The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-13

hither challenge him to stand, and bid
him return the way he came. But if
any dog or thing running on four feet
ascend or descend the stair, make no
sound, ask no question, cry no warn
ing, but whang the steel bolt through
his ribs!'
Then Andrew the Penman and his
brother, John, being silent, capable fell
lows, said nothing, but spat on their
hands, smiled at each other. we'll
pleased, and made the wheels of their
crossbows sing with a clear, whirring
note. sa
IT would not like to be that dog
foul carcass I pray God to send speed
ily!' echoed John the blonde.
Sholto had hoped that whilst he was
at the guard-setting he might have had
occasion to see once more the tantaliz-
ing mischief-maker whom he yet loved
with all his heart, in spite of, or per-
haps because of, the distraction to
which she continually reduced his spirit
by means of her manifold and meal
culable contrarieties.
Nevertheless, it was with an easier
heart that Sholto' went his way out of
the castle yeti, ali .arrayed in the new
suit of armor his lord had sent him. It
was made of chain of the finest, COM
posed of many rings, set alternately
thick and thin, flexible as the deer
leather which he wore underneath it.
Over this a doublet of blue silk carried
the lion of Galloway in white upon it,
and all the cerulean of the ground was
dotted over with the Douglas heart.
But, greatest joy of all, there was
brought to him by command of the
earl suitable horse, not heavily
armed like charger for the tilt, but
light of foot and answering easily to
the hand. Blue and red was the silken
housing, fringed with long silver lace,
through which could be seen the silken
sheen of the glossy skin. The buckles
and bits were also of silver, and the
cup of Sholto's happiness was full.
For space, as he gazed upon his
Steed, he forget even Maud Lindsay
Then, when he was mounted and out
upon the green, waiting for the coming
forth of his lord, what delight it was to
feel the noble dark gray answer to each
touch of the rein obeying his masters
thought, more than the strength of his
wrist or the prick OF his heel
AS he waited there, his predecessor in
office old Sir John Abernethy, Land
less jock as he was nicknamed, came
out from the main doorway. He car
ried cleaning headpiece from which
the blue feather of the Douglases fell
over his arm half way to the ground.
On its front was lion, which ramped
among golden fieur-de-lys. The old
man held it up for Sholto to take.
"Haep he said, in a surly tone, 'this
is his lordship's new helmet, lust
brought as a present frae the dauphin
O. France. He has cast off the we'll
tried one, and with it also the aud
servant that hath served him these
many yearsi'
Nay, Sir john" said sholto. with
fob h. l.
was his duty, as his masters esquire,
to carry before him on a velyet-coyered
PLAGUE; ''nay-well has the good serv-
ant deserved his rest, and to take his
ease. The young to the broil and the
MOL, the old to the inglenook or the
cup of wine beneath the shade
All, lad, I envy We not, think not
that of uir Landless jock said the
old man. sadly shaking his head. II
also have tried the new office the
shining armor, and felt the words of
command rise proudly in the throat.
| envy you not, though your advance
ment hath been sunderland. well for
my son John I had hoped, though in
deed the loon is paper-backed and
feckless. But now there remains for
me only to go to the kirk of ST. Bride
IN Douglasdale and there set me down
by my auld masters coffin till I die"
from the gateway the young earl, hold
ing by the hand the Lady Sybilla. His
mother the countess, came to the door
TO see them ride away. The queen of
the sports was in merry mood, and
as she tripped down the steps she
turned, and. looking over her shout
ders, she called to the Lady Douglas.
Fear not for your son; | will take care
of him.
But the elder woman answered.
neither her smile nor yet her word, but
stood like a mother who sees her son
treading in places perilous yet dares
not warn him, knowing we'll that she
would drive him to giddier and yet
more dangerous hights.8
The demons of the escort futtered
in the breeze as the men on horse
back tossed their lances high in the
air in salutation of, their lord. The
archer guard stood ranked and ready,
bows on their shoulders and arrows
in CULVER. Horses neighed, ar1nor
clanked and sparkled, ard from the