Evening star., 1898-10-29
CHAPTER v.
The Braps of BaIma e n ie,

The Braes of BaImaGhie.
BY 10 of the clock the braes of Bal
maghie were a sight most glorious to look
upon. Well nigh 1900 men We're gathered
there, of whom 5000 were well mounted
knights and fully equipped men-at-arms,
every man of them ready to thrust a lance
or ride a charge.
The line % the tents which had been
set up extended from weii-nigh opposite
the island castle of Thriave to the kirk
hill of Balmaghie. Every knights follow
ing was strictly kept within its own pale
or fence of green wands set basket wise
pointed and thrust into the earth like the
trap spring of those who catch mOwdie-
warts. Many also were the quarrels and
chickering's of the sGuires who had been
sent forward to choose and arrange the
several encGmpments. Nor We're rough and
tumble fights such as we have seen the
Mackims indulging in, thought deroga-
tory to the dignity of any save belted
knights.
Each camp displayed the banner of its
own lord. but higher than all, from the
top OF every mound and broOmy hlllock,
fioated the banner of the overload. This
was the white lion of Galloway on
ground of blue and beneath it, but on the
same staff pennOn whereon was the
bleeding heart of the Douglas family.
The lists wee set up on the level meadow
that is called the boatcroft. At either end
a pavilion had been erected, and the lists
were strongly fenced in. with a rising tier
of seats for the ladies along one side and
a throne in the midst for the Douglas him
self as Figh and as uobly upholstered as If
the king of Scots had been presiding in
person.
At 10 by the great sun dial of Thrieve
the earl armed in complete armOr OF rar"
work damaScened with gold, and bearing
in his hand the truncheon of commander.
rode first through the fords of Lochar and
Immediately after him came his brother
taD han
skin and high-bred beauty attested his
! Douglas birth.
Next rode the Earl of Angus. a red,
foxy-featured man, with mean and shifty
! eyes He sat his horse awkwardly, per-
pctually launching his shoulders forward
| as if he feared to fall over his beasts
| head. And saving among his own company
| no man did him any honor. which caused
! him to grin with wicked. sdelong smiles
| of hate and envy.
| Then. amid the shouting of the people.
! there appeared on milkwhite paifrcy
| Margaret, the earrs only sister already
| famous over all Scotland as the fair maid
| of Galloway" With her rode one who, in
| the esteem of most who saw the pair
| that day was yet a rarer flower, even
| Maud Lindsay, who had come out of the
! bleak north to keep the lonely little maid
! company. For Margaret of Douglas was
| yet no more than a child. but Maud Linde-
/ say was nineteen years of age and in
/ the first perfect bloom of her beauty.
| knights and baronS who own allegiance to
| the DOuglas-IferOns and MaXwells. Ard
well Macullochs. Gordons from the Glen OF
! ke1ls. with Agnews and MacDOWalls rom
| the Shreside. But above all, and Outnum-
| bering ali, there Were the lesser chiefs OF
| the mighty name-Douglases of The north,
| Moray and Ormont among them. these no.
/ BILE young sons of James the Gross OF
| Avondale rode nearest their cousin, The
| head of the clan. Then came Douglass
/ of the border, Dougiases of the Hermitage,
| of Renfrew, of DouGlasdale Every third
| man of that great company which splas he'd
| and caracoled through the fords of Lochar
| was a William, a James or IN Archibald
| Douglas. The king himself could not have
| raised in all Scotland such a following, and
! il is small wonder if the heart Of the young
/ man expanded within him.
Presently, soon after the arrival OF
| the cavalcade, the wappen-shaw was set
in array, and, company by company, the
| long double line extended as far as the eye
| could reach from north to south along the
! side of the broad and sluggish moving
| river
/ Sholto, who in virtue of his courage and
| good craftsmanship had been placed over
| the archer company which waited on the
| right OF the ford, fell in behind the cor
| tege of the earl. He was first man of all
| to have his equipment examined and his
! weapons obtained, as they deserved the
| commendation of his liege lord and the
| grim. unwilling approval of Malise the
L
| not detect so much as speck on a shirt
| OF mail or grain of rust on the waist
piece of shining steel.
| Then the earl rode down the lines and
| Sholto. remembering the encounter among
| the dust OF the roadway, brea thed more
| freely when he saw his fathers back.
| And surely that day the heart of the
| Douglas must have been proud and high
! within him, for there they Stood company
| behind ordered company, the men on whom
| ne could count to the death. And the lad
OF eighteen who in Scotland was greater
| than the king. looked upon their steadfast
| thousands with swelling heart
( The abbot had made particular INQUIRIES
| where Laurence was stationed, which was
| IN the archer company of the Laird of
| kelton. Most of the monkish band had
| been made too happy by the deception
| practiced on the abbot concerning Mary
Quean, and were too desirous to have such
| rogue to play pranks in the dull abbey 10
3, tell any tales on Laurence MacKim But
| one Berguet, Belgian priest who had
| begged his way to Scotland, and whose na =.
| ture was that of a spy and a sycophant.
| approached and volunteered the fnforma-
| ton to the abbot that this lad To who,,
| ne was desirous of showing favor was q
| ribald and a hypocritfcal youth
| Eth. what" said the abbot Ia bottle for
I thy ill-set tongue, false LOOM dost think
( did not hear him sing his fair and seemIv
| orlsons! 'eli tree. rude outland iabberer.
| that am Douglas. and have ears hotter
| than those of any Frenchman that aror
| breathed. For this thou shalt kneeI civ
| nights on the cold stone of~the holy chanel
! mouse and say or paternoSters ten thou
/ sahd anu OF mfsereres thou shalt sing three
| hundred And this shall chance to teach
/ thee 10 De scanter with thy breath when