The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-06

tunes Oh a SunQdy alleTHOO1, 1OI du
hour or two, just TO see my mother.
laughing heartily. $50, then, the two
golden hearts are in your mothers
keeping-art a good lad, Sholto, and
as for guile, it is simply not in theew
Sholto looked modestly down upon
the earth, as if conscious of his own
exceeding merits, but willing to say
nothing about them But the young
earl came over to him, and dealing him
a sound buffet on the back cried, Nay,
lad, that lamb-like look l have seen
tried on mine uncle, the abbot OF
Sweetheart. Thy brother Laurence is
in the way of clerky advancement on
account OF that same sweetly innocent
look which he hath in even greater
perfection. But 1 am young man,
remember, and one youth filings not
glamour easily into the eyes of an
other. Sholto, neither you nor l are
any better than we should be, and If
we are not SO evil as some others, let
us not set up as overwhelmingly virtu-
Gus, for at 20 virtue is mostly but lack
OF opportunity"
Sholto blushed so becomingly at this
accusation that if the earl had not seen
the brothers locked in the death grips
like crabs in a fishwife's creel he might
have been deceived.
Nevertheless" continued the earl, lin
spite of your claims to virtue, l am
resolved to make You officer of my
castle guard, if not in name, at least in
fact For old Landless Jock of Aber-
nethy must keep the name while he
lives and stand first when my steward
pays out the Golden Lions on Lady
day. But you shall have enough, and
be no longer a charge upon your father.
Malise should be proud man,
having both his sons provided for in
one day."
The earl turned him about with his
usual quick imperiousness. MaliSe!
he cried, "Malise MacKim!"
And again the word rang through the
castle, escaped the gate, circumnavi-
eating the moat and ran round. the cir
Gle of the tents till the shouts of Ma
lise, Malise," could have been heard
almost at the deserted fords of Lochar,
where sundry varlets were watching
for a chance to search the pavilion
for anything left therein by the knights
| and SquireS.
Presently there was seen ascending
the moat platform the huge form of
the master armorer himself. He stood
waiting his masters pleasure, with the
knife which he had been sharpening
in his hand. 1t was a, curious weapon,
| Ions, thin and narrow in the blade,
which was double-edged and ground
fine as a razor on both sides.
''Ah, Malise," said the earl, you
have not taught your son amiss. He
threatens to turn out a most marvellous
lad, for not only can he make weapons,
but he can excel the best of my men
alarms in their use! Have you any
objection that he be attached to my
guard?"
The strong man smiled with his usual
calm, and kept his humorsome gray
eyes fixed shreWdly on the earl.
Aye" he said, 1T is, indeed, more
fitting that Sholto, my son, should ride
behind my lord of Douglas than stiff
old Malise upon his Flanders mare
The earl blushed a little, for he re-
membered how the armorer had offered
to ride behind him after he had shod
Black Darnaway at the Carlinwark. He
| went on somewhat hastily.
4 have resolved to make your son
Sholto officer of the castle guard: 1t is,
| perhaps, oVer-responsible a post for so
! young man, yet L myself am younger
and have heavier burdens. Also Land
less Jock is growing old and stiff and
viii not bear to be spoken to. For my
! fathers sake I cannot be severe with
him. He viii die in his charge if he
viii, but on Douglasdale and not at
Thrieve. But l would have your son
do my bidding without question, which
is more than his father ever did be-
fore him.
q can answer for Sholto," said Ma
! lise MacKim. He is afraid of nothing,
save. perhaps, the strength of his
fathers right arm. He is cool enough
/ in danger Nothing daunts him, ex-
/ cept, perhaps. the futter of farthin-
gale; but then my lord llnews we'll that
! is a fault most commendable in this
castle of Thrieve. Sholto will be an
/ honest captain of your house earls, if
/ you see to it that the steward locks up
his loaves of sugar and his toothsome
preserves"
Faith" said the earl hastily, 81
/ know not but what 1 would join Mas
| ter Sholto in a raid on these dainties
myself
In this fashion was Sholto MacKim
placed in command of the house guard
OF the castle of Tbrieve.