Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-13
CHAPTER XIX.

are so much safer, especially at night
CHAPTER XIX.
La Joyeuse Bats Her Hook.
On the morrow, the ambassador of France
being confined to his room with a slight
quinsy, caught from the marshy nature OF
the environment Of Thrieve. to which he
was unaccustomed, the earl escorted Lady
sybilla to the field Of the tourney, where, as
Queen Of Beauty, her presence could not be
dispensed with.
The maid Margaret and the earl's sister re-
NAMED also, not having yet recovered from
her fright Of the preceding evening.
With her was Maud Lindsay and her
~mother-''the aud Teddy" as she was called
throughout all the wide dominlons Of hel
son.
In spite Of his WEAKNESS Sholto led hi:
archer guard in person to the field Of the
tournament. For this day was the day oil
the high sport, and many lances would be
splintered and often would the commonalty
need to be scourged from the barriers.
But ere he went Sholto summoned two OIL
the stanchest fellows Of the company
Andrew, called the Penman, and his brother
John. Then, having posted them at ethel
end Of the corridor in which were the
chambers occupied by the girls, he laid
straight charge and a heavy one upon them
q your heads be 1t II you fail, or le
any soul pass" he said. STAND ready
with your hands on the wheel Of your cross
bows and II any man come hither chal'
lenge him to stand and bid him return thu
way he came. But il any dog or thini
running on four feet ascend or descend tn,
stair make no sound, ask no question, or!
no warning. but whang the steel boil
through his ribs!"
Then Andrew the Penman and his brother
John, being silent, capable fellows, sale
nothing, but spat on their hands, smiled
at each other, well pleased, and made thu
wheels Of their crossbows sing with a clear
whirring note.
II would not like to be that dog" sale
Andrew the swarthy, whose foul carcass
pray God to send speedily" echoed JONI
the blonde.
Sholto had hoped that whilst he was a
tho guard setting he might have had oc
casion to see once more the tantalizing mis-
chief maker whom he yet loved with al
his heart. in spite of, or perhaps becaus
Of the distraction to which she con
tinually reduced his spirit by means of he
manifold and incalculable contrarieties.
Nevertheless, it was with an easier hear
that Sholto went his way out OF the cas-
tie yeti, all arrayed in the new suit o
armor his lord had sent him. It was mad
Of chain Of the finest, composed OF man,
rings Get alternately thick and thin, fexi
BILE as the deer leather which he wore un
derneath 1t. Over this doublet Of blue sill
carried the lion Of Galloway in white upol
1t, and all the ~cerulean Of the ground wa
1 Aakkn1 n,,or S,tth thn novoloos baorf put
greatest Joy Of all, there was brought to hin
by command of the earl a suitable horse
not heavily armed like a charger for tn
tilt. but light Of foot and answering easil
to the hand. Blue and red was the silke
housing. fringed with long silver lace
through which could be seen the silke
sheen Of the glossy skin. The buckles an
bits were also of silver, and the cup @
Sholto's happiness was full. For a spac
as he gazed upon his steed he forgot eve
Maud Lindsay.
Then when he was mounted and out upo
the green waiting for the coming fort
Of his lord, what delight it was to feel tn
noble dark gray answer to each touch Q
the rein. obeying his masters thought, NOR
than the strength Of his wrist or the pric
Of his heel.
As he waited there. his predecessor 1
ONCE, old Sir job OF Abernethy, Landles
Jock, as he was nicknamed, came out fror
the main doorway. He carried a gleamin
headpiece from which the blue feather Q
the Douglases fell over his arm half wa
to the ground. On it's front was a lilo
which ramped among golden fleur-de-lis
The old man held it up for Sholto to TAXI
"Hae!" he said, in a surly tone, "this
his lordship's new helmet, just brought a
q present frae the dauphin o France. II
has cast of the well-tried one, and with
also the auld servant that hath served hir
these many years."
NAY, Sir John said Sholto, with court
esy, taking the helmet which 1t was hi
duty as his masters esquire to carry befor'
him on q velvet covered PLAGUE, "nay-wel
has the good servant deserved his rest, an
to take his ease. The young to the broil ant
the MOL, the old to the inglenook or the cul
Of vino benath the shade"
"Ah, lad, l envy We not, think not tina
Of puir Landless Jock" said the old man
sadly shaking his head. II also have trie'
the new ONCE, the shining armor, and fef
the words of command rise proudly In tn
throat. envy you not, though your ad
yancement hath been sunderland. we'll, TO
my son John had hoped, though indee'
the loon Is paper-backed and feckless. Blu
now there remains for me only to go to tn
kirk Of st. Bride in Douglasdale and Their
set me down by my auld masters CONN til
I die"
At that moment there issued forth from
the gateway the young earl. holding b.
the hand the Lady Sybilla. His mother. tn
countess, came to the door to see them rid
away. The queen Of the sports was In
merry mood. and as she tripped down tn
steps she turned. and, looking over he
shoulders, she called to the Lady Dougla;
"Fear not for your son; I will take care Q
him!"
But the elder wcr.an answered neither he
smile nor yet her word, but stood like
mother who sees her son treading in place
p~erilous, yet dares not warn him. KNOWN
we'll that she would drive him to giddier an
yet more dangerous heights.
The pennons of the escort ~iuttered in tn
breeze as the men on horseback tosse
their lances high in air in salutation OF thel
lord. The archer guard stood ranked an
ready, bows on their shoulders and arrow
In culver. Horses neighed, armor clanke
and sparkled, and from the moat pratforl
twenty silver trumpets tlared a fanfare a