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"Tell me, now, or I will even cut you down this instant where you stand trembling." "The families of Bute men, women, bairns are all in the abbey of St. Blane's," said Blair. "They are penned up like a vast flock of sheep in the abbey and the chapel, in the chapel vaults, and within the walls of the Circle of Penance.
Blane's, a wise and holy man who, next to Earl Hamish himself, was held in the highest honour of all men in Bute. Now, just as Kenric, unable to soothe Ailsa, was turning to leave her, a shadow passed between him and the evening sunlight, and at the head of the bank there walked an aged woman, bearing upon her bent back a bundle of faggots.
Now, when Kenric, armed with the Thirsty Sword, and with his heart full of bitter vengeance, came upon the rocky heights of Dunagoil, and held discourse with one of his friends, a friar of St. Blane's, he learned that his enemy had already quitted the island, and was now aboard the English ship on the first stage of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The boys and two curs were dancing round the tree, and one boy was stripping off his smock to climb up and throw poor pussy down among them when Master Blane's angry shout and flourished staff put them all to flight, and Patience and Rusha began to coax the cat to come down to them. Hunting her had had one good effect, it had occupied the boys and prevented them from carrying anything off.
Blane's this night, but that I go home to the castle to see who these strangers may be, and to learn their purpose." But as Lulach was taking the game into his hands, he drew back and pointed with trembling finger to the green path that led towards Rothesay. "See!" he exclaimed, "there is ill luck before you! Turn back, my master, turn back!"
From the distance behind him he heard the faint tinkling of the chapel bell, telling him that the old year, with its turmoil and trouble, was at its end; and he dropped down upon his knees and covered his face with his hands. It was scarcely half an hour after midnight when Kenric walked towards the arched doorway of St. Blane's chapel.
That made him wonder whether the Bible and Prayer-book had been burnt, and then his morning's duty of providing milk for the little ones' breakfast pressed upon him. He took up a pail of Mrs. Blane's which he thought he might borrow and went off in search of the cows.
At the foot of the great standing stone Sir Oscar Redmain, as steward or prefect of Bute, took his seat as judge. Noble and comely he looked, holding his great glittering sword, point upward, waiting for the prisoner and his accuser. At his right stood Godfrey Thurstan, the good abbot of St. Blane's, with his cowl drawn over his reverend head to shield him from the warm sun.
Blane's, for our good Abbot Godfrey bade me be with him ere nightfall. Where is your brother Allan? Say, was he of those who went with my father and Alpin to the punting in Glen More this forenoon?" But Ailsa was again weeping over the fate of her water ouzels and did not answer him. Ailsa was some two years younger than himself. They had been companions from the time of their infancy.
Duncan Graham had already been sent south to the abbey. "How happens it, Aasta, that you went not to St. Blane's as you were advised?" Kenric asked, when he met her in one of the lower corridors. "My lord," said she, "I went but to the hill of Kilbride to watch the ships in their passage through the Kyles, and I judge that they will be here in the space of another hour.
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