The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-30

newcomers. So being unable 10 make
the matter out. Earl William dis
patched his brother David TO bringt him
word of their quality
Presently. however, and before David
| Douglas return, shouts of '.Avondalei
Avondalei'' from the men of Lanark-
shire informed the young earl of the
name of one at least of those who had
arrived A frown darkened his brow so
quick and angry that it showed the
consideration in which the Douglas held
his Sranduncle, James the Gross, earl
of Avondale
II hope. at least" he said in low
voice to Malise, who stood half a step
behind him, that my cousins VIII and
James have come with them. They are
good metal for a tourney and worth
breaking lance WITH
! BY this time the banners of the Wis
/ itorS could be seen crossing the fordS
of Lochar, while high advanced above
/ all private pennons two standards could
| be seen, the royal banner of Scotland
and. close beside the rampant lion, the
lilies of France.
st Brider' cried the earl. shave they
| brought the king Of Scots to visit me?
His majesty had better been at his
hornbook or playing ball in the tennis
court of Sterling"
Then came David Black, riding swift
| ~ Ol HIS itIlS CHtSlIuts WHICH, Dc-
| ing free from the mantle in which the
horses OF knights were swathed, and
having its name and tail left long,
made a gallant show as the lad threw
1t almost on its launches in his pride
of Workmanship.
William said David Douglas. "a
word in your ear, brother. The whole
tribe are here-fat Jamie and all his
clan!"
The brothers conferred little apart,
for in those troubled times men
learned caution early. and though the
Douglas was the greatest man in Scot
land, yet surrounded by meaner men,
as he was, it behooved him at all times
to be jealous of his life and honor.
Earl Douglas came out of the Shared
inclosure of the tilt ring in order to re-
ceive his guests.
First, as an escort to the royal am
bassadors of France and Scotland, who
came behind, rode the Earl of Avon
dale and his four sons, noble young
men and all unlikely to have sprung
from such a stock. James the Gross
rode a broad Clydesdale mare, a short,
soft, unwieldy man, sitting squat on the
saddle like a frog astride the roof, and
glancing sideways out of the pursy re-
cesses of his eyes.
Behind him came his eldest son, Will
liam, of a true Douglas countenance,
quick, high and stern. Then followed
James, whose 1.-the body and wOndrous
deXterity in arms was already winning
him repute as one of the braveSt
knights in all Christendom in every
military and knightly exercise.
Behind the Avondale Douglases rode
two men abreast, with lady on a pal
frey between them.
The first to take the eye, both by his
stature and remarkable appearance,
rode a charger covered from head to
tail in the gorgeous red and gold dia-
mond trappings pertaining to a mar
shall of France. He was in complete
armor and wore his visor down. A long
blue feather hoated from his helmet,
falling almost upon the flank of his
horse. A truncheon of gold and black
was at his side. 4 pace behind him
the lilies of France were displayed,
floating out languidly from banner
staff in the hands of a young squire.
The knight behind whom the banner
royal of Scotland fluttered was a man
of different mould. His spare frame
seemed buried in the suit of armor
which he wore somewhat awllwardiy.
His pale, ascetic face looked more in
place in a monkish cloister than on a
knightly fitting ground, and he glanced
this way and that with the swift and
furtive suspicion of one who, while set
ting one trap, fears TO be taken in an
other.
But the lady who rode on a white pal
frey between these two took all mems
regard, even in the presence of a mar
shall of France and a herald Of the
king of Scots.
The Earl Douglas having let his
eyes once rest upon her, could not again
remove them, being, as it were. fixed
by greatness of the wonder which he
saw.
1t was the lady of the pavilion under
meath the pines, the lady Of the even
ing light and the midnight storm.
She was no longer clothed in simple
white, but arrayed like a kings daugh-
ter. On her head was a high peaked
coiffure. from which there flowed down
a graceful cloud of finest lace. This,
even as the earl looked at her she
caught at with a bewitching gesture
and brought over her shoulder with
her glOved hand. A close-fitting robe
of palest blue outlined the perfections
of her body. A single fieur-de-lis in
her white bodice, and the same device
appeared again and again on the white
housing of her palfrey.
She sat in her saddle, gently smiling,
and looking down with a sweetness
which was either the perfection of fin
ished coquetry or the expression Of the
finest natural modesty.
Strangely enough the first thought
which came to the Earl Douglas after
his surprise was one in which triumph
was blended with mirth.
What will the abbot and Malise
think of this?' he said half aloud. And
he turned him about in order to look
upon the face of his master armorer.
He found Maiise MacKim ashen pale
and drawn of cOuntenance, the mouth
open and squared with wonder. His
jaw was fallen slack and his hands
gripped one upon the other like those
of one praying to the saints.
The earl smiled and bidding Malise
unlace his helmet in compliment to his
guests, he stood bareheaded before
them, his head appearing above the
blackness of his ermor, bright as a
flower with youth, and instinct with the
fiery beauty of his race.
1t was James the Gross who came
Toward to act as herald. My we'll
beloved nephew" he began, in some
what whining tones, II bring you two
royal embassies, one from the king of
France and the other from the king of
Scotland. I have the honor to present
to you Marshal Giles de RetZ, ambassa-
dor of the most Christian king, Charles
VII, who will presently deliver his mas
ter's message to you"
The marshal, who till now had kept
his visor down, slowly raised il, and re-
vealed a face which, after being once
seen, could never afterwaTd be banished
from the memory. 1t was large gray
white countenance, with high cheek
bones and colorless lips, which We're
working one upon the
other. Black eyes were set close to-