y to
Jerusalem that King Alfonso of Spain was fighting the Saracens at
Granada, and couldn't resist offering his help, being sure that Robert
Bruce would have done the same; how in battle against Osmyn, the Saracen
king, he was hard pressed, and taking the casket with Brace's heart in
it from over his own heart, he threw it far ahead of him in the enemy's
ranks, shouting, "Pass first in fight, as thou wert ever wont. Douglas
will follow thee or die!" And how he did both follow and die, but
falling only when he had killed many Moslems and hewed his way through
their bodies to where the heart lay.

"That's the old story of the Douglas Heart," said the soldier-man, "and
there's a new story of the Douglas Heart I hope you'll let me tell you
some day before long, because it's even more interesting--to me."

"Why, then, I expect it will be to me too," said I politely, "so why not
tell it me now, in Melrose Abbey, the place of all places?"

He looked at me in an odd way, and said, "Yes, it _is_ the place of all
places; but I'm afraid it's a little too early in the day----"

Just then Basil came up to announce that Mrs. James had sent him to
fetch me, as we must return to the hotel and dress.

"Too bad!" I exclaimed. But as Sir S. was not far off I called to him,
"Don't you think we may come back here again after dinner?"

"Certainly, if you like," he answered. "Although the moon will have
gone."

"That doesn't matter," said I; "there will be stars. Mr. Douglas has a
_new_ story of the Douglas Heart to tell me, which he thinks is even
more interesting than the old, and it ought to be told in the Abbey."

When I explained this, Donald Douglas turned bright scarlet, and all
three of the Vannecks burst out laughing, which I thought extremely rude
and uncalled for. But Sir S. looked as solemn as a judge.

"No doubt he's right about it's being more interesting, and quite as
credible," said he.

I don't know whether Mr. Douglas would have asked Mrs. James and me to
walk over to the Abbey with him after dinner or not, if the weather had
kept fine, but a thunder shower came up and it poured. So, although I
teased him again to tell me the new story, when everybody but Mrs. James
and he and I were playing bridge in our private sitting-room, he
refused. "I'll wait till Edinburgh," he said, "if you'll let me see you
there."

I had to explain that I didn't know where I should stay in Edinburgh, as
that would depend upon my moth