Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-10-17

ward the Castle | will take care o
the lady"
"viIlain" cried Sir Reginald
"Monstrous, cowardly villain! BY
Heaven! you shall pay dear for this
sghe Border King did not appear tc
take any notice Of this; but springlng
lightly from his horse, he approached
the flinting lady, whose head he rails
ed with the utmost gentlencss, and ap-
piled to her temples the water which
had been brought by his directions
from a neighboring brook.
Meantime Sir Reginald was lifted
in the arms of four sturdy fellows and
born rapidly away, Notwithstanding
all his struggles to break loose. When
he was hidden from view, the Border
King again raised his voice address
ing the troop that stood silently by,
he said
ave have not now time to attack
the castle The alarm is already Civ
en-, and Sir Reginald's brother is no
doubt by this time collecting the re
tainers and organizing a stubborn de-
fence. As there is a body Of royal
troops in the violently they would be
down upon lis before we could effect
a capture. Here he added, throw
ing weighty purse on the ground,
'take that, to make up for your disap-
pointment."
A cheer arose from the troop at the
sight of the gold, which was instantly
checked by the Border King.
"Silence!' he exclaimed. " Be
gone, at once; and meet me six days
hence, at our home in the Cheyiots."
Without a murmer, the order was
obeyed. After picking up the money,
this troop ofdesperate maranders turn
ed and quickly disappeared through
the woods
Directing his a tention once again
to the lady, the Border King raised
her gently in his arms, and bore her
away as though she We're a child.
Entering an avenue in the wood, he
proceeded at a rapid pace until he
reached a small turreted building,
which had been raised by Sir Regin-
AIDS father, to crafty a caprice Of his
lady, who spent much Of her time in
fitting it up with great splendor, Since
the good lady's death, the little build
ing had fallen into disuse, and now
only served as 4 memorial ola genera
tion that had just passed away. Leav
ing the Border King with his pre-
cious burden at the door OF thus build |
ing, we must beg our readers to return
with us to Sir Reginald, who was de-
termined to recover his bride, and
awaited with impotence the slowly
approaching night. At length the
shadows began to lengthen into giants,
and the western heavens were beaten
into "tlakes Of fire" Near the castle
a little brook ran, and as Sir Reginald
crossed the bridge that spanned it, its
waters played with the moonbeams
which TIPPED with silver its thousand
little waves. Perceiying light flick
er through the trees some distance
from him, Sir Reginald concealed
himself in neighboling plantation.
lie had scarcely taken this post when
man issued from the opposite wood,
bearing in one hand a dark lantern
and in the other basket In NOM
ent Sir Reginald recognized him; it
was the Border King. His first i'm
pulse was to rush upon the wretch
who had carried away his wife, but
his better sense coming to his counsel,
he checked himself, and determined
to watch the motions of his enemy.
81 thought so, he muttered. 81
,hought the mysterious villain would
'emain here, thinking to throw me off !
ny guard. Now, our Lady of Grace
assist me to recover my Edith
Keeping in the shadow of the trees {
Sir Reginald followed, with cautions t
teps, tue Border King, who proceed |
ID at rapid pace along the margin of t
he stream, in the direction of the tur- S
ct where we left him this morning.
IN reaching the building the marau- +
Ter set his lamp upon the ground, and I
'lacing his finger on one of the nails b
;ith which the door was studded, he f
ressed it for an instant, and the door
ew open. Passing in at once he {
losed the entrance after him. Sir f
reginald did not delay long to fol a
Nv the example thus set him; and
assing into the bull ling in like man
er, he found himself in long vault 81