"
Then turned Sir Oscar to the crowd.
"Men of Bute," said he, "I charge you all that if within three years to
come any of you shall see this man Roderic MacAlpin within the isle of
Bute, or within his forfeited lands of Gigha and Cara, or in any other
land in the dominions of the King of Scots, you shall put him to the
sword and slay him."
There was a loud cry of assent; and Roderic, wrathful at his position,
felt at his side for his absent sword.
Here again were his plans defeated. The sentence passed upon him
required that during his three days of grace in the sanctuary of the
church lands no man should molest him or hold speech with him. How,
then, could he hope to compass the death of the two lads, Alpin and
Kenric, who stood in the way of his ambition? Turning his eyes with
fierce malice upon the two brothers he stepped boldly to the front.
"There is yet another way for me," he cried aloud. "Think you that I, a
king, am to be hunted about by a set of wolves like these? No, no. Now,
on this spot and before you all, do I claim wager of battle, for that is
my due. Let any man of you stand forth and meet me in fair fight, and I
will fight him to the death."
Then Duncan Graham, the seneschal, came forward in his towering height,
and said he:
"I will fight you, treacherous earl, for you deserve to die!"
"You!" exclaimed Roderic, awed at the man's giant height.
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