The San Francisco call., 1905-08-20

baan Of bonnet pieces of the Kings
own coinage Beside this heap lay
scroll with the requisites for writing.
The money-taker, gaunt 1oreisheI
clad in long robes like a monk, closeu
the door and barred it securely, then
returned to the table. He nodded 10
Sir David and glanced with some DIS
trust upon his plaid-covered compan-
ion. CO..
Whom have you brought to US, SIR
Lyndsay?" asked the man susplclously'
"A friend of mine, the master OF bal-
lenge-ch5 one who can keep ms omn
counsel and who wishes 10 turn al
honest penny"
..Wa admit none except those con-
nected with the court" demurred the
n,oney-taker.
well. in a manner, Ballengeich is
connected with the court. He supplies
the castle with the products OF his
farm"
Il am deeply grieved to refuse you,
sir. but I cannot disobey my strict in
structions."
impatiently, I'VE will stay no further
question. Sir David here is a close
friend of the King, and friend of my
own. therefore we will return TO the
castle and get the Kings warrant, % H.
which, trust, will open any door IN
Stirling"
The warder seemed nonplused at
this. and looked quickly from one TO
the other: finally he said:
will you allow me a moment to con-
suit with nv master?'
VERY well, so that you do not hold
us long" replied the master OF Bailen-
geich.
Il shall do my errand quickly, for at
this moment / am keeping the whole
nobility of Scotland waiting"
The man disappeared, taking, how
ever. the gold with him in a bag. In
short space of time he returned, ana
bowling to the two waiting men he
said:
MY master is anxious to please you,
Sir LINDSAY, and will accept the
money of your friend."' Whereupon
the two placed upon the table five gold
pieces each and the amount was cred
tied opposite their names upon the
parchment l.
The experiment was carried on preo
cisely as Sir David had foretoid. but
there was one weird effect which the
poet had not mentioned. When the ne
cromancer added to the meltlng-pot
huge Jumps of what appeared to be
common soil from the field the mixture
glared each time with a new color.
Once a vivid violet color famed up,
which cast such livid death-like hue
on the faces of the knights there pres
ent that each looked upon the other in
obvious fear. Again the fame was
pure white; again scarlet; again blue;
again yellow. When at last the incan-
tation was complete the belloWs-Work
was stopped. The coruscating caldron
was lifted from the fire by an iron
hook and chain and set upon the stone
floor TO cool, bubbling and sparkling
like thing of evil; but the radiance
became duller and duller as time went
on. and finally its contents were poured
out into a mold of sand. and there con-
gealing, the result was lifted by tongs
and laid upon the scale. The bag of
gold was placed again in the opposite
disk, but the heated metal far out
weighed it. The wizard then unlocked
a desk and threw coin after coin in the
pan that held the bag, until at last the
beam of the scale hung level. The sec
retary now pushed forward table to
the edge of the platform, and on the
table placed a rush-light which served
but to illuminate the parchment before
him. With great rapidity lie counted
the gold pieces which were not in the
bag. then whispered to his master.
The room was deathly still as the
man in scarlet stepped forward to
make his announcement.
"I regret" he said, that our ex-
nerInent has not been as successful as
Il
caused by the poverty of the earth
from which I took my material l
shall dig elsewhere against our next
meeting. and then we may look for
better results. Tonight l can return
to you but double the money you gave
to my treasurer.
At this there went up what seemed
10 be a sigh, of relief from the audi
ence. which had been holding its
breath with all the eagerness of gam
bier who had made a stake and await
ed the outcome of the throw.
The necromancer, taking the parch-
ment, called out name after name,
and as each title was enunciated the
nearer of IL came to the edge of the
nlatform and received from the sec
retary double the amount of gold
nieces set down~on the parchment. AS
each man secreted his treasure, he
passed along out of the hall; and so II
came about that Sir David and Bal
lengeich. being the last on the list. re-
ceived the remaining coins on the ta-
BILE and silently took their departure.
The King spoke no word until they
had entered the castle and were with
in his private room. Once there, the
first thing he did was to pull from his
pouch the coins he had received and
examine them carefully one by one.
You will find them genuine" said
Sir DAVID. ndQ luSIl lSSlcu Dy a
goldsmith in Edinburgh and was as
sured the pieces are just what they
claim to be-"
Prudent MANI exclaimed the King,
throwing himself down on seat and
jingling the gold pieces. We'll. Davie,
what do you think of 1t all? Give me
an opinion as honest as the coin. Has
our visit tonight then taught you
nothing, David ~
Nothing but what I knew before.
What has it taught your Majesty?"
I'm the first place our charlatan
does not want the King to know what
he is doing, because when his subor-
dinate refused me admittance and
said to him / would appeal to the
King he saw at once that this was Sc
rious and wished to consult his mas
ter. His master was then willing to.
admit any one so long as there was no
appeal to the King. / therefore sur
mise he is most anxious to conceal his
operations from me. What is your
opinion, Davie?'
'It would seem that your Majesty
is in the right"
l. l. -