ould see that he wore a bit sprig o' green
oak i' his helmet, an' a scarlet ribbon round his airm.' The Leddy
Flora's eyes flashed fire as she heard the story, an' when it was dune
she cried, 'Which are o' ye a' will gang an' gie this coward his
deserts?'

"Nae man spoke till he wha had telt the tale said in a low voice, 'My
leddy, yon's a man possessed by the evil one, or he couldna ride sae
swiftly, an' his horse is as black as the very deil himsel'; no mortal
man could follow him.'

"The leddy wrung her hands, despairin'. Then young Malcolm said stoutly,
'Let me gang, my leddy mither; I'm no feared for man or deil. I will be
the avenger o' this cruel deed.'

"'Thou, my son?' questioned the leddy. 'Nay, thou art but a laddie. I
canna let thee gang, my only child.' An' she cast her airms aboot him.

"But the lad gently freed himsel' frae her loving airms, sayin', 'It is
my duty.' An' then he turned to the men an' commanded them to bring him
his feyther's sword an' shield, an' he askit his mither to gie him her
blessin'.

"Then the leddy cried, 'God bless thee, my son. Gae forth, Lord Malcolm
o' Glendown, an' avenge the death o' thy feyther an' thy brither. The
murderer's bluid be upo' his ain heid.'

"It was strange that sae gentle a woman should be sae set upo' bluid an'
revenge, but this was lang syne, when folks didna ken o' the justice o'
God, as we dae noo.

"Lord Malcolm set oot. He rode mony miles until he saw the black horse
at last, an' a man ridin' on it wi' a sprig o' green i' his helmet an' a
scarlet ribbon upo' his airm. The young lord spurred his horse, an'
pursued his enemy, an' was comin' up wi' him, when suddenly horse an'
rider sprang up i' the air, it seemed some distance, an' then doon to
the earth again. When he cam to the place young Malcolm was sair
dooncast to find before him a great, big, wide, yawnin' gulf, wi' a
roarin' torrent at the bottom, an' sheer rocky sides that nae human
bein' could scale.

"'Wae's me,' said the lad, 'for I canna follow him. An' what can I tell
my mither that she doesna ca' me a coward this day?'

"The young lad gazed across the chasm, an' as he looked he saw a
shinin', misty light, an' in it the form o' a beautiful woman, an' he
bared his heid an' bowed before this veesion.

"'Fear not,' cam a voice, clear and strong like the sound o' a
trumpet--'fear not to leap across this gulf. Faith an' a brave heart
will carry thee safely to this side. Come.' And sh