Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-11

make it. For, but for You and our good
Sholto there, this eve lamb would have
| been carrion, indeed.'
| Goodbye" cried James of Avondale.
| Haste thee and grow up, sweet coz Then
| Will L come back with the rest of the cor
bies and take my chance of the feast i
| viii keep myself for that day.
But William Douglas sat square and
! silent on his charger.
| The maid of Galloway waved her hand
| gayly to the younger.
You shall have your chance with the
| rest she cried. put you will not like me
| then. Very likely l may have to fieech and
| cozen with you nike the sweetie wife at
| fair Before either of you win marry me.
And you know, L have sworn on the bones
| of St. Bride to marry none but Douglas
| of the Douglases!'
Then William Douglas saluted without
! word, and turning his bride rein rode
| away with his face steadfastly set to the
| north But James ever cried back fare
| wells and jovial words long after he was
out of hearing. And even on the heights of
keiton muir he still futtered a gay kerchief
! in his left hand
Then Margaret Douglas went back with
| in the gates, where she encountered Maud
| Lindsay, coming through the castle yard
| to meet her. For that morning she had not
| wished to encounter Sholto-at least among
| so many. The two maidens walked on to-
gether. and which was the fairer, the black
| or the nut-brown, none could say who be-
! held them.
After while Margaret Douglas sighed.
| Il wonder which of them like the best?"
| she said
| Maud laughed a merry, scornful laugh in
| which was world of superior knowledge.
| You do not like either of them very
much vet, or you would have no difficulty
| about the matter" said this wise woman.
| sWell, 1 wonder which of them loves me
| best, she went on. James tells me of 1t
hundred times every day and all day. But
William says nothing. He only looks at
| me often as if he disapproved of me. 1
| overnight for him, 1 know. He thinks not
| of me-
Then, after a pause, she said, again with
| her fingers on her lin:
| Il wonder which of them would do most
| for my sake?''
Il know" said Maud Lindsay, promptly:
| With the young Anomalies there had rid
| den Malise and his son Laurence on their
| way to the abbey of Dulce Cor. Shoto
| went also with them to convoy them to
| the fords of Urr.
| For Laurence was to be a clerk after all.
And this is the way he explained it,
| "rhe abbot cannot live long, and there is
| no Douglas to succeed him. Your little
maid will make me abbot, if that Maud of
| yours does her duty
She is not my Maud yet sighed sholto:
for, as they say in Scotland, the lady had
| proved 'driech to draw up
| But she will be in good time" urged
! Laurence, land she must persuade the
| Lady Margaret of my many and surprising
| virtues
| 1.-The Lady Margaret hath doubtless seen
| these for herself. Were you not bound
| beside her on the iron altar?" said Sholto.
| Yes; but L dirked the old witch woman,
| or so they say. And that was no clerkly
| action, objected his brother.
| Fear not said Sholto You shall have
| all of her favor you need without working
| by means of another'S petticoat. But how
| about marrying? You cannot wed or WOO
| if you are a clerk. You did not use to be
so unfond of a lass in the gloamings along
| the sweet strand called the Walk of Lovers
you know wherer'
| "Pshah" cried Laurence, 81 never yet
| saw the lass I liked better than myself.
And l never expect to see one that 1 shall
| like better than the fat revenues of the
| Abbacy of Dulce Corr
| He paused moment as If roguishly con-
| sidering some point.
| Besides he went on, wed I may not,
| but woo-that is another matter. I had
never heard that an abbot"
| Good day." cried Sholto suddenly at this
| point, Il will not stay to hear you bias
| pheme."
| And leaving his father and Laurence to
| ride westward he turned him back toward
| Thrieve.
Il viii surely return tomorrow" cried
Mahse. y must first see this bantam
| safely in New. Aye, and bid the Abbot
William. clip hi. wings, tooF.. j..
| So in the gay morning sunshine and with
| the ginting of the lift reflected dark blue
from tarn and lakelet, Sholto MacKim rode
toward the castle of Thrieve. He be-
thought him on all that had bygone. The
Avondales were away, James the Gross
| might die any moment-might even now be
dead and William be earl in his place.
He thought over William of Avondale's
last words to himself, spoken with deep
solemnity and all the dignity of a great
spirit.
"Sholto, you and yours have brought to
justice the chief betrayer. The time is at
hand, when, having the power, l will settle
with Crichton and Livingston, the lesser
Williams. And in that count and reckoning
you shall be my right hand man Keep
sweet Margaret for
She is very precious to me-indeed beyond
my life. And for this time fare you WE'LL
And he had reached a mailed hand to
the captain of the Douglas guard, and
when Sholto would have bent his head upon
it to kiss it, William of Avondale grpped
his suddenly, as one grasps a comrades
hand when the heart is touched, and so was
gone
At the verge of the fowery pastures that
ring the Isle of Thrieve, Sholto met Maud
Lindsay, walking alone. At sight of
her he leaped from his horse, and without
salutaton of spoken speech walked by her
side.
How came you here alone?" he asked
Maud made her little pouting movement
of the lips, and kicked viciously at a tuft
of f.. grass ass, - ,o .,a ,.noou,,,oop,,. .s
ought to have asked leave of that noble
knight the captain Of Thrieve. We poor
maids must not breathe without his per-
mission-no, nor cen walk out to meet him
when we are lonesome
and shot at Sholto a glance so disabling,
that alarmed for the consequences, she
yelled her eyes again by dropping her long
lashes circumspectly upon her check.
Did you really come out to meet me,
Maud?'' cried Sholto all the life flooding
suddenly to his cheeks; in this you speak
truth and no mockery?"
Il only said that we feared our castles
governor SO that we must not walk out
even to meet him.
At this Sholto let his horse go where it
would and as they were passing at The
time through a coppice of hazel he caught
his saucy sweetheart quickly by the wrist.
Mistress Maud. You shall not play with
mel" he said you will tell me plainly
do you love me do you not?'
Maud Lindsay puckered her pretty face
as if she had been about to cry.
You hurt my arm she said plaintively.
looking up at him with the long. pathetic
gaze of a gentle animal put in pain.
ShOto perforce released the pressure on
her arm. She instantly put both hands be-
hind her.
You did not hurt me at ALL hear you
that Master Sholto,'' she cried, land / do
not love you-not that much, sir noble
knight"
he SDopna6 her