The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-12-22

And thus she sang:
Good Saint Peter, good Saint Paul,
Humbly unto thee l call;
When dear Christ our Lord was born;
In His name do 1 implore
That your words in days of yorc
Fulfilled may be in this place,
Bringing fortune to my race.
Tawleigh Court and Tawleigh lands
Place again in Tawleigh hands;
That upon this holy eve
None of Tawleigh blood may grieve;
Let this fortune fair befall,
Good Saint Peter, good Saint Paul.
The singing died away and mur
mur of prayer succeeded. Vaux fell
that his companion was trembling in
every limb and that he was clingine
to him for support.
"The Christmas Luck!' he gasped
"Who-who asks it?
Gone Of the Tawleighs, no doubt,
replied Naux, lighting lantern. "Let
me see, Mr.. Kilvert."
Leaving the lawyer shivering with
fear in the sacristy, Father Vaux adj
vanced into the tenebrous church and
flashed his light upon the altar. See.
ing the approach of the tall dark fig.
ure and the misty halo of light radia
ting from the lantern, Herry, timid
child as she was, thought that her song
had called to earth one of the saints
Before she could grasp the situation
and divest her mind of supernatural
foars, her highly strung nerves gave
away, and, with {. little appealing cry
she tainted ON the altar steps.
"a child" said Vaux, swinging the
light over her white face. "Henrietta
Tawleigh!' he added in tone
of astonishment. "Poor little crea-
ture! How comes she here p
Father! Father!'' cried the tremu
lous voice of Kilvert, "who is it?'
"One of your enemies" replied
Vaux sadly; and taking the insensi
BILE child in his arms, he bore her into
the sacristy. Kilvert, with shaking
hands, had already reklndled the lamp
and when he beheld Father Vaux enter
with the insensible form of Herry ly
ing on his breast, he started back with
the exclamation as had been lately on
the lips of the priest:
GA child! !" said he in astonishment
"Henrietta Tawleigh!'
"Yes,'' replied Vaux, lying down
Henry zone of your enemies"
"No, Father, no! Not that child ?
Vaux shook his head. 81 use youl
own words of some moments back, ,
be said, in low loice; "but of these
things we can talk later on. Mean
while, we must attend to the child"
But Kilvert, startled by the unseer
voice and by the unexpected presence
OF Henrietta Tawleigh, was past rem
dering aid. Shivering and shaking
and wiping the cold perspiration from
his lean face, lie sat silently watching
the priest. Vaux sprinkled water or
the child and bathed her forehead un
til the color flushed in her wan cheeks
and she opened her eyes to see the kline
countenance bending over her. With
4 smile of halfrecognition Henry
struggled into sitting posture, an6
shortly she became more composed.
"Do you feel better, my child ? ask
ed Father Vaux.
"Yes, thank you," replied Herry, III
tired little voice; oh! the dark
church and the tall figure!'
That was /, dear child. I heard
you singing"
"Oh !" sighed Herry, who had not
yet caught sight of Kilvert sitting in
the background; "and l thought il
was one of the good saints coming
with the Christmas Luck
at was l." said Father VauX
Eaux, once more. "But no wonder
you were afraid in the darkness. Sc
YOU come to ask for the Christmas
Luck p
"Yes, Father. We need it so--oh
indeed, SO greatly y cried Herry clasp
ing her hands. And you know the
good saints promised boon to Sil
Amyas.'
Il know the legend, my child. And
what boon do YOU require Z
"Taw.cish Court for father" said
Henry. earnestly. 1--WE are so poor.
and mother is 50 i'll. Father wants to
take Us away she said, bursting into
sobs, IAN we do not want to go. Oh
Father; Father; will not the good saints
give Us hac;, the Courl!''
Over the child's head Vaux cast a
queer glance at Kilvcrt, who was lis.
tening with breathlcss interest. 'The
saints could even do that, my little
daughter" said he slowly, ''but you
must have faith
'Oh | have faith!'' cried Herry, ris
ing. Il am sure Saint Peter and good
Saint Paul can give us the Court il
they please. If they would only speak
to Mr.. Kilvert, | believe he would help
us"
"Does your father think so, Henri
eta ~