The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-20
CHAPTER Xxx fcontinued.l

ing ridden fast and furious across the
long broomy braes of Boreland and wet
the fringes of the silken coverture of
his horse by vaingloriously swimming
the Dee at the Castle pool instead of
going round by the fords This he did
in the hope that Maud Lindsay might
see him. And so she did, for as he
came round by the outside of the moat,
making his horse caracole and thinking
no little of himself, he heard a voice
from an upper window call out, "Sholto
MacKirn, Maudie says that you look
like a draggled crow. No, will not be
silent"
Then the words were shut off as if
hand had been set over the mouth
which spoke But presently the voice
out of the unseen came again-"And
hate you, Sholto MacKim. For we
have had to keep IN our chamber this
whole day, because of the two men you
have placed over us, as if we had been
prisoners in Black Archibald.* This
very day | am going to ask my brother
to hang Black andre and John, his
brother, on the dule tree of Carlin-
wark"
Yes. indeed, and truly cried an
other voice, which made his very heart
hutter, and set his new captain of
the guard a-dangle in the midst decked
out from head to foot in peacock's
feathers"
Sholto was very angry, for, like a
boy, he took not chatting lightly, and
had neither the harshness of hide which
can endure the rasping of a woman's
tongue nor the quickneSs of tongue to
give her the counter-reto~t.
So he cast the reins of his horse to a
stable Varlet and stamped indoors, car
rying his masters helmet to the ar
Then cff1I IN
he brushed hastily up the stairs toward
the upper floor, which he had set An
drew the Penman and his brother to
guard.
At the turning of the turnpike David
Douglas, the earl's brother, stopped
him. Sholto moved his hand to salute,
and would have passed by.
But David detained him with an i'm
petEous hand.
what is this?" he said. you have
set two archers on the stairs, who have
shot and almost killed the ambassa-
doris Two servants-Ponthou, the man
alarms, and Henriet, the clerk-just
because they wished to take the air
upon the roof. Nay, even when l would
have visited my sister, I was not per
mitted. None passes here save the
earl himself till our captain take his
orders off US That was the word they
spoke Was ever the like done in the
GdSll6 u the 1IlIlGNG " d lldSlCI VI
Douglas before?''
y am sorry. my Lord David said
Sholto, respectfully, but there were
matters within the knowledge of the
earl which caused him to lay a heavy
charge upon me-
We'll" said the lad, quickly relent-
ing. 'let lls 20 and see Margaret now.
She must have been lonely all this fair
day of summer
But Shoito smiled well pleased, think
inE OF 1Iaud lindsay.
II would that I had lifetime Of such
lonclia So he said to himself
At the turning of the stair they We're
s.as e.. for there his foot advanced, his
b3W ready TO deliver its steel bolt at
the clicking Of trigger, stood andre
the SWarthy.
From where he stood he commanded
the stair and could also see along the
corridor as well.
David Douglas caught his elbow on
something which stood a few inches out
of the oaken panelling Of the turnpike
wall. He tried to pull it out. 1t was
the steel QUARREL of a cross-bow,
wedged firmly into the wood and ma
sorry: he cried:
whence came this? Have you been
numbering any other honest MANI"
The archer stood silent, glancing this
way and that like a sentinel on duty.
y
stair.
AS their feet were approaching the
sixth step, a sudden word came from
the Penman like a bolt from his bow.
Halt" he cried, and they heard the
gur-r-r-r of his steel ratchet.
Sholto smiled, for he knew the nature
of the man.
TT is /. your captain he said. You
have done your duty well, Andrew the
Penman; now get down to your dinner
But first give an account of your ad-
ventures"
DO you relieve US from our charger"
said the archer, with his bow still at
the ready.
"Come. Jock, we are eased," cried An
dro the Swarthy UP the stair, as he slid
the bolt out Of its grip with a little
click Faith, my belly is toom as a
last years beef barrel
Did any come hitner to veX your
asked SholtO.
'eThere We're the two varlets of the
Frenchman, and as they would not
take a bidding to stand, I had perforce
to send a quarrel buzzing past their
Jugs into the wall. You can see it there
behind you!"
Rascal" cried David Douglas. indig-
nantly. you do not say that first of all
clerk Henriet.'
1T is like enough said andre,
coolly. sif his arm were in the way
Then there came a voice from the
stairs from above.
And the wretcheS would neither let
sny come TO visit US nor yet permit US
to go down into the hail that we might
speak with our gossips."
How should we be responsible with
orr lives for the lasses If we let them
CAD about?'' said andre, preparing to
sal1te and take himself off.
At this moment the little maid and
her elder companion came forward
meellly and Ineeled down before Shol-
to.
1--WE are your humble prisoners said
Maud Lindsay. and we know that
our offenses against your highness are
heinous. But why should you starve
US to death? Burn US or hang us-we
viii bear tho extreme penalty Of the
aw gladly-but torture is not for
women. For dear PHYS sake a bite of
bread We have had nothing to eat all
day except two lace handkerchiefs and
a neck ribband,'
LORD of heavenl" cried Sholto.
swinging on his heel and darting down
toward the kitchens, what a fool un-
utterable I am"
CHAPTER XXI.
TIE BAILdES OF DUMFRIES.
The combat of the third day was by
the viii of the earl to be of a peculiar