"
"For God's sake, Mr. Earnscliff, protect me!" said Miss Vere, clinging
to her deliverer; "do not you abandon one whom the whole world seems to
have abandoned."
"Fear nothing," whispered Earnscliff, "I will protect you with my life."
Then turning to Westburnflat, "Villain!" he said, "how dared you to
insult this lady?"
"For that matter, Earnscliff," answered the freebooter, "I can answer to
them that has better right to ask me than you have; but if you come with
an armed force, and take her awa' from them that her friends lodged her
wi', how will you answer THAT--But it's your ain affair--Nae single man
can keep a tower against twenty--A' the men o' the Mearns downa do mair
than they dow."
"He lies most falsely," said Isabella; "he carried me off by violence
from my father."
"Maybe he only wanted ye to think sae, hinny," replied the robber; "but
it's nae business o' mine, let it be as it may.--So ye winna resign her
back to me?"
"Back to you, fellow? Surely no," answered Earnscliff; "I will
protect Miss Vere, and escort her safely wherever she is pleased to be
conveyed.
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