Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-02-22

l,t,-' thcm stood the deadllest rapler
Iu ~. O. ur' # good Queen Bess. 1t
"a Marlborough who later on said
. a. H." handles made his best soldiers
. ro dandy coUld have been less
vartl hk" than Robert Craven: short
! "a, cGrl- half shaded his delicate.
-"ft,y tirt.l lace. their glitter contrast
l,rthrpt!c hluc velvet Of his doublet.
with MS trimmings .: priceless point
nr". ami th" small, hite. jewel"d hand
that ,.,',d tor brief carcssin= moment
g, ll- palfry'~ arrh'l neck looaed more
~ for tolchng thn Spinct than meeting
,tH.fl lu taci .i"l"c Of war.
", hl> waits for lima to seek her
,uN,r rhlnler. and claim kiss OF
wlrunr FROM those proud red bps, but
tu.l tWo hour pass and he comes not
Ihr.c"urt.ar L. empty. and she feels
rhIll is tho c,rlv twilight creeps on.
Snr. one ru-h,s aside the silken
h.l. u o., of ih. door. and sula turns
round. a gMd greeting IN her heart. but
Il woman If marble 10 all outward seem
ua
iou art Ion IN coming, SIC says,
snl th"u pAuS,'~ for it is 70. her hus-
Ian ;a,t her little maid. Alice. with
hcr lace ,.i;r as driven saoH in the
hslt %, the lamp she carries. and her
,tc- ioI mi with WI terror.
.oll. come. dear mistress. for our
lal, - sake. convince thyself that this
illumicnrd house Is haunted. They are
there now in the i'aSsage leading to the
dungeon keep. pecped over and saw
their shadows She with w.mple, and
he n II, per youth, and
Peace. silly child" said Csula
TIN, matter were well looked into, for
thy foolish fears will drive thee crazed.
Put down the lamp and come with me;
| myself will prove these seeming
ghosts. Nay not word give me thy
hand II 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 rs they drew near they heard low
talking
"Dld not tell thee so. my lady?'
whispered the maid, struggling to free
herself from her mistress hold.
But Usnla. recognizing one soft, loved
voice. quickly clasped her strong, white
hand across Alicc's mouth and drew the
frightened child into the shadow fol
there IN the full moonlight that flooded
through the broken window stood hel
husband. and his companion was q
woman clad in nuns sombre garb!
surely" Lord Craven WAS saving
zone who like myself lea Is so holy 6
life. safe i'll the keeping Of Mother
Church. can have no cause for sorrow
and vet marvel much to find thee sc
far from our good convent of St
Mary"
"Thon knowest little of the human
heart fair sir. when thou sayest l have
no cause for SORROW. said the woman
in strangely sweet voice.
Tho heart, sweet lady?' he an
swcrcd IL am but an honest soldier
at the court of our good queen; but me
thought nuns heart at least was saft
from all save spiritual cares"
"Ah" she sighed: would it were so
gentle sir; would that convent wal
could shut out all that makes this worl(
paradise or hell. Would that
could kill love as easily as l can dof
this lying garb."
She pushed the wimple from hel
brow, and as the black cloak slipped
from her, Usula saw herself -hersel
in another 10 lv-s standing before hel
husband.
"Oh. Csula! why didst thou pla,
me this trick" Lord Craven cried.
because ] love thee" said the othel
sula: and Lady Craven felt turned Il
stone Mt the sounding of that voice tina
mimicked every note of her own.
dear, dear heart! At last" he said
thou hast owned thy precious love
Ny joy! My life!"
A smile OF evil triumph spread ovel
her face, as she nestled in his arms
pushing him gently toward the dungeon
steps. And suddenly it came like g
revelation to the true Csula. breaking
the spell that held her silent that thi
was the spirit of the wicked abbess
and with one loud cry she rushed for
ward TO tear the guilty thing from he
husbands arms; but her finger
clutched only empty air; for at tina
cry the ghost vanished, and Usula, clos
pressed to her husbands heart, sobbine
told him Of the peril he had escaped.
And | was SO happy, thinking tina
thou dd'st i'll very truth love me, swee
Csula."
$50 do. Robert" she whispered
$50 have loved thee this many lonI
dav."
With his arms thrown lovingl
around his wife, Lord Craven turne'
10 the servants and friends, who nov
thronged the passage, having come il
all haste. alarmed by my lady's pierc
ing cry. He told them how, walking
in the plaisance yonder, white han'
had beckoned to him; and how, en-
tering the passage. he had me
and held converse with a ghost VIII
took his dear wife's form to betray him
and who would have surely sealed hi
doom, but for the good Lady Usula'
bravery.
Come hither. child" said my lady
turning to the blushing, trembling, tire
maid, here is the collar l promises
thee; and one more brave even thai
that said should be thine"
tsula unclasped the glittering dis
monds from her slim white throat an,
fastened them round the girls sol
neck.
Some of the servants, using thei
lanterns, found that the steps leadin
to the dungeon keep had mostly rotte
away. so had my lord fallen down, h
would have persisted to surety.
Lying on the dungeon door was
heap of human bones.
We will give them Christian bu
rial. p" said my lady; for they are n
doubt the bones of that poor youth tn
wicked abbess murdered"
And from the hour the poor skeleto
was buried, the siren of Norlake Able
appeared no more.