en into
the land of the Angles, where there is sport in plenty for those who
would seek it."

The Lady Adela looked up in shocked surprise.

"But," said she, "you do not surely count the Angles among your enemies,
my lord? The Scots are at peace these many years with my country England."

"I should be grieved to call any man my enemy who is your friend, my
fair Lady Adela," said Roderic gallantly. "But though the Scots be
indeed at peace with King Henry, yet the brave Easterlings of Ireland do
ofttimes find the need of slaying a few of your proud countrymen; and if
I help them -- well, where there is aught to be gained what matters it
who our victims be, or what lands we invade? I am for letting him take
who has the power to conquer. Let them keep their own who can.

"What say you, Sir Oscar? Am I not right?"

"I am a man of peace, Earl Roderic," said Sir Oscar Redmain gravely. "I
have no enemies but the enemies of my king and country. And methinks, my
lord, that a loyal subject of the King of Scots is but a traitorous
hound if he stoop to take arms in favour of either Easterling or
Norseman, and against our good friends of England. You, my lord, may
perhaps pay fealty to King Hakon of Norway, as well as to his majesty
Alexander of Scotland. It is not all men who can make it so easy to
serve two masters."

"A traitorous hound, forsooth! You surely mistake me, Sir Oscar," cried
Roderic, reddening at the reproach. "I said not that I paid truage to
any king but our own King of Scots, God bless him! And though, indeed,
King Alexander is but a stripling, knowing little of kingcraft, yet,
even though he were a babe in arms, he and no other is still my
sovereign lord."

And at that he raised his goblet to his lips and drank a deep draught of
wine. Then, lightly turning to the lady of Rothesay, and helping her to
cut up the venison on her platter, that she might the more easily take
the small pieces in her dainty white fingers, he said:

"After the rough roving life that I have been leading these many years,
my lady, 'tis truly a great joy to come back once more to the peaceful
Isle of Bute. Much do I envy my good brother Hamish, in that he hath so
beauteous a partner as yourself to sit before him at his board. Truly he
is a most fortunate man!"

Adela's fair cheeks blushed rosy red at this compliment, but she did not
smile.

"Methinks, Lord Roderic," said she, nervously breaking the white bread
cake at her side, "