The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-01-09

md swore over these letters, which never
an address to which an answer
,ould be forwarded nor said much, save
hat the writer was well and sent his rove
md duty and looked TO return, all being
we'll. But, meeeer as they were and loud
Is he sworc over them, he put them reli-
xiously away In an oak chest In his parlor,
ind another always put away for her share
something else, which was invariably in
,iosed--a tiny swallows feather. The
knight never said anything about the
leather, neither asked the meaning Of Its
presence nor commented upon It's absence
when Petronilla gave him back the letter.
But for days after each Of these arrivals
be would look much at his daughter,
would follow her about with his eyes, be
moro regular In bidding her attend him
In his walk and more particular in seeing
that she had the tidbits of the Joint.
For Petronilla, 1t cannot be said, though
I think In after times she would have
liked to make some one believe IL, that
she wasted away. But she did take more
serious and thoughtful air in these days,
which she never, God bless her, lost after
ward. There came from Wootton Wawen
and from Henley In Arden and from
Cookhill gentlemen of excellent estate to
WOO her, but they all went away discon-
solate after drinking very deeply Of Sir
ale and strong waters. And
some wondered that the good knight did
not roundly take the jade to task and sec
her settled.
But he did not So possibly even in
these days he had other views. l have
been told that, going up once to her little
chamber to seek her, he found very SIN
gular ornament suspended inside her lat
tice. 1t was no other than common clay
house martins nest, but 1t was so deity
hung In Melted bag and SO daintily
swathed In moss always green and the
Christmas roses and snowdrops and violets
and daffodils which decked 1t In turn were
always SO pure and fresh and brlgbt-as
the knight learned by more than one
stealthy visit afterward-that, coming
down the steep steps, he could not SEQ
clearly and stumbled against cookboy
and beat him soundly for getting in his
way.
To return, however. The news Of the
queens death had scarcely been we'll d.
gosted ut Cotton, nor the mass for her soul,
which Father Carey celebrated with much
devotion, been properly criticised, before
another surprise fell upon the household.
Two strangers arrived, riding, late one
evening, and rang the great bell while all
were at supper. Baldwin and the porter
went to sec what 1t was and brought back
a message which drew the knight from
his chair as terrier draws u rat.
"You are drunk'' he shouted, purple In
the face and fumbling for the stick which
usually leaned against his seat ready for
emergencies. "How dare you bring cock
and bull stories to mef"
1T Is true enough" muttered Baldwin
sullenly, a stout, dour man, not much
afraid Of his master, but loving him ex.
ceedingly. II knew him agin myself"
Sir Anthony strobe firmly out Of the
room, and In the courtyard near the great
gate found man and woman standing
In tho dusk. He walked up to the former
and looked him in the face. "What dc
you hereY' no said In a strange, hard
voice.
II want shelter for night for myself
and my wife, meal and some words with
you-no more" was the answer. "Giv,
me this" the stranger continued, (which
every idle passerby may claim at Cotor
End, and you shall see no more OF me
Anthony"
rOT u ulOlntuu VIZ hblknb b6ciutu "
hesitate. Then he answered, pointing
sternly with his hand: There is the hall
and supper. Go and eat and drink, O.
stayP he resumed. And he turned ant
gave some orders to Baldwin, who wen
swiftly to the hall, and in moment cam
again. Now, go What you want tn
servants will prepare for you"
81 want speech Of you," said the new
conner.
Sir Anthony seemed about to refuse
but thought better Of it. You can com
to my room when you have supped," h
said In the same ungraoious tone, speaking
with his eyes averted.
land you-do you not take support"
1T have finished" said tho knight, al
belt he had eaten little. And he turne,
on his heel.
Very few of those who sat round tn
table and watched with establishment tn
tall strangers entrance knew him again
1t was 10 years since Ferdinand Cludd
had last sat there-sitting there Of right
And the 10 years had worked much chang
in him. When he found that Petronilla
obeying her fathers message, had disaI
peared, he said haughtily that his wifi
would sup in her own room, and with
flashing eye and curling lip babe Baldwin
sea to it Then. seating himself in q plac
next Sir Anthony's, he looked down tn
board at which all sat silent. His sarcas
tic eye, his high bearing, his manner-th
manner Of one who had gone long wit
his life in his hand-awed these simpl
folk. Then, too, he was q Cludde. Fathe
Carey was absent that evening Marti
Luther had one OF those turns, half siol
half sullen, which alternated with hi
moods of merriment and kept his stra'
pallet in some corner or other There wa
no one to come between the servants an
this dark visaged stranger, who was "
no stranger.
He had his way and his talk with 81
Anthony, the latter lasting far into til
night and producing odd results. In I'll
first place, the unbidden guest and h
wife staid on over next day and ov'
many days to come and seemed gradual
to grow more and more at home. II
knight began to take long walks and rid'
with his brother, and from each walk-an
ride came back with more gloomy fat
| and curter manner. Petronilla, his con
panion of old, found herself set aside II
her uncle and cast, for society, on Ferd
nand's wife, the strange young woma
with the brilliant eyes, whose odd chang,
| from grave to gay rivaled Martin Luther
and who now scared the girl by vii
laughter and wilder gibes and now move
| her to pity by fits of weeping or daI
moods of gloom. That Uncle Ferdinand
wife stood in dread Of her husband p
tronilla soon learned and even began
share this dread, 10 shrink from his pre-
| ence and to shut herself up more and mo
closely In her own chamber.
There was another, too, who grew to
troubled about this time, and that W,
Father Carey. The good natured, cal
priest received with Joy and thankfulne
the news that Ferdinand Cludde had sec
his errors and re-entered the fold, bl
when he had had two or three interview
with the convert his brow, too, gre
clouded and his mind troubled. +
learned to see that the accession Of Il
young Protestant queen must bear fru
for which he had poor appetite. He b
gan to spend many hours In the churo
the church which he had known all b
life, and wrestled much with himself,
his face were any index to his soul. Goo
kindly man, he was not Of the stuff
which martyrs arc made and to be force
pushed on and goaded into becoming
martyr against ones will-well, the I
theirs position was hard one, as W
that In those days Of many a good al
learned clergyman bred In one church al
hid spQaeQly, on pain Of losing i
livelihood, n noe his life, to migrate
another.
The visitors had been in the house
month-and in shat month an observal
eye might have noted much chang
though all things in seeming went on
before-when the queen orders enjoinil
all priests to read the service, or gre
part of 1t, in English, came down, bell