intention of making Mistress Lindesay pay in some fashion for her
impertinence. But that active and gamesome maid was most entirely on
the alert. Indeed, she had been counting from the first upon provoking
such a movement. And so, with her nimble charge at her heels, Mistress
Lindesay was already at the inner port, and through the iron-barred
gate of the turret stair, before the youthful captain of the guard,
still cumbered with his armour, could reach the top of the outer
steps.

As soon as Sholto saw that he was hopelessly distanced, he slackened
his gait, and, with a sober tread befitting a knight and officer of a
garrison, he walked along the passage which led to the chamber
allotted to the captain of the guard, from which that day Landless
Jock had removed his effects.

The soldiers of the guard, who had heard of the honours which had so
swiftly come upon the young man, rose and respectfully saluted their
chief. And Sholto, though he had been silent when the sharp tongue of
the mirth-loving maid tormented him, found speech readily enough now.

"I thank you," he said, acknowledging their salutations. "We have
known each other before. Fortune and misfortune come to all, and it
will be your turns one day. But up or down, good or ill, we shall not
be the worse comrades for having kept the guard and sped the bolt
together."

Then there came one behind him who stood at the door of his chamber,
as he was unhelming himself, and said: "My captain, there stand at the
turret stair the ladies Margaret and Maud with a message for you."