Let him tell
his business to you or Mrs. Headrigg."
"He'll no hear o' that, my leddy; he says them that sent him bade him gie
the thing to your leddyship's ain hand direct, or to Lord Evandale's, he
wots na whilk. But, to say the truth, he's far frae fresh, and he's but
an idiot an he were."
"Then turn him out," said Lady Margaret, "and tell him to come back
to-morrow when he is sober. I suppose he comes to crave some benevolence,
as an ancient follower o' the house."
"Like eneugh, my leddy, for he's a' in rags, poor creature."
Gudyill made another attempt to get at Gibbie's commission, which was
indeed of the last importance, being a few lines from Morton to Lord
Evandale, acquainting him with the danger in which he stood from the
practices of Olifant, and exhorting him either to instant flight, or else
to come to Glasgow and surrender himself, where he could assure him of
protection. This billet, hastily written, he intrusted to Gibbie, whom he
saw feeding his herd beside the bridge, and backed with a couple of
dollars his desire that it might instantly be delivered into the hand to
which it was addressed.
But it was decreed that Goose-Gibbie's intermediation, whether as an
emissary or as a man-at-arms, should be unfortunate to the family of
Tillietudlem.
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