prowling about my castle of Thrieve even in my sister's dreams.
Captain Sholto, do you station a man of your guard in the angle of the
staircase where it looks along each corridor. Pick out your prettiest
cross-bowmen, for it were not seemly that my guests should be
disturbed by the rude shots and villanous reek of the fusil."

Sholto bowed stiffly and waited the further pleasure of his master.
Then the two young men went out without Maud Lindesay having uttered a
word, or manifested the least surprise at the advancement which had
befallen the heir of the master armourer of Carlinwark.

As soon as the door had closed upon the two maidens, the Earl turned a
face suddenly grave and earnest on his young captain of the guard.

"What think you," he said, "was this appearance real?"

"Real enough to leave these upon the floor," answered Sholto, pointing
to sundry gouts and drops of blood upon the turret stairs.

The Earl took the lamp from his hand and earnestly scrutinised each
step in a downward direction. The spots ran irregularly as if the
wounded beast had shaken his head from side to side as he ran. They
turned along towards the corridor where at the first alarm Sholto had
found the Earl, and in the very midst of it abruptly stopped. While
Sholto and William Douglas were examining the floor, they both looked
over their shoulders, uneasily conscious of a regard upon them, as if
some one, unseen himself, had been looking down from behind.

"Do you place your men as I told you," said the Earl, abruptly, "and
bring me a truckle bed out of the guardroom. I shall remain in this