Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-01-14

of the highwaymen pushed th
other out of the way, exclaimiDg.
"a Hebe. by JOve p and with such
bow as few had ever gwen me
he toek my hand and helped me
down.
TO tell the truth, l knew very
little of what took place around me
after that. / saw my highwayman
give some orders to his men. Then
he turned to me, aud IN the most
gentlemanly manner begged II Q to
walk with BIN as,the air was rather
cool 1 dared not refuse, and we
paced back and forth till felt as
| if | should faint. He talked of the
sceners, tAe mountain air and
other matters, but of his purpose
there and of the operations of his
companions-he kept himself care
fully between me and them-he
said not a word.
1T was at q moment when | felt
could endure no more, that |
caught sight of PauIs face. All the
men had their hands tied behind
them. aud were standing IN row,
looking into the reYOlvers OF their
eaptors, who relieved them of
everything of value, There STOOD
your grandfather with such glare
of helpless Indignation at poor me
that it was ore than TeOuld stand
aud with a sense of the ridiculous
that was more than half bysterlcal
broke into such peals of laughter
that the mountains echoed.
could not belpit. | laughed and
laughed till the tears ran down my
chepks, and nv escort at last
iolned me, while lie whispered
something so hat;eriug that my
Door Paul would have died out
right if he could have heard.
Finally my highwaymau placed
me in the coach again, with
whispered request for some re-
mem brsnce-a ring or anything
AS be had it in his power to take
rings and everything else, 1 clip.
ped off turquoise and gave 1t to
him. He placed it on bis third
finger above a diamond, and as
the diamond flashed, saw a tiny
cross cut into Its surface. Nothing
else was taken from me. | was not
even searched, and with a
courtly bow nv knight of tho road
and his companions vanished as
Suddenly as they had come.
'One month later l was almost
worn out with the entertainments
furnished by my sister in her
efforts to make my visit pleasant.
There was to be one more dance,
probably the last, as we we're to
start hOmeward the first OF the
following week. Paul had been
visiting relatives and had Just re.
turned in time to take part.
AS the wagons drove up at the
door of the inn where the dance
vas to be held l heard a Young
lady, a friend OF my sisters call
out:
WHY, where has Mr.. Meredith
goneY' But l thought nothing
about ii then.
'Tbe dancing had been going Oh
for only short time when thlS
young lady came up to me aud
with tones suggestive OF vexltloD
or pique, said:
IMr. Meredith wishes to be intro
duced to YOU
'Mr. Meredith then asked me "a
lance with hin, and not once but
many times we dauoed together.
He was an admirable dancer. Yet
I could hardly hear wnat he said
50 perplexed was 1, wondering
, where | could have heard his voice
before: But at length as he ex
ended his hand glanced down
and saw small cross cut on the
diamond OF his ring.
my dears. l almost tainted out
right. But to the end he acted
the part OF a gentleman. He led
me to a window and stood talking
while he shielded my agitation
from the room now filed VIII
p whlrhng couples.
, nothing wss said for severa
P minutes. In my foolish heart
c was trying to think of som6 roman
9 tic reason that would account fol
q his mode of life. His face, frou
d which the beard aud mustache
g we're gone, looked like that ol
s some boyisn Sir e ,lahad, not like
|. hat of a criminal. His kindly
q brown eyes shoDe on me wlIb
u world OF laughing in them.
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