he with his face turned upon her, and she looking straight forward
with the same inscrutable calm. And all who saw left them alone as
they took their way to gather flowers like children, or, as it might
be, stood still and silent like a pair of lovers under the evening
star. For in these summer days and nights bloomed untiringly the brief
passion-flower of William Douglas's life.

Meanwhile Sholto gritted his teeth in impotent rage, but had nothing
to do save change guard and keep a wary eye upon the Chancellor, who
went about rubbing his hands and glancing sidelong as the copses
closed behind the Earl of Douglas and the Lady Sybilla. As for the
ambassador of France, he was, as was usual with him, much occupied in
his own chamber with his servants Poitou and Henriet, and save when
dinner was served in hall appeared little at the festivities.

Sholto wished at times for the presence of his father; but at others,
when he saw William Douglas and Sybilla return with a light on their
faces, and their eyes large and vague, he bethought him of Maud
Lindesay, and was glad that, for a little at least, the sun of love
should shine upon his lord.

It was in the gracious fulness of the early autumn, when the sheaves
were set up in many a park and little warded holt about the Moorfoot
braes, that William Douglas and Sybilla de Thouars stood together upon
a crest of hill, crowned with dwarf birch and thick foliaged alder--a
place in the retirement of whose sylvan bower they had already spent
many tranced hours.

The Lady Sybilla sat down on a worn grey rock which thrust itself
through the green turf. William Douglas stood beside her pulling a