The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-11
THE BLACK DOUGLAS.
BY S. n. CROCKETT.
Copyright. 1898. OU S. R. Crockett
CHAPTER XXXIv.
BETRAYED WITH A KISS.

The Earl and his brother were incarcerateG
IN the lower chamber OF the high keep. called
Dnyid's Tower. which rose next in order east,
vard from the banquetinG hall. following the
line Of the battlements.
Beneath the rock on which the castle was
built fell away toward the Nor Loeb. In a
rrecipire so steep that no descent was to be
thought Of, and this. indeed. WINS the chief de-
fence, for the window of the chamber was
large and opened easily, according to the
French fashion.
81 pray that YOU permit my young knight.
Sir Sholto MacKim. to me-" said
the Earl to the officer who conducted them to
their prison house.
81 have no orders concerning him. said the
man grunly. but nevertheless permitted Sholto
10 enter after the Earl and his brother.
The chamber was bare save for 4 priedieu
In the angle OF the wall. at which the Douglas
looked with.a strange smile upon his face.
Right apropos." said he: they had need OF
religion in this house OF traitors"
David Douglas went to the window seat OF
low stone and bent his head into his hands.
He was but h boy. and life was sweet to him.
for he had Just begun TO taste the apple and to
dream OF the forbidden fruit. He held his
head down and was silent a space. Their
suddenly he sobbed aloud with a quick. gasp
Ing noise. startling enough In that still place.
For Gods dear sake. David. laddie." said
his brother, going over to him and placing his
hand upon his shoulder. be silent. They will
think that we are afraid"
The boy stilled himself instantly at the word
and looked up at his brother with a pale sort Of
smile.
NO, William. an not afraid. and II. in
deed. we must die. I will not disgrace you.
Be never afraid of that. Yet l thought on our
mothers loneliness. She will miss me sore,
a.. zk. aoAohnI oaI NInaI ,riAk -an r@k 81
. come. yet 1 would not listen to her"
Sholto stood by the door erect as II on duty
at Thrieve.
Come and sit with u.s." said the Earl Will
liam kindly to him. we are no more master
and servant. Earl and squire. We are but
three youths that are to die together. and the
axes edge levels all. You. Sholto. are in some
good chance to live the longest Of the three by
some hslf-score Of minutes. / an glad I made
you a knight on the field Of honor. Sir Sholto.
for then they cannot hang you to = bough like
a varlet caught stealing the Kings venison."
Sholto slowly came'over to the window seat
and stood there respectfully as before. with his
arms straight at his side. feeling more than
anything else the lack OF his sword hilt 10 set
his right upon.
Nay. but do as I bid you" said the Earl.
looking up at him; sit down. sholto."
And Sholto sat down on the window seat and
looked out upon the lights leaping out one after
the other down among the crowded gables Of
the town as this and that burRher lit his Ian
tern at the nearing of the hour of supper.
Far away over the shorelands the narrow
strip Of the Forth showed amethyst and mys-
FERROUS and further out still the coast OF Fife
lay in a sort OF opaline haze.
II WONDER said William Douglas after a
long pause, what they have done with our
good lads. Had they been taken or per-
ished. We had surely heard more noise. 1
warrant. Twoscore lads Of Galloway would
no. give up their arms without a tulzie for il"
They might induce them to leave them be-
hind when they went out to take their pleas
ures among the maids Of the Lawnmarket."
said Sholto.
Not their swords" said the Earl. ut needed
all your lords commands to make yours quit
your side. l warrant these thirty will give an
excellent account OF themselves"
Presently the night fell darker. and a smurr
OF rain drifted over from the edges of Pentland
which mostly passed high above. hut whose
lower frinGes dragged. as it were. on the Castle
Rock and the hill OF Cation.
The three young men were still silently look
ing out when suddenly from the darkness I'M
derneath there came a low voice.
Ware window" 1t said. Stand back there
above"
To Sholto the words sounded curiously
familiar. and. almost without thinking what he
did. he seized the Earl and his brother and
dragged them away from the open space Of the
lattice. which opened into the summers night.
Ware window" came again the eau
tious voice from far below. Sholto heard the
whistle and scat Of an arrow against the wall
without. 1t must have fallen again, for the
voice came a third timo-"Ware window"
And on this occasion the archer was sue
cessful. guided. doubtless. by the faint illu-
mination Of the lantern the guard had hung
on a nail In the wall. and whose flicker would
outline the lattice against the darkness OF the
wall.
An arrow entered with a soft hiss. It struck
beyond them with a click. and its iron point
Ankled on the floor. the plaster of the opposite
Sholto scrambled ABOUT the floor on hands
and knees til he found it. II was a common
ana a note stuck in the slit along with tho
ct is my brother Laurence whispered
sholto. Il warrant he is beneath with a rope
SSbh = a posse OF stout fellows. We shall escape
But even as he raised the letter to read it
6y the faint blue flicker Of the lantern, there
came a cry OF pain from within the castle. 1t
SOUND 3i pleading speech in some chamber
Above them William Douglas started to his
The words were clear enough. but in q lam
guaGe not understood BY Sholto MacKim, They
Earl, W 'o
Il knew it. he cried the false hounds have
Imprisoned her also. 1t is Sybilla's voice. God
In heavenl They are torturing her!'
re ran TO the door and shook II yehemently.
asin his own castle of Thrleve.
Lut no one, paid any attention to his shouts.
ana presently the woman's voice died down
t2h low sobhing which was. quite audible in the
tened.
What did she say?" asked David presently
Inns brother, who still stood listening with his
The Earl first made n gesture commanding
Sams H.G then: hearing nothing more. he
lazy Sybilln.' he said in a voice which re-
IFTraa,HHoIh Ms deep EMOTION; She said in the
SSHa' not! lie trusted me. and he shall not
Meanwhile Sholto, knowing that there was
,mi unlh 10 lose. had been drawing in the cord.
mn,,m presently thlckened. into q rope thick
en.uGI I" support the weight of n light and
@,l.Nt youth such Us any Of the three young
mn Imprisoned in Davld's tower.
Alf I'M. -lYt.l 81 tho t,p,ntH aanra hnI