Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-13
XVII.
The Lamp In Blown Out.
Copyright, 1898. by s. r. crockett.)

CHAPTER XVII.
h Lamp In Blown Out.
The door Of Margaret Douglas chamber
still stood open and Sholto found Earl Will
liam seated upon the foot Of the bed and
endeavoring by every means in his power to
distract his sisters attention from her fears.
Maud Lindsay, now more completely
dressed than when he had first seen her,
sat on the other side Of the little lady's
couch. She was laughing as he entered
at some merry Jest OF the earl's. And at
the sound Of her tinkling mirth Sholto's
heart sank within him. At sight OF the
new captain o. the guard the g~ladness left
her face and she became grave and sober
like q gossip unconfessed when the holy
father comes knocking at the door.
AT sight OF her emotion Sholto resolved
that IL his fears should prove to be we'll
founded he would resign his honorable Of
fee. For to abide continually in the castle
and hourly observe Maud Lindesay's love
for another was more than his philosophy
could abide.
In the meantime there was only his duty
to be done. So he saluted the earl and in
a few words told him that which he had
seen. But the soul of William Douglas
was utterly devoid OF suspicion, both be-
cause he held himself SO great that none
could touch him, and also because being
high Of soul and open as the sky, he read
into the acts Of others his own straight
forwardness and unsuspicion.
The earl rose smilingly, declaring to
Margaret that tomorrow he would hang
every dog and puppy in Galloway on the
dule tree Of Thrieve, whereupon the child
began to plead for the life Of this cur and
that other of her personal acquaintance
with a fearful earnestness which told Of q
sore tangled mind.
well. at least" said Earl Douglas, 81
will not have such brutes providing about
my castle Of Thrieve even in my sisters
dreams. Captain Sholto, do you station a
man OF your guard in the angle OF the stair
case where 1t looks along each corridor.
Pick out your p~rettiest cross-bowman, for 1t
were not seemly that my guests should be
disturbed by rude shots Of the fusil."
sholto bowed stifly and waited the further
pleasure Of his master. Then the two
young men went out without Maud Lindsay
having uttered a word, or manifested the
least surprise at the advancement which had
befallen the heir of the master armorer OF
Thrieve.
AS soon as the door had closed upon the
two maidens the earl turned a face suddenly
grave and earnest on his young captain OF
the guard.
What think you?" he said. "Was this
appearance real?"
Real enough to leave these upon the
floor" answered Sholto, pointing to sundry
gouts and drops of blood upon the turret
stair. The earl took the lamp from his hand
and earnestly scrutinized each step in a
downward direction. The spots ran irregu-
larry. as II the wounded beast had shaken
his head from side to side as he ran. They
turned along oward the corridor, where, at
the first alarm, Sholto had found the carr,
and In the very midst Of 1t abruptly stopped.
AS Sholt0 and the earl examined the floor
they both looked over their shoulders occa-
%sionally. as II conscious Of a regard upon
them, as II some one unseen himself had
been looking at them from behind.
do you place your men as l told you,'
said the earl abruptly. land bring me a
truckle bed out Of the guard room. I shalr
remain in this closet till morning. But do
you keep a special lookout on the floor above
that the repose of my sister and her friend
be not disturbed"
Sholto bowed without speech and, fastening
down to the guardroom, he commanded two
Of his best bowmen to follow him with their
apparatus, while he himself snatched up the
low truckle couch which custom assigned
to the captain of the guard, should he desire
to rest himself during the night and on
which Landless Jock had always passed the
majority of his hours Of duty. This he car
ried to the earl, and placing it in the angle.
he saw his youthful master stretch himself
upon 1t, wrapped in his cloak and with a
naked sword ready in his hand.
"A good and undisturbed slumber to you,
nv 1nrdtp ontA Chn1tn nc hA uuont mt
He saw that his two men were duly posted
upon the lower landing of the stairs and
then betook himself to the upper floor,
where slept the little maid Of Galloway.
He walked slowly to the end of the pas
sage, scrutinizing every recess and closet
door, every garde robe and wall press from
which 1t was possible that the hound he had
seen might have emerged. He was wholly
unsuccessful In discovering anything sus.
picious and had almost resolved to station
himself at the turn OF the staircase which
led dow from the roof, when. looking bach
at the sharp click Of a latch. he saw Maud
Lindsay coming out Of the chamber Of thu
little maid Of Galloway.
Softly closing the door behind her, sh,
paused a moment as IL undecided, and ther
more with her chin than with her finger sht
beckoned him to approach.
"She sleeps" said the girl, "but so un
certainly and with so many startings of ter
ror that I will not leave her alone. DO 20,
aid me to remove the mattress of my coucl
and lay 1t on the floor beside her."
Colby Sholto signifed his willingness
His mind was more than ever oppressed b.
the thought that the earl of Douglas love
this girl whom he had found listening to hi
words with such frank laughter.
Maud stayed him with one OF the lon