The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-23
VIII.
rnE onoss1No oF THE FoRp.

S ddep1 took 'ttSStediET Ss Se' by the f 81 Of Glen
PSfnhF the %9HhiSS %i1 Knows nth The I sp%S, WhisG
more fatal desIgnation Of Knock Cannon. The
lads were dressed as became the sons OF so
to boot as Malise MacKim OF the Carlinwark,
h9 I.| eyer 1 the suit , Of apq WIsS,I yely Ssi1 With e1 SoS Sst
far back on his head. from which sprouted the
wing Of a blackjack in as close imitation as
Douglas. himself. His bow was slung at his
back. all. ready FOR the ipspection. a sash Of
t orange &c silk silky Vas sS twisted h : t S61SS MS En waist; and Sn II
z pretty FIJI: For Master Laurence loved
Sholto. though. as we shall soon see, de-
spised not love, had eyes more for the knights
S heaven me Roaid be iuI Hgq attained SInstie as soon enE as f he
should ride one Of those great horses and carry
a lance with the nennon OF Douglas upon It:
neck mall. the close; hitting doublet Of blue.
dotted over with red Douglas hearts. and hay
upon It. About his waist was a peaked brace
Of shining plate armoE, damascened In gold. ny
Malise himself. and nllit g out his almost girl
chain mail covered his legs. to, which. at. the
Of arrows in a blue and gold culver on his
right side, a sword of mettle on his LETT and a
shGrt' Scottish Sf t ! ih,l bow so IN h5s hand and GfS a11TPl sfSdi shs
hhAA VI " AtAAy ~ N-N eNNS N~AS
archer OF the Earl's guard.
The lads were soon at the fords Of Lochar,
where in the dry summers the stones show all
the way across. one In the midst being named
the Black Douglas. In the place where. as ira
p pnnse to sn IooF al Af Ris De% %t e@e ssi N T HseS 60
rising on its i~mpreRnable island above the rich
water meadows.
wet their leg array before the work and pa
geant Of the day began. This was specially the
would assemble on the Boreland braes. and OF
Sholto inasmuch as he hoped, to win the prize
for the best. accoutrement and the most point
device attlring among all the archers Of the
crusty Simon Conchie. the Boatman at, the
Eroait for his pains. But he was Far too busy
to pay anv attention to them on such an occa-
sion sbof t only m pagsi n9sn long crdss enough nf fSa t to cry t to then them
Of their betters would do that day.
There was nothing for it. therefore. but
Of the trafic, Both Shoito and Laurence were
exceedingly loath to take the forme. course:
trhfSy d sp snm mot; h @Uiss beI long fS to Ta The f LORD &
Herries OF Terregles. whose father had been
with Archibald the Tipeman in France. came
border country. which he, designed to offer as
Now mules are all snorting. ill-conditioned
the least excuse or even without any. So as
baldric and shining steel girdle brace sud
denly appear from behind a knoll. they:incon-
ground. scattering packs and brandishing
heels like young colts turned to grass. It
Sire \ t that SP9 ,S Of t t6sds largest 1f T6c nT!es sn %s 9Ss
youths catching the flying bride at either side.
applied a sort Of brake which sufficiently
agile skipjacks as Sholto and Laurence to
mount. But as they were concerned more
what was already upon the animals pack.
their heads met in the midst with a crash-in
which collision the superior weight OF the
younger had very naturally the better OF the
Sholto dropped instantly back to the ground.
the sight of his brother triumphantly splash
ing through the shadows aroused him. He
hhrGSf' f h9rls sd'N Il after fns him him. St SWEARING ifas e frate 70
nally that he would smite him in the brisket
with a dirk as soodn as he caught him for that
though the splash caused the mule to shy into
deeper water. to the ,damping of his riders
took the fairly on the rump. and bringing
up on a tly-galled spot. sent 1t with flying bags
and loud s4ueels into the woods Of Glen
every side, where presently Laurence ound
himself. like Absalom. caught in the branches
OF q beech and left hanging between heaven
A rider in GTSpm pg6HS;, plate Of black RIa ko caught
n niaein dSE KIM s ssIl5 R9 tho ssSdd de S fq nsf Dow Down a tRe
fiat OF his mailed hand upon a spot Of his person
which: being uncovered by mail; responded
~ Il ttSpullNlLS EllhNh nilllu lNS
boisteTous laughter Of the men-at-arms he let
Laurence slip to the ground.
ar nSS eRe Of Y9cS apfinw sGp o was nFn nct fh aiI% add n @f fSfe
such an insult meekly. even from a man-at-
arms riding on horseback. He threw his bow
most convenient ammunition. which CHANGED
to be in great plenty that day upon the braes
the glade with such excellent aim and good
effect that the black. ,unadorned armor OF the
liza n fraR trunk nOvnTan with fnadQfnnl
Shoot down the, intolerable young rascal.
a, voice from the troop who, witnessed the
chase; And And h more = srt thsn 1ey one o bow BOW was ,Ss bent
P pn6y Ss %6Ich fhoaiRToSwIeSdSi beE iaiTsIied from the COM
R PIT the tb bnighHt b tsFs eTIe up h !tb Sis S9y Is right,
be admired than his choice OF weapon. Come
hither; iad; Tell ne who thou art and what
~ am Laurence MacKim. an archer of my
Lords guard and the younger son Of Malise
ties, as i they had been Inscribed In the book
Of the lion King-at-arms;
armor. all thatV'
more f%iercely, he continued with a courteous
~ hlmbIy ask your pardon. Master LIay-
no small part OF his fathers spirit. VIII you
take service and be my esquire. as becomes
W ! E Hn lad q sPlTgit who desires to win his way
The heart OF Laurence MacKim beat quick
Iva horse to ride-an. esquire-perhaps II he
had luck, and much fighting. a, knighthood.
Nevertheless. he answered with a bold. straight
look out of his black eyes,
Il am an archer OF my Lord Douglass outer
guard. can have no promotion save from
him or those Of his house-not even from the
We'll saidl', cried the knight. Small Won
der, that the Douglas is the greatest man in
Scotland: ! viii! speak to the Earl William
this sday:concerninR you"
Lord Maxwell rode at the head OF his com-
panv with a courteous salutation which not a
few behind him who had heard the ~colloquY
initiated. Laurence stood there with his heart
coming and going To. think what he had been
offered and what he had refused.
Gods TRUTH he said to himself. Il might
have been a great man II l had chosen, while
Sholto. that old sohersldes. was left tagging
behind"
And he looked about for his bow and went
swaggering along as. II he were already Sir
Laurence and the leader Of an army.
But Nemesis was upon him., and that In the
fashion which his pride would feel the most.
Take, that, beast OF a Laurence" cried a
voice behind him..