Evening star., 1898-12-10

indeed been a faithful servant, l beseech
you come with me, for the sake of the
house of Douglas and of your mother
widow and alone"
60 down. Malise MacKim." said the
earl more gently, ''and L will speak with
you at the ropes foot
So very unwillngly Malise went back
Now" said the earl. "hearken-this
will l do and no other. / will abide here
and abide that which shall befall me, as
IS the VIII of God. l am bound by tie
other: honor and his word must be to a
| Douglas. But 1 send your son Sholto to
you. | bid him ride fast to Galloway and
orlns all that are faithful there to me.
with speed here in Edinburgh. Do you
go into DouglasdaIe and tell my cousin
william of AvOndale-and if he is too late
to save, | know well he will avenge me-"
on, William Douglas, if indeed ye will
neither heech nor drive. / pray you for
the sake Of the great house to send your
brother David, that the Douglases of the
black be not cut off root and branch Re
member, your mother is sore set on the
| Iadr'
81 will not CO." cried David. as he heard
thls. by the saints | will stand by my
prothers shoulder, though / be but a boy
l Will go not so much as a step and if
| ye stir me will cry out for the guard"
BY this time young David was leaning
| half out of the window and almost cry
| ing MS words down to the unseen Doug
! lasas beneath.
Go, Sholto,' said the earl, setting his
! hand on his squire's shoulder. "You alone
can ride to Galloway without drawing rein
| 20 swiftly and bring back every true lad
| that can whang a bow or gar sword-iron
whistle. The Douglas must drive the Doug
| las weird ] would have made you a great
man, Sir Sholto, but If you get a nav mas
| ter he will surely do that which I had
| not time to perform"
| . come, Sholto.' said his father there
| - morse at the outer port. / fear the
',,11 wricntons a men are warned. AS it is we
| Sholto still hesitated, divided between
| obedience and grief
| "Sholto MacKim,'' said the earl 'tf in
: deed you owe me aught of love or service
| go ana do that thing which | have laid
| upon you. Bear courteous greeting from
| me to your weatheart Maud and a kiss to
our sweet maid Margaret. And now haste
Shoito bent E. moment on his knee and
| Kissed the hand of his young master. HIS
! voice was choked with sobs The earl MAJ,
! Yea hin on the shoulder. "Dinna greet
| iaddie, he said in the kindly country
| speech which comes so meltingly to ALI cal
| ioway folk in times of distress gentle and
! simple alike; dinna greet. If one Douglas
| hind him. ~
shoito. s '''u sam
| The earl raised him gently. led him to the
| window. and himself steadied the rome NV
| which his squire was to descend
Co. he said; honor keeps the Douglas
| here and his brother bides with him-since
| not otherwise 1t may be- But the honor of
| obedience sends Sholto MacKim to the
| work that is given himr'
| Then after the captain of his guard had
| gone out into the dark and disappeared
| down the rope, the earl only waited till the
| tension slackened before stoopug and cut
ting the cord at the point of juncture with
| the iron ring.
| And now, Davie lad" he said setting
| an arm about his brothers neck. ''tbere are
/ but you and me for 1t. and 1 think bit
| prayer would not harm either of u.s.
So the two young lads about to die
kneeled down together before the cross of
| Him who was betrayed with a kiss