The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-20

her uncle from his own opponent and
bringing him into collision with the
Earl Douglas.
''Often have I striven with mine uncle
Giles that he should ride no more in
the lists, for since he received the lance
thrust in the eye by the side Of La Pu
celle before the walls of Orleans. he
sees no more Alright but bears ever to
the side of the eye which sees, and
away from that wherein he had his
woundv'
Indeed, 1 knew not that the marshal
! de Retz had been wounded in the eye,
or L should not have permitted him to
ride in the tourney" said the earl, 1.-The
fault was mine alone"
The Lady Sybilla smiled upon him
very sweetly and graciously.
You are great soldiers-you Douglas
es. Six knights are chosen from the
muster of half kingdom to ride me-
lee. Four are Douglases, and, more
| over, cousins, German in blood
Indeed, we might we'll have COM
passed the sword play" said the Earl
| William, for in our 20 generations we
never learned aught else. Our arms are
strong enough and our skulls thick
enough, but even mine uncle, the abbot
hath his Latin by the ear, and one Sem
pie, simple burgher of Dumfries, did
best him at it-or at least would have
shamed him. but that he desired not to
lose the custom of the abbey.
When you come to France" replied
the girl, smiling on him, ''it will. in
deed, be stirring to see you ride about
with young Messire Lelain, the cham
pion of Burgundy, or with that mira
Diet Of Dillon, whose arm is like that
blow"
Truly" said the young earl modest
~, you do me over much homer My
cousin James, there. ne is the cham
pion among us, and alone could easily
have overborne me today even without
the aid of your uncle's blind eye. Even
William of Avondale is a better lance,
and young Hugh will be when his time
comes"
Your squire fought good fight"
she went on, though his countenance
does not commend itself to me, being
full of f-sufficience"
"Sholto-yes, he is his fathers son,
and fought well. He is a MacKim and
cannot Go otherwise. He will make a
good knight, and L will dub him one
ere this sun set for his valiant laying
on of the AK this day."
The great muster was now over. The
tents which had been dotted thickly
over the castle island were already
mostly struck, and the ground was lit
tered with miscellaneous debris. soon to
be carried off in trail carts with square
wooden bodies set on boughs of trees
and flung into the river by the earPs
varlets and stablemen
The liegemen of the Douglas were by
this time streaming homewards by
ever mountain pass. Over the heather
and through the Astounding morass
horse and foot took their way, no
| longer marching in military order, as
when they came but each lance TAX
ing the route which appeared the short
est to himself. North, east and west,
spearheads glinted and armor flashed
against the brown of the heather and
the green of the little wales wherein the
horses bent their heads to pull at the
meadow hay as their riders sought the
nearest way to their peel towers and
40-shillinG lands.
It was at the great gate of Thrieve
that the earl called for Sholto He had
been speaking to his cousin William,
strong, silent man, whose repute was
highest for good council among all the
branches of the house of Douglas.
Sholto came forward from the head
of his archer guard with haste which
betrayed his anxiety lest in some man
ner he had exceeded his duty. The earl
babe him kneel down. A little behind
the young Douglases of Avondale. Will
nam, James ana Hugh, sat their horses,
and the boy David, who had been left
at home to keep the castle, looked forth
disconsoIately from the window of the
great hall. On the steps stood the little
maid, Margaret, and her companion.
Maud Lindsay, who had come down to
meet the returning train of riders And.
truth to tell, that was what Sholto
cared most about He did not wish to
be diSgraced before them all
before his lord; the earl took his cousin
Williams sword out of his hand, and.
laying it on the shoulder of Sholto Mac
Kim, he said: Great occasions bring
forth good men, and enc battle tries the
temper of the sword. You, Sholto, have
been quickly tried. but thy father hath
long been tempering thee. Three days
agone you were but one of the archer
guard, yesterday you were made its
captain, today I dub you knight for the
strong courage of the heart that is