Historical memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor

I 04 MEMOIR OF ROB ROY.
The examination of our hero was postponed till the follow-
ing day, and this officer took his word of honour that he
would attend at the appointed hour.
Mean time Rob Roy understood that Macdonald of
Dalness was the evidence to be adduced against him.
This Dalness was a hireling of government, employed to
give information of disaffected persons in the Highlands ;
but Macgregor devised a stratagem to get rid of him,
being unwilling so soon again to come under the cogniz-
ance of the law.
One of the officers of the town-guard being a particular
friend of Rob Roy's, he immediately waited upon him,
and after the usual salutation, he asked the officer if he
would give him a serjeant and twelve men for a couple of
hours that evening ; at the same time assuring him that
he would not employ them in any act of violence ; as he
merely wished to frighten a man who had done him an
injury. His friend, the officer, knowing how rigidly he
adhered to his word, agreed to let him have the soldiers.
Having secured the aid of the town-guardsmen, he went
by himself to Dalness' lodgings in the evening, to avoid
discovery, and having seen the landlady, said to her in
the dialect of her " guid toun :" — " Guidwife, am a
Heelanman, a near frin' o' your lodger's, an gif he's no i'
the house, ye maun tell him whan he comes hame, to tak'
tent an' keep out o' the gate, for the toun guard's stacherin'
about seeken for him, to wind him a pirn, an' transport
him our the sea, or maybe to hang him. The mislear'd
cheils will hae nae mercy on him, gin he be grippet. Now
mind, an' dinna forget to tell him o' his danger." The
woman was amazed, and trembled at the idea " o' sodgers
rypen her house," and said, " But wha'll I say was
speerin' for the laird?" "Just tell him," replied Rob