The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-01

the great oaken door Is but q dozen
yards away. In Its centre he sees the
| massive bronze knocker, green with
| age, and its bronze ring awaiting his
hand. Can he reach It.? O God. give
strength. One short, plunging. totter-
Ing rush, With curses gasplng up the
bank Just behind him, and he clutches
the ring, and with one last spasm OF
strength clangs the knoclter, once,
| twice, thrlce-and falls. as II llfeless, in
heap on the threshold
Up over the brow OF the hill came the
leather huntiug-cap OF Oswald; next
his body; and now. his eyes cleaning
wickediy, he runs swiftly across the
space, drawing sword as he runs.
Well was It that the good bishop.
Robert OF Graystanes, had awakened.
| early that morning, and had looked
forth over the Galilee porch TO take the
| signs of the weather. He saw the pur-
suit: he witnessed the desperate rush
! OF the exhausted fugitive across the
level; and ere the echoes of the third
stroke had died along the aisle. he flung
open the great door. and confronted
Duke Oswald. now slarirE like a de-
mon. and with deadly brand appraised.
Stay thy impious hand!" he COM
anu Slcppe0 tHp
scious body. which fell forward upon
the floor. What! wouldst violate the
sanctity Of asylum? And thou u son OF
Godfrey ColdiHSham? BY thy honored
sirc's name command thee TO drop thy
blade-polnt, and go hence. Thy
brother Is beyond thy power. Holy
Church will protect her own"
Oswald drew back The whIte-halred
| hiebnp ,.olpol hic 1tfa 1acxs than
farthng. One long, searching look at
the old face. and the duke turned and
strobe angrlly away, and Corilef was
| safe.
Safe, howerr, for a time only. safe SO
long rs he kept within the prescribed
sanctuary limits. Everybody dreaded
| ton were relaxed; and an air Of gloom
hung over castle and cathedral. Duke
Oswald scowled more darby than ever
| and none dared mention his brothers
name. And thus the December days
grew shorter, and the Christmas season
drew OH.
The duke gave command, as II in de-
fance OF the public unrest and depres-
sion. that the Christmas celebration in
the cathedral. should be more magnlfi-
cent than usual. The command was
obeyed; and when the fiery sun rose, on
Christmas day, and flashed its rosy
splendor out of q clear sky, on towers
and battlements, and over turrets and
pinnaclcs, both castle and cathedral
seemed as IL themselves adorned and
gloriGed, in honor OF the holy day.
At s o'clock the monks assembled In
the chapter-housc for devotion, and
then filed solemnly down Into the crypt.
where, at the tomb Of the cathedral's
patron, Saint Cuthbert. the prayers for
the dead were said. Afterwards they
repaired to the priory and presently
marched across to the cathedral.
through the west door. with the BAN
ners Of their various orders proudly dis
played. The bishop, richly clad in his
robes, with croz!er in hane, led the way:
but his face wore u look OF profound
anxiety. AS the procession passed
through their midst. the great congre-
cation knelt and said collects and pray
ers; and the burden Of many Wills
pered prayer was that God would rec
oncle fierce Duke Oswald to his inno-;
cent brother.
The long procession Of monks and
frlars passed through the beautifully
carved screen into the choir. The organ
poured forth Its grandest hnrmon!es;
and white-robed choristcrs, entered from
the clo!ster, sang In antlphony. Then.
| through the north door, through the very
door where he had raised his sword with
| such evil Intent. n few weeks before.
came stnlwart Duke Oswald. In spotlcss
armor, visor down, fifty armored knights
with him, and a hundred mailed men-at-
arms behind. With clanking steps they
marched to their. allotted space in front.
and their spears and halberds rang out
sharply like defiant challenges, as they
sat down. ri
The sacred rite went on, with unusual
romp: but every heart there present
thought sadly upon the dulse'e implaca-
BILE wrath and the possible fate OF the
hunted Corllef. Thus There ran q vibra-
ton Offender sympathy through oil tlat
vast aEserEbage; and even the great or
gan. amid Its strains OF rejoicing, seem-
cd sometimes 10 pause ana sob, and
shuddsr, In great 'surSes OF sound. 80
wonderfully did 4. answer TO the skill
I ful touch Of the old organist, Cultured.
Presently the event which Nil felt In tho
very air came 10 pass. The bishop,
growing even palcr than usual, made n
slgn towards the transcpt-door; NIL eyes
were strained to Sec The throng parted,
! In thu ttanSepL and man came Tor
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