Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-25

cold frmness in his voice, 1--WE are here to
punish the murderer Of our cousins. We
shall indeed enter the guilty city, but 1t will
be with fire and sword"
aye" cried rollicking, headstrong James,
land We will roast the Crichton on spit and
hang SNUG traitor Tutor Livingston over
the walls OF David's tower"
There came cunning look into the small
pigs eyes of James the Gross.
ma, ma, foolish laddies, thae things will
ye no do. Mind ye no the taunts and
scorns that the earl-the late earl o.
Douglas, that is-put upon us a.. Think on
his pride and vainglory, which scripture
says shall be brocht low. Think in especial
that this righteous judgment that has fallen
on him and his brother has cleared our way
to the earldom."
The choleric younger brother leaped for
ward with an oath on his lips, but his
calmer senior kept him back with his hand.
"Silence, james," he said, II will answer
our father Sir, we have heard what you
say, but our minds are not changed. What
cause to associate yourself with traitors and
! mansworn you may have, We do not know
and we do not care
At his first words James the Gross rose
| with a sudden uprising access of dignity re-
| markable in one Of his figure.
II bid you remember" he said, speaking
southland English. as he was wont to do In
moments OF excitement. Il bid you re-
member, sirrah, that / am the earl of
Douglas and Avondale, justlcer OF Scotland
and your father
William Douglas bowed. respectfully, but
unmoved.
my lord" he said, II forget nothing. I
| do not Judge you. You are in authority
| Vou ha what
with these forces without there, so be you
can convince them of your right. Black
! murder, whether you knew and approved
1t or no, has made you earl OF Douglas, but,
sir, If you take part with the murders now
or screen them from our just vengeance and
| the vengeance of God, / tell you that from
this day you are a man without children.
! For in this matter speak not only for my
self"
| He turned to his brother.
James" he said, "call in the others"
James went to the tent door and called
aloud
archibald, Hugh and John, come hither
quickly"
A moment after three young men OF noble
build little more than lads, indeed, but with
the dark Douglas allure stamped plainly
upon their countenances, entered, bowed to
hands crossed upon the hilts Of their swords
William Douglas went on with the same
| relentless calm
my lord" he said, very respectfully
'slere stand your five sons, all soldiers and
Douglases, waiting to hear your VIII. Muir
der has been done upon the chief of our
house by two men of cowardly heart and
mean consideration. Crichton and Living
ston, instigated by the false ambassador OF
the king of France. We have come hither
to punish these slayers Of our kind and we
desire to know what you, our father, think
concerning the matter
James the Gross was still standing, steady
ing himself with his hand on the arm oi
the oaken chair in which he had been sit
ting. He spoke with some difficulty, which
might either proceed from emotion or from
the plethoric habit of the man.
Have / for this brought children into the
world?" he said, that they should lift up
their hands against the father that begal
them? You know that have ever warned
you against the pride and arrogance of your
cousins OF Galloway"
! you mean of the late earl OF Douglas
and the boy, his brother" said William
"the pride Of Is and IA is surely vastly dan
gerous."
Il mean those who have been tried and
executed in Endinburgh by royal authority
for many we'll grounded offenses against the
! state" cried the earl. loudly.
"Will you deign to condescend upon some
OF them?" said his son, as quietly as be-
fore.
Your cousins pride and ostentation OF
riches and retinue. being far beyond those
4 OF the king, constituted danger to the statA