Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-02-17

evidence OF thankfulness that feline
nature can show. The remainder Of
the milk she thickened with some
barley meal and made q porridge for
her own supper.
Dusk settled down over the dreary
moorland before she had finished her
simple repast. She put her cabin to
rights, placed her two pewter spoons
| (pewter was of considerable value in
the Middle Ages in her pocket for
safe-keeping, and not forgetting to
kneel down and ask for Divine help.
she then threw cloak and hood over
her shoulders and head, and leaving
Peter to care for the cottage during
her absence, barrcaded the door and
set off with her charge down into the
valley.
1t was long, tedious walk, and
more than once she thought of turning
about. but the goats seemed so eager
to 90 forward and their need was so
great that she kept on. The poor things
appeared already invigorated by the
juicy bits plscked from the wayside; a
nights pasturage would be sure to
make them almost young again. The
grass trod fresh and green beneath her
|
down into the lowlands.
Only q few stars were out, dark
clouds now and then crept over the
sky, and there were signs of approach
ing rain. This did not disconcert her,
however. Her goats sustenance was OF
more consequence than wet skin,
even if the storm did open before she
returned to the cottage, which she did
not think probable.
She found fine feeding-ground for
her animals, and lettering them so that
they should not wander far, she sat
dawn on stone near by, busying her
self with bit of knitting she had
brought along. For long time she
sat there, no noise breaking the silence
save the signing of the breeze among
the trees and the busy nibble, nibble,
nibble of her goats.
The hours passed. IL was long after
midnight and the widow was just
thinking of starting toward home, when
she was startled by the heavy trampling
of horses approaching at gallop
They were coming down the valley, and
in few seconds there passed her some
three or four hundred mounted spears,
savage northern pickers who bore the
dreaded crest of the Black Douglas,
which she was able to distinguish in the
darkness.
They halted in grove few rods
below, and Dame Ursula crept down
very cautiously. hoping to catch some
word as to their errand. In this she
was successful. A number of the
troopers were picketing their steeds
not half dozen yards from where she
lay concealed, and she heard them say
they were to attack Wark Castle before
daylight. calculating to creep up and
surprise the garrison before they were
awake.
The little old woman trembled all
over as she listened to the soldiers
talk. They were rough, brutal clans
men, and they were saying how they
would plumber the castle and put to the
torture every man in it. She knew the
Lord of Wark Castle, the good Lord
Heron; it was in his train that her son
Giles had ridden away. II he was in
the castle now he must be warned and
saved. for the cruel Scots would be as
good as their word. In those border
raids and battles little mercy was
shown the vanquished. The dame re-
membered how only three or four sea-
sons before Scotch army under this
same terrible Douglas had surpr sed
and sacked Castle Ford, neighbour
ing fortress, and left not man to tell
the story or to dream of vengeance.
Ursula forgot all about her goats; in
fact, she was conscious of only the one
thing-that Wark Castle must be
warned. If her son was not there
other mothers had sons there and they
were Englshmen, of her own blood,
too brave and too valuable to be slaugh-
tered by those cowardly Scots. The
castle lay distance of between one
and two miles across the valley. She
knew the place well, and she could
reach there in time.
She crept back in the darkness. and
then, by circuitous path set out across
the country towards Wark. whose tow
ers and battlcments in the daytime
were the principal objects in the land
scape for miles around. The way lay
over rocks and knobs, and through
moist places which would have been
boys in wet season, but she kept
bravely on, hating only to obtain her
bearings from time to time. for the
clouds were thickening in the sky and
she could see but a little way before
her. She was so afraid she would be
late that she never thought of the dan
ger. TIL she stood below the dark stone
walls that rose so frowningly above
her.
If the sentinel should mistake her in
the darkness for foeman. or some
prowling creature. and let bolt or ar
row fly, then farewell to life. She was
not worth much. to be sure, her old
body was nearly worn out. st II she
would like to live. if only to welcome
Giles back again some time. For Ursula
could not help TIL hiking that her son
would come back to the old cot some
day. She had no need to fear. how
ever, for she caught glimpse of the
sentinel before he saw her, and hailed
him, her feeble voice with its high
pitched treble piercing like wall
through the Stiffness:
''Ho, warder!. There are foes about.
The Black Douglas will swoop down
in less than an hour. Be on guard, if
you value life and home"
And the sentinel, peering forward
through the darkness, caught sight of
the thin, bent figure, half doubling that
his visitor was of the earth. so eerie
and uncanny was that voice in the still
night hour. But he answered prompt
ly, as a good sentinel should:
"Thanks for your warning, good
friend. The Black Douglas shall not
find us unready."
Something in his voice startled her.
Old memories were aroused by it, and
the thin cheeks flushed ] Ike girls.
THAT was his voice" she whispered,
my boy, my Giles" and she stretched
out her hands dimly as if to clasp him.
She stood a moment thus hesitating
between conflicting emotions, but fear
ing she should delay operat ons u the