Show SCARLET SCARF BY F H MELVILLE copyright by joseph bowles at seven clock in the evening all falkland was astir the streets were full of ar dazzling figures amov ing with one accord toward the palace where douglas the earl ot angus would entertain for his royal prisoner james stuart the porta stood open while troops of gay hor emen ind horsewomen cantered through lords and ladies from the length and breadth ot the kingdom of fife the r trains tol lowed them in bright disorder of color and glitter each guest destined for the palace wore a small mabb and many and various were the costumes donned by the masqueraders at the entrance to the park stood the young king james stuart king in name only tor his stern father douglas the earl of angus virtually held him prisoner nor could he even ride within the limits of falk land park unescorted A 1 atle way behind him stood boug las earl of angis an unmistakable figure though masked and in the dress of an ancient thane his eyes ever on hb royal prisoner among the gay company of mas gue there appeared presently a lean man wallet on side and a woman with long dark locks in the short striped skirt of the peasant and a crooked staff in her hand the king bowed careless on the word of a douglas whis the earl of angus the of creach to the life and leslie himself could we but see her eyes exclaimed james then shall she read us our riddles let us now to the company and afterward to the play the king had drawn a little apart from the odowd when a oice broke in gently may it please his to bear what the fates have written 9 of a surety good madam replied the king at once extending his hand say on she bent over the palm eagerly mumbling some indistinct words james inclined h s head to listen intently broken bonds by the aid ot a friend the voice fell to a whisper so that he alone heard and she no long er read from the hand horses at midnight outside the west port even now the means pt liberty lie in the royal chamber the guard at the roval postern will be silent follow the standing at the gate bo ise on the stroke of 12 lose all or gain then she stooped again and peered closely into the palm as it seeking there what she haa said and her brow became claudea written written she said as if to e herself but beware of woman woman ever worked ill to the stuart race then suddenly dropping tha hand she turned to find the douglas and his young daughter margaret who stood behind her attracted by the scene other guests bocking in their wake came towards the king A soothsayer sayer cried one lightly read me my fate friend the turned instead to angis would the douglas know his fate and what the future holds tor him she demanded drawing down her dark brows and fixing her eyes on angus face NB he answered shortly doug las heeds not old wives tales afif the douglas will not then read me the weird of his daughter broke in the fair margaret douglas stretch ing out her hand the soothsayer glanced at it then at the pretty face with its frame ot golden hair and hesitated her aspect softening some what speak cried margaret imperious ly flushing as she read the espres slon can it be that the pities margaret douglas to betray a half brother to wander with never a home to love and be loved then to languish in vain within prison walls betray a halt brother that Is jamie languish in a dungeon here will it be jamiee not too kind but I 1 shall love and be loved ah well a day and she skipped off dragging the king with her to see the dancers on the bowling green while the disappeared in the crowd followed by her kinsman leslie but no music of lutes and viols nor nimble footing of the dancers egypt fians from the south in fantastic gala array seemed to hold the attention oi james in the quick throb bing of the strings he heard again the s words and freedom rose before him in one gibat pulse of ex hilar alion less than an hour to lib erty a few short hours till he might pay bach in full to douglas the miser ab e farce of thralldom in mimic king ship when morning dawned he would be king indeed mal e an end ot the past and begin a fairer future in another moment james was go ing towards the door of the palace that led to the royal apartments there the woman had said he should find the means of liberty breathless he passed the guard at the foot of the turret stairs who saluted stolidly and mounting two steps at a time flung aside the curtain over the door of the first apartment and ran to the inner room on a couch lay a many colored bundle the king undid it with hasty trembling fingers it was the dress of a gypsy dancing girl at once he un der stood the s plan he tore off his spanish costume and picked up the gypsy s laboring with the ties and fastenings it was some minutes before he stood transformed into a tall comely girl in short green skirt with tarnished gold trappings and wide long sleeved jacket A quick application of brown nut stain to cheeks and eyebrows changed the fresh stuart skin to a dusky olive the remainder of the stain he poured over his white hands and on his arms thea he glanced round the room the scarf to wind round his head and hide his curls was wanting james tossed his discarded clothes in all directions in his search for the missing head dress but he could find n ne and time was flying A bell clanged the hour of midnight clad as he v as james hurried from the room and up the w anding stairs into the apartments of the ladles of the court bisot even a servant was to be seen all had gone on holida the 1 ing opened the door of a small inner room gently it was a sleeping chamber and a pile of feminine finery lay in one coiner in a trice he had snatched from the heap a long red scarf of quaint device and turning fled downstairs again meanwhile margaret daughter to the earl in the garden suddenly found herself confronted by her father he was flushed and excited and hia voice trembled somewhat with rage or fear as he accosted her ro highly with the r clestion where Is his majesty 7 the girl stood irresolute then tal out his grace left me even now someone yonder prayed him to hasten angus strode off follon ed by a arm her of gueits partisans of the doug las beside the gatehouse in the shad ow of a buttress the had waited long she now peered furtive into the crowd and then at leslie who stood near carelessly fastening his cloak at the throat A tall buxom threaded her way through the thronged court yard towards the gate the drew a deep breath came out from the shadow into fill view in the bright glare that beat on the gateway from a huge lantern and stood there tor an instant then she passed between the guards into the night beyond the gypsy drew nearer to the arch way A few steps more and she would be beyond the palace walls when sud denly the order rang out close the gates and the port cullis crashed down between her and the Spa ewite with a backward movement th crowd within the courtyard parted to make way tor the douglas who turnell at the gate and faced the throng my lords and gentlemen he be gan fiercely then moderating his tone my lords his majesty is not to be found 1 be gates will be opened when the riddle is solved an uneasy silence greeted ahli words then on a sudden from tha heart of the crowd the shrill voice ot lady margaret douglas rose in anger my scarf the gypsy wench dares to wear my scarf but the angry tone changed in an other instant to a laugh of keen en and clapping her hands she ran forward while the spectators looked where she pointed at the tall gypsy girl ats jamie himself she cried do you not know his majesty 7 A comely lass indeed still laughing she snatched off the scarlet headdress and the well known ruddy curls fells in a gleaming mass on his shoulders their color strangely out of place against the swarthy corn the douglas stepped forward and bowed low may the douglas venture he asked to commend his majesty s a fitting jest with which to end the evening s masque A very perfect jest added the court jester speaking in the douglas ear tor one step more and it had been earnest |