The Washington times., 1913-01-18

x oio~. Ihc SQUARE lOIIH OI tHe
chieftain of the Kyles appeared
in the doorway.
Black Archibald must have seen the
reflection of danger in my eyes. for he
wheeled around even before he could
have heard my Look OUT In sooth.
/ doubt IL he ever heard 1t, for Ronald
Macdonald made a spring and a sklent
with his claymore.
Hey, Black, is It YOURSELF he roar
ed. With the words something neavy
and round spun across the room, struck
the wall, and, leaving a great stain,
fell with a thump to the floor. Black
Archibald, IL that can be named which
is headless body, swayed on his heels,
then gently collapsed in a heap.
The Macdonald looked down on MS
horrible work with a triumphant sneer.
Hey. Archibald" said he. 1T was
the grand dinner"'
Presently he looked at me, recogniz-
ing me-to my shame-instantly. But
his eyes fingered only a second then
Travelled to the door IN the wall.
what's yon?' he cried. above the
din from below. Hey A passage?"
His eyes actually twinkled hs he
looked at the opening. and at the other
doors of the room. Besides the one by
another to the left. He opened 1t. and
Immediately from the gloom beyond
came the pandemonium Of the fight in
sudden volume. The candle-light re-
vealed a balcony, which 1 knew over
looked the great dining hall.
The Macdonald chuckled to himself.
and, making dive for the head OF
Black Archibald, with the other. hand
he seized the candle.
A Mortified witness, I stood there
where the laird had cornered me. as the
chieftain of the Kyles stepped out on
-, 10.
pit of he'll. he lifted the dripping head
by the hair, and putting the candle be-
tween 1t and his own face. shouted:
''Macdonalds! A head for the head OF
my fatheri"
There was a sudden terrible hush then
a roar of mingled triumph and rage
shook the castle from tower to dungeon.
A pistol shot sounded and the candle
was snuffed out. The Macdonald sprang
back into the room.
across the bed on his elbows-for he
carried the candle. and the head with
him-and disappeared into the hole in
the wall
knowing how much more impossible
my situation would be II I were found
there after that awful sight, slipped
through the secret door and drew II
close behind me. 1t shut with snap,
lust as there came the thunder of scores
Of feet on the stircase and the upper
landing.
(which way?" whispered the Mac
donald, in a pitchy blackness.
II am as much in the dark as your
self" / said.
Then" chuckled the Macdonald.
well light the dip again"
BY the dim candle-light a fight Of
narrow stairs descended. I know now
that we were between a false and an
outer wall of the castle, In an escape
which descended to the foundation.
~ h4N q r1f
tunnel, partly Of natural rock. ran out
ward for a considerable distance. 1t
ended abruptly in a pool OF water which
recognized presently as a natural
cavern called the DEVILS Kitchen. II
was a place where. In summer. the lads
and Iassies came to wish. for there was
a superstition about the pool A flight
Of rudely cut steps led up to the open
air. to a kind Of bower In the castle
woods.
Here we had time to draw breath
and consider our situation. The
sounds of strife within the castle
came to my ears as a dull rumble, for
the clearer conflict was without the
castle, and 1t seemed fiercest on the
beach by the boats
The Macdonald observing this. 1
suppose. stayed not a moment Throw
ing away the candle. he changed the
head to his left hand. and. drawing
Presently / heard his voice above the
tumult. and I could picture him
spreading dismay and triumph with
the head and his broadsword.
BY and by a host Of Campbells. led
by a man named Dirk Cover rushed
through the woods as II to fall hack !
on their corrsdes bv the castle door. |
Close behind them came the Nscdcn-
sl6 and his men. |
As the chieftain passed my hiding |
rlsre he yelled to me-:
Come on. Campbell! Follow your |
masters head"
I turned away. overcome with sha me |
and fatigue. The uproar OF the battle |
doomed and crashed In my brain. The |
trees beRain to twist and interlace as |
II to imprison me. staggered for |
ws rd. instinctively making for home. |
When arrived there. the same |
strange trance found me laughing at |
the flames which enveloped the farm /
house from byre 10 attic. remem- |
Der being pleased to think that those /
WHO had fred nv fathers house had |
turned out the horses and cows. for |
they were standing stupidlv about /
the fields ae I reeled across the long
pa sture to the burn mouth.
II was not until ' came I" the boat |
that 7 fully realized what 7 was about |
Tire boat wss empty Msriposa was
pone' For that matter. So was the
man called Rob Evervthing was
honor. and Mariposa, 7 |
he'd ever lost the borrowed sword.
sat down on the cold stones and