Historical memoirs of Rob Roy and the Clan Macgregor

MEMOIR OF ROB ROY. I 8 I
other, " I care not what he thinks, since his
daughter is under my control." " Yet you do
not mean to treat her ill," replied the former.
" She is too amiable to be harshly used."
" Peace ! " said the other ; " though you have
assisted, you are not to dictate to me." " My
right to insist on honourable means, Sir Knight,
is not inferior to yours, and I will maintain it,"
was the reply. " Well, well," returned the
knight, " this is neither a time nor a place for
dispute ; let us leave this desert and secure our
prize in a more hospitable region. My trusty
spy has returned and assures me that, having
despaired of success, the laird of * * * * * has
given up all search after us, and we may safely
get away from these horrible wilds." Not so
safely, perhaps, thought our hero, who was now
satisfied that the cries he had heard were those
of a distressed female ; and the unknown knight
and his companion having again darted into the
wood, Rob Roy immediately followed them,
determined to know more of this affair.
Though the thickness of the trees rendered
the passage rather difficult, Macgregor was
better acquainted with such places than those
he pursued, and he at first readily traced them,