The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1884-02-28

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spoke so hastily; but. Usula Mia, thy
fathers honor is safe with me"
Then l will be thy wife, sir" she
answered, withdrawing herself hastily
from his rapturous embrace; all the
fierce pride that was her bane, harden
ing her heart against her lovers tender,
pleading eyes; for she had mans
spirit, and would rather have given the
slanderer quittance with few inches
of good steel between them, than have
bought his silence with her love.
The marriage was hurried in most
unseemly fashion, for Hugh of Malvern
could not sleep soundly till Usula de-
parted bride from his roof; and then
he breathed freely, knowing we'll that
Craven, having CHARTERED his arms,
would guard his secret with his life if
needs be.
But the fair Usula was woman,
and a oman they say is ever to be won !;
so it came to pass that the love she
had denied her wooer went out to her
husband, in all the unsullied strength
of first and only passion but she had
so taught her lover GOODNESS that he
never guessed the secret those dark eyes
hid so i'll, thinking that the flash that lit
their well-like depth was aversion rather
than Affection and when she shrank
from his caresses, he fancied it was
hatred instead of the shy diffidence that
comes with unacknowledged love.
Poor Usula, eating her heart away.
suffered sorely; and when her husband
spent his time III manly sport and left
her lonely, thinking she was best pleased
so, my lady wept long and sore, tears
that she would have died rather than
he should witness; and this was why
the sunlight could find no Joy in her
dark eyes.
There is q stir in the courtyard be-
low, sound of music, and the tramp of
many feet, and Usrla knows that her
lord has returned; her heart beats
quickly as she sees him, light and grace
full, dismounting from his steed-a
young man beautiful to effeminacy.
Looking at him, none would guess that
before them stood the deadliest rapier
in the court of good Queen Bess. 1t
vas Marlborough who later on said
that the dandies made his best soldiers
and no dandy could have been less
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golden curls half shaded his delicate,
softly tinted face, their glitter contrast
ing the pale blue velvet of his doublet,
with its trimmings of priceless point
lace and the small, white jeweled hand
that rested for brief csressing moment
on his palfry's arched neck looked more
fit for touching the spinet than meeting
death in the melee of war.
My lady waits for him to seek her
bower chamber, and claim kiss OF
welcome from those proud red lips, but
full two hours pass and he comes not.
The courtyard is empty, and she feels
chill as the early twilight creeps on.
Some one pushes aside the silken
hangings of the door, and Usula turns
round, glad greeting in her heart, but
q woman of marble to all outward seem
ing.
Thou art long in coming" she says.
and then pauses, for it is lot her hus-
band, but her little maid, Alice, with
her face white as driven snow in the
light of the lamp she carries, and her
eyes round with wild terror.
"Oh, come, dear mistress, for our
lady's sake; convince thyself that this
ill-omened house is haunted. They are
there now in the passage leading to the
dungeon keep. peeped over and saw
their shsdows-she with wimple, and
he proper youth, and"
Peace, silly child" said Usula !;
this matter were we'll looked into, for
thy foolish fears will drive thee crazed.
Put down the lamp and come with me !;
NJ
ghosts. Nay not a word-give mo thy
hand. If they be indeed spirits, thou
shalt have my collar of pearls in memory
Of thy fear"
The two women walked hand in hand
softly, in the darkness, down to the
passage that led to the dungeon keep,
and as they drew near they heard low
talking
Did l no. tall thee so, my LADY,"
whispered the maid, struggling to free
herself from her mistress hold.
But Usula, recognizing one soft, loved
voice, quickly clasped her strong, white
hand across Alce's mouth and drew the
frightened child into the shadow; for
there in the full moonlight that flooded
through the broken window stood her
husband, and his companion was a
woman clad in nuns sombre garb!
Surely" Lord Craven was saying.
zone who like myself leads so holy a
life, safe in the keeping of Mother
Church, can have no cause for sorrow
and yet marvel much to find thee so
far from our good convent of St.
Mary"
Thou knowest little of the human