Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-25

lection If that evening in the forest
flowed back up,n his mind, and be once
more cav Mstcham's w;ncirg body and
beseecding eyes.
And then he was rscslled to the dan
gers Of the present. In the next room
he heard stir, as OF person moving;
then followed eigh, which sounded
| strangely near; and then tie rustic of
skirts and zap Uf feet once more began.
As he stood hearkening he ssW the erras
wave along the wall; there WAS the sound
OF a door being opened, the haDgings
divided, and. lsmp in hand, Joanna Ssd-
! ley herself entered the apartment.
She WIS stirred 10 costly etuffs of deep
and warm Co ours, such as beft the winter
and the snow. Upon her head her hair
had been gathered together ard became
| her as g crown. And she, who had
seemed so little and SO awkward in the
sttire Of Matchan, was now tall like q
young willow, and swan ACROSS the foor
IS though she scorned the drudgery oil
walking.
Without g start, without tremor, she
raised her lamp and looked at the young
monk.
"Wnst make ye here, good brother2"
she Inquired. eye are doubtless H.
directed. Whom do ye require?" And
she Set her lsmp upon the bracket
"Joanna," said Dick; and then his voice
failed MIN. "Joapua," he began again,
''ye said ye loved me; and the more fool
I, but believed III"
"Dick!" saeicried. "Diek,"
And then, 10 the wonder Of the lad, this
beautiful and tall youIg lady made but
one step Of it, and threw her arms about
his neck nnd gave him q hundred kisses
Gil ia one.
"Oa, tha fool fellow!" she cred. "Oh,
dear D:cki On, il ye could see yourself!
Alack!" shs added, psuSing, al have
sp1ilt you, Dicki have knocked some
Of tie paint CT. But that can be mend
cd. What cannot be meu6ed, Dick-or
much fear it csrnot!-is my marriage
with Lord Shoreby."
SIS it decided, then?" asked the lad.
"To morrow, before noon, Dick, in the
abbey church." she answered, "John
Mztcham and Josnna Sedl y both shall
come to right miserable end. There is
co help in tears, or could weep mine
eyes out. / have not spared myself to
prsy, but heaven frowns on my petition.
And, dear Dick-good Dick-but that ye
can get me forth If this house before the
morning, We must even kiss and say
goodbye"
may" said Dick, "not I; will never
say that word. IT'S like despair, but
while there's life, Joanna, there is nope.
Yet will hope. Az, by the mass, and
triumph! Look ye, DOW, when ye were
but name to me, did not foilow-did 1
not rouse good men-did not stake my
life upon the quarrel? And now that
have seen you for what ye are-the fair
est maid and stateliest of England-think
ye would turn? II the deep sea were
there, would straight through 1t; If
the wsy were full Of lione, would scat
Ter them like MICE"
cay" she said, dryly, Eye make great
ado about sky-olue robel"
"Nsy, JOAN" protested Dick, tits
not alone the robe. But, lass, We were
Here am disguised; and, to
the proof, do not cut figure of fun-a
right TOOLS fgure?"
Say, Dick, an that re dol" she sn-
swered, smiling.
swell, taen!" he returned, triumphant.
"So vas it with you, poor Matcham, in
the forest. In soosh, ye were = wench to
laugh at. But nowi"
So they ran on, holding each other by
both hands, exchanging smiles ald lovely
looks, aud melting minutes into seconds;
ana 50 they might have continued all
night long. Bur presently there WAS a
noise behind them; and they were aware
OF the short young lady with her finger on
ner lips.
"Ssints! !" she cried, "but what noise
ye keep! Csn ye not speak in compass?
And now, Joanna, my fair maid of the
woods, what will ye give your gossip for
bringing you your sweetheart"
joanna ran to her, by way of answer,
aud embraced her flerily.
Sand you, sir" added the young lady,
"wnat do ye give mef"
"Madsm," said Dick, "I would fain
Offer to pay you in the same money"
"Come, then, said the lady, "it is per-
mitted you"
But Dick, blushing like q peony, only
kissed her hand.
"Whst ais re at my face, fair slr2"
she inquired, curtseying to the very
ground; and then, when Dick had at
length and most tepidly embraced her,
Joanna" she added, "your sweetheart
is very backward under your eyes; but
warrant you, when first we met, he was
more ready. am all black and blue,
wencb; trust me never, il I be not black
and blue! Add now," she continued,
shave ye said your sayings? for 1 must
speedily dismiss the paladin."
But at this they both cried out that
they had said nothing, that the night was
still very young, and that they would
not be separated so early.
"And support" asked the young lady.
Must we not 60 down to SUPERB
"Nsy, to be sure!" cried Joan. III had |
''nide me, thsn," ssid Dick, "put me
behind the arrss, shut me in 6, chest, or
what ye will, so thst may be here on
your return. Indeed, fair lady," he ad-
de d.. "bear this in mind, that we are sore |
bsseted, and may never look upon each |
others face from this night forward till
we die"
At this the young lady melted; snd |
when, little after, the bell summoned |
Sir Daniels household to the boaro, Dick |
was planted very stifl7 against the wall |
Ii place where division In the tapes !
try permitted him to breathe the more |
freely, and even to see into the room.
He had not been long in this position,
when he was somewhat strangely dis |
turbsd. The silence, in that upper story |
Of the house, was only broken by the |
Pickering of flames and the kissing of |
green log in the chimney; but presently, |
to Dicks strained hearing, there came
The sound Of some one walk |
inn with eYsreme precRutiOn: scWud |