m as great a rebel as his mother; I have ever
told thee thou wert a fool to leave him so long with his brainstruck
mother."

"She hath not, she dared not bring him with her to the murderer of his
kinsman--Duncan of Fife, I tell thee she dare not; but if she hath, why
he is but a child, a mere boy, incapable of forming judgment one way or
the other."

"Not so much a child as thou thinkest, my good lord; some sixteen years
or so have made a stalwart warrior ere this. Be warned; send off a
trusty messenger to the Tower of Buchan, and, without any time for
warning, bring that boy as the hostage of thy good faith and loyalty to
Edward; thou wilt thus cure him of his patriotic fancies, and render
thine interest secure, and as thou desirest to reward thy dutiful
partner, thou wilt do it effectually; for, trust me, that boy is the
very apple of her eye, in her affections her very doting-place."

"Jest not, Duncan, or by all the saints, thou wilt drive me mad!"
wrathfully exclaimed Buchan. "It shall be as thou sayest; and more, I
will gain the royal warrant for the deed--permission to this effect may
shorten this cursed confinement for us both. I have forgotten the boy's
age; his mother's high-sounding patriotism may have tinctured him
already. Thou smilest."

"At thy marvellous good faith in thy wife's _patriotism_, good
kinsman--oh, well perchance, like charity, it covereth a multitude of
sins."

"What meanest thou, my Lord of Fife?" demanded Buchan, shortly and
abruptly, pausing in his walk to face his companion, his suspicious
temper instantly aroused by Fife's peculiar tone. "What wouldst thou
insinuate? Tamper not with me; thou knowest I am no subject for a
jest."

"I have but to look on thee to know that, my most solemn-visaged
brother. I neither insinuate nor tamper with your lordship. Simply and
heartily I do but give thee joy for thy faith in female patriotism,"
answered Fife, carelessly, but with an expression of countenance that
did not accord with his tone.

"What, in the fiend's name, then, has urged her to this mad act, if it
be not what she and others as mad as she call patriotism?"

"May not a lurking affection for the Bruce have given incentive to love
of country? Buchan, of a truth, thou art dull as a sword-blade when
plunged in muddy water."

"Affection for the Bruce? Thou art mad as she is, Duncan. What the foul
fiend, knows she of the Bruce? No, no! 'tis too wild a tale--when have
they ever met