What say you?"
"That Earl Roderic is guilty of the crime," said Ronald Gray, their
spokesman, "and that he shall pay the highest penalty that our laws can
impose."
"Then," said Alpin, "I claim that Roderic of Gigha shall die the death."
But at that the wise men shook their heads.
"In the time of my father, the good king Alpin," said Roderic with a
voice of triumph, "it was ordained, as all of you must surely know, that
no man should die for the slaying of his enemy unless he were caught
red-handed and with the weapon in his hand; but that for taking the life
of a man in hot blood he should be assoiled or cleansed on payment of
the eriach fine, which is nine score of kine, to the kin of his victim.
And I ask Dovenald Dornoch if this be not so?"
At this Alpin held speech with Dovenald the lawman, and his face grew
sullen in disappointment.
"Alas!" said Alpin to Sir Oscar, "what Earl Roderic hath said is indeed
true; for it seems that my grandsire, king Alpin, and also my father,
who is dead, did in their mercy so ordain that crimes of violence should
be dealt with in such manner that the traitor might have time in which
to repent of his ill deeds and commend himself to God. But for the
slaying of a king the fine is not nine score, but six times nine-score
of kine, or three thousand golden oras. And if that fine be not paid
within a year and a day, then shall the traitor die the death.
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