Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

DERMOND. 179
to approach, and as Kate threw aside her needlework and came tripping
ap, she said, " See that Olave is faithful." " Fear him not, dear ma-
dame," was Kate's reply, and here she would have launched forth a
volume of assurances, but Bertha interrupted — " Few words and faithful
deeds are aU we want, sweet Kate. We can speak afterwards ; mean-
while be wary ; but how can you pass the small courtyard and the
southern porch 1"
" Duncan keeps watch at the porch," said Kate, " and I have served
hiTn with as much ale as will keep him sleeping for an hour yet. As for
the courtyard I can manage it with ease."
And off she went with the letter carefully secured in her bosom. As
soon as she had gone. Bertha called Dominick to take a seat beside her,
and, during the interval of Kate's absence, she requested him to tell her
|all about the life of the old pirate and CyrO. of Eathland. The friar
'eagerly complied, and gave her a fuU history of the origin of the keep of
Dunkerlyne, and the vicissitudes of the singular race who had made it
their abode.
Meanwhile Kate was accomplishing the behest of her mistress. At
■the foot of the spiral stair-case she easily passed an adherent of the house
of Macneill, who had come from Loch Awe in the retinue of Sir David's
daughter. Traversing the long, gloomy corridor leading to the southern
wing, she had almost gained the porch overlooking the back courtyard,
when a half-drunken porter sprung from his retreat, and clasping her in
his arms said, " Hold, my pretty wench. iNo passage this way. You
must have heard the night-bell toll." " Peace with you, Duncan," she
replied, seizing him firmly by the beard. " Let me go, or I'll pull the
beard off' your face. I carry a message from my lady Bertha to the
'Southern battlements." " Not till the night-bell toll again," he replied,
kissing her as she escaped blushing from his arms, and adjusting her
ihead-gear. As the sentinel who watched in the courtyard turned his
back, she tripped nimbly across, and gained admittance to an unoccupied
guard-house communicating with the southern battlements, but as she ap-
proached the far-end of the corridor she found the door securely fastened
with lock and chain. Not to be outdone she untied her neckerchief and
let it flutter through the elongated shot-hole that flanked the door-way.
For a time the superstitious Norseman who paced the platform outside,
avoided the mysterious apparition which disturbed his night-watch.
Turning his eyes away he tried hard to convince himself that it was no-
thing. He had probably taken too much ale. As the strange object
continued to flutter in the sea-breeze he involuntarily crossed himself, and
repeated a pater-noster. Seeing it linger he gathered up courage, and
drawing his sword, shouted, " By the soul of Odin and all the saints in
Valhalla, I conjure you what would ye with me T Kate seeing his
embarrassment enjoyed the situation, and mischievously kept him in sus-
" Come here, Olave," she at length ventured to say, " I have a mes-
sage for your master."
** Not for me, fair Kate 1" he replied, recognising the voice and burst-
ing into a fit of laughter.
" For you too if you can be secret, but you must be silent and not
alarm the garrison."