** Report . `` And what was it ? '' I asked . `` Ou , just that he had killed him , '' said the landlord . `` Did ye never hear that ? '' `` And what would he kill him for ? '' said I. `` And what for , but just to get the place , '' said he . `` The place ? '' said I. `` The Shaws ? '' `` Nae other place that I ken , '' said he . `` Ay , man ? '' said I. `` Is that so ? Was my -- was Alexander the eldest son ? '' '' ` Deed was he , '' said the landlord . `` What else would he have killed him for ? '' And with that he went away , as he had been impatient to do from the beginning . Of course , I had guessed it a long while ago ; but it is one thing to guess , another to know ; and I sat stunned with my good fortune , and could scarce grow to believe that the same poor lad who had trudged in the dust from Ettrick Forest not two days ago , was now one of the rich of the earth , and had a house and broad lands , and might mount his horse tomorrow . All these pleasant things , and a thousand others , crowded into my mind , as I sat staring before me out of the inn window , and paying no heed to what I saw ; only I remember that my eye lighted on Captain Hoseason down on the pier among his seamen , and speaking with some authority . And presently he came marching back towards the house , with no mark of a sailor 's clumsiness , but carrying his fine , tall figure with a manly bearing , and still with the same sober , grave expression on his face . I wondered if it was possible that Ransome 's stories could be true , and half disbelieved them ; they fitted so ill with the man 's looks .
But indeed , he was neither so good as I supposed him , nor quite so bad as XXXXX did ; for , in fact , he was two men , and left the better one behind as soon as he set foot on board his vessel .
Alexander Ay Forest Hoseason Ou Ransome Shaws clumsiness course sailor