Evening star., 1898-10-29

tuted his fortune the time might come
| when he might even himself to Maud
| Lindsay, baron's daughter though she
was. For both his father and himself were
| already high in favor with their master.
/ the earl, who could create knights and Gis-
pose lordships easily and much more
effectually and finally than the king him
self.
The emissaries of the chancellor and Sir
| Alexander Livingston did not accompany
| the others back 10 the castle. after the
| short and naughty answer which they had
| received, but with their followers returned
/ The way they had come to their several
headquarters, giving, natural be-
tween foes so bitter, wide berth TO each
| other on their northward journeys to Edin-
| burgh and Stirling
| What think you of this DAYS doings
| Mistress Lin6esay?' asked Sholto, as he
| swung along beside the train with little
Margaret OF Douglas hand still clutching
| the thick curls at the back of his neck
The maid-of-honor tossed her shapely
| head. and with little pretty upward curl
| Of the lip exclaimed: Twas a stupid day
| as ever L saw. There was not a single
| handsome knight nor yet one beautiful lady
| on the field this day?'
What of James of Avondale when
| knights are being judged?" said Sholto
with kind of gloomy satisfaction. boyish
| and Characteristic, 'he looked often enough
| IN your direction to prove that he did not
| agree with you about the lack of the beau
| tiful lady,
AT this Maud Lindsay elevated her pref
ty nostriis yet further into the air, James
| OF Avondale, indeed she said; ''he is not
| to be compared. either for dignity or
strength. with the earl himself yet
! with many others whom ] know of lesser
estate"
tSholto MacKim,'' cried the clear piping
| voice OF the little Margaret. how in the
| world am ! to keep hold of your hair if you
| shake and Jerk your head like that? If you
| do not keep still l will send for that pretty
| boy over there in the scarlet vest, or ask
| my cousin James to ride with me. And he
/ 1eal I,,-,,
| beside my dear Maud Lindsay
Sholto held his head erect and forthloOk-
| ing as if he had been under the inspection
| of the earl and We're doubtful of his weap-
ons passing muster
There came subtle and roguish smile in
the eyes of Mistress Maud Lindsay as she
observed the sudden stiffening of Shoto's
bearing.
Foul feet, slow bellies. fushionless and
slack are ye to run my lords errands, but
quick enow to return home upon your
tramping, Gathering ruck of horses and ex-
pecting to ride over my bridge of good pine
pianking instead of washing the dirt from
your hoofs in Dee water"
The long files of horsemen threaded their
way across the green plain Of the isle to-
ward the open space in front of Thrieve
castle the points of their spears shining
| high in the air and the shafts so thick that
| seen from a distance they made a network
| of slender lines reticulated against the sun,
The great island fortress of the Doug
| lases was then in its highest state of per-
| fection as a fortress and dignity as a resi-
| dence Archibald the Grim, who built the
| keep. could not have foreseen the wond-
rous beauty and strength to which Thrieve
| had attained under his successors. This
| night of the Wappenshaw the lofty gray
walls were hung with gayly colored tapes
| tries draped from the overhanging gallery
| of wood which ran round the top of the
castle. From the four corners of the roof
| flew the banners of four provinces which
owned the sway of the mighty house, Gal
loway ,Annandale, Lanark and the Marches
| while from the center, on taller flagstaff
| than any, flew the standard royal for so it
might be called, the heart and stars of the
Douslases more than royal house
The outer walls thus blazed with color
and the woods around gave back the con-
slant reverberation of artillery, as with
hand guns and artillery of weight the gar
rlson greeted the return of the earl and his
guests The green castle island from end
to end was thick with tents and gay with
pavilions of many hues and various design.
their walls covered with devices, and each
1iylng the colors of its owners, while on
poles without dangled shields and harness
OF various kinds, ready for the younger
squires to clean and oil for the use of their
masters on the remaining days of the tour
nament
Sholto waited at the bridge head. inn
patient with the press and eager to be left
alone with his own thoughts that he might
go over ana over the words and looks OF
his hearts idol, and suck all the sweet pair
he could out of her hardheartedness Sud-
deniy passed backward from lip to lip ac-
cording to the universal, and indeed. OBJ
lfgatory, custom of the time there reached
MN the passing of the word" He heard
his own name repeated over and over, in
nifty voices and tones, waxing louder as the
word neared him.
=, "Sholto MacKim-Sholto MacKim, son Of
Maiise. the armorer, wanted to speak with
the earl Sholto MacKimt Sholto -
A great nolt of a Moray highlandman
with mouth like cash, shouted in his
very ear,
ITO he continued