Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-26

curtain that concealed the narrow uOOT VI
an ante chamber he drew it aside, and
there came forth. clothed in a garment of
gold and green, cloSe-f1tting and fine,
clasped about the waist with the twining
belt of 81 axes, the Lady Sybilla
CHAPTER XVI.
The Lion Tanner.
On this summer afternoon the girls
beauty seemed more wondrous and magical
than ever. Her eyes were purple black
like the berries of the deadly nightshade
seen in the twilight. Her face was pale,
and the scarlet of her lips lay like twin
geranium petales new fallen snow.
Giles de Retz followed her with a certain
grim and CHASTITY pride as he marked the
sensation caused by her entrance.
This he said lis my lion tanner!
But the girl never looked at him nor in
any way responded to his glances.
.'Sybilla' said de Retz. holding her with
his eyes, these gentlemen with US.
They also are of the enemies of the house
of Douglas-speak freely tnat which is In
your heart"
My lords said the Lady Sybilla. speak
ing in a level voice and with her eyes fixed
on the leaf-shadOwed square of green
which alone could be seen through the open
window, you have. j doubt not, each de-
clared your grievance against William,
Earl of Douglas. / alone have none. He is
a gallant gentleman. France 1 have
Travelled. Spain also and Portugal, and eX-
my lord of Retz hath yoyaged. But no
Drawer or more chivalrous youth than Will
liam Douglas have l found l have no
grievance against him as ! say, yet for that
which hath been VIII l deliver him into
your hands.
One of the men before her grew mani
feSJly uneasy.
we did not come hither to listen to the
praises of the Earl of Douglas, even from
lips so fair as yours" sneered CrichtOn the
chancellor. lifting his eyes one moment
from the parchment before him to the
girls face.
He is our enemy said the tutor of the
king, Alexander Livingston, more gener-
oUsiy. but | Will never deny that he is
gallant youth. Also of his person proper
to look upon"
And very complacently he smoothed down
the lace ru1Iles which fell from the neck of
his silken dOubIet midway down its front.
The young man is Douglas said
James the Gross, CURLY. 'If he were of
coward breed We had not needed to come
hither!'
1t reedeth not four butchers to kill a
sheep said De Retz. Concerning that
we agree Proceed, my Lady SybiIa."
Thu girl was now breathing more quick
~. her bosom rising and falling.
Yet because of those that have been of
the house of Douglas before him shall /
have no pity upon William, sixth earl
thereof, And because of two dead dukes
of Touraine, will l deliver to you the third
duke, into whose mouth hath hardly yet
One the proper gus living. This IS the
tale / have heard thousand times: There
was in France. ii skiils not where. a vale
quiet as a summer Sabbath day. The
vines hung ripe clustered. The olives rus
tied gray on the slopes The bell swung
in the monastery tower. and the cottage in
the dell was safe as the chateau on tn hill.
Then came the foreign leader of an army,
and 10, in a day, there were a hundred
dead men in the valley all honorable men,
slain in defense of their own doors Tne
flicker of flames broke through the roof in
haa I'd : l,a
Of women. And the man who wrought this
was an earl of Douglas"
The girl paused, and in a low whisper, in
tense as the breathing of the sea sna said.
And for this will | deliver into your
hands William of Douglass
Then her voice came again to the ears
of the four listeners, in a noe low and
mOnotOnous. like the wind that goes about
the house on autumn evenings
There was one who, being but a child
had escaped from that tumult and had
found shelter in white convent, with the
sisters, VINO taught her to pray and be
happy in the peace of the hour that is ex-
actly like the one before it. The shadow
of the dial finger upon the stone was not
more peaceful than the hoy round of her
life.
There came one who met her by the
convent wall, met her under the shade Cf
the orchard trees, till his soul had power
over hers. She followed him by camp and
city, fe;'ring no mans scorn, feeling no
womans reTroach for his sake. And at rhe
last he cast her away, like an empty husk
ana sailed over the seas to his own land.
She was my mother"
And for this viii ! reckon with William
Duke of Touraine.''
She ceased, and De Retz began to speak.
Twenty years ago | gave shelter TO this
girls mother, and she herself hath been to
me as daughter. By me she has been
taught the deepest wisdom of the ancients
have delvsd deep in the lore of the ages,
that this maiden might be fitted for her
task. For J. also, that am marshal of
FRANCE and OF kin to my Lord Duke of
Brittany, have score to settle with Will
lam Earl or Douglas-as hath also my
master. Louis the Dauphin!"
1T is enough" interjacted Crichton. the
chancellor. who had listened to the recital
of the Lady SybilIa with manifest impa-
tience- 1T is the old story-the sins of the
Fathers are uIon the children. And this
young man must suffer for those that went
before him. They drank of the full cup and
SO he hath come to the drains. 1t skills not
why We each desire to make an end of him
We are agreed on the fact The question
1t was the voice of De Retz which re-
piled, the deep silence of afternoon resting
like a weight on the others.
If We write him letter inviting him to
come to the castle of Edinburgh he will
assuredly not come, but if we first enter
tain. with open courtesy, at one of your
castles on the way. where you put yourse
wholly ir his hands. he Will suspect moth
ing There when all his suspicious are
iut.eu ne Sna4l meet the Lady Sybilla- 1t
VIII rest with her to bring him to Edin-
burgh.'
The chancellor had been busily writing on
the parchment before him whilst De Retz
was speaking. Presently he held up his
hand. and read aloud that which he had
written.
ITO the most noble William, Earl Of
Douglas and Duke of Touraine, greeting:
In the name of King James the Second
whom God preserve, and in order that q,
realm may have peace. Sir Wii'ia-r cr,c's-
ton, chancellor OF Scotland, and ST. A'ex-
ander Livingston, governor If the kings
person, do invite and humbly entreat the
| Earl of Douglas to come to the city of Ed