es, I fear it may endanger the dissolution of your family
match, which we brought about with so much difficulty. The authority
from Rome has not yet been obtained."

"A toy!" answered Douglas, haughtily; "they dare not dissolve it."

"Not while Douglas is at large, and in possession of his power,"
answered Albany. "But, noble earl, come with me, and I will show you at
what disadvantage you stand."

Douglas dismounted, and followed his wily accomplice in silence. In a
lower hall they saw the ranks of the Brandanes drawn up, well armed in
caps of steel and shirts of mail. Their captain, making an obeisance to
Albany, seemed to desire to address him.

"What now, MacLouis?" said the Duke.

"We are informed the Duke of Rothsay has been insulted, and I can scarce
keep the Brandanes within door."

"Gallant MacLouis," said Albany, "and you, my trusty Brandanes, the Duke
of Rothsay, my princely nephew, is as well as a hopeful gentleman can
be. Some scuffle there has been, but all is appeased."

He continued to draw the Earl of Douglas forward. "You see, my lord," he
said in his ear, "that, if the word 'arrest' was to be once spoken,
it would be soon obeyed, and you are aware your attendants are few for
resistance."

Douglas seemed to acquiesce in the necessity of patience for the time.
"If my teeth," he said, "should bite through my lips, I will be silent
till it is the hour to speak out."

George of March, in the meanwhile, had a more easy task of pacifying
the Prince. "My Lord of Rothsay," he said, approaching him with grave
ceremony, "I need not tell you that you owe me something for reparation
of honour, though I blame not you personally for the breach of contract
which has destroyed the peace of my family. Let me conjure you, by
what observance your Highness may owe an injured man, to forego for the
present this scandalous dispute."

"My lord, I owe you much," replied Rothsay; "but this haughty and all
controlling lord has wounded mine honour."

"My lord, I can but add, your royal father is ill--hath swooned with
terror for your Highness's safety."

"Ill!" replied the Prince--"the kind, good old man swooned, said you, my
Lord of March? I am with him in an instant."

The Duke of Rothsay sprung from his saddle to the ground, and was
dashing into the palace like a greyhound, when a feeble grasp was
laid on his cloak, and the faint voice of a kneeling female exclaimed,
"Protection, my noble prince!--protection f