CHAPTER IX.  THE ORDEAL BY BATTLE.

While Duncan Graham and one of the guards went back to the castle of Rothesay to bring the swords of Alpin and Roderic, Sir Oscar Redmain pronounced the assize at an end; and such as wished not to witness the deadly combat —­ the abbot Godfrey and some few women —­ went away.

Then Roderic stood apart with Erland the Old and Sweyn the Silent, bidding them not wait for their weapons, but to slip away out of the crowd and get them to their ship, and so away to their island homes.

“Our project has so far failed,” said he; “but be assured that I shall yet gain the lordship over Bute.  They have made me an outlaw, and I fear me that Redmain will most surely communicate this whole matter to the King of Scots.  Well, be it so; we shall see what Alexander can do.  Methinks it will not be long that he will hold his own against us.  When these three years of my outlawry are over you shall see such things as will surprise you.  Farewell, good Erland, and you, dear Sweyn!  Hold you both fast by King Hakon.  That is our highest game; and so we serve him well there is no fear but we will reap a good harvest of power.”

“God grant it may be so!” said Erland; “for if his Majesty of Norway fail in conquering Scotland, then are we all lost men.  Farewell, then!”

When Sir Oscar Redmain had left the seat of justice his daughter Ailsa crept within the circle of the court, and there she found Kenric.

“As I came hither,” she said, “I saw Elspeth Blackfell; and she bade me ask you, Kenric, if what she spake had aught of sooth in it?”

“Ah,” said Kenric, “right truly did she tell what was to befall.  For even as it was with your nest of ouzels, Ailsa, so has it been with the castle of Rothesay.  This man Roderic, is he not even as the stoat that harried the nest?”

“Even so,” said Ailsa.  “But the stoat also slew the fledgling as well as the parent bird.  Elspeth, when she heard that the good Earl Hamish had been so cruelly slain, looked grave, and, said she, ’Hasten, Ailsa, to the sons of Rothesay and bid them still be wary of this man.  Not until he is dead will all danger from him be past.’  Those were her words, Kenric; and lest there should be truth in them I have come to you as speedily as I might.  Alpin is about to engage in mortal combat.  Bid him be wary, bid him arm himself well; for I heard one of the shepherds say that Roderic is clothed in a shirt of iron network, and that if it had not been so the knife wherewith Alpin smote him would have slain him where he stood.”

“Ailsa,” said Kenric, “much do I fear me that there is ample need of this warning.  Help me, I beseech you.  Run to the castle and bid Duncan not fail to bring my brother’s coat of mail.”

Then Ailsa disappeared and like a lapwing ran across the moorland.

Not long had she been gone when Duncan appeared, bearing two great claymores.  But he had not brought the coat of mail; and Kenric seeing this drew his brother aside and bade him tarry until Ailsa should return, that he might protect his body with the chain shirt, and so be equal with his foe.