When Neil reached the end of the milk-shed he saw Maisie Macdonald there, waiting.
"These were ill sayings of yours, Neil Ross," she said in a low voice, so that she might not be overheard from the house.
"Tell me this thing. What is the rune that is said for the throwing into the sea of the sins of the dead? See here, Maisie Macdonald. There is no money of that man that I would carry a mile with me. Here it is. It is yours, if you will tell me that rune."
Maisie took the money hesitatingly. Then, stooping, she said slowly the few lines of the old, old rune.
"It is not forgetting it I will be, Maisie."
"Wait a moment. There is some warm milk here."
With that she went, and then, from within, beckoned to him to enter.
"There is no one here, Neil Ross. Drink the milk."
He drank; and while he did so she drew a leather pouch from some hidden place in her dress.
She counted out ten pennies and two farthings.
"It is all the coppers I have. You are welcome to them. Take them, friend of my friend. They will give you the food you need, and the ferry across the Sound."
"I will do that, Maisie Macdonald, and thanks to you. It is not forgetting it I will be, nor you, good woman. And now, tell me, is it safe that I am? He called me a 'scapegoat', he, Andrew Blair! Can evil touch me between this and the sea?"
"You must go to the place where the evil was done to you and yours--and that, I know, is on the west side of Iona. Go, and God preserve you. But here, too, is a sian that will be for the safety."
Thereupon, with swift mutterings she said this charm: an old, familiar Sian against Sudden Harm:
"Sian a chuir Moire air Mac ort, Sian ro' marbhadh, sian ro' lot ort, Sian eadar a' chlioch 's a' ghlun, Sian nan Tri ann an aon ort, O mhullach do chinn gu bonn do chois ort: Sian seachd eadar a h-aon ort, Sian seachd eadar a dha ort, Sian seachd eadar a tri ort, Sian seachd eadar a ceithir ort, Sian seachd eadar a coig ort, Sian seachd eadar a sia ort, Sian seachd paidir nan seach paidir dol deiseil ri diugh narach ort, ga do ghleidheadh bho bheud 's bho mhi-thapadh!"
Scarcely had she finished before she heard heavy steps approaching.
"Away with you," she whispered, repeating in a loud, angry tone, "Away with you! _Seachad! Seachad!_"