hat now, Malcolm, forgetting that your part is to
come and disarm the knight who does you the honour to be your guest?' And
Sir Patrick rather roughly pushed him forward, gruffly whispering, 'Leave
not Lily to supply your lack of courtesy.'

Malcolm shambled forward, bewildered, as the keen auburn eye fell on him,
and the cheery kindly voice said, 'Ha! a new book--a romance? Well may
that drive out other thoughts.'

'Had he ears to hear such a whisper?' thought Malcolm, as he mumbled in
the hoarse voice of bashful boyhood, 'Not a romance, Sir, but whatever
the good fathers at Coldingham would lend me.'

'It is the "Itinerarium" of the blessed Adamnanus,' replied Father
Ninian, producing from his bosom a parcel, apparently done up in many
wrappers, a seal-skin above all.

'The "Itinerarium"!' exclaimed Sir James, 'methought I had heard of such
a book. I have a friend in England who would give many a fair rose noble
for a sight of it.'

'A friend in England!'--the words had a sinister sound to the audience,
and while Malcolm jealously gathered up the book into his arms, the
priest made cold answer, that the book was the property of the Monastery
at Coldingham, and had only been lent to Lord Malcolm Stewart by special
favour. The guest could not help smiling, and saying he was glad books
were thus prized in Scotland; but at that moment, as the sunny look shone
on his face, and he stood before the fire in the close suit of chamois
leather which he wore under his armour, old Sir David exclaimed, 'Ha!
never did I see such a likeness. Patie, you should be old enough to
remember; do you not see it?'

'What should I see? Who is he like?' asked Patrick, surprised at his
father's manner.

'Who?' whispered Sir David in a lowered voice; 'do you not see it? to the
unhappy lad, the Duke of Rothsay.'

Patrick could not help smiling, for he had been scarcely seven years old
at the time of the murder of the unfortunate Prince of Scotland; but a
flush of colour rose into the face of the guest, and he shortly answered,
'So I have been told;' and then assuming a seat near Sir David, he
entered into conversation with him upon the condition of Scotland at the
period, inquiring into the state of many of the families and districts by
name. Almost always there was but one answer--murder--harrying--foray;
and when the question followed, 'What had the Regent done?' there was a
shrug of the shoulders, and as often Sir James's face f