244 THE GOLD OF FAIRNILEE.

 

He had been slain at Flodden, fighting for
the king. An arrow had gone through his
brain, and he had fallen beside James IV., with
many another brave knight, all the best of
Scotland, the Flowers of the Forest.

What was it Randal saw, when he thought
he met his father in the twilight, three days
before ?

He never knew. His mother said he must
have dreamed it all.

The old nurse used to gossip about it to the
maids. ‘He’s an unco’ bairn, oor Randal;
I wush he may na be fey.”

She meant that Randal was a strange child,
and that strange things would happen to him.