Evening star., 1898-11-12
CHAPTER Xxx.
CHAPTER AZ.
Andrew, the Penman, Gives an Ac-
count of His Stewardship.


Andrew, the Penman, Gives an Ac-
| count of His Stewardship.
In the fighting CT that day James Doug
| las. the second son of the fat Earl Of Avon
| dale. won the prize worsting his elder
| brother in the final encounter. The victor
| was nobly formed youth, Of strength and
stature greater than these of his brother
but without William Of Avondale's naughty
spirit and stern self-liscipline.
For James Douglas had the easy popular
virtues which would drink with any prickeI
at tavern beard and make him ready to
| clap his last gold lion on the platter to pay
| for the draught, telling as like not the
good gossip to keep the change, and Of well
| favoreD give him a kiss therefor. The
Douglas cortege rode home amid the shout
| ings of the holiday makers. who thronged
all the approaches to the ford il order to
see the great mobiles and their trains ride
by, and Shoto and his men had much
trouble to keep them as far back as was
decent.
The earl summoned his victorious cousins
William and James to ride with him and
| the Journeys Queen of Beauty. But Will
lam proved even more silent than usual,
and his dark face and upright carriage
caused him to appear on his charger as If
carved in iron. Jolly James, on the other
hand, attempted a jest or two which sa-
vored rustically enough. Nevertheless he
received the compliments of the Lady Syb-
lila on his courage and address with the
equanimity of practiced soldier He was
indeed, the best knight in Scotland, even at
that time, as he was twelve years after
when, in the lists Of Stirling, he fought
with the famous Messire I4alain, the Bur
gundian champion.
Earl William dropped behind to speak a
moment with Sholto and to give him the
orders which he was to convey to the pro-
vost of the games with regard to the en-
counter of the morrow.
La Joyeuse took the opportunity Of ad-
dressing her nearer and more silent COM
panion.
You are, think, the head of the other
Douglas house." said the Lady Sybilln,
looking up. at the stern and unbending
master of Avondale.
There Is but one house of Douglas and
but one head thereofr' replied Lord Will
iGm, with a certain sternaess, without look
ing at her. The lady had The grace te
blush either with shame or with annoyance
at this rebuff.
Pardon" she said; you must remem-
ber that am foreigner. 10 not under
stand your genealoSies. I thought that
even in France 1 had heard OF the Black
Douglas and the red"
THE red and the black alike are the iege
men of William of Douglas, whom Angus
and Avondale alike have the honor OF serv-
ing" answered he. still more uncompromis-
ingly.
Aye cried the jovial James, Cousin
Will is the only chief. and will make a rare
lance when he hath eaten a score or two
more of bolls of meal"
The earl returned even as James was
speaking.
What is that I hear about bolls of
meal?" he said. "What wots this fair
damsel of our rude Scots measures for oats
and beer? You talk like the holder of a
20-shilhng land, Jamesr'
''I was saying" answered James Douglas
"that you would be proper man of your
lance when you had laid score or two of
bolls of good Galloway meal to your ribs
English beef and beer are excellent and
drive n lance home into an unarmed foe
but it needs good Scotch oats at the hack
of the spear hilt to make the sparks fly
when knight meets with knight and iron
rings on IRON"
Indeed Cousin jamie" said the earl
you have some right to your porridgc for
this day you have overturned well nigh
score of good knights, and come off unhurt
and unashamed. Cousin William, how liked
you the whammel you got from James
lance in your final course?"
Not that Ill., said the silent master. 1T
am indeed better at taking than at giving
James Is a better lance than shall ever
be-"
mot so," cried jolly James. "Our VIII
never doth himself justice. He is forever
reading Deyrolles and John Froissard in
order to learn new ways and tricks of
fence, which he practices on the fitting
ground, instead of riding with tight knee
and the weight of his body behind the
shaft Of ash. That is what drives the tree