Evening star., 1898-11-19

up the steps again before he could take
/ mold of her Then. standing on the top
II est step, ard holding her frienIs hand in
/ hers. she spoke to the maid of Galloway in
tone hushed and regretful, one speaks
of the dead.
NO, Margaret" she said. he will no
more play with us hide and seek about the
stackyard ricks at the Mains. Sir Sholtr
cares no more for us or for our childish
! things. He will not even blow out a lang
! with his own honorable lips. No, he will
call his squire to do II.
Sholto looked the Indignation he would
not trust himself to speak
He will dine with the earl in the hall.
and drink and stamp and shout with the
/ best when they drink the toasts. But he
has become too great q man to carry you
/ and me any more over stepping stones at
| the ford, or pull with us the ripe berries
when the bri&rs are dropping purple on the
| braes of Kelton Hill. Bid him goodbye, Mar
g4ret for ha was our kind friend once. And
When he rides by to battle, perhaps, If we
are good and respectful he may again
| wave us hand and say, There are two
i&sses that once l kAnned"'
At this inOrdinate fioutng, the new knight,
growing more and more angry at each
word, came quickly to the breaking point;
| for his nerves were Jared and tangled by
/ the eNcitements of the day. He gave vent
/ to a short, sharp cry. and started up the
steps with the intention of making Mistress
| Lindsay pay in some fashion for her i'm
]
maid was most entirely the alert. In
deed. she had been counting from the first
| uron provoking such a movement. And so.
| with her nimbie charge at her heels Mis-
| traSS Lindsay already at the inner
port, and through the iron-harred gate of
! the turret stair before the youthful captain
| of the guard, still incumbered with his
! armOr, could reach the top of the outer
st ps.
/ AS soon as Sholto saw that he was hope
I les sly distanced. he slackened his gait, and
with sober tread beftting knight and
| officer of garrison, he walked along the
passage which led to the chamber allotted
| to the captain of the guard. from which
| tl.at day Landless Jock had removed his
| effects.
| The soldiers of the guard who had heard
| of the honors which had swiftly come
| uron the young man, rose and respectfully
! saluted their chief. And Snoito, though lie
| had been silent when the sharp tongue OF
| the mirth-lOving maid tormented him, found
| speech readily enough now.
| L thank you" he said, acknowledging
| their salutations. I'VE have known each
| other before FORTUNE and misfortune come
to all, and it will be all your turns one day
! But UP or down, good or i'll, we shall not be
| the worse comrades for having kept the
! guard and sped the bolt together"
| Then there came one behind him who
| stood at the door of his chamber as he
vas unhelmins himself. and said: My cap.
! tain, there stand at the turret stair the
| ladies Margaret and Maud, with message
for you
"A message for me-what is it," said
! Sholto, testify, being tand small blame tC
| him) a trifie ruffied in his temper
| Nay, sir" said the man, respectfully,
! that / know not, but methinks it comes
| from my lord
| 1t will not do TO say to what our gallant
! Sholto condemned all tricks and queens
and spiteful damosels in whose eyes dwelt
| mischief brimmng over, and whose tongues
| spoke softest words that yet stuug and
| ranked like fairy arrows dipped In gall
and WormwoOd.
But since the man stood there and re-
| peated, Il judge the message II be one
! from my lord" Sholto could do no less
| than hastily pull on his douolet and again
! betake himself along the corridor to the
| foot of the stair.
When he arrived there he saw no one.
! and was about to depart again as he had
come, when the head of Maud LiIdesay Y
| appeared round the upper spiral. looking
more distractinEly mischievous and more
| bewitching than ever, all ripplinE over
| with dark curls and her eyes fairly scin-
| tillatiEg light. She nodded to him and
| leaned little farther over, holding tightly
| TO the baiuster meanwhile.
We'll, said Sho,to. roughly, what ere
| my lords commands for me. IT, indeed he
| has charged You with aTy?"
| He says replied Mistress Maud Linde-
say, that, since lamps ire dangerous
things in maidens' chambers, he desires
| you to assist in the trimming Of the waxen
| tapers tonght-that is. if so mental a
service shame not your knishthool."
"Pshaw!' muttered ShoIto. My lord
| said naught of the Sort
We'll, then," said Maud Lindsay. srnil-
! ing down upon him, with an expression
| innocent and sweet as that of an angel On
| a painted ceiling, you will be kind and
| come and help us all the same"
That l will not said Shoto. stamping
/ his foot like an ill-tempered boy.
Yes, you will-because Margaret asks
| you?'
Il will mott"
Then because I ask you?"
| Spite of his best endeavors Sholto could
| not take his eyes from the girls face which
seemed fairer and more desirable to HIM
now than ever. A quick sob of passion
shook him and he found words at last.
"Oh, Maud Lindsay, why do you treat
| thus one who loves You with all his heart? p
The girls face changed. The mischief
| died out of ii, and something vague and
| soft welled up in her eyes. making them
mistily gray and lustrous. But she only
said: "Sholto, it is growing dark already,
| 1t is time the tapers We're trimmedi''
Then Sholto followed he" mp the stairs
and though l do not know, there is some
reason for thinking that ne forgave her
all her wickedness i'll that sweet i9terspace
between the gioaming AMI the mirk when
the lamps We're being lighted and the stars
Were coming out.
CTo be Continued)