The times., 1901-04-07
The Lady Of Lynn.
By SIR WALTER BESANT.
Copyrighted 1900 by Sir Walter Be.ant)
BY SIR WALTER BESANT.

/
none. No one knew how rich she was eX-
cept the captain. The girl was intended
by her guardian for some great man. He
knew not as vet how he should find this
great man, but he knew that there were
very few, even of the noble lords in the
house Of peers, whose fortune or whose
income would compare with that of his
Ward-his little maid. And !, who knew
this ambition. knew also that | was trust
ed not to betraN confidence nor to dis
turb the girls mind by any talk of love.
Now. the mind Of a young maid piously
disposed is like the surface OF calm
sea, which looks up to the sky and re-
fleets the blue Of heaven. undisturbed till
Dan Cupid comes along and agitates the
calm with the reelection Of some shepherd
swain and ripples the surface with new
thoughts which are allowed by heaven,
but belong not TO any Of its many man
siors.
Therefore we talked Of everything ex-
Ccpt love.
The sun went down as we sat talking.
The sun went down. and the soft twi-
light Of June, the month which most
love because there is no darkness and a
man on watch can discern ahead break
erS and ships as well as the vast circle
Of the rolling sea. And then Nigra gath
cred her work together and arose.
Come to supper honey she said.
Come, Massa Jack and she led the
way.
Supper over. the captain instead of
turning round his chair to the fireplace
filing his pipe, and calling for another
glass of October, as we expected, pushed
back his chair and rose with dignity.
-JCunifeT,' he addressed MOlly'S moth
or, the persuader.
Jennifer was her Christian name. She
got up and drew from the corner by the
cupboard q stout crab tree cudgel, twist
ed and gnarled like the old tree from
which it came. BE not revengeful,
john she said.
NO. no. ] am a justice of the peace.
] am captain on my own quarter deck.
Punishment l shall bestow, not revenge
Well, John, but he is young, and you
are old
Captain CrowIe laughed. Young. is
he? And. ! am Old, am I? We shall
see"
Some one was going to be tried. judged,
found guilty. sentenced. and to receive
his sentence at Ouca. The thing was
not unusual in the house of justice
of the peace.
said that / inflicted this punishment
without a witness. All the world shall
know about it. If so be the cuiprit de
si!es Come with ME. Jennifer keep
within. and if YOU hear Groans praise the
Lord for the correction of a sinner"
Greatly marvelng, I followed the cap
tain AS he marched out of the parlor Ar
rived ct the garden, he looked around.
SO he said. he has not vet come.
Perhaps il is light enough for you to read
some OF MS pernicious stuff" With that
n put his hand into his pocket and drew
iorth q paper. Read that, Jack. | say,
obeyed. The twilight gave sufficient
IEht for reading the manuscript. Be
characters Why I said. II know this
writing. 1t is Sam Semple's.' -
very good; co co on. therefore"
what had already happened and guessed
pretty well what was going to happen.
Molly divine! Thy heavenly charms prevail.
As when the sun doth rise stars fade and pale
No need for much more of the rub
blsh. Jack Read the last Of it, | read
It all, and it made me sick"
80, matchle,s maid. thy silence grants consent.
See. at tilF feet. the poets knee i bent
hen evening roses scatter fragrance faint
And the sad Philomel renews his plaint'
Go on" Jan
within this bow'r afar from sight Of men,
tomorrow. " Wednesday. at the hour OF ten
mar 10" 2. shrine OF love and temple fair
VIII await thee-Samuel SeInplc-there"
What do you think Of that. Jack?
sEiVeling, impudent son Of a thieving eT-
iselnah. a very fine lover for nv little
maid Ia. will he? VIII he?" The cap
tain crashed his cudgeI with resolution
Sir" I said with submission What
lid Molly say to this precious epistle2"
Molly: BoSt think that / would let
NE httle maid see such ranting stuff?
Not so. The black woman brought the |
precious letters TO me. There are three of
them. Wait, Jack Thou shalt see Hush
l near his step. Let us get into the sum
pens"
We stepped into the summer house
now, pretty dark. and waited expectant
Like tne captain was. filed with
amaztment that Samuel. whom / knew
well who was my SchOolfeiIow should |
presume TO lift his eyes so high AIasi
ihere Is no bound or limit. ] am assured
to The presumption Of such as this string
cr OF foolish rhymes Yet l felt some
conjunction for him because he would |
most asSuredly receive a basting such as |
would cure him effeCtuaIly of the passion |
Cerned. ~
Presently we heard footsteps crunch
ing the gravel Snug. my lad 70
snug. whispered the captain. We heard |
the steps making their way along the |
pain between the gOOseberry and current |
bushes. Then they came out upon the |
Efass lawn before the summer house |
The grass is as big as q quarter deck.
Jack. said the captain. 1T Will serve |
Tor INC basting Of measly clerk. I've |
the quarter deck"
The poet came to the summer house and |
stood outside irresolute He could not /
see the two occupants He hernrnad |
twice aloud. There was no reply. "Match- |
less Molly hs whispered Divine maid |
! am here NJ thy feet Nymph of the |
azure sea. ] am here"
The devil you are cried the captain. |
stepping ont Why. here Is q precious
villain for YOU, Jack. cut him off in the |
rear II he tries TO get away. $3.50. my |
young Gulll driver, yoU would pOach on /
the preserves Df your betters would voup |
\, ouid yput Would yOu2 At each repefi- |
ton he banged the wooden post Of the |
summer house with his cudgel
The poet made no reply. but he Looked |
10 right and 20 left and behind him Tor
a way Of escape. but found none for I |
was ready 20 bar his fight, wherefore his |
shoulders became rounded and his head /
hung down and his knees trembIed sam |
uel Semple WIS caught in a trap. Some |
young fellows would have made 2 fight |
Of 1t, but not Samuel All he thought |
about WGS submission and non-rCSistancp
which might provoke pity.
''IhT,c times, jdckanapcs, hast thou |
Dr. suned to send stuff to my ward Here |
they arc. He took from me the last |
sheet OF dOgEercl verse and drew from !
his pocket two moro. Here they are
one. two. thTec-au addressed 10 the |
Molly. Why, thou impudcut |
her Watchless Molly? Matchless to such |
- You. Take that, sirrah, and that"
They were iald on with q will. The poet |
croaned. bat made no reply, again look !
nS Nainy 60 right and left for some way
q escape.
The basiing which followed was really
worthy of the days when Captain Crowle /
with his own hand quelled a mutinY and
lr0ye the whole crew under hatches
II was a poor shrinking trembling fig |
1re full Of bruises and aches and pains
nat presently arose and skunk away.
should have felt sorry for him had he |
aiken punishment ike u man. WHY | |
would maroon any Of my crew who would |
cry and grOvel and snivel when tied M
and ashamed 90 see him and hear him
with his Mercy, captain, Oh, enough |
good captain, oh. captain / confess I |
deserve it all Never again. captain Oh.
forgiveness forgiveness and so on. I !
iay IL made me sick and ashamed. When /
liI was over / followed him to the garden