much policy to act thus, even if he had
no feelings of nature rising to prevent it. No, no; I would wager the
ruby brooch in my helmet that boy lives, and his father will make use of
him to forward his own interests yet."

"But why then forge this tale?" demanded their host; "how may that serve
his purpose?"

"Easily enough, with regard to the vengeance we all know he vowed to
wreak on his unhappy wife. What deeper misery could he inflict upon her
than the belief her boy was murdered? and as for its effect on Edward,
trust a Comyn to make his own way clear."

"But what do with the boy meanwhile?"

"Keep him under lock and key; chained up, may be, as a dog in a kennel,
till he has broken his high spirit, and moulds him to the tool he
wills," answered Hereford, "or at least till his mother is out of his
path."

"Ha! thinkest thou the king will demand such sweeping vengeance? He
surely will not sentence a woman to death."

"Had I thought so, had I only dreamed so," replied Hereford, with almost
startling sternness, "as there is a God above us, I would have risked
the charge of treason and refused to give her up! But no, my lords, no;
changed as Edward is, he would not, he dared not use his power thus. I
meant but imprisonment, when I said out of the boy's path--more he will
not do; but even such I love not. Bold as it was to crown the rebel
Bruce, the deed sprung from a noble heart, and noble deeds should meet
with noble judgment."

A bugle sounded twice or thrice sharply without, and occasioning some
bustle at the lower part of the ball, interrupted for a brief space the
converse of the lords. A few minutes after, the seneschal, attended by
two or three higher servants, returned, marshalling in due form two
young men in the garb of esquires, followed by some fifteen or twenty
men-at-arms.

"Ha! Fitz-Ernest and Hugo; well met, and ye bring us good tidings from
Kildrummie," exclaimed both the English earls at once, as cap in hand
the esquires slowly walked up the hall, and did obeisance to their
masters.

"Yet your steps are somewhat laggard, as they bring us news of victory.
By my troth, were it not utterly impossible, I could deem ye had been
worsted in the strife," continued the impatient Lancaster, while the
cooler and more sagacious Hereford scanned the countenances of the
esquires in silence. "Yet and ye come not to tell of victory, why have
ye come at all?"

"To beseech your lordship's speedy return, t