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

/ icled within the lifetime by one who saw
them and had part therein-though the
part was but boys one. His manuscript
mas come down to us and lies before the
transcriber. Sholto Mackm, the son of
, Mahse, the smith. testifies to these things
In his own clerkly script. He adds particu-
larly that his brother Lawrence being at
the time but boy, had little knowledge of
the actual facts, and is not to be believed
II at any time he should controvert any
thing which he has written. So far. how
ever, as the present collector and editor
can find out, Lawrence MacKim appears to
nave been entirely silent on the subject at
least with his pen, so that his brothers
caveat was needless.
The instant Lord William entered his own
castle of Thrieve over the drawbridge and
without even returning the saIutations of
his guard, he turned about to the two men
VINO had compelled his return
Ho, guard, there,' he cried "Seize me
the abbot of the new abbey and Malise
Mackim"
And much surprised, but wholly obed-
lent, twenty archers of the earls guard
commanded by old John of Abernethy
called Landless Jock, fell in at back and
front.
taxing the matter with usual phlegm: but
the abbot Was Voluble
William" he said, holding out his hands
with an appealing gesture, II have labored
WIN you strlven with, prayed for YOU. To-
night came forth through the storm and
thdt though an old man, to deliver you
from the manifest snares of the devil
But the earl interrupted his recital with
out compunCtion.
Set MaliSe Mackim in the inner dim
seon, he cried. Thrust his feet into he
great stocks and let my lord abbot be
Wafdcd safely in the castle chapel He is
n D1 70 hs L
votions" ms u"
Aye. my lord. it shall be done said
Landiess Jock. shaking his head with
gloomy foreboding the naughty young
tari IN MS Wet and torn disarray flashed
past him without further notice of the men
whom his bare word had committed to
PRISON. The earl sprang up the narrow
turret stair. passing he did so the
Naui'ed nan or the men-at-arms, where
more than hundred stout archers and
spedrnien sat carousing and singing even
at that advanced hour of the night while
as many more lay about the halls or on
the wooden shelves which they used for
sleeping upon. and which folded back
against the wall during the dav At ihr
hrst glimpse Of their young master every
man left awake among them struggled to
ms feet and stood stiffiy propped, drunk or
SOBER, according to his condition. with his
eyes turred upon the door which gave ll1on
the turnpike stair. But with slight an
swering wave Of mis- hand, the earl passed
on to his own apartment
He found his faithful body servant. Rene
ic BleSo1S. stretched across the thresa old
l ne Stanch Frenchman rose mechanically
at the sound of his masters footsteps ard
though still soundiy asleep, he stood with
the latch of the door in his hand and his
other held to his brow in salutation
Lord William Douglas would doubtless
have cast himself. wet as he was upon his
bed had not LIE BleSois, observing his lord 8
plight even in his own sleep-duled condj-
RI ma Dnfl aft h
and without question or speech silently
began to relieve him of his wet hunting
dress. A loose chamber gown of rich red
cloth lined with silk and furred with
cristy gray, hung ever the back of a
black oaken chair, and into this the young
earl flung himself in black and sulen
anger.
lie Blesois, still without a word spoken.
LEFT the room with the wet clothes over his
arm As he did so a small object rolled
from some fold or crevice of the doublet
where it had been safely lodged till dis
placed by the loosenng of the belt or the
removing OF the banderoie of his hunting
horn.
lie Blesois turned at the tinkling sound
! ana would have stopped 10 lift it after the
manner of careful servitor. But the eye
OF his master was upon the fallen object
and with an abrubt wave of his hand to-
ward the door, and the single word, Co
he dismissed his body servant from the
room.
Then, rising hastily from his bed, he took
the trinket in his hand and carried it to
the well-trimmed lamp which stood in. the
niche that held a golden crucifix
Ine Lord Douglas saw in Ills palm ring
OF singular design. The main portion was
formed of the twisting bodies of a pair OF
snakes, the jewel work very cunnngly in
terlaced and perfectly finished. Their eyes
were set with rubies, and between their
open mouths they held an opal. shaped like
a hedrt The stone was translucent and
family luminous like a moonstone but held
in its heart one fleck of ruby red in shape
IKE drop of blood. By some curious trick
OF light in whatever position the ring was
held this drop still appeared to be on the
point OF detaching Itself and falling to the
ground.
Earl William examined it in the flicker
OF the lamp. He turned it every way mar
roWly searching inside the golden band for
Il pOsy. but not word of any language
could he find engraved upon it.
I saw ring upon her hand-I am GER
tain | saw it on her hand" he said these
words over and over TO himself. 1T is then
no dream that | have dreamed"
There came low knocking at the door
q rustling and a whispering without. In
stantly the earl thrust the ring upon his
own finger with the opal turned inward
ana with the dark anger mark of his race
strongly dinted up his fair young brow, he
faced the unseen intruder.
Who is there?' he cried loudly and i'm
periously.
The door opened with a raspsng of the
from head to foot in a white night veil
danced In. She clapped her hands at sight
of him.
~ Gu are come back" she cried, "and YOU
nave so line gown on, too. But Maud
LINDSAY says it is very wrong to sit up so
late. even If YOU are Earl of Douglas and
great man now. viii you never play at
'catch-as-catch-can with David and me any
more '
Margaret, said the young earl .wbat
40 You want away from your chamber at
| an our mother will miss you. and | do
not want her here tonight Go back at
,ace" ~ a.
But the little willful maiden. catching her
! shlriS IN her hands at each side and rsis-
hS them little way from the ground he
gan 10 dance dainty pas seuI, ending with
nashlng whirl and low bow in the dj
f'ctlon OF her audience
"lil&m Douglas could NOT cboose but
! laosn' and soon sat down on the bed set
tlhS MS ciasped hands behind his head and
contentlng himself with looking at his lit
tie sister. - mo ~
Ihough al that time but eight years of
her age, Margaret de Douglas was nos
sessed OF such extraordinary vitality and
! character that she seemed more like eleven
| she had the clear-cut. handsome Douela =
face the pale olive skin, the flashing dark
eyes and the crisp blue black hair of her
mother. A 1.-the grace and uuickness like