Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 4 - 1819.djvu/96

 may feast to-morrow at Inverara; in which last purpose if he chance to fail, my lease of human service will be something precarious."

"Then let him know one claims his intercession, who is his worst foe and his best friend," answered Ranald.

"Truly I shall desire to carry a less questionable message," answered Dalgetty. "Sir Duncan is not a person to play at reading riddles with."

"Craven Saxon," said the prisoner, "tell him I am the raven that fifteen years since stoop'd on his tower of strength and the pledges he had left there—I am the wolf that found out his den on the rock, and destroyed his offspring—I am the leader of the band which surprised Ardenvohr yesterday was fifteen years, and gave his four children to the sword."

"Truly, my honest friend," said Dalgetty, "if that is your best recommendation to Sir Duncan's favour, I would pretermit my pleading thereupon, in respect