Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-18

winter wind among dried leaves tho children
were dispersed every way by the gust Of
his angry shout. But the maiden on the
palfrey either needed not or did not hear.
Whereupon shoato rode furiously to inter-
cept her. He would learn what had be-
fallen his master. At least he would avenge
him upon ons-the ehiefest and subtlest Of
his enemies. But not till he had come
within ten PAGES did the Lady Sybilla turn
upon him her regard. Then he saw her
face. 1t broke upon him sudden as the I'M
minent sight Of hell to one sure Of saliva
ton. He had expected to find there graft
fed ambition, saAsd lust, e~xultant pride,
cruel vengeance. He saw instead as 1t had
been the face Of an angel cast out Of heaven,
Of . martyr who had passed through the
torture chamber on her way to the place Of
burning.
The sight stopped sholto, stricken and
waverins. His anger fell from him like a
garment.
The Lady sybilla's face showed Of no
earthly paleness. Marble white 1t was, the
eyes heavy with weeping. purple rings be-
meath a~ccentuating the horror that dwelt in
them. The lips that had been a. the bow
Of Apollo were parted as though they had
been singing the dirge Of one beloved, and
even as she rode the tears ran down her
cheeks and fell on her white robe, and upon
her palfey's NAME.
She looked at Sholto when he came near,
but not a. ono who sees or recognizes.
Rather as II dumb, drunken, besotted with
grief looked forth the soul Of the Lady
Sybilla upon the captain Of the Douglas
guard. She needed not his angry shout, for
another voice rang ever IN her ears, speak
ing the knightliest words ever uttered by a
man about to die. Sholto's sword was
threateningly in his hand, but sybilia saw
only another sword CLEAN bright in the
morning MI ere It fell to r1se again dim
med and red. Therefore she checked not
her steed. nor turned aside. till shofto laid
his hand upon her bride rein and leaped
quickly to the ground with his sword IN
his hand. leaving hs OWE beast to wander
where 1t would.
What do you here!" he cried. where
IL my MASTER? What have they done to
Elm? l bid you toll me on your life"
Sholto's voice had no chivalrous courtesy
in 1t now. h time for that had gone by.
He lowered his sword point, and there was
iron In the muscles OF his arm. He was
ready to kill the temptrsss a. he would a
beautiful viper.
The Lady Sybilla looked upon him and in
Q dazed fashion. like one who rests between
the turns Of the rack. In q little while she
appeared to recognize him. She noted the
sword In his hand, the death In his eye
and for the FIRST time since the scene In the
courtyard Of Edinburgh castle she smiled.
Then the fury in sholto's heart broke sud-
denly forth.
woman" he cried, "show me cause why
should not slay you. For by God, I will,
II aught OF harm hath overtaken my master.
Speak. I bid you, II you have any wish to
live!"
But the Lady sybilla continued to smile
the same dreadful, hooking smile. and some.
how Sholto, with his weapon bare and his
arm nsrved to the thrust, felt himself grow
weak and helpless under the stiffness and
utter pitifulness Of her look.
"You would kill ms-kil me, you say"
the words came low and thrilling forth from
lips which were a. those Of the dead whose
chin has not yet been bound about with 4
napkin. "ah, would that you could. But you
cannot. Steel will not STAY, poison will not
nor water drown sybills de Thouars
till her work Is done!"
Sholto escaped from the power of her eye. |
MY master" he gssped. my master,
Is he we'll? l pray you tell me?"
Was 1t a laugh that he heard in answer,
q sound not Of human mirth, but OF
, condemned spirit laughing underground.