of the Frenchmen, and as they would not take a bidding to stand, I had
perforce to send a quarrel buzzing past their lugs into the wall. You
can see it there behind you."

"Rascal," cried David Douglas, indignantly, "you do not say that first
of all you shot it through the arm of the poor clerk Henriet."

"It is like enough," said Andro, coolly, "if his arm were in the way."

Then came a voice down the stairs from above.

"And the wretches would neither let any come to visit us nor yet
permit us to go into the hall that we might speak with our gossips."

"How should we be responsible with our lives for the lasses if we had
let them gad about?" said Andro, preparing to salute and take himself
off.

At this moment the little maid and her elder companion came forward
meekly and kneeled down before Sholto.

"We are your humble prisoners," said Maud Lindesay, "and we know that
our offences against your highness are most heinous; but why should
you starve us to death? Burn us or hang us,--we will bear the extreme
penalty of the law gladly,--but torture is not for women. For dear
pity's sake, a bite of bread. We have had nothing to eat all day,
except two lace kerchiefs and a neck riband."

"Lord of Heaven," cried Sholto, swinging on his heel and darting down
towards the kitchen, "what a fool unutterable I am!"