The Black Douglas | Page 3

hold up."
And seizing his younger brother by the collar of his blue working
blouse, he dragged him upon his feet.
"Now, by the saints," said Sholto, "if you cast your gibes upon me, by
Saint Andrew I will break every bone in your idiot's body."

"The purple velvet--oh, the purple velvet!" gasped Laurence, as soon as
he could recover speech, "and the eyes of Maud Lindesay!"
"That will teach you to think rather of the eyes of Laurence MacKim!"
cried Sholto, and without more ado he hit his brother with his clinched
knuckles a fair blow on the bridge of his nose.
The next moment the two youths were grappling together like wild cats,
striking, kicking, and biting with no thought except of who should have
the best of the battle. They rolled on the floor, now tussling among the
crackling faggots, anon pitching soft as one body on the peat dust in the
corner, again knocking over a bench and bringing down the tools
thereon to the floor with a jingle which might have been heard far out
on the loch. They were still clawing and cuffing each other in blind
rage, when a hand, heavy and remorseless, was laid upon each. Sholto
found himself being dabbled in the great tempering cauldron which
stood by his father's forge. Laurence heard his own teeth rattle as he
was shaken sideways till his joints waggled like those of a puppet at
Keltonhill Fair. Then it was his turn to be doused in the water. Next
their heads were soundly knocked together, and finally, like a pair of
arrows sent right and left, Laurence sped forth at the window in the
gable end and found himself in the midst of a gooseberry bush, whilst
Sholto, flying out of the door, fell sprawling on all fours almost under
the feet of a horse on which a young man sat, smilingly watching the
scene.
Brawny Kim scattered the embers of the fire on the forge-hearth, and
threw the breastplate and girdle-brace at which the boys had been
working into a corner of the smithy. Then he turned to lock the door
with the massive key, which stood so far out from the upper leaf that to
it the horses waiting their turns to be shod were ordinarily tethered.
As he did so he caught sight of the young man sitting silent on the
black charger. Instantly a change passed over his face. With one motion
of his hand he swept the broad blue bonnet from his brow, and bowed
the grizzled head which had worn it low upon his breast. Thus for the
breathing of a breath the master armourer stood, and then, replacing his
bonnet, he looked up again at the young knight on horseback.

"My lord," he said, after a long pause, in which he waited for the youth
to speak, "this is not well--you ride unattended and unarmed."
"Ah, Malise," laughed the young Earl, "a Douglas has few privileges if
he may not sometimes on a summer eve lay aside his heavy prisonment
of armour and don such a suit as this! What think you, eh? Is it not a
valiant apparel, as might almost beseem one who rode a-courting?"
The mighty master-smith looked at the young man with eyes in which
reverence, rebuke, and admiration strove together.
"But," he said, wagging his head with a grave humorousness, "your
lordship needs not to ride a-courting. You are to be married to a great
dame who will bring you wealth, alliance, and the dower of provinces."
The young man shrugged his shoulders, and swung lightly off his
charger, which turned to look at him as he stood and patted its neck.
"Know you not, Malise," he said, "that the Earl of Douglas must needs
marry provinces and the Lord of Galloway wed riches? But what is
there in that to prevent Will Douglas going courting at eighteen years
of his age as a young man ought. But have no fear, I come not hither
seeking the favour of any, save of that lily flower of yours, the only
true May-blossom that blooms on the Three Thorns of Carlinwark. I
would look upon the angel smile on the face of your little daughter
Magdalen. An she be here, I would toss her arm-high for a kiss of her
mouth, which I would rather touch than that of lady or leman. For I do
ever profess myself her vassal and slave. Where have you hidden her,
Malise? Declare it or perish!"
The smith lifted up his voice till it struck on the walls of his cottage and
echoed like thunder along the shores of the lake.
"Dame Barbara," he cried, and again, getting no answer, "ho, Dame
Barbara, I say!"
Then at the second hallo,