The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-28
M MAITER OOTT


 "a buckler. One thrust at him. He
 caught the blow In the cloak, tripped the fellow and threw him SO hard that l he fall stunned. Almost before his
 form touched the ground the armorer's s | whinger came down on the second man
 and laid him prostrate.
 l Harry of the Wynd now pushed for
 ward quickly to the house. He heard
 a suppressed whisper and bustle under
 CatherineA window. Then he saw a
 ladder being erected against the house. This was no Saint Valentines jest.
 He rushed forward. One of the party opposed him. Villain, you shall dle
 the death" shputed Harry of the wynd
 and drove his 'whinger furiously at the sword arm to parry and Harry felt his
 weapon go through flesh and bone.
 Scarcely waiting for his foe to drop the armorer snatched at the ladder, jerked 1t to the ground and drove his foot down upon the fellow who had been on 1t. pinning him fast.
 The rest now struck at him fiercely.
 but his a-mor heid. and his roar of
 Help! Help! Bows and blades, citizensl Help for St. Johnston" together with | the clatter of his whinger az he laid | about him justily. brought men from all the houses around Every ready as the citizens were for fray, they came armed and quick for fight. The assail- ants fled, carrying of their wounded men. except the man whom Harry of the Wynd had thrown from the ladder | and whom he now had by the throat. Let me go, and what Is past shall | be forgiven" said his prisoner. Thou hast done thou knowest not what!" T shall do something in giving thee oloven head presently" said Harry. of the Wynd, If thou standest not still" ss
 Hear me. Simon Clover" said tho | prisoner to Simon. who stood peering at him through the darkness.
 T know that voice." said Simon, though cannot see the face. Son | Henry, let this young man speak with me-" So saying the old man pulled the prisoner in and shut the door. We have caught none of them,' cried the burghers. who now returned from tie chase of the fugitives. We were hard on the heels Of two who helped 1 wounded one between them. but they reached sanctuary before we could catch them"
 Look here!" cried a citizen, who had arrived with a torch. "whose gay hand Is this?" He lifted up bloody hand which had been cut off with a clean cut at the wrist. Harry Smith had better show a pair of heels for it. This Is no common persons hand. but that of fine gentleman. See the ringw J
 ''Fie upon you!" shouted the rest. Would you have us yield up our rights and houses tamely?, Away and collect our friends on this same spot after sunrise. when we will consult on what to do."
 r As soon as they were gone the glover's door opened and Simon pulled Harry in. '"rhe prisoner has escaped" said he.
 The Smith suspected that the escape had been with -simon's connivanoe; and the suspicion was strengthened later when the glover showed himself reluctant to press an inquiry. into the outrage. The citizens. however. insist ed. and called on Sir Patrick Charteris. Provost of Perth. to take up their quarrel. which he did right speedily and doughtily &a
 With such effect did he push the charges before the King. that the people or Perth soon learned that Prince David had been forced by his royal father to dismiss his master of horse, Sir John Ramorney, and all Perth, that hated the vicious nobIe- man intensely, justly blaming him as the evil spirit of the Prince whispered the gossip that Robert III, mild and unroyal though he was. had sworn that he would have Ramorney's head If law could give 1t.
 doubted any longer that the man on the ladder. whom the smith had mis- used so, was David. Duke of Rothsay, and heir to the throne F .'
 The burghers were appeased by the infliction' of a heavy fine on Ramon ney That he had been engaged in the affray was proved by the hand that had been hewed off by the smith; for on it was his own signet ring.
 Not content with this disgrace, the luckless Prince was reckless enough to insult no less person than his father ln-iaw, Lord Douglas, feared through out the isles as the Black Douglas, whom few men dared beard Forced by his uncle. Duke of Albany. into a marriage with the daughter of Douglas when his own choice was the daughter of the Lord of March, the Prince had already flouted the Black Douglas by neglecting his wife and being openly Iaithiess to her. Now. on the very day Of his trouble over the attempt to kidnap Catherine. he had the temerity to kiss common singing girl in the presence of his grim father-ir-law.
 The Duke of Albany was quick to SoS hAS ShoHcc, anu upnolQ the cause of Douglas The Earl of March, af- fronted by the preference of his rivals daughter assafled both Douglas and Albany In council, and would have made formidable friend for the Duke of Rothsay if that unlucky young Prince had not calmly abandoned him Overborne by the combined power of his enemies. March retired and rode away to his frontiers vowing to open Scotland to the English. The tl1-starred Prince had not vet done himself enough of harm.i He rode to see Ramorney. with the kindly. in- tention of condotfng with him; but Ramorney showed too much grief over his lost hand to suit the Princes taste, Rothsay finally yawned in the face of his unfortunate friend and remarked that 1t was poor taste to fling & bloody hand at one's head every few minutes. Banterfngly he promised to have an iron one made.
 Ramorney turned from him with a low groan of despair and rage. Evil as he was. i'll as he had deliberately guided the Prince, he still had loved him as much as so twisted nature as his could love any one. Tn men like him, such rare and unnatural love turns to malignant hatred at the first wound. So 1t was with Ramorney; and when the Prince lightly turned from his cast-off favorite's bedside. he left behind him one who swore that he would exact a bitter payment.
 He knew who would help him and he 1 managed to communicate at once with the, Duke. of Albany, who wanted his nephew removed that he might wrest hA e. l. l.