in, neither
could arrows reach them with any certain aim.

But on the castle's heights there had been collected many tons weight of
missile weapons, with machines for throwing them. One of these machines
was a Norse skotvagn or shooting truck. It was made like a wagon,
mounted on a pair of wheels. At its back end was a long shaft with an
open box at its extremity. This box had to be loaded with heavy stones.
Fixed to the axle of the wagon were two chains, one at either side, so
strong as to be able to suddenly check and hold the carriage when it was
running full tilt down a planked incline. As soon as the chains arrested
its race, it would shoot out its load on those below. It was always best
to load it with stones of different sizes.

Kenric was engaged in giving a last attention to this shot truck, when,
from the heights of the battlements, he saw the figure of Aasta the Fair
running towards the castle from the northward. It vexed him much to see
the wild girl thus exposed to the dangers that might soon overtake her,
and he bade Dovenald, the old bard, go down and unfasten the postern
that she might enter. Duncan Graham had already been sent south to the
abbey.

"How happens it, Aasta, that you went not to St. Blane's as you were
advised?" Kenric asked, when he met her in one of the lower corridors.

"My lord," said she, "I went but to the hill of Kilbride to watch the
ships in their passage through the Kyles, and I judge that they will be
here in the space of another hour. As I came backward through Glen More
I saw a band of men with Sweyn of Colonsay ravaging the farmsteads and
setting them in flames. Twelve cottages did I pass that had been razed
to the ground. The saints be praised, all our people are safe! But oh,
my lord, Lulach, Lulach is slain! He was the first to fall."

"Lulach?"

"Yes, and more. Know ye who slew him? It was even the man of whom we
heard speech in Gigha, Rudri the Rover."

"Since Lulach is dead, what boots it who slew him, Aasta? 'Tis but the
misfortune of war," said Kenric, turning away.

"Wait, my lord," said she, holding him back. "Methinks you do not know
this Rudri. But Elspeth Blackfell took little time to discover that
much. The man Rudri is none other than he who so basely slew your father
and overcame my lord Alpin in combat. Rudri the Rover is none other than
Roderic MacAlpin!"

Kenric drew back amazed. "Roderic MacAlpin!" he exclaimed. "The saints
protect us! Ah, simpl