The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-16
CHAPTER I.


soonest spot in all the Scottish south
land. The twined maypole had not yet
been taken down from before the house
of BraWny Kim, master armorer and
foster-father to William, sixth earl of
Douglas and lord of Galloway.
Malise Kim, who by common voice
was named the Brawny," sat in his
wicker chair before his door, overlook
ing the island-studded, fairylike loch of
CarlinwarlI. In the smithy across the
green, bare-trodden road two of his ell
der sons were still hammering at some
armOr of choice. But it was ploy of
their own, which they desired to finish
that they might go trig and point-de-
vice TO the earl's weapon showing to-
morrow on the braes of Balmaghie.
Sholto and Laurence were the names
of the two who hammered the ringing
steel and blew the smooth-handled
bellows of tough bull-hide that wheezed
and pufTed as the fire roared deep and
red before sinking to the right weld
ing heat in a little flame round the
buckle tache of the girdle brace they
We're working on.
And as they hammered they talked
together in alternate snatches and ST
lenceS, Sholto, the elder, meanwhile
keeping an eye on his father, for their
converse was not meant to reach the
ear of the grace, strong man who sat
so still in the chair with the afternoon
sun in his eyes.
''Hark We, Laurence, - said Sholto, re-
turning from visit 20 the door of the
smithy, the upper part Of which was
open, no longer win 1 be hammerer
of iron and blower of fires for my faith
er. 1 am going to be a soldier of for
tune. and so I viii tell him"
when wilt thou tell him?" laughed
his brother, tauntingly. Il wager my
purple velvet doublet slashed with gold
which l bought with mine own money
last Rood fair that you viii not go
across and tell him now. Will you take
the dare?"
The purple velvet-you mean ito"
said ShOlto eagerly. Mind if you re-
fuse and viii moi give it up after prom
sing ] viii nick that lying throat of
yours with my guile knife"
Ard with that Sholto threw down his
pincers and hammer and valiantly
threw open the lower door of the
smithy. He looked with bold dark blue
eyes at his father. and stepped slowly
across the grimy doorstep. BraWny
Kim had not moved for an hour. His
great hands lay in his lap, and his eyes
looked at the purple ridges of Scree1
across the beautiful lOch of CarlinWark,
which spanked and dimpled among its
isles like a little wilful beauty under
the gaze of q score of gallantS.
But SholtO's step slowed and lost its
braggart strut and confidence. Behind
him Laurence chuckled and laughed,
shifting his thigh in his hooking glee.
''The purple velvet, mind you, Sholto;
how we'll il viii become you, colt from
Rob Halliburton, cur mothers own
brother, scanned with red gold and lined
with yellow satin and cramosie. Well
indeed viii it set you when Maud Lin
desay, the maid who came from the
north for company to the earls sister,
looks forth from the canopy upon you
as you stand in the archer'S rank on
the morrow morn.
Sholto squared his shoulders, and
with a little backward hitch of mis- ell
bow, which meant, Wait till l come
back and / viii pay you for this fiOut-
ing he strobe determinedly across the
green space toward his father.
The master armorer of Earl Douglas
did not lift his eyes till his son had half
crossed the road Then even as a rank
of spearsmen at the word of command
left their glittering points to the
ready" Sholto Mackim stopped dead
where he was with sort of gasp like
one who finds his defenseless body
breast high against the line OF hostile
steel.
1.-THE purple velvet came the eau
tious whisper from behind. But the
taunt was pOwerless now.
The smith held his son a moment
with his eyes.
"WelI?" came in the deep, low voice,
more like the lowest tones of an organ
than the speech of a man.
Sholto stood fixed, then half turning
on his heel he began to walk towards
the corner of the dwelling house over
which a gay streamer of the creeping
convoIvolus dangled and swung in the
stirring of the light breeze.
You wish speech with me-" said his
father, in the same level and thrilling
undertone.
No" said Sholto, q but thought
that is 1 desired-saw you Magdalen
pass this way? 1 have somewhat to
give her"
..Ah So" said Brawny Kim without
moving, "a steel bTeastplate, belize.
Thou hast the brace buckle in thy
hand. Doth the little Magdalen go with
vou to the weapcn-show tomorrow"
mo. father" said Sholto, stammer-
ing. but l was uneasy for the child.
IT is an hour since / heard her voice"
Then said his father, go finish
your work, put out the fire and seek
your sister"
Sholto brought his hands together
and made the little inclination of the
head which was a sign of flial respect.
Then. solemn as if he had been in his
Mace in the ordered line of the earls
4irst levy of archer-men, he turned him
about and went back to the smithy.
Laurence lay all aboard on the heap
Of charcoal of which the armOrers'
welding fire was made. Laurence was
fairly expiring with laughter, and
when his brother angrily kicked him in
the ribs he only waggled an ineffect-
nal hand and feebly crowed like a cock
in his throat, in his efforts to stifie the
sounds OF mirth.
"Get up. FOOL Kissed his angry
brother help me with this aceursed
hammer striking or l will make an end
of such a giggling lout as you. Here,
hold up"
And Selling his younger brother by
the collar of his blue working blouse,
ne dragged him upon his feet
Now by the saints" said Sholto, IF
you cast your gibes upon me, by St.
Anthony l will break every bone in
your idiots body"
The purple velvet-oh, the purple
velvet" gasped Laurence, as soon as he
could recover speech, and the eyes of
Maud Lindsay.
That viii teach you to think rather
of the eyes of Laurence MacKimi''
cried Sholto, and without more ado hit
his brother with his clenched knuckles
a fair blow on the bridge of the nose.
The next nsoment the two lads were
graphing together like wildcats, strik-
ing, kicking and biting with no thought
except of who should have the best Of
the battle. They rolled on the floor, now
tussling among the cracking faggots
anon pitching soft as one body on the
peat dust in the corner, again knocking
over a bench and bringing down the
tools thereon to the floor with a jingle
which might have been heard far out