Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-11
CHAPTER 4
Betrayed with q kiss.

b earl and his brother were incarcerated
IN the lower chamber Of tho high keep.
called DAvid's tower. which rose next in
order eastward from the %banqueting hall,
following the line OF the battlements.
Beneath. the rock OF which the castle was
built fell away toward the Nor Loeb, in .
precipice 30 steep that NO descent was to be
thought Of; and this indeed was the chief
defense. for the window Of the chamber was
large and opened easily. according to the
French fashion.
Il pray that you permit my young knight,
Dir Sholto MacKim. to accompany me- said
che earl to the oficer who conducted them to
their prison house.
Il have no orders concerning him." said
the man srumy. but nevertheless permitted
6holto to enter after the earl and bis
brother.
The chamber was bare save for q priedieu
IN the angle Of the wall, at which the
Douglas looked with q strange smile upon
his face.
Fright spropos." 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 . boy. and life was sweet to him,
Nv Ao4 Soo w S80kV SuO 8RRAO 0nu
70 dream Of the forbidden fruit. He held his
head down and was silent q space. Then
suddenly he sobbed aloud with a quick,
gasping noise. startling enough In that still
place.
For Gods dear sake. David. laddie." said
bis brother, going over to him, and placing
his hand upon his shoulder, "be silent. They
will think that We are afraid"
The boy stiiled himself instantly at the
word. and looked up at his brother with q
paA sort Of smile.
mo. William, I am not afraid. and II, in
deed, We must die. I will not disgrace you.
Be never afraid Of that. Yet I thought on
our mothers ioneline3s. She will miss me
seee. for she heeched and pleaded with me
not to come, yet I would not listen to her."
sholto stood By the door erect, as II on
duty at Thrieve.
'Con,e and cit with u.s. said the Earl
william kindly to him. I'VE are no more
master and servant. earl and squire. We
ere but three youths that are to die together.
and tho AXIS edge levels all. You, Sholto,
are In some good chance to live the longest
Of. the three by some half-score of minutes
am glad I made you q knight on the field
Of honor. Sir Sholto. for then they canno,
hang you to q bough, like a varlet caught
stealing the kings venison."
Sholto slowly came over to the window
seat and stood there respectfully a. before,
with his arms straight at his side. feeling
more than anything else the lack Of his
sword hilt to Get his right upon.
may. but do - I bid you," said the earl.
looking up at him. "sit down. Sholto."
And sholto sat down on the window sea,
and looked out upon the lights leapinE GU,
one after the other down among the
crowded gables Of the town ~ this and that
bursher lit his lantern at the nearing Of
the hour Of supper.
Far away over the shorelands the narrow
strip Of the Forth showed amethyst and
mysterious. and farther out still the coas,
Of Fife lay in . sort Of opaline haze.
II WONDER" said william Douglas, aftel
q long pause. what they have done Will
our hundred good lads. Had they been taker
or perished we had surely heard more noise
warrant. Two-score lads Of Galloway
would not give up their arms without Z
tulxie for H."
"They might induce them to leave then
behind. when they went out to take theiI
pleasures among the maids Of the Lawn
market" said Sholto.
"Not their swords.'' said the earl. I'll
needed all your lords commands to make
yours quit your side. I warrant these thirt,