Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-04
CHAPTER xxx.
Castle CrichtOn.

chateau and less a feudal stronghold than
Thrieve. 1t stood on rising ground above
the little water OF Tyne, which flowed clear
and swift from beneath the blind hopes and
bare valleys Of the Moorfoot hills. But the
site was we'll chosen for pleasure and de-
fense. The ground fell away on three sides.
Birch, alder, ash girt 1t round and made
pleasant summer bowers everywhere.
The fox faced chancellor had spent much
money on beautifying 1t, and the kitchens
and larders were reported to be the best
equipped In Scotland. On the green braes OF
Criohton, therefore, in due time the young
Douglases arrived with their sparse train
Of thirty riders Sir William Crichton had
ridden out to meet them across the inumer-
able little valleys which lie around Temple
and Borthwick to the brow OF that great
healthy tableland which runs back from the
Moorfoots to the Solway.
With him were onfy the Marshal de Retz
and his niece. the Lady Sybilla.
Not q single squire or man-at-arms ac-
companed these three there, for, as the
chancellor we'll judged, there was no way
more effectualry to lull the suspicious OF
Rallant man like the Douglas than to outdo
him In generous confidence.
The three sat their horses and looked to
the south for their guests at that delight
some hour OF the summer cleaning, when
the last bees are reluctantly disengaging
themselves from the dewy heather bells, and
the circliag beetles begin their booming
curfew.
There they comet" cried De Retz SUD
denly, pointing to few specKs OF hsn'
which danced and dimpled between them ana
the low horizon Of the south, against "hich
leaned a drift Of primrose sunset clouds.
the Lady Sybilla, and suddenly sisheu
heavily and without cause.
"Where, and how many?" cried the chan
cellor. In a shrill pipe usually associated
with the physically deformed, but which
with him meant no more than anxious dls-
composure.
The marshal pointed with the steady hand
Of the practiced commander to the spot at
which his keen eye had detected the caval-
cade.
"Yonder, where the pine tree stands up
against the sky" he said.
And how many? ! cannot see them, my
eyesight fails. bid you tell me how many
gasped the chancellor.
The ambassador looked long.
"There are, as l think, no more than
twenty or thirty riders!"
Instantly the chancellor turned and held
out his hand.
eve have him!" he muttered, Withdraw
ing A. again as soon as he saw that the am
bassador did not take 1t, being occupied
gazing under his palm at the approaching
train OF riders.
The Lady Sybilla sat silent and watched
the company which rode toward them. with
what thought In her heart, who shall ven
ture to guess. She kept her head studiously
ayerted from the Marshal de Retz. and once
when he touched her arm to call her atten-
,tion to something she shuddered and moved
q little nearer to the chancellor. NeVerthe-
less she obeyed her uncle implicitly and
without question when he made her ride for
ward with them to receive the chancellor
guests.
Crichton took 1t on himself to rally the
girl on her silence.
"Of what may you be thinking SO seri-
ously?" he said.
"Of 80 pieces Of silver!" she replied In
stanuy
And at these words the marshal turned
upon the girl a regard so black and relent-
less that the chancellor. CHANGING to en-
counter It, shrank abashed, even as some
devilkin caught In a fault might shrink
from the angry eyes Of the master of evil.
But the Lady sybilla looked calmly at her
kinsman.
'Ot Wnat 90 you complain! NO asheu hcf
II complain OF nothing" she made him
answer II am that which l am. and am
that which you have made me, mine uncle
Fear not will do my part"
Right handsome looked the young earl OF
Douglas as with a flush OF expectation and
pleasure on his face he rode up to the party
of three who had come out to meet him
He made his obeisance to Sybilla first, with
a look OF supremest happiness In his eyes
which many women had given their all &c
see there AS he came close he leaped
from his horse and advancing TO his lady ht
bent and kissed her hand.
my Lady Sybilla," he said. II am, a!
ever your loyal servant"
The chancellor and the ambassador hat
both dismounted, not to be outdone II
courtesy, and one after the other the!
greeted him with what cordiality the!
could muster, The narrow. thin bearded
face Of the chancellor and the pailid death
mask Of De Retz. out OF which glittered eye
like no eyes OF human being. furnished
singular contrast with the uncovered head
crisp black curls. slight mustache and fresh
olive complexion OF the young earl o
Douglas.
And as often as he was not looking at he
the eyes OF the Lady Sybilla rested on Lor'
Douglas with q strange expression in them