The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-02-10

/ OF the other royal residences.
Her eyes filed with tears. 49,
''Nay, nay, my fair Queen, calm thy
self, :" said James soothingly.
'' l was wrong to say anything that
/ could alarm you.
"There cannot be aught to fear-I
bade my trusty kinsman, and gentleman
of the bed-chamber, Robert Stuart, ere
| he retired for the night, to go over
the abbey and look to bolt and bar.
"Should danger approach. the senh-
Aels viii give timely warning, and we
VIII dispatch messengers to the city to
~pmon our guard.
Robert fs ,i2s - '-''', OF "ssas-
! As he spoke, strong light, apparently
from the courtyard, flashed across the
i windows of the room.
Ihe KING sprang to the easement.
The courtyard was filed with men, and
by the light of the torches they carried
he could see that they were armed, and
among them he beheld his deadly foe.
g 1t Is Grahame, he has come to per
form his oath, >" said James calmly, turn
ing from the window.
ooh fly then, fly while there is vet
I time = exclaimed the Queen, almost
wild with terror.
And whittier shall fly o. said the
! King. 1T would be madness to attempt
/ it. they must even now be in the abbey.
| Had any place of concealment-but |
know of none and I must even defend
/ myself until aid arrives, or bntil my
/ strength fails me.
8. Not so, my lord" exclaimed the
Lady Catharine Douglas, one of the
ladies of honor Of the Queen.
I have heard there is vault beneath
/ this apartment that communicates with
| the courtyard, and l have been shown
( the plank In the floor which it Is neces-
sary to raise in order to descend into 1t.
! Once there, my lord, you can easily es-
} cape"
90 You are right, fair lady." said the
/ King. Il had forgotten the vault. 1
! viii descend into 1t ; 1t may conceal me
/ from my enemies, but unhappily l can
/ not escape from it, as the entrance into
/ the court yard was walled up a few days
ago by my order because when played
/ at ball, the ball frequently rolled down
I through the opening"
| The plank was hastily raised, and the
/ King descended. But before the plank
was again lowered the voices and foot
/ steps Of the assassins were heard in the
/ corridor, approaching the apartment.
The Lady Catharine Douglas few to
fasten the door, but the bar had been re-
moved. Without a moments hesitation
/ she thrust her arm through the staples.
I But SO frail an obstacle could not long
| keep out the intruders.
The door was soon burst open, but not
until the arm of the heroic lady was
broken.
The assassins rushed into the room.
TIE plank had been lowered, and the
terrified Queen and her ladies were
standing together IN a corner of the
room. Grahame saw at a glance that
his victim was not there. and was about
ordering his followers to go with him to
seek the King IN the other apartments
| of the abbey, when one of the ruf1ians
| seized the Queen, and was about to
/ plunge his dagger to her heart, when a
| son of Grahame lnterposed and saved
| her life.
| AT this moment the Lady Ida Ran
1 dolph beheld among the conspirators her
| affianced husband, and, with a wild
shrek, she pronounced his name.
What, fair lady" said Grahame,
with a fierce smile.
Knew We not that your betrothed was
In league with us? Had it not been for
his care In removing bolt, bar and
sentinel, we had not gained entrance
here tonight.
Ida covered her face with her hands,
and turned away.
Let us be gone, Grahame, and seek
the King, exclaimed Stuart, crimsOning
with anger and shame.
"Know you not that, Notwithstanding
our precautions, some of the attendants
have escaped? They viii alarm the
city, and the Royal Guard will be upon
US ere long"
"You are right" SAID Grahame,
and / should be 10th to leave the alb
hey without accomplishing that for
which l came.
"Yet hear me, Lady Ida, you viii
think less harshly of the deeds of this
night when you see the crown of Scot
land on the brow of the heir of Athol
for it is nv intention, and that of the
mobiles leagued with me, to place Robert
Stuart on she throne of the tyrant
whose reign will end tonight"
So saying, he left the apartment, fol-
! lowed by the rest of the conspirators.
Ida uncovered her face, gazed after
them wildly, and then, uttering a low
cry, fell insensible on the floor.
After having sought their victim in
vain through every part of the building,
Robert Stuart recollected the vault,
and suggested that he might be con-
cealed there.
They Immediately returned to the
apartment where the Queen and her Ia
dies had passed the time of their alb
sence in the most agonizing anxiety and
suspense, and, tearing up the plank,
beheld the unfortunate monarch stand
ing below.
A demoniac yell burst from the con-
spirators at the sight, and two of the
ruffians sprang down and threw them
selves upon him.
James was unarped, but, wrenching
a dagger from one of his assailants, he
dealt him blow that laid him dead at
his feet, and then, turning to the other
assassin, he defended himself gallantly
against him, when Grahame descended
and stabbed him.
Weakened by loss of blood, unable to
make any further resistance, the King
sank on the floor of the vault, calling
on his enemy to have mercy on him.
"Thou never hadst mercy on those of
thine own blood, or any one else, there
fore thou shalt find no mercy here, re-
piled Grahame, plunging his sword into
the body of his sovereign.
The vault was now filed with con-
spirators, and the unhappy Queen,
throwing herself on the senseless form
of her husband, sought TO shield him
from the blows with which his brutal
enemies gratified their hatred by inhict-
ing. 1t was not until she had been
twice wounded, and now become insensi-
BILE from terror, pain and distress, that
she could be removed from the body.
The approach of the guard alarmed
the conspirators, who sought safety In
fight: but Grahame had fulfilled his
oath the King was dead.
The horrible deed excited the utmost
indignation against its perpetrators
among all classes in Scotland.
The King had been blamed by many,
oltbouob withouk eaIsa for being IN