Evening star., 1898-11-05
CHAPTER NV.
Captain of the Earl's Guard.

"ShoIto MacKim." said the Earl of Doug
las, abruptly. saw you the lady who ar
rived with the foreign ambassador
"She is indeed wondrous fair to look
on" answered Sholto, the whole heart in
him instantly wary, while outwardly he
seemed more innocent than before
Have your eyes ever lighted on that lady
before?''
Nay. my lord, of surety, no. In what
manner should they, seeing that | have
never been in France in my life, nor. in
deed, more than good score of miles from
this castle of ThrieYe?"
Thou art a good lad, and also ready of
wit. Master Sholto." said the earl, looking
at the armorer's musngly; clear of
eye and true of hand, so they tell me. Did
you not win the arrow prize this day?"
Lord William raised his eyes to where i'll
the bonnet of the youth his own golden
badge of archery glistened.
And / also won the swording prize at
the last wappt nshaw at the moot hill of
Urr." said Sholto, taking courage. and be-
ing resolved that if his fortune stood not
now on tiptoe it should not be on account
of any superfuity of modesty on his own
part.
''Ah.'' said the earl, Il remember. 1t was
two golden hearts Joined together, with an
arrow and a star in the midst-a fitting
Douglas emblem, by the bones of St Bride.
Where hast thou gotten that badge that
thou dost now wear it along with the
other
SnOItO D!uSneU ana muttere0 tndt ne Ndu
left 1t at home. He was all of a breaking
perspira ton lest he should have to tell the
earl that he had given 1t to Maud Lindsay,
as indeed he meant to do with the golden
buckle of archery, If the dainty. mischiev
ous-hearted maiden could be persuaded to
accept thereof.
''Ah." said the earl. smiling Il compre-
hend. There is some maid in the question,
and il / advance you to the command of
my house guard and give you officers
responsibility you will of surety be ever
desiring TO go gadding to the greenwood,
and around the loch of Carlinwark are most
truly dangerous glades.''
Nay, indeed nay!" cried Sholto eagerly.
IF it is my lord 5 will to appoint me to his
guard, by st. Bride and all the other saints,
l swear never to leave the island-unless it
were sometimes of a Sunday afternoon, for
an hour or two, just to see my mother"
Your mother quoth the earl, laughing
heartily. so. then. the two golden hearts
are in your mothers keeping-'art a good
lad, Sholto, and as for guile, it is simply
not in thee
Sholto looked modestly S1wn upon the
earth. as II conscious ~ mis- own exceeding
merits, but willing to say nothing about
them But the young earl came over to
him. and dealing him q sound buffet on the
back, cried, Nay, lad, that lamb-like look
l nave seen tried on mine uncle, the abbot
OF Sweetheart. Thy brother Laurence is in
the way of clerkly advancement on account
of that same sweetly innocent look, which
ne hath IN even greater perfection. But 1
ALI d young man remember, and yOlitl
nlngs not glamour easily into the eyes of
another. Sholto. neither you nor | are any
better than We should be. and if we are not
so evil as some others. let us not set up as
overwhelmingly virtuOus, for at twenty
virtue is mostly but lack of opportunity
ShOlto blushed SO becomingly at this ac-
cusatiOn that if the earl had not seen the
brothers locked in the death grips like
crabs IN hshwife's creel he might have
been deceived.
Nevertheless continued the earl, 'in
spite OF your claims to virtue, l am re-
solved TO make you officer of my castle
guard, II not in name, at least in fact. For
old Landless Jock of Abernethy must keep
she name while he lives and stand first
when my steward pays out the golden
Hons on Lady day. But you shall have
enough. and be no longer a charge upon
Your father. MaIise should be proud
man having both his sons provided for in
The earl turned him about with his
usual quick imperiousness .sNaliser, he
cried, ''Malise MacKin 80
And again tie word ran through the cas-
We, escaped the gate. circuinnavigated the
moat and ran round the circle of the tents
TIL the shouts of "Malise Maliset could
have been heard almost at the deserted
IordS OF L3char' where sundry varlets were
watching for a chance 10 search the payiI-
ions for anything left therein by the
knights and squres.
Presently there was seen ascending the
moat platform the huge form of the master
armorer himself He stood waiting his mas
ter's pleasure, with the knife which ba baa
been sharpening in his hand Ii was a
curious weapon. long, thin and narrow in
the blade. which was double edged and
ground 1ne as a razor on both sides
All, Malise," said the earl you have
not taught your son an,ss. He threatens
to turn out a most marvellous lad. for not
oniy can he make weapons but he can
excel the best of my men-at-arms in their
use! Have you any objection that he be
attached to my guard?'
The strong man smiled with his usual