Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-07-07
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The harvest moon climbed slowly up
the cloudcss sky, shining white and clear
on the sleeping town of Tunbridgc Wells.
The silence of night was on the sleeping
town. Two women, closely cloakcd, crcpt
stcalthily along, the elder demonstrating.
It's great risk you run, MISTRESS"
she whispered.
"If you fear to come with me, Betty,
go alone"
"Nay, madam, my fears are not for
myself. | know my place better than to
leave my mistress alone to meet wild Sir
Harry Fortcscuc.'
Meanwhile, pacing slowly backward
and forward in the shadow east by high
banks half hidden 10y bramblcs, man
waited their approach. AS the women
came into sight he advanced to meet
them.
1T is but five minutes by the clock
since | came, madam, yet | dare swear
that the moments have been l"adCn foot
ed as 50 many hours. The post chaisc
waits for MS in yondcr hollow, and we
have many miles to 20 before dawn"
The chaisc can wait" she So d. Il
teck word with you first, sir"'
"a thousand, as you will, sweetheart.
But can you not say them as we drive"
The moonlight fell full on the group as
the woman stopped and threw back her
hood, and it Shonc on her pale, set face.
Seeing it, Sir Harry faltcrcd and tapped
uucasily on the lid of his snullboX. 1t
did not seem much like the look to bc OK
pcctcd ON the face of romantic girl who
had 50 easily fallen in with his SuggcS-
tiOn of "A runaway match,
"Now," she said, Il will tell YOU why |
let you think that | would marry you in
secret and also why the ChaiSc will not
be needed tonight. You have known me
as Dorothy March, sir. Know me now rs
Dorothy mglCdcw, sister to the man you
ruined and whose patrimOny you stole,
and to the woman whose heart you
broke"
He scanned the eager face with some
curiosity now. SO this explained the
haunting idea that there was something
forgotten which the sight of Dorothy
stirred within him. He could see now
the resemblance between the slender, fair
haired Winifrcd lnglcdcw he had tired
of and deserted when he found it so easy
to get the Inglcdcw money from her
weak, Spcndthrift brother without cum
herring himself with wife and this dark
beauty who had SO unexpectedly become
his accuSvr.
Il stole nothing. Your brother, if
brother of yours he was, lost it to me in
play. He lost and won. 1t is the way
of the world, Mistress Dorothy"
"IIc was a boy. You took advantage
of his youthful folly. My sister loved
you; you forSook her when she no longer
had gold to tempt You. He lies in his
dishonest grave; she pinned away and
died broken hearted. You killed them
both, and | vowed to kill you in turn.
That was why | came to the Wells with
my godmOth"r, whose name | have borne
since she took me to live with her, and |
let you think that l would run away with
YOU in order that | might be able to
keep my vow.'
"rragCdy becomes You, madam, he
said mockingly. but why talk of kill
ing when YOU know that your eyes have
already mortality wounded mc|
"Wil you cease this foolish talk? DO
YOU still think that love brought me here
tonight? | have to avcngC the honor of
my name. 1t shall not suffer for want Of
male kim"
MADAM, what folly is this? How can
| fight a woman?'
She unclaspcd her cloak and threw it
from her as the maid approached and
handed her two foilS.
81 came prepared, you see, Sir Harry
she said as she carefully measured the
foils to see that they were of equal
length "Now, sir, choose your foil and
take your stand"
"rhiS is midsummer madness indeed,
Mistress March, or IngIrdcw. if it plcascs
Am thbn,rb il he nrrt-