Evening star., 1898-10-22
CHAPTER VIII.

Ii was still early morning of the great
oay when Sholto and Laurence MacKi,n
leaving their mother in the kitchen. their
young sister Magdalen trying a vet prct-
tier tie to her kerchief took their wav by
the fords of Glen Lochar to an eminenca
then denominated Plainly the whinny
hhowe, the same which afterward gained
ana has kept to this day the more fatal
designation of Knock Cannon. The lads
were dressed as became the sons of so
pi osperous craftsman and master armor-
er to boot as Malise MacKim of the Carlin-
Wark.
Laurence, the younger wore mis- archer's
jack over the suit of purple velvet with
boots of yellow leather and withal a dainty
cap set far back on his head from which
sprouted the wing of a blackjack in as
close imitation as Master Laurence dared
10 compass of the Earl Douglas himself
HIS bow was slung a his back all ready
Ior the inspection. A sash of orange silk
vas twisted about his waist and in this he
would set his thumb knowingly and stara
boldly as often as the pair of brothers over
took pretty girl. For Master Laurence
loved beauty, and thought not lightly of his
own.
Sholto, though as we shall soon see de-
spised not love, had eyes more for the
Knights and man-at-arms and considered
that his heaven would ne fully attained as
soon as he should ride one of those great
prancing horses and carry lance with the
pcnnon of Douglas upon it.
Meantime he wore the steel cap. the ring
ed-neck mail, the clCSe-ftting doublet of
blue, dotted over with red Douglas hearts
and having the white cross of St. Andrew
transversely upon it. About his waist was
peaked brace of shining plate armor
| dana seemed in gold by Malise himself and
Hiring out his almost girish waist TO man
ler proportions. From this depended a row
of tags of soft leather. Close chaln-mail
covered his legs to which at the knees were
added caps OF triple plate. A sheaf of ar
side. sword of mettle on his left. and a
short Scottish bow in his hand completed
the attire of fully equipped and fully
efficient archer of the earis guard.
The lads We're soon al the fords of Loeb
"r, Unere in the dry summers the stones
show all the way across, one in the midst
being named the Black Douglas in the
place where. tradition affirns. Archibald
the Grim used to pause to look at his new
fortress OF Thr1eye, rising its inlpreg
nable island above the rich water meadows
Now. neither Sholto nor Laurence wished
to wet their leg array before the work and
pageant of the day began. This was spe-
cially the desire Of Laurence. because of
the maids who would assemble on the Bore
land braes, and of Sholto inasmuch as he
hoped TO win the prize for the best
couterment and the most point-device at
firing among all the archers Of the earls
guard. The young men had asked crusty
Simon Conchie, the boatman at the ferry
croft to set them over, offering him
groat for his pains. But he was far too
busy to pay any attention to them on such
an occasion, only pauslng long enough to
cry to them that they must cen cross at
the fords, as many of their betters would
do that day.
There was nothing for 1t, therefore, but
either to strip to the waist or wait the
chances of the traffic. Both Sholto and
Laurence were exceedingly 10th to take
the former course. They had not however
long to wait. for train of sumpter mules
belonging to the Lord Herries of Terregies,
whose father had been with Archibald
the Tineman in France. came up laden
with the choicest products of the border
country, which he designed to offer as part
of the 'service-kane" to his over lord the
Earl of Douglas.
Now mules all snorting, ill-condi-
toned brutes and ready to run
away upon the least excuse, or even with
out any. So soon they caught the
CLINT of Sholtos blue baldric and shining
steel girdle brace suddenly appear from be-
hind a knoll they incontin antly bOlted
every way. with noses to the ground, scat
tering packs and brandshi heels like
young colts turned to grass. 1t chanaed
that one of the largest mules made directly
toward the fords of Lochar, and the youths
catching the flying bIIdie at either side ap-
piled a sort of brake which sufficiently
slowed the beasts movements to enable
such agile skipjacks as Sholto and Lau-
renee to mount But as they were con-
ca,. ,aI ~, T-nr1, he