The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-11
THE POACHERS' LUCY"
OF BALLNAGEE.
BY EDGAR l. WAKEMAN.
copyrght 1874 BY Edgar l. wakeman All rights eseyedI


the old servant soothingly ~ mean that
he seems very determined about not
permitting any one here at BaluaEec 10
disturb NoCgins. The gamekeepcr. or in
any way interfere with Lucy. your grace
Ever since she saved him from drowning
in the mere, when they were playmates
: together"
"A very unfortunate circumstance '
interrupted mLady, thinking only Of
. hOvden Lucy N0ggius, the Eamekeeper'5
. daughter.
He has seemed TO have a very deep
/ affection for her. continued John Jolly
. stoutly. But, your grace, I believe its a
! kindly sort O liking. His lOrdship ad-
/ mires Lucy. is proud o. her. Just as be is
| proud Of his horses, his dogs. an his gun.
| I beg your pardon, but if-f you might
| bring yourself TO notice il, or worry over
] il. il might wear away, easy like. some
( times Opu9siu is driyiu' head on when
it comes TO males and females. your
T grace"
He said this very gently and almost
deprecatngly. The duchess sat in
thought, with her hand upon the old
servants shoulder, for few moments.
Then she asked earnestly:
'JOlly, is NOggins the man with the
game preserves that is claimed for HING
He's tn finest gaMe6eeper and pleas
ant breeder in the kingdom-leastwise
with Lucy's help. Shes even more cum
ming with tn birds than her father your
grace"
The duchess frowned in silence for a
little, and then, as if deserving this line
Of search for another, she suddenly
asked: "a good many pheasauts md
their way over the wall, don't they,
jolly"
well, yes, a fairish lot, your grace
And it's well known that the girl has
practically disposed OF our charities of
that sort, of dark nights, for years so
much so and so long that every one in the
village and roundabout knows her as the
poachers' Lucy
Yes, and loves her next to your lady
ship. because of it," veutured Jolly
bravely.
But it's a crime"
Yes, and no, your grace Yes, afore
tn law no, when mis- lordship knows it
as well as any o. EN-, or US inside the
walls, and is rather proud of IL besides !"
There would be no way Of exposing
her, Jouy}"
well, your grace. you can't hardly
expose person, as everybody already
knows all about, an would fight for2"
''She could be brought before the as
sizes and convicted of this charge by an
hundred Witnesses"
"Oh, yes. your grace. if there was any
one TO inform, an after that any " it.
nesses. an after that any conviction: an
very soon after that, askin' your pardon
humbly, l would like to leave Ballnagee."
Leave Ballnageel !"
well, what was left of Ballnagee, your
ladyship."
you don't mean that there would be
serious trouble, Joilyl"
NO; it wouldn't seriously trouble
them, tn Ballnageeans. They'd just level
this castle inside an hour"
Level this CASTLE"
LAS level as this floor, your ladyship"'
The duchess shut the dreadful picture
away from her eyes with her delicate
hands, while John Jolly never looked
more grave and important in all his life
Just one moment, my dears,' said the
duchess noddlng pleasantly TO her guests,
as they began descending into the draw
ing room, and then to her old servant
with exceeding earnestness as she arose:
Jolly, have YOU ever observed this girl
in any sort of-Of compromising situa-
tons. Little, harmless affairs, of course
she added as the old man turned his ewes
openly upon her.
Not unless, he replied as if thinking
very hard, not unless YOU call walkin'
arm in arm with q man in tn Dark Walk
along toward midnight, COmpromisin'.
your ladyship.N
f1dIlUdEee
is an avenue of twilight, Just inside the
demesne walls, descending and curving
for mile away from the eminence upon
which the noble castle stands fecked all
its length by sunlight thinly filtered
through overarching sycamores When
the moon is full above the castle grounds.
it IS paved with spheres of light like pale
and ghostly silver coin.
" Yes, yes, yes2"
with now and then kiss thrown in;v
he continued with tantaliziug gravity.
"A tive-pound note for his name, jolly"
she exclaimed with glistening eyes, as
she accompanied him to the drawing room
door.
Its no other man than Mr.. Brisbin, at
the rectery, your ladyship."
He had turned to the stairs now, and
was looking back and upward defer.
entially, to receive any other possible
commands.
- And ~ hat's-the-way -the-Rever-
end - Hector - Brisbin - has been-re-
Lucy-Noggins !'
OR she him. your ladyship :" John
jolly answered demurely.
step over to the rectory and ask Mr.
Brisoin to run up for a moment, John"
II there's not to be a word, your
grace"
No, no, no, Jolly; not a word not one
wordm
AS he trotted down the marble stair
way she waved him a dainty adieu with
her finger tips, and turned back TO her
guests with the heartiest peal Of laughter
that had runE through the nails of Ball
nagee since Miss Todgers and Lucy had
them all TO themselves in the long sum
mer battle with dust and silence. and the
sprlte OF the castle had all but maddened
the severe and capable Todgers with her
outiandish mimicryo of the lords and ladies
me who were won't TO gather there
lie duchess at once confessed that she
was unexpectedly IN great spirits This
rather lighteneG those of her friends: for
all the Way from London the titled ladies
had exchanged miseries, prompted by the
confession on the part of the duchess of
her fears regarding his lOrdship and Lucy
Nogglns. Being proiuscly sympathetic
they naturally held a mouruful pleasure
IN the great anxiety of their hostess. and
were secretly consumed with CURIOSITY to
see the merry vixen with whom the
powerful Duchess of E-uchester was uu-
able to successfully cope
1t was but a step 80 the rectory which.
even in early October nestled under
mass of roses, bloom and ivy. and leaned
against the ancient sluare-towored
church. whose south porch fronted the
shadoWy village mall, and whose private
entrance, as is the custom of parish
churches under immortal and demesne
benetees- led into the castle court itself