, others
prepared to fight; the cases have been settled in both instances. To
which of these two classes do you belong, Chief of the Clan MacNab?"

"To neither. I cannot submit to you our parchments because Robert,
your ancestor, destroyed them. I cannot fight the army of the Lowlands
because my clan is small, therefore I, Finlay MacNab, fifth of my
name, as you are fifth of yours, come to you in peace, asking you to
repair the wrong done by your ancestor."

"Indeed!" cried the king. "If the present advent typifies your idea of
a peaceful visit, then God forfend that I should ever meet you in
anger."

"I came in peace and have been shamefully used."

"You must not hold that against us," said James. "Look you now, if I
had come storming at your castle door, sword in hand, how would you
have treated me, Finlay the Fifth?"

"If you had come with only twenty men behind you, I should treat you
with all the hospitality of Glendochart, which far exceeds that of
Stirling or any other part of your money-making Lowlands, where gold
coin is valued more than a steel blade."

"It has all been a mistake," said the king with great cordiality.
"The parchment you seek shall be given you, and I trust that your
generosity, Lord of Glendochart, will allow me to amend your opinion
of Stirling hospitality. I shall take it kindly if you will be my
guests in the castle until my officers of law repair the harshness of
my ancestor, Robert." Then, turning to the guard the king continued,--

"Unbind these gentlemen, and return to them their arms."

While the loosening of the men was rapidly being accomplished, the
captain of the guard brought the chief his sword, and would have
presented it to him, but the king himself rose and took the weapon in
his own hand, tendering it to its owner. The chieftain accepted the
sword and rested its point on the floor, then in dignified native
courtesy, he doffed his broad, feathered bonnet.

"Sire," he said, with slow deliberation, "Scotland has a king that
this good blade shall ever be proud to serve."

For three days, the MacNabs were the guests of the king in the
castle, while the legal documents were being prepared. King and
chieftain walked the town together, and all that Stirling had to show,
MacNab beheld. The king was desirous of costuming, at his own expense,
the portion of the clan that was now in his castle, whose disarray was
largely due to his own soldiers, but he feared the proposal mig