The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-12

futtered a gay kerchief in his left
hand
Then Margaret Douglas went back
within the gates, where she encountered
Maud Lindsay, coming through the
castle yard to meet her For that morn
ing she had not wished to encounter
Sholto-at least among so many. The
two maidens walked on together, and
which was the fairer the black or the
nut-brown, none could say who beneld
them
After a while Margaret Douglas
sighed.
L wonder which of them I like the
best?" she said.
Maud laughed a merry, scornful laugh
in which was a world of superior
knowledge
You do not like either of them very
much yet or you would have no dill
Guilty about the matter" said this wise
woman.
We'll wonder which of them loves
me best" she went on. James tells
me oe if a hundred times every day
and all day. But William says nothing.
He only looks at me often as II he as
approved of me- l am over light for
him, trow. He thinks not of me-"
Then, after pause, she said, again
with her finger on her lin:
I wonder which of them would do
most Tor my sake?
4 know said Maud Lindsay
promptly.
With the young Anomalies there had
ridden Malise and his son, Laurence, on
their way TO the abbey of Dulce Cor.
Sholto went also with them, to convoy
them to the fords of Urr.
For Laurence was to be a clerk after
all.
And fbie &c tho xrax, ba evDIaipod II
THE 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 has proved 'driech to draw
up"
But she will be in good time" urged
Laurence, ."and she must persuade the
Lady Margaret of. my many and sur
prisng 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 1 dirked the old witch
woman, or so they say. And that was
no clerl1ly action" objected his brother.
Fear not" said Sholto. You shall
have all of her favor you need without
working by means of another'S petit
coat. 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 wherel"
"Pshaw,' cried Laurence, II never
yet saw the lass 1 liked better than
myself. And I never expect to see one
that shall like better than the fat
| revenues of the abbacy of Dulce Corr"
He paused moment as If roguishly
considering some point.
Besides" he went on, WED 1 may
not, but woo-that is another matter.
1 had never heard that an abbott
"Good-day!" said Sholto suddenly at
this point, Il will not stay to hear you
blaspheme."
And leaving his father and Laurence
to ride westward he turned him back
| toward Thrieve.
Il will surely return tomorrow" cried
Malise. Il must first see this bantam
safely in New. Aye, and bid the Abbot
William clip his wings, too"
So in the gay morning sunshine and
with the glinting of the lift reflected
dark blue from tarn and lakelet, Sholto
MacKim rode toward the castle of
Thrieve. He bethought him on all that
had bygone. The Anomalies were away,
James the Gross might die any mo-
ment-might even now be dead and
William be earl in his place.
He thought over William of Avon
dale's last words to himself, spoken
with deep solemnity and all the dignity
Of q great spirit.
"Sholto, you and yours have brought
to justice the chief betrayer. The time
is at hand when, having the power, 1
viii settle with Criehton and Living
ston, the lesser villains. And in that
count and reckoning you shall be my
right hand man. Keep sweet young
Margaret safe for my sake. She is very
precious to me-indeed beyond my life.
And for this time fare you WE'LL
And he had reached 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
gripped him 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. now walking
alone. At sight of her he Ieaped from
his horse, and without salutation of
spoken speech walked by her side.
How came you here alone?" he
asked.
Maud made her little pouting move
ment of the lips and kicked viciously
at a tuft of grass.
Il forgot" she said. hypocriticaIIy;
I ought to have asked leave of that
noble knight, the captain OF Thrieve
We poor maids must not breathe with
out his permission-nO, nor cen walk
out to meet him when we are lone
some
Maud Lindsay lifted her eyes sud
denly, and shot at SholtO a glance so
disabling, that, alarmed for the conse-
quences, she yelled her eyes again by
dropping her long lashes circumspectly
upon her cheek.
Ibid you really come out to meet me,
Maud?' cried Sholto. all the life flood
ing suddenly to his cheeks; lin this you
speak truth and no mockery?"
L only said that We feared our cas-
ties 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 me!' he said, you will tell me
plainly-do you love me or do you not?''
Maud Lindsay puckered her pretty
face as if she had been about to cry.
You hurt my arm" she said, plain
pathetic gaze af a gentle animal put in
pain.
Sholto perforce released the pressure
on her arm. She instantly put both
hands behind her.
You did not hurt me at all, hear you
that, Master Sholto," she cried, land I
do not love you-not that much, sir no.
BILE knight"
And she snapped her finger and