The Thirsty Sword

had come and whither it had gone he could not tell. Nor did he exercise his mind in fruitless questionings concerning her. Leaving the rock behind h

amber window; but the great banqueting hall wherein his father was wont to entertain his guests was dark, and Kenric thought this passing stran

ong reached his ears from the guardroom. Taking up a stone from the ground he was about to knock three loud knocks, when the door was ope

ing his father's seneschal, "whithe

at the abbey of St. Blane's? Well, sir, it's a bonnie night, you see, an

ould raise your hair on end. It was, as I believe, none other than the werewolf that I saw. First there was an old gray wolf with a white patch

y knowing fear," said Duncan, smiling and showing his great yellow teet

ewitched? It is true that she has that power of

- that though she looks but a girl of eighteen, she is yet full five score winters old. 'Tis idle talk

an instant she disappear

weary day that I have had among the hills, running high and low as though I were but a dumb hound made only to scent out game for those who know less of hunting than I do of building a

c. "It is then true that there

nd one of them is your own uncle, Earl Roderic of Gigha, whom, when he was but a bairn as high as my girdle, I taught to bend the bow and wield the broadsword. They

with these three strange men?" asked

ing at Kenric in surprise. "You would not surely have me mount guard

their dirks

hey should be; for men of peace, as these most surely ar

arnings of danger. Well, get me some meat and a bowl of milk, Duncan, while I go up and see this uncle of mine.

e of noisy retainers were making merry over their

in buskins. Hearing footsteps at the head of the stairs, he glanced alon

ng the corridor with a clear silvery light, he saw three men steal out of the banqueting h

and his voice was as the wailing of the wind

irway, and not seeing his father with the t

resolution? Is this your courage? I fear me, Roderic, you are but a we

was left alone. He still heard the rumour of their voices as he walked with

say you, comrades, to our making equal despatch with the vixen and her cub?

not guess that the "fox" meant his own father, and the "vixen

tarried until all the watchdogs are sound asleep. Fill me yon drinkin

e grave. The crackling embers of the fire gave but a sorry light, with only a fitful glimmer that rose now and again from some half-consumed pine log. But with the feeble moonbeams, that shone through th

en his eyes rested upon the form of his murdered fa

bloodstained floor. "Father? father? It is I, Kenric -- your son. Tel

re was no response. He knelt down closer and bent his head to his father's bare throat, and, putting out his ton

eed. He knew the knife and guessed how all had happened. He grasped the handle in his fingers and tried to wi

n from the halls below came the shouts of the retain

none of the three traitorous guests might escape. He met Duncan the seneschal at the foot of the stairs carrying the

cried Duncan, "wh

dear father has been brutally

Earl Hamish slain? Na

od. I will neither eat nor sleep again until I have discovered the villain who has done this foul crime. Turn out the guard this ins

dy Adela, and he knocked gently at the door. Alpin was sound asleep upon his couc

er's pallid face, and he turned over with m

o light cause that I di

mbling voice, Alpin roused

tle?" he cried; "and wherefore d

said Kenric. "Entering the hall but a few moments ago I found

ry of sudden grief and

ng. "You have made some strange mistake. These friends could not have harmed our fa

heir mother's chamber door had opened and that the Lady Adela, roused from her

his base plot to the end, you and I, Alpin, must surely have fallen as our father

ill I take a deadly vengeance. I swear it now, Kenric -- by our holy faith I swear tha

she now has lost? Methinks it had been wiser in you, Alpin, to have stayed by our father's side instead of slinking off to your bed and leaving h

?" asked Alpin, as, being now in the armoury, t

as wont to carve the venison and mea

Earl Roderic took that same knife from off the board and placed it so cunningly a

rd, "I am ready. Let me but meet him -- let me but f

per floors of the castle. "Remember that you are now the rightful lord over Bute, and that you will have power to inf

ecepts has the old Abbot Thurstan been cramming you with

him not, Alpin, then, by the holy rood, I myself will do so. But it sha

dead. Alpin went within, and there, bending over his father's body, he was overwhelmed by h

an Graham, of the long arm, was holding parley with the three earls within the smaller hall. His broad frame filled u

can; "but as to bringing you your swords, th

ice of Roderic of Gigha; "and again I com

; "and now for your insolence shall you have neither w

" growled Roderic

l daylight. It may be that they have already discovered what you have done. Truly you were an arrant

Danish, yet full well did he understand that the further purpose o

s should follow him into the room and make prisoners of the three island kings. Thereupon Duncan went back to the door and forced

is Earl Roderic