old Abbot Thurstan been cramming you with? Would you pardon the man who
has slain our own father?"

"Pardon him?" exclaimed Kenric. "No, never will I do that. If you slay
him not, Alpin, then, by the holy rood, I myself will do so. But it
shall be in fair fight that I will overcome him, and by no mean subterfuge."

The two lads were now at the entrance of the larger hall, wherein the
good Earl Hamish lay dead. Alpin went within, and there, bending over
his father's body, he was overwhelmed by his grief. He staggered to a
seat and sat down with his head in his hands, weeping piteously.

Kenric heard loud voices in the corridor, and grasping his sword he
hastened to where the guards were stationed. Duncan Graham, of the long
arm, was holding parley with the three earls within the smaller hall.
His broad frame filled up the half-open doorway, so that the presence of
the armed guard was not yet known to Roderic and his two companions.

"More wine it may be you can have," said Duncan; "but as to bringing you
your swords, that I cannot do without orders from my master."

"I am now your master!" said the gruff voice of Roderic of Gigha; "and
again I command you to bring us our swords and dirks."

"You are no master of mine, Earl Roderic," said Duncan; "and now for
your insolence shall you have neither wine nor weapons," and with that
he slammed to the door.

"Insolent varlet!" growled Roderic within the room.

"Nay, calm yourself, good Roderic," said the voice of Erland the Old;
"we had better have tarried till daylight. It may be that they have
already discovered what you have done. Truly you were an arrant
simpleton to leave the weapon in your brother's breast. 'Twould have
served our further purpose well."

Kenric heard these last words, and though they were spoken in the
Danish, yet full well did he understand that the further purpose of Earl
Roderic was indeed the slaying of the Lady Adela and Alpin.

Assured that the three miscreants were unarmed, he drew Duncan aside and
whispered his commands, which were that four of the guards should follow
him into the room and make prisoners of the three island kings.
Thereupon Duncan went back to the door and forced it open, and Kenric,
with buckler on arm and sword in hand, marched in, and standing firmly
upright faced the three men defiantly.

"Which man of you is Earl Roderic of Gigha?" said he.

CHAPTER VI. ALPIN'S VOW OF VENGEANCE.

Erland the Old, with an