The Thirsty Sword

yhood. After swimming across Loch Fad he found himself among the tall pine trees of the forest of Barone. Wet and weary after his escape from his pursuer

ts. He looked about for their shepherd that he might ask him concerning the earls of Jura and Colonsay. He began to r

turned tail and slunk away as if it were afraid of him. Then from behind the rock came young Lulach

f!" he cried, and dropping the brown bread cake that

till, with her hand

and very fair -- tall and graceful as a young larch tree, and fair as the drifted snow whose surface reflects the red morning sun. Her eyes wer

ray and ragged garments, for she was but a poor thrall who worked upon the lands of Kil

u, if you have seen pass by an aged man and

e," said Aasta. "Cursed be the occasion tha

ere, under the shadow of the high coast of Arran, a

hip into the current

oderic, "and I

eft upon our shores. What manner of foul work detained you that you went not hence with your evil comrades? But the blo

me with his vigorous blows, yet my good sword was t

you have done. May you never again know peace upon this earth. May those you love -- if any such there be -- may they be torn fro

gently aside, and from behind the rock appeared the gaunt figure of old Elspeth Black

ing the old crone, an

ou at this hour. But the great God who sees into all hearts, and in whose hands alone must rest our vengeance -- He will surely repay you for the sorrows that your wick

and nervously clasped a

is aught of penitence in your black heart then seek from our good and holy abbot the

s bowed. He walked along by the cliffs that are at the verge of the sea; southward past Scalpsie and Lubas

the shipmen were unloading her of a cargo of English salt and other commodities of the far south. Presently the old woman went downward to the beach, and there held speech with the

and Ailsa had told her how the wicked lord of Gigha had been made an outlaw. So Elspeth q

ing that I shall do this thing -- though for the matter of that, this man is a king in his own land, and methinks the honour were ample payment without the gold; so if the

hereafter told how he had in secret confessed his manifold sins to the abbot of St. Blane's, and how in deep contrition he had solemnly sworn at