The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-04-27

nnHltHer win DOtn 0onus, shc strained eve
ry nerve and muscle Of her white arm, and
slowly raising the ponderons weigh, let il
fall upon the bell, and 10. with a ching
which rang through her very brain-thc
thirteenth chime fell upon the sleeping city.
breashlesslv was tho priest preparing to
seize her. when tho iron peal Tor momcn,
arrested his hand lie looked up-,hcrc
stood the gentle creature amid the throb-
hing mechanism; her white hands conyul-
s'voly clnsping the iron, and her face dis.
torted with terror and fatigue. The NOM
light showed him MI this, aud showed him
moreover, the hammer again moving undc,
the maidcn's grasp. The danger Of his po-
sition Immediately flashed across him; he
knew TINT there we're many within the
chopcls and cells attached TO the cathedral,
sIeepless watchers Of the hours-and he
feared that the unusual number Of chimes
would attract immediate attention. Nut
scrlng deep curse, he turned, and Mabel
heard HIM hurrying down the staircase.
Cautiously she followed, aud on reaching
the bottom, heard his voice communing
with brother monk.
linn certain snid tho latter, that tho
clock struck thirteen
So deemed. Brother Peter replied the
low tones Of the monk; sand 1 have come
forth 10 inquire how ], could be so.'
Cautiously keeping in the shadow, Ma
bel gIidcd past the speakers; she saw the
door opposite her, and few to il. AZ she
ran, Father Francis caught glimpse other
rctrentiag form. and made Wild gesture
Of rage md disappointment. Tho next
moment Mabel was in the open air, and
was soon locked and holtcd in her own liz
tie room. Sinking on the ilaor. she cried
bitterly, and then rising, she said, i have
no friends herewith the first blush al
morning will procure good palfrcy and
&C forth 10 Windsor Mark mus, know MI.
: A bright breezy morning had succeeded
the fair cnlm night, and the sun was vet
low in the horizon. when Mabel I.orne.
mounted upon spirited pnlfrev. left behind
her the western outskirts If London, and
pushed merrily on through green fields and
hedges in the direction of Windsor. Sore
" disquicted as she had been hv the evcnts
Of the past night. the jocnnd influence Of
the fresh breath Of morning, md the merry
sunshine, the rapid motion through fsir
country. and, above all, the though, of
meeting her lover, nude Mahcl's checks
bloom, and her eyes sparkle. She cnrcss-
ed the glnncino neck Of the bounding AMI
mnl which carried her, and tho pnllrey m.
swcred the touch of its mistress bv loud
md joyful neigh. and pressed merrily and
speedily onward md nway they went amid
Icnfv hcdgerows sparkling with dcwdrops
md fields of ricl, rust!ing corn; and hy
cln,nps Of gnarlcd old trees. AMI innelcs III
spronting saplings: md antique. red brick
hnilt old farmhousr-; and manorial halls
cmbcsnncd in ancestral trees, md tho
peaceful walls If distant rnonnsterics. And
the smoke was beginning to risc from mems
dwellings, in long spiral columns into the
clear morning air; and the labornr people
were already nficld, md now and then the
fair traveller caught glimpse of the broad
river, with green trees bending over It's w
ters, and sedges upon its bnnks. md swans
floating upon i,s bosom. Every thing look-
ed cnln, and bright, and happy Mabcl's
eve wandered over tho grand pnnorama Of
hill, md dale, and brake, md coppicc,
stretching out in all their green lovelness
before her: and ns the Innssire towers of
Windsor Castle rose over the ricl, cxpansc.
her haart was so full. and vet 80 light, that
she felt a. If she could raise her voice and
sing NJ merrily as the birds among the
branches.
She would not, however. hive % much
enjoved her ride. il she had known who
WINS pressing in hut haste nftcr her. Fa-
Their Francis, very much discounted hy the
hnd success Of his attempt, md not heinc
altogether casy shout the consequence,
Ind watched the maiden more closely than
she WINS aware Of, md on her setting on,
for Windsor-he had ascer,nined her des,i.
nntion through groom, determined, a.
though he hardly knew Tor whnt purpose,
to follow the fugitive. Suddenly recollec,-
ing, therefore, some ecclesiastical business
TO be settled with the prior Of monastery
near Datchet, the priest provided himself
with pacing mule, mn animal generally
used BY the churchmcn Of that period, and
The better breeds Of which were little inferi-
or in powers ri speed md endurance 70 the
horse, and wos speedily amblinp briskly a.
long the great western road. Flo snw the
fair country around ~ though he aaw il not
md only looked eagerlv ahead Mt every
turn Of the road, expecting momeotly to
behold the fair fugitive. But he was dis
appointed; Mabcl's palfrey carried her
we'll, and when she drew rein At ono IL the
postern gates Of the Castle, the priest WIS
till good milo behind.
A yeomen Of the eunrd was standing
sentinel at the little nnil-studded wicket,
leaning upon his partisan. and vhiaelinr