hides her face in her hands.)

MARY STEWART.  Morag, bring in the kebbuck o’ cheese.  Now that all is well and safe it is we that will look after his comfort to-night. (MORAG goes into barn.)—­I mind well her mother saying to me—­it was one day in the black winter that she died, when the frost took the land in its grip and the birds fell stiff from the trees, and the deer came down and put their noses to the door—­I mind well her saying just before she died—­

(Loud knocking at the door.)

A VOICE.  In the King’s name!

(Both rise.)

MARY STEWART.  The hay in the barn, quick, my son.

(Knocking continues.)

A VOICE.  Open in the King’s name!

(STEWART snatches up such articles as would reveal his presence and hurries into barn.  He overlooks dirk on floor.  The old woman goes towards door.)

MARY STEWART.  Who is there?  What do you want?

A VOICE.  Open, open.

(MARY STEWART opens door and CAMPBELL OF KILMHOR follows CAPTAIN SANDEMAN into the house.  Behind KILMHOR comes a man carrying a leather wallet, JAMES MACKENZIE, his clerk.  The rear is brought up by soldiers carrying arms.)

SANDEMAN.  Ha, the bird has flown.

CAMPBELL (who has struck dirk with his foot and picked it up). 
But the nest is warm; look at this.

SANDEMAN.  It seems as if we had disturbed him at supper.  Search the house, men.

MARY STEWART.  I’m just a lonely old woman.  You have been misguided.  I was getting through my supper.

CAMPBELL (holding up dirk).  And this was your toothpick, eh?  Na!  Na!  We ken whaur we are, and wha we want, and by Cruachan, I think we’ve got him.