The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-10-14
Day by day the knight made him

o.
ing orders to the servants and mana
| cling as if the estate WAS his own, but
when he began to make free with all
the secret drawers and papers in the
great library, sitting over them until
far into the night, the old servants
| shook their heads and said, one to an
other, "Ah, his presence here bodies
no good"
After some weeks he demanded an
other audience with tho princess, who
by this time had almost forgotten his
existence, so taken up was she in
watching to ascertain if indeed a spi-
der had taken a tenement under the
embrasure outside her bedroom win
dow. When shown into her presence
the knight informed her in u state
ly way that he had found papers that
established his claim rs rightful heir
to the estate, that he had already TAX
en- possession and would like her to
deliver the keys immediately.
The princess's manner was as formal
as his own, and her tone as naughty.
when, after a little pause, she replied:
Sir Knight. doubtless thou art not
aware that in the possession Of the
crown prince are papers showing that
with this estate goes a signet ring.
The ring is always in possession of
the rightful heir and that ring 1
have"
The knight was exceedingly angry.
but he brought all his arts of fascina-
tion to bear upon the princess, think
ing to induce her to show him the
ring. but all in vain. Quite out of pa
thence, at length he told her if she did
not give up the ring Immediately lie
would set every person on the estate
to gathering spiders from field. forest,
river. and castle and would fill her
apartments, her clothing, nay even
her couch with them. The princess
quaked with fear at even the thought
of this. and enveloping herself in her
linen wrap preceded the knight to the
arsenal that was high up in n of the
western towers. Here behind a coat
of mail that was hanging upon the
wall she touched a spring that opened
a secret drawer within which was. a
small golden key. With this key
closely clenched in her hand, and the
willy knight close at her side. she pro-
ceeded to the great picture gallery.
There behind the life-size portrait Of
her own beautiful mother she found
another secret drawer, and taking
therefrom an ivory casket she unlock
ed it with the golden key disclosing
the coveted prize.
"Let me examine it, please" entreat-
ed the knight.
"Never," cried the princess, now
that the ring was in her hand, impress
ed by the instructions regarding it she
had received from her parents. and
dismayed at her own weakness in be-
ing frightened in her own castle, amid
her own people by a stranger.
The knight. quite forgetting all his
assumed courtly ways, sprang to take
it from her, when. quick as thought,
she threw it out of one of the deep
narrow windows that the knight had
opened on account of the closeness
of the air, in the long disused gallery.
It flashed like n coal of fire in the sun
light and was gone.
"Mad girl!' shouted the knight, an
grily. at has fallen into the moat -
and leaving the princess he rushed
down the starts.
With her heart beating wildly, and
her eyes sparkling with excitement,
the young girl leaned out the narrow
window and looked far below to where
the gray walls Of the strong square
tower were reflected in the still black
waters Of the moat.
"Ah !! what is that" she cried, for
just below her, even within reach of
her hand the signet ring hung secure
ly caught in the meshes Of an ancient,
closely woven spiders web. Although
the spider was close by. c~uriously re-
garding this singular prey, the prin-
cess did not mind, but reached down
and secured the ring without fear.
AS she did so. standing there in front of
the portraits of her parents, she seemed