Evening star., 1898-10-29
CHAPTER IN.
Laurence sings n lynn.

y
better Of the fray but for the fact of I'au-
rence.s recent degradation. for the elder
brother was the taller by an inch, and of
frame Of body more 1.-THE and supple. But
the accuracy of Laurence MCKim's shape.
and the severe training of he smithy. had
not left a superfIuous ounce of flesh on him
anywhere.
In minute the brothers had become the
center Of q riUtous, laughing throng OF var
lets. archers seeking their corps, young
squires sent by their lords to find out the
exact positions allotted to each contingent
bv the provost of the camp For, as the
wappeu-shaw was to be of three days du-
ration. in all its nObler parts. wilderness
of tents mad already begun to arise under
the scattered white thorns of the great
SOreIand croft which stretched up from
Bhe river
These all laughed and jested after their
kind. encouraging the youths to fight it out,
and naming Laurence the Brock, or Badger,
from his stoutness. and slim Sholto the
Whitterick, or, as one might say, the
Weasel
AT him. Whitterick! Grip him! Grip
him, Now YOU have him at the pinch.
Well pulled Brock, 'Tis a whoves on
Brock; Good Brock. Well done! Well
done, All. would you? Hands off that
dagger, Let hsticuffs settle it. The Whit
trriek hath 1.-THE Whitterick.
And thus ran the comment. Sholto being
cumhered with his armOr, Laurence might
in time have gotten the upper grip. But
diversion occurred which completely altered
the character of the conflict. stout, red
dish young man came up holding in his
hand staff painted with twning stripes
of white and red. which showed him to be
the marshal of t4at part of the camp winch
pertained to the Earl of Angus. He looked
and then eibowed his way self-importautly
into the center till he stood Immediately
about Laurence and ShOlto.
What means this hubbuh. l say? Quit
Your hold there and come with me. My
Lord of Angus shall settle this dispute"
He had come up Just when the young men
were in the final grips. Sholto at last hav-
ing gotten his will of his brothers head
and. As the saying is. was giving him
butc1 spice in no very knightly fashion.
me Angus marshal seeing this, seized
Sholto by the collar Of his mailed shirt and
drawing him suddenly back caused him to
lose hold Of his brother. who as quickly
rose to his feet. The red man began to beat
Sholtp about the headpiece right heartily
WIN ms stan which exercise made great
FlhglhS noise. though. naturally, the skull
zap being the work Of Mal!se Mackfm lit
-ie harm ensued to the head inclosed
therein
But Master Laurence WAS instart1v q,
ire
Here Foxy-face." he cried .let NV
brother abe? What business is it of yours
TWO gentlemen have a difference Go
back 10 your Angus kernes and ragged
traw-bogle Highland folk"'
Meantime ShOlto had recovered from his
surprise, and the crowd of varlets was
melting apace. thinking the Angus marshal
ZONE one Of consequence. But the brothers
Machlm were not the lads to take beating
with a stick meekly. and the provost who
indeed mad nothing to do with the Gallo
way part Of the enCamprnent had far bet
n off pi
own quarters '--
Take him on the right Sholto," cried
laurence and | will have al him from
this side The Red Angus draw his sword
and threatened forth with to sIay the la
II they came near him. But with a sDrinp
IKE gray grimalkin of the woods Sholto
!edped Wlth.n his guard ere he had time
10 dFd" back his arm for thrust or parry
and at tn same moment Laurence snatch
Lhs the red and white staff out of his hand
otaIt MN :" sturdy Il blow between the
shoulders that. though he was of weight
equal 70 both of mis- opponents he was
knocked hreathless at the first blow and
went down neaJh the impetus of Sholto's
attack
Laurence cOolly diseng4ged his brother
ana began to thrash the Angus man vim
MS own staff Upon all exposed parts 4ilI
the dry wood broke. Then ne threw the
pieces at his head. and tn two brothers
went on arm in arm to find woody cover
IN which 10 repair damages against tbs
weapon showing and the inspection If their
lord md his keen-eyed master armo-ar
AS son as they had discovered such d
sequeStered holt. Laurence. VINO had fro
quent experience of such rOIlgh-aud-tr,n
Die encounters, stripped off his douhIct of
purple velvet. and. turning the sleeve inside
"u-, NJ showed MS brother that it was lined
with rough surfaced felt cloth almost
o the nature Of teaSle. This being runbad
hriSkly upon any dusty garment or fuuJed
tiiHpr proved most excellent for RESTORING,
IN gloss and beauty The young mer be-
Llr-
knowing that their armament must me-,
lh-LT iatheTs tnexOrable eye as he .passed
"'HS thtlr lines with the earl. rubbed
and polished their best and wheu af,er
halt an hours brisk work. each examined
tAt pthsr. not SpCck or stain WAS left
70 'tiL OF the various casual incidents of tn,
morning Two bright. fresh-cC Iored youfhs
eiH5I std from their thicket, Immediately
cad and with COuntenances of such che
uDlc innocence that my Lord A bbot William
oi me great Cistercian abbey of DuIce Cor
ioohlhS upon them as with bare bowed
EtddS, they kuelt reVerently on one Lraa.
- S9h ms blessing, said to his train: They
look Ike TWO young angels 1t is a shame
ana a SIN that two such fair innocents
Stl"u!d be compelled to join in aught ruder
'hah the chanting of psalms in holy ser
Vice. -' SCI
Whrreat one of his company who had
Deen witness to their treatment of tba
angus provost ald also of Laurence's en-
counter with the knight of the black ar
NOR was seized incOntinentIy with 3, III
OF coughing which almost choked MIN
Bless you. my sons" said the abbot "T
VIII speak TO my nephew the earl con
Gernins you. Your faces plead for YOU
Evil cannot dwell In such fair bodies. What
are yOGT names?"
The younger knelt with his fingers ioined
snd MS eyes meekly on the grass, while
Shp4iO, who had risen, stood quietly by wit n
his steel cap in his hand
Laurence Nackim," said the younger
modes -ly. without yenturing to raise his
eyes from the ground. and this is my
brother ShoLtor'
Can you sing. pretty boy?' said the alb
bot to Laurence
W" have never been taught" answered
Sh"i." Bot his brother. feeling mat he
was losing chances. broke in:
AN sing. if it please your holinessr'
ana what can you sing. sweet lad
sstid the abbot. smiling with expectation
ana setting his hand TO his best ear to as
slSt MS increasing deafness
smut your FOOLS mouth" said ShOlto nm
Ger his breath to his brother
smut your own! 'Tis ugly as rat tran
At any rate, responded Laurence in the
same key Then aloud to the abbot he
said, An II please you. sir. I can sin-
%. Mary Queanr' 'E''
The abbot smiled, well pleased
An, exceeding proper. a song to tho hon
he Of