will," said
Dwining. "Just as if the pieces of brass that were screaming a minute
since should pretend to call those notes their own which are breathed
through them by a frowsy trumpeter."

"Wretched man!" said Catharine, "either be silent or turn thy thoughts
to the eternity on the brink of which thou art standing."

"And what is that to thee?" answered Dwining. "Thou canst not, wench,
help hearing what I say to thee, and thou wilt tell it again, for thy
sex cannot help that either. Perth and all Scotland shall know what a
man they have lost in Henbane Dwining!"

The clash of armour now announced that the newcomers had dismounted and
entered the castle, and were in the act of disarming the small garrison.
Earl Douglas himself appeared on the battlements, with a few of his
followers, and signed to them to take Ramorny and Dwining into custody.
Others dragged from some nook the stupefied Bonthron.

"It was to these three that the custody of the Prince was solely
committed daring his alleged illness?" said the Douglas, prosecuting an
inquiry which he had commenced in the hall of the castle.

"No other saw him, my lord," said Eviot, "though I offered my services."

"Conduct us to the Duke's apartment, and bring the prisoners with
us. Also should there be a female in the castle, if she hath not been
murdered or spirited away--the companion of the glee maiden who brought
the first alarm."

"She is here, my lord," said Eviot, bringing Catharine forward.

Her beauty and her agitation made some impression even upon the
impassible Earl.

"Fear nothing, maiden," he said; "thou hast deserved both praise and
reward. Tell to me, as thou wouldst confess to Heaven, the things thou
hast witnessed in this castle."

Few words served Catharine to unfold the dreadful story.

"It agrees," said the Douglas, "with the tale of the glee maiden, from
point to point. Now show us the Prince's apartment."

They passed to the room which the unhappy Duke of Rothsay had been
supposed to inhabit; but the key was not to be found, and the Earl could
only obtain entrance by forcing the door. On entering, the wasted and
squalid remains of the unhappy Prince were discovered, flung on the bed
as if in haste. The intention of the murderers had apparently been to
arrange the dead body so as to resemble a timely parted corpse, but they
had been disconcerted by the alarm occasioned by the escape of Louise.
Douglas looked on the body of the misguide