The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-11

over the Forth and away to the east.
first they had sat apart, but as the
hours stole en,nDavid came a little
/ nearer and his hand sought that of his
brother, clasped it, and abode as it haC
been contented. The elder brother re
turned the pleasure.
David" he said, 'if perish we must
at least you and [ shall show them how
! Douglases can die
So when they rose to follow the SEN
eschal who summoned them, as they
left the chamber of detention and the
/ clanking guard fell in behind them
Earl William put his hand affectionate-
| ly on his young brothers shoulder and
kept it there. In this wise they came
into the great hall wherein the BAN
quet of treachery had been served. The
dias had been removed to the upper
end of the room, and upon it in the fur
red robes of judges of the realm there
sat on either side of the empty throne
! Cr1chton the chancellor and Sir Alex
ander Livingston. Behind were crowded
| groups of knights, pages, men-at-arms
of men of dignity and place only the
Marshal de RetZ, ambassador of the
king of France, was present.
He sat alone on a high seat ranged
crosswise upon the dias. The floor in
the center of the hall was kept clear
for the entrance of the brothers of
Douglas.
Crichton and Livingston looked I'M
easily at each other as the feet of the
guard conducting the prisoners were
heard in the corridor without, and with
a quick apprehensive wave of his hand
Crichton motioned the armed men of
his guards closer about him and gave
their leader directions in a hushed voice
behind his hand.
The seneschal who had summoned
them STROBE in first, and then after a
sufficient interval entered the young
lords of Douglas, William and David
his brother The elder still kept his
hand affectionately on the shoulder of
the younger. His other was set as usual
in the silken belt which he wore about
his waist, and he walked carelesSly
with high air and an easy step, like
one that goes into a pleasant entertain
ment.
But as soon as the brothers perceived
in whose presence they were an air of
pride came over their faces and stiff
ened their figures into the sterner as
pect of warriors who stand on the field
Of battle.
Some three PAGES before the steps of
the dias on which sat the self-consti-
tuted judges was arranged a barrier of
strong wooden posts tipped with iron,
and two soldiers WIN drawn swords
were on guard at either end.
The Douglases stood silent, haughtily
awaiting the first words of accusation
And the face of young David was to
the full as naughty and contemDtuous
as that of Earl William himself.
1t was the chancellor who spoke first,
in his high, raSping creak.
William, earl of Douglas, and you
David, master of Douglas" he began,
you are summoned hither by the
kings authority to answer for many
crimes of treason against his royal
person. Of rebellion and the arning
of forces also against his authority; of
nigh speeches and studied contempt of
those who represent his sovereign mai
esty IN this realm, of reasonable al
iances with rebel lords, and, above all,
OF swearing allegiance to another mon
arch, even to the. king of France. What
have you to say to these charges?"
The earl of Douglas swept his eyes
across the dais from side to side, with
a slow contempt, which made the chan
cellor writhe in his chair Then, after
a long pause, he deigned to reply, but
rather like a king who grants a favor
than like one accused before judges in
whose hands is the power of life and
DEATH
Il see" said he, "two knights before
me on a high seat, one the kings tu-
tor, the other his Dursebearer. I have
yet to learn who constituted them
judges of any cause whatsoever, still
less Of aught that concerns William
Douglas duke of Touraine, earl of
Douglas hereditary lieutenant gov
ernor of the realm of Scotland"
And he kept his eyes upon them with
a straight forth-looking glance, palba-
bly, embarrassing to the traitors on the
dais.
Earl Douglas" said the chancellor
again, remember that you are not row