’Stay,’ he said to Lennox. ’Since your wise King is so curious. Here is a history of divers matters that may interest your master. It may do him some good.’ The new minister of Edinburgh, a soft-spoken, King-fearing man, came near. John Mure looked at him. ’Of what religion art thou?’ he asked. ’Ay, verily, of the King’s religion. Were my time not so circumscribed, I would have at thee with texts, thou time-serving rogue. Ay, and would swinge thee with them soundly, too.’ ’In what religion dost thou die?’ said the minister. For it was a customary question in those days, when men were forced to live and die on the borderland of many creeds. John Mure smiled as he bent his head to the block. ’Of the ancientest persuasion,’ said he, ’for I am ready to believe in any well-disposed god whom I may chance to meet in my pilgriming. But in none will I believe till I do meet him. Nevertheless do thou, like a wise, silly bishop, stick to the King and thy printed book!’ Which saying was remembered when the minister was afterward made a bishop by the King’s favour. With these words, John Mure threw out his hands with a sharp jerk—for that was the customary signal. The broad axe rose and fell, flashing in the sun a moment ere it crashed dully upon the block. The Westland men gave a shout, and the heathen spirit of John Mure of Auchendrayne, carrying such a load of sin and bloodshedding as never soul did before or since, fared forth alone to its own place. *CHAPTER LI* *MARJORIE’S GOOD-NIGHT* Even as the axe was falling, Marjorie Kennedy sank down upon the platform of the scaffold, as though the stroke had fallen upon her. I sheathed my sword, and sprang upon the slippery stage to hold her up. When I took her in my arms she was soft and pliable in all her limbs like a little child. Till now she had been like a woman of steel, or rather like one carven in alabaster, as I have said. But now she lay in my arms like a new-born babe on the nurse’s lap. We carried her homeward, making strangely enough for some distance but one procession with the bodies which were going to be buried without the wall, while the heads were taken to be set on the pikes of the Nether Bow. To the Earl John’s own lodging we brought her, and in a room with a wide north-looking window we laid her down on a bed. Then we stood silently about her, Nell and I being nearest. In a little while Marjorie turned her head to the window. The sun had risen on the sea. A north wind was blowing. All was very blue, and smacked of the morning freshness, for the window was open, and the sea air blew off the firth almost as salt it was wont to blow in at the windows of Culzean. Thrice she moved her lips to speak, but till the fourth time no word came. ’I have done the work appointed,’ she said, ’I ken not if I have done it right.’