The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-06

arated from his masters, and slept with
some part of the guard in the turret
adjacent to that in which the brothers
of Douglas, William and David lay in
the first sleep of youth and an easy
mind.
Sholto therefore found himself left
with the undivided responsibility for
the safety of the castle and all who
dwelt within it. He was also the only
man who, by reason of his charge and
by virtue of his master key, was per-
mitted to circulate through all the
floors and passages of the vast feudal
pile.
Sholto went out to the barred gate at
the castle where, in a small cubbyhole
dark even at monday, and as black as
Egypt now, the Warder slept with his
hand upon his keys, and his head
touching the handle of the great gear
wherewith he drew the creaking port
cullis up and rolled back the iron doors
which shut the keep-off from the wide
outer courtyard and the garrison which
manned the turrets.
The porter, Hugh MacCalmont, sat
up on his elbow at Sholto's salutation
only enough to see his visitor by the
CLINT of the little iron "crrisie" lamp
hanging upon the wall. He knew him
by the golden chain of office which the
earl had gwen SnOltO.
Captain of the guardr' he muttered.
Lord, here's advancement indeed. My
lord might have remembered me that
have served him faithfully these 30
years, opening and shutting without
mistake. He might have named me
captain of the guard and not this linn
Der jack. But the young love the young,
and in truth it's natural. But what
Landless Jock will say when he comes
to have this sprat set over him, know
not"
Satisfied that all was safe there, Shol-
to stepped gingerly over the reclining
forms of the first relief guard, who lay
there wrapped in their cloaks, every
man grasping his arms. Most of these
were lying in the dead sleep of tired
men, as others moved reStleSsly about
this way and that, as if seeking an
easier adaptation of their bones to the
corners of the blue whimstOhes and
rough shell line than had been provided
for when the castle was built by Arch
ibald the Grim, lord of Thrieve and
Galloway.
Close by the last turn of the turret
staircase was the iron-sparred mouth
of the dungeon, in which in its time
many a notable prisoner had been inn
INJURED. 1t was closed with a huge grid
of curved iron bars, each as thick as a
mans thigh, cunningly held together
by gigantic paddock, the key of which
was nightly taken to the sleeping room
of the earl, whether, as was now the
case, it stood empty. or whether it con-
tanned an English lord waiting ransom
or a Tebellious baron eXDectant of the
morning summons to the dule tree of
the Black Douglas.
Then, taking his key from his belt,
Sholto unlocked the spared gate which
led from the salle-de-garde into the
turret stair, which was the sole COM
munication with the upper floors of the
castle.
Slowly and with a step no louder than
the beating of his heart, he went up
ward, glancing in upon the banquet
hall, where on the great table, the dim
light from the postern without revealed
a number of dark forms wrapped in
slumber lying on the dining table and
on the floor. Ascending yet higher, he
came to the floor whereon slept the
Countess of Douglas, the Lady Sybilla.
and, in the earls own chamber, the
Marshal de Retz. ambassador of the
King of France.
Sholto stood a moment with his hand
raised in a listening attitude, before
he ventured to ascend the stairs which
led to the upper floor on which We're
the chambers occupied by the little
maid Margaret and her companion and
gossip. Mistress Maud Lindsay.
He told himself that it was his duty
to see to the safety of the whole castle;
that he had special instructions to visit
three times during the course of each
night Of duty all the passages and cor
ridors Of the castle. But nevertheless,
it needed all his courage to enable Shol-
to to perform the task which had been
laid upon him. AS he dragged one foot
after the other up the turret stairs, it
seemed as if a leaden clog had been at
tached to each pointed shoe.
He had also a vague sense of being
watched by presences invisible to him,
but malign in their nature Again and
again he caught himself listening for
footsteps which seemed to dog his own.
He seemed to hear mysterious whisper
ings that fiouted his utmost vigilance,
and hooking laughter that lurked in
unseen crevices and broke out SO soon
as he had passed.
Sholto set his hand firmly upon his
swcrd handle, and bit his lips, lest even
to himself he should own his uneasi-
ness. It was not seemly that the cap
tain of the Douglas guard should be
frightened by shadows.
Passing the corridor which led toward
the sleeping rooms of the maid and her