Evening star., 1898-11-05
CHAPTER Nv.
The Night Alarm.

At parting with his father the young cap
tain received many wise and grave in
structions, all of which he resolved to re-
member and profit by-a resolution which
he did not fail to keep for full five min
utes.
BE douce in department" said his father,
speaking quietly and yet with certain
sternness of demeanor. Think three times
before you give an order, but let no man
think even once before obeying it. Set
him astraddle the wooden horse with a
spear shaft at either foot to teach him
that soldiers first duty is not to think
Keep your eyes more on the alert for the
approach of an enemy than for the ankles
of the women folk at the turnings of the
turret stair
To these and many other maxims out of
the wisdom Of the elders Sholto promised
faithful attendance, and he fully intended
to keep his word. But no sooner was his
father gone and he introduced to his new
quarters and duties by David Douglas, the
earls younger brother, than he began to
Cnder which was the window of Maud
Lindesay's chamber, and speculate how soon
he would see her thereat
In the castle of 'rhreve that night there
was little sleeping room to spare. The
earl and his brother lay wrapped in their
plaids in of the round towers of the
outer defenses. In the castle hall the re-
tainers of the French ambassador slept side
by side or heads and tails with the archers
the stairs which led to the upper floors
The survivors had cleared the great hail.
and here dais raised above the
marsh" and sheltered by an arras curtain
hastily arranged, James the Gross slept on
a soft French bed, which he caused to
be brought all the way from his castle
of Strathavon on the moors of Lanark-
shire.
In the earl's chamber on the third floor
was lodged the Marshal de RetZ. Next
him was the apartment of the countess.
Here also was the Lady Sybilla at the end
of the passage in the guest chamber which
looked to the north and from the win
dows of which she could look upon the
broad river dividing itself about the castle
island and flowing calmly on as if the
stern feudal pile had been peaceful mon
astery and the waving war banners no
more than so many signs of holy cross.
Above, in the low-roofed chambers which
gave upon the wooden balcony, were the
apartments of Maud Lindsay and her
charge, the little Margaret Douglas, the
fair maid of Galloway.
Now the single postern stair of the castle
was closed at the foot where it opened
upon the hall of the guard by a spared
Sholtos charge. The night closed early
upon the castleful of wearied folk. The
marshals of the camp caused the lights
to be put out at OF the clock in all the
outer tents and pavilions, but the lamps
and candles burned longer in the castle,
where the earl had been giving banquet
to his guests of the best that his estates
could afford. Nevertheless 1t was yet long
before midnight when the cheep of the
mouse in the wainscot, the restless stir or
muffied snore of a sleeper In the guard
room, were the only sounds to be heard
frcm dungeon to bannerstaff of the great
castle.
ShoItos heart was tumultuous and in
surgent within him. And small Is the Won
der, Never in his widest dreams had he
imagined such fate as this to be actual
captain of the earrs own bodyguard even
though neither title nor emoluments were
yet wholly his. Better still, to dwell night
and day within arms reach. almost, of the
desire of his heart, fiinty-bosomed and mis-
chievous as she was. These were heights
of good fortune to which his imagination
had never climbed in its most daring mo-
ments.
No longer did he envy his brothers good
fortune he had been somewhat inclined
10 do earlier in the day when he thought of
returning to WELD the forehammer all alone
in his fathers smithy.
The first night of Capt. Sholto's response
tility in the castle of Thrieve was destined
TO be memorable one To the youth him
self it would have appeared SO in any case.
Only door divided him from the girl, who.
wayward and scornful as she had ever been
to him, yet kept his heart dangling at her
waist belt as truly as if 1t had been the
golden key of her armoir.
The ancient Sir John of Abernethy, dubbed
Landless Jock, would not be separated from
his masters, and slept with some part of
the guard in the turret adjacen. to that In
which the brothers of Douglas William AMI
David, lay in the first sleep of youth and
an easy mind.
Sholto, therefore, found himself left with
the undivided responsibility for the safety
of the castle and all who dweit within it.
He was the only man who by reason of his
charge and by virtue of his masters key
was permitted to circulate through all the
floors and passages of the vast feudal pile
Sholto went out to the barred gate at the
castle where in small cubbyhole, dark
the warder slept with his hand upon his
keys, and his head touched the handle Of