The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-06
XIV.
THE NIGHT ALARM.

nm En- NlN.
THE NIGHT ALARM.
At parting with his father the young Captain
received many wise and grave Instructions, all
of which he resolved to remember aud profit
hy-n resolution which he did not fail TO keen
for full five minutes. '
3 doues II department" said his father.
fore you give an order, but let no man think
even once before obeying it. Set him astraddlo
foot to teach him that a soldiers first duty is
not to think. Keep your eyes more on the
fEs o6 fer the 81 a iSs SGms of an an e ~ my Than p an n for
of the turret stair"
To these and many other maxims out Of
faithful attendance, and he fully intended to
keep his word; But no sooner was his father
and duties by David Douglas. the Earl's
younger brother. than he began to wonder
which was the window Of Maud I.indesay's
In the castle of Thrieve that night there was
Ih,fs'f br s1seSln Isy r %rnrr 20 S IN their i pIaid hsf IN e one
Of the round towers Of the outer defences. In
the castle hall the retainers of the French am
with the archers of the house guard. Lights
fickered on the stairs which led to the upper
hall, and here on a dais raised above the
marsh and sheltered BY an arras curtain
hastily arranged James the Gross slept ON y
all the way from his castle Of Strathavon on the
moors of Lanarkshire.
In the Earl's chamber on the third floor was
lodged the Marshal de Retz. Next him was
the npartment OF the Countess. Here also was
the LADY Sybilla at the end Of the passage in
from the windows Of which She could look
upon the broad river dividing itself about the
stern feudal pile had been n peaceful monas-
terry and the waving war banners no more than
50 k many signs If fb Of holy holy r Gr9ss, .n,mhers which
gave upon the wooden balcony. were the apart
ments OF Maud Lindsay and her. charge. the
little Margaret Douglas. the fair maid of
Now the, single p%ostern, stair of the castle
was closed, az the foot where it opened upon
the key Of which, was put into Sholto's charge.
The night CLOSED, early upon the, c%astleful OF
caused the lights to be put out at o of the clock
IN al the outer tents and nayilions, but the
where the Earl had been giving n banquet TO
his guests of the best that his estates could
afford. Nevertheless. 1t was vet long before
wainsco.t. the restless stir or mufled snore Of a
sleeper in the guardroom were the only sounds
to be heard from dungeon to bannerstaff Of
Sholto's. heart was tumultuous and insur-
gent within MIN; And small is the wonder;
such a fate as this. to be actual Captain Of the
Earps own bodyGuard. even though neither
f Better nG Stiff sfm fo dsriI n Ts6e S yet T Sh% yit bis;
arms reach. almost. Of the desire of his heart,
Unity bosomed and mischievous as she was,
These were heights of good fortune to which
his imagination had never climbed l in its most
daring moments.
No longer did he envy his brothers good
turning to WELD the foreham mn ali alone in II
The nrst NIGHT Of Captain sholto's RESPONSE
bility in the castle of Thrieve was destined to
would, have appeared SO, in any case. Only a
door divided him from the girl. who. Yayward
kept his heart dangling, at her waistbelt as
truly as II 1t had been the golden key OF her
The ancient Sir John Of Abernethy. dubbed
Landless Jock. would not be separatedNfrom
his masters, and slept with some part of the
the brothers of Douglas. William and David.
lay 10 the first sleep. of youth and an easy mind.
,,I shoito therefore si fSpRd himsslf left with the
castle and, all who ,dwelt within il. He was
also the only man. who, by reason OF his charge
to circulate through all the floors and passages
of the vast feudal pile.
Sholto went out TO the barred gate at the
at MONDAY. and black as Egypt now. the warder
dept with his hand upon his KEYS. and his head
he drew the creaking portcuilis up and
rolled back the iron doors which shut the keep
Of from the wide outer courtyard and the gar
The porter. Hugh MacCalmont.. sat up on his
elbow. at .Sholto's saIutation, only enough to
ilo Sl'o ny lUc RllIlJ u tIit IlLlle ron
,,'cruisie" lamp hanging upon the wall. He
knew him by the golden chain OF office which
'ns captain snti mao Of f fhe Gu snG!'o he mnttered. Lord.
here's advancement, indeed. My Lord might
remembered me that have served him
ting without mistake. He might have named
me Captain OF the guard and not this timber
truth. 'tis natural snH zIu"f But i9S Sb baS T fS1ddE; sn JOCK K
say when he comes to have this sprat set
over him. know not"
The frst relief guard. who lay there wrapped
a II see Of f fbsse we're eTer IyI man IN rf fbe pdesd hi sis ssm 81
tired men. while others restlessly moved
l6out, this way and that. as II seeking an cas-;
blue whinstones and rough shell lime than
mad been provided for when the castle was
built by, Archibald the Grim. Lord Of Thrieye
Close by the last turn OF the turret staircase
the i~ron-sparred mouth of the dungeon.
rad been immnred. II was closed with u huge
.rid Of curved iron bars. each as thick as a
;antic paddock. the key OF which was nightly
AIKEN to the sleeping room Of the Earl. wheth-
' ni a. was r. nov the the case It , stpod de- empty p or
ansom or a reb ellious baron eXpectant Of the
summons to the dule tree OF the
Slack Douglas. -t
Then. taking his key from his belt, sholto
the spared gate which led from tho
alle-de-garde into the turret stair. which was
ne sole communlcatlon Win tne upper HOorB
the castle.
Slowly and with a step no louder than the
OF his heart. he went upward. glancing
n, upon the banquet hall. whore on the great
able the dim light from the postern without
evealed a number of dark forms wrapped in
lumber lying on the dining table and on the
loor. Ascending yet higher. he came to the
loor whereon slept the Countess OF Douglas.
the Marshal de Retz. ambassador Of the
Sholto stood q moment with his hand raised
n a listening attitude before he yenturcd TO
scend the stairs .whi,h led to the upper floor. !
IN which were the chambers occupied by the
title. maid Margaret and her companion and
,ossip. Mistress Maud Lindsay.
He told. himself that II was his duty to see
o the safety OF the whc,e castle. that he mad
pecial instructions TO. visit three times dur
nc the course OF each night ofduty all the
IL needed all his courage TO en-;
BILE Sholto TO perform the task which had
'een laid upon him, As he dragged one foot
fter the Other uD the turret stairs II seemed
5 IL q, Ieaden clog had been attached 10 each
'ointed shoe.
He had also a vague sense OF being watched
" presences INVISIBLE to him. but mAlign in
heir nature Agaia and aRa:n lie caught
imsclf listening for footsteps that seemed To