The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-10-04

4 CTteu out iOuuly, so tlat the whole
band heard:
Now by my knightly troth and hon
or, swear that our brave deliverer
shall have the most precious thing
f, that know upon this earth. and that
Is my fair niece Diotwina. She is
hereby betrothed to him before God
and manr'
He had stretched out his right hand
toward heaven as Is taking 4 solemn
| oath. The procession halted In amaze
mcnt and looked az the inprtuous old
man. but his wife was dcathIy pale.
and ut length she said sadly:
| Husband, husband. what have you
done! How can this fatal rashncss
| be found with hair so white? Look
! around you and see where wc stand.
Yondcr is the chapel within which our
only son sleeps. and you have just an
nulled Diotwina's solemn VOW to live
and die the pure bctrotEcd OF our Sige-
bnld. Which oath shall now be broken?
Hers or yours!"
The old nights head sank upon his
breast. and lie sighed
ut is ever thus. Heaven confcrs its
! most precious gifts. and man in his IN
brldlcd delight uses them 10 his ruin"
! The whole band regarded their dis
trcsscd master sorrowfully Then Di-
Otwina opened her lovely ll,s in
smile lik" that Of an angel and said
| Father and mother. 90 nol ::ricvu.
think cur Oaths are not SD conflicting
rs you Imagine"
And. turning toward thr cid peasant.
she ccni.:.Is,l:
'iiow do you know that your leader
or last night w;is i.icAard?'
I'm Gods; name. gracious lady. who
else could ii hcT' replied the old nlail.
"Hc 5orr Tic coors OF ctr in;;stcr's
house. :,nd It's arms were or his scarf
and shield. Even his speech and tnAn-
ncr ani way OF riding were like our
io: .l.:d he cried ont The fumily
IL. u; Il mighty ha,tlecry every time
that lc charged the cnciny's ranks.
Indeed. he told US that we were fight
ing under q shoot of the true stock.
, Who. Then. could 1t have b9en but Sir
Richard? Though. in truth. no one
saw Ills features. for he kept his visor
down"
| ''rhcn let inc teii what happened to
me last night" said Diotwina In
clear voice. "and give careful heed to
what l say. for speak the pure truth
as Il pure maiden should. stood ct
my window. and my tears fell upon n
beautiful myrtle bush which In former
iiuppy days / had intended for my
bridal wreath. Now 1t had reached the
fullness Of it's benuty, but the feast
which it should have graced was never
to be. i was interrupted In this and
other like thoughts by a slight noise
outside the door of my room. | could
distinctly hear some one coming up
the little stairway with soft. light
steps. but with clanking spurs. AMI. as
father and motEcr had long since gone
to bed. was AFRAID. Then the door
was pushed half open and an arm i'll
cased in steel was thrust inside my
room. holding SCARF which had en-
broldcred for my betrotEcd and which
WIS laid in the coffin with iIim. Then
Sigebald's voice said:
"'It is 1. May come in without
frightening you to death?
"In Gods namc!'f cried, trembling
with fear and hope.
"Then tho pale youth stepped slowly
and gravcly into the room. clad in
! armor. with raised visor. l knew the
dear features well. but yet l had not
the courage to gaze straight Into his
helmet. 30 ! do not know whether his
eyes were fixed and hollow. like those
OF corpse, or glowing with tender
love. as they were in lie.
"'Do you still need the myrtle for
your marriage dayY he asked me kind
ly.
/ II shook my head.
| 'Nevermore, truly?
II shook my head again.
/. ""Then.' he begged coaxingly, gentle
and true hearted as be ever was In
life. weave me n wreath OF victory Of
it, my dear little BRIDE For, see, It is
permitted me to accomplish the work
| Of revenge and deliverancc in this pale,
, earthly form, and when it is again laid
in its coffin it will take the wreath Of
victory with it.
| II bound and bound dcftly and twin
! cG all the blossoms into beautiful
wreath. My bctrothed stood. silent and
patient. at the door. When l had finish
cd. he knelt before ne. set tho wrcuth
! on his helmet. and he rose. saying:
"'Do not be alarmed dear love, if
you hear the din Of battle In the val
leys. God has. given the victory into
/ my hand
"And then he took leave OF me, SO
! sweetly that all my fear vanished, and
I had to smile after him as l used to
i do when he left me for merry joust.
Only when heard him gailop eway on
his horse SO fast and so eagerly into
: the night did the terrier come over me
I again.
"NOw yoa know who your deliverer
was. dear. faithful people, AMI il you
] will open the chapel and the coffin. as
pray You to do. the victors wreath on
the helmet OF my betrothed will bear
testimony to the truth Of my words"
| The people looked Mt one another in
doubt and silence. The suspicion rose
/, In many minds that DiOtWna'S brafYl