braver deed!' Now that was no reverent speech to me that am a Stewart,
nor yet very gallant to my great-grandmother, was it, Earl Douglas?"

"It was no fine courtier's flattery, at any rate," said the Douglas,
his eyes wandering hither and thither across the cavalcade which they
were now meeting, in search of the graceful figure and darkly splendid
head of the girl he loved.

The Lady Sybilla was not there.

"They have secluded her," he muttered, in sharp jealous anger; "'tis
all her kinsman's fault. He hath the marks of a traitor and worse. But
they shall not spite nor flout the Douglas."

So with a countenance grave and unresponsive he saluted Livingston the
tutor, who came forth to meet him. The Chancellor was expected
immediately, for he had ridden in more rapidly by the hill way in
order that he might welcome his notable guests to the metropolitan
residence of the Kings of Scotland.

The Castle of Edinburgh was at that time in the fulness of its
strength and power. The first James had greatly enlarged and
strengthened its works defensive. He had added thirty feet to the
height of David's Tower, which now served as a watch-station over all
the rock, and in his last days he had begun to build the great hall
which the Chancellor had but recently finished.

It was here that presently the feast was set. The banquet-hall ran the
width of the keep, and the raised dais in the centre was large enough
to seat the whole higher baronage of Scotland, among whom (as the Earl