Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-10-17
PROLOGUE.
.'What Have You Done With My
Promised Bride?'


looking habltation, its aspect solemn,
the venerable air which chung about
1t unmistakable. Its monastic case
ments, Its massive d9ors, It's hoary
lIchen-grown walls and iyy-clad roof
seemed to tell one, as plainly as words
could have done, that frars OF an
"order gray" In years gone by, had
made that old place their sanity
abode and loved its sanctlty well.
Their clustered llyes-unlike the lives
of so many Of their brethren else
where we're pure and blameless.
Cody men In their day, tradition
maintained, were those dead and gone
monks Of 0ldfriars.
For centuries, now, Oldfriars has
belonged to the Penriths. Sir Ruy,
the present owner, was a young man
of twenty-four, with tastes aycrse to
those Of the ordinary country gentle
man, and the idol Of proud mothers
heart. sir Ruy and Lady Penrith
lived at Oldfriars togetber--had been
the closest and best of friends indeed
since the death Of the boys father.
But In the June OF the year 49, there
was a feud between mother and son,
and at the bottom OF this feud was a
woman.
AT an open-paned mullioned WIN
dow, in a crimson covered arm chair
In the spacious old-fashioncd drawing
room Of the ancient mansion, sat Lady
Penrith, gazing out with gloomy eyes
upon the wide, darkening landscape
before her She was a handsome
woman still, with strongly marked
features and an abundance Of fair
-young-looking even at two and
forty. Proud of the race 10 which she
had come to belong, and Of the hon,
orable name she bore, that pride was
traceable In every line Of her face.
Right away her brooding gaze had
Travelled right away to the winding,
turbulent river In the distance which
washed three sides Of the hilly park
at Oldfriars. Down by the river path,
in the FAST rising evening mists, Lady
Penrlth could just distinguish two
figures "A man and woman walk
she chnched her jewelled white hand,
her proud face flushed duskily, a pas
slonate sob half rose in her breast.
"rhls II his last evening she mutt
tered -"hls last evening at Oldfriars
for many days to come-and yet ! am
nut aside for Alicia Leigh. Ruy, Ruy,
you will break my heart"
Young Ruy penrith was an ardent
lover OF the beautlful-ln fact, was
true artist after his own desultory
fashion. Had he been born TO the
lot Of a poor man, instead Of 70 that
OF rich one, he might have become
famous of necessity as II were. As
IL was. he took life easily enough,
loved the world because to him u
wac Il most fair and pleasant world,
and had ever been known to those
about him us good-hearted, sunny
tempered fellow, because as vet no
thwarting had arisen to warp MS
nature otherwise.
Sir Ruy Penrith hated accounts ana
business matters and the practical
side of life. Herman Merry Their
the lawyer and estate agent IN the
village OF Garth, together with Lady
penrlth, MANAGED affairs at Oldfrtars
without the assistance Of Sir Ruy
This Herman Merryweather and Rugs
father had been very intimate
throughout the latter's lifetime The
two men. In fact, had been at school
aud at college together, and the
friendship formed then had with
stood, for a wonder, the test Of after
years
With the morrow'S sun young Ruy
would take leave Of his home for n
few months sketchlng in Normandy,
whittier he was going IN company
with an artist friend 81 his
81 am almost glad now" said Lady
Penrth, aloud, still watching from
her post at the mullloned window
these two unconscious figures in tho
ha2Y distance, chat this tour has
been arranged Tomorrow, when he
Is gone. ! viii dismiss the girl When
he returns | pray heaven he VIII have
forgotten Alicia leigh
Presently they turned from the
river path and began to wrnd their
steps IN the direction Of tho house
On they came beneath the quiet 1ees
slowly slowly IN the sweet purple
1ask inc youth bending down 10 The
ear " tbn maiden. his arm encircllng
her waist
faan an intervening shruhhcry hil