Litchfield enquirer., 1857-03-12
The Thirteenth Chime.
4 LEsESo cF OLD LoNpos.
tGaeisa';J.)

iair, calm night. and the sun was Jet lew in the horizon, when Mabel Lorne, mounted upon a spirited p,lfr,y, left behind her the western outskirts of London, ard pushed mcrrily on through green fields and hedges in the direc- ton of Wi"d&or Soie'y disqu:ettd as she had been Ly the events of the past night, the jocund influence of the fresh breath of the morning and the merry sunshine. the lapid motion thro' fair country, and above all, the thought of meeting her lover, made Mabcrs checks bloom and her eyes sraikle. SEc carcssed the grace fu neck of the bounding animal which carried her. and the palirey answered the touch of its mistress hy q loud, joyful neigh and pressed merrily and speedily onward and away they went, amid leafy hedy. rows sparkling with dew drops and fields of r'ch lu :tli,g corn and by clunps of gnarled old trees, and junglcs of built old farmhcuscs and mauoriul halls en- bosonacd in ancestral trees and tie peaceful walls of distant monasteres. And the smoke was beginning 10 rise from mens dwellings, in long spiral coIumus uto the clear morning air /; and labering nlen were LOW aficid. aud HOW and then the fair traveller caught glimpse of the broad river, with green trees bending over is waters, and swaus floating upon it's bosom. Everything looked calm, a,,d bright and happy Mabel's eye red over the grand parora- n.a of hill ard dale and brake and cor|:ce. stretching out in all their green loyeliness be- fore hRr: and as tine massive towers of WiId- sor Castle rose over the r;ch txpause, her lcalt was so full, and yet so light, that she felt as if she cou!d raise her voice and sing as merr.ly as the lsrds among tile bralthes.
 Sic would not, however, have so much en- joycd her ride, if she had known who was pres sing in lot haste after her. Father Francis, very much disconGtcd Ly the bad success of lis attempt, and hot being altogether easy con- corning the const quenccs, had watched tle maiden more closely than she was aware of, and on her setting cut for Windsor, (ke had ascertaiucd her destination through a groom determined, although he hardly knew for what purpose, to follow the fugitive. Suddenly rec olecting, therefore, some ecclesiastical business to be settled with the prior of monastery near nachct, the priest provided himself with pac- ing mule--an animal generally used by the churchmen of that period, and the better breeds of which were little inferior in rowers of speed and endurance to the horsc-aud was speedily anbIing lriskly along the great west crn road. He saw the fair country around. as though he saw it not, and only looking eagerly ahead at every turn of the road expecting mo- mcntly to telo,d the fair fugitive. But he Was disappointed Mabcrs paIficy carried her well, and when she drew rein tt one Of the post ern gates of the Castle, the priest was still q gcol mile behind.
 A yeoman of the guard was standing senti- ncl at the little nail studded wicket, leaning upon his partisan, ard wli,tling mclodiously. To him she addressed herself---
 You have co,nrade named Mark Huntr' she said fair :ir, 1 would speak with l.im
 The soldier looked at her with some interest stopped his whistling, and said hastily, Are yon Mabel Lorn c, fair mistress ?
 That is my name said Mabel blushingly
 Then, by St. George. am sorry for thee, returned he of the partisan. Mark Huntly was a good fellow, and true
 Was 7 slriekcd Mabel--' was! He is not dead 2 ..s...
 Almost as good replied tic sentinel his captain hath accused him of sleeping on the watch, and that thou knowcst is dcath--dcath without rcdcmnton'
 Mabel sunk rrsn the ground The burly yeoman cursed his own bluntness in blurting out at once the bad news But she'll soon have another mate, he mitt tered as he stopped over and cndeavored to revive her by my sword ht she is fair enough for the bride of belted earl, let alone poor ycoma1E'
 Bring me to him-bring me to him for pity'S sake faltered Mabel
 Nay, that may hardly be, pretty one,' said the soldier. He is under watch ard ward and by St. Gccrg", think it be near the time when he will be brought before the kine.' Let me at least see him. exclaimed Mabel, 'rcrchance, soldier, there is some maiden who loves thee as do him, and who will one day plead on her pended knees for one last look at the man fer whom her heart is breaking
 will see what can be done,' said the hon. est ycomar M
 He as as good as his word for summon;ng some of his comrades, with whom Mark Hunt y had been general favoritc he spoke apart to them and in few minutes Mabel found herslt smuggled into lofty hall, w:th dccp gothic moulded windows, and furnished with pondcrous eaken settles Her friends, the yec- men, kept her in the midst of their group, en- lo'nIng upon her the necessity of perfect silence Hardly had she looked around her, and noted large unoccupied chair, covered with a crim- son cloth, upon the dias at the upper end of the hall, when priest, closely cowlcd, glided ln. and took his station in the corner of the place. She saw not his face, but she felt that the priest was Father Francis. All at once, the groups of officers and knights. who were saunterng. gossipping and laughing through the hall, became silent, and placed themselves round the unoccupied chair-there was mo- mcnt's pause, and portly man, with broad, stern face, decorated with a peaked beard, walked into the hall His doublet was richly adorned, and at his belt he carried short poinard.
 This was King Hery VIII.
 Throwing himself eare'essly into tho chair