The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-11

Anu on InlS occasion the arcn9r was
successful, guided doubtless by the
faint Illumination of the lantern the
guard had hung on a nail in the wall,
| and whose flicker would outline the
lattice against the darkness of the wall.
An arrow entered with soft hiss. 1t
was a common archer'S arrow. A cord
was fastened about it and a note stuck
in the slit along with the feather.
1T is my brother Laurence" whis-
pered Sholto. 81 warrant he is be-
meath with a rope and a posse of stout
| fellows. We shall escape them yet
But even as he raised the letter to
read it by the faint blue flicker of the
lantern, there came a cry of pain from
within the castle. 1t was a Woman's
voice that cried, and at the sound Of
pleading speech in some chamber above
them, William Douglas started to Wis
feet.
The words were clear enough, but in
a language not understood by Sholto
MacKim. They seemed ineligible
enough, however. to the earl.
L knew it, he cried, the false
hounds have imprisoned her also. 1t is
Sybilla's voice. God in heaven! they
are torturing herr"
He ran to the door and shook it We
hemently.
"Ho, without therei" he cried imper-
iously, as in his own castle Of Thrieve.
But no one paid any attention to his
shouts, and presently the woman's
voice died down to a slow sobbing,
which was quite audible in the room
beneath, where the three young men
listened.
What did you say?" asked David
presently Of his brother, who still stood
listening with his ear to the door.
The earl first made a gesture COM
handing silence, and then hearing
nothing more, he came slowly over to
the window. TT is the Lady Sybilla, %
he said, in a voice which revealed his
deep emotion. she said in the French
language: You shall not do it. You
shall not! He trusted me, and he shall
not diei''
Meanwhile Sholto, knowing that there
was no time to lose, had been drawing
in the cord, which presently thickened
into rope thick enough to support the
weight of a, light and active youth,
such as any of the three young men
imprisoned in David's tower.
But the sound of the woman's tears
had thrown the earl into an excitement
so great that he hammered on the
great bolt-studded door with his bare
clenched hands, and cried aloud to the
chancellor and Livingston, commanding
them to open to him. His calmness
seemed wholly broken up.
Meanwhile Sholto, his whole soul bent
upon the cord which gave them
chance OF saving the life of their mas
ter. had drawn thirty yards of stout
rope into the room. He fixed it by
double knot first TO a stout ring, which
was let into the wall, and afterwards
to the massive handle of the door it
self
Now, my lord" he whispered, as he
finished, 'tbe pleased to go first. Our
lads are beneath and in the shaking of
a cows tail we shall be in the midst of
them"
The earl held up his hand, with the
quick, imperative motion he used TO
command silence. The sound of the
wonan's voice came again from above,
now quick and high, like one that
makes an agonized petition, and now in
tones lower, that seemed broken with
sobs and lamentations.
At first William Douglas did not APP
pear to comprehend the meaning of
Sholto's words, being so bent on his lis
tening. But when the young captain
OF the guard again reminded him that
the time of their chances of relief was
quickly passing, and that the soldiers
of the chancellor might come at any
moment to lead them to their doom,
the earl broke out upo' i'm in sudden
anger.
For what growing thing to you take
me, Sholto MacKim ?" he cried. Il will
not leave this place till 1 know what
they have done with her. She trusted !
me, and shall I prove a recreaut?. I !
would have you know that I am Will
liam, Earl of Douglas, and fear not the /
face of any Crichton that ever
breathed. Ho, there, Without And |
he shook the door in Intellectual anger.
His only answer was the sound Of !
that beseeching Woman's voice and the |
measured tread of the sentry. whose /
partisan they could see flashing in the |
lamplight through the narrow barred |
wicket, as he turned in front of their |
door.
And it was all in vain that Sholto |
pied with his master. To every argu- |
ment Lord Douglas replied Il cannot |
so-it consorts not with mine honor to
leave this castle so long as the Lady |
Sybilla is in their hands"
Sholto told him how that they could
now escape. aud in week would raise
the whole Of the south, returning to the
siege of the castle and the destruction /
Of the traitors Crichton and Livingston.
But even to this the earl had nissan
swer.
''What-fiee like a coward and leave
this girl, who has trusted me, defense
less in their handsi You have heard
L
will not go. Let David and you escape.
My place is here, and neither sniveling
Crichton nor that backstairs lapdog
Livingston shall say that they took the
earl of Douglas and that he fed from
them under cloud of night"
David Douglas had been standing by
hopefully while Sholto tied the rope to
he rings. At his brothers words he sat
down again. William of Douglas turn
I'd about upon him.
Go. David; bid you. Escape, and if
lught happen to me, fail not to make
he traitors pay dearly for itl'
But David Douglas sat still and an
Swered not. Then Sho,to, desperate of
success with his master, approached
David and with gentle force would have
him to the window. But at
he first touch of his hand. the how
hrust him away. striking him f1ercelv
lpon the shoulder.
Hands Oft" he cried; 81 also am
Douglas. l win abide by my brother to
he end
NO, my David said the earl, turn
ng for moment from the door where
lie had been again listening, you shall
lot stay! You are the hope of orr
house. My mother would fret to death
aught happened to you. This is not
| matter which concerns you. Go. / bid
Tou. On me it lies, and if I must nav
he reckoning, why, at least only ll
frank the winei''
I will not" he said, 81 will bide