ld do--and better. To-morrow we shall surely want you. You have
been three nights without sleep. Take your rest. I order you in your
master's name."

And on the bare stone, outside Maud Lindesay's empty room, Sholto
threw himself down and slept as sleep the dead.

But that night, save about the chamber where abode the mother of the
Douglases, the hum of life never ceased in the great Castle of
Thrieve. Whether my lady slept or not, God knows. At any rate the door
was closed and there was silence within.

Sholto awoke smiling in the early dawn. He had been dreaming that he
and Maud Lindesay were walking on the shore together. It was a lonely
beach with great driftwood logs whereon they sat and rested ere they
took hands again and walked forth on their way. In his dream Maud was
kind, her teasing, disdainful mood quite gone. So Sholto awoke
smiling, but in a moment he wished that he had slept on.

He lay a space, becoming conscious of a pain in his heart--the
overnight pain of a great disaster not yet realised. For a little he
knew not what it was. Then he saw himself lying at Maud's open door,
and he remembered--first the death of his masters, then the loss of
the little maid, and lastly that of Maud, his own winsome sweetheart
Maud. In another moment he had leaped to his feet, buckled his
sword-belt tighter, slung his cloak into a corner, and run downstairs.

The house guard which had ridden to Crichton and Edinburgh had been
replaced from the younger yeomen of the Kelton and Balmaghie levies,
even as the Earl had arranged before his departure. But of these only
a score remained on duty. All who could be spared had gone to join the
march on Edinburgh, for Galloway was set on having vengeance on the
Chancellor and had sworn to lay the capital itself in ashes in revenge
for the Black Dinner of the castle banqueting-hall.

The rest of the guard was out searching for the bonny maids of
Thrieve, as through all the countryside Margaret Douglas and Maud
Lindesay were named.

Eager as Sholto was to accompany the searchers, and though he knew
well that no foe was south of the Forth to assault such a strong place
as Thrieve, he did not leave the castle till he had set all in order
so far as he could. He appointed Andro the Penman and his brother John
officers of the garrison during his absence.

Then, having seen to his accoutrement and providing, for he did not
mean to return till he had found the maids, he went lastly