Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-11-22

| tue thbb HeoIt-
81 have brought my friend. Mr.. Will
son. to stay the night. This is Mr..
Morley. our landlord" he said. intro
ducing Morley and Wilson In an infor-
NAL kind OF way.
"Giad to see any friend OF Mr.. Tay-
lor. You riding! Has Tom put your
horse up?"
"Yes; and now we propose that you
shall put up a bowl of punch: and II
the company will join us in doing Jus
tice. to the brew. we shall feel hon
ored."
Tho company consented. Taylor
and Wilson sat down. Morley called
Mary. and presently the girl. with tho
aid of a servant. and Morley himself.
had set upon the table bowl OF rum
punch that filled the atmosphere with
delicious perfume.
Mary had never looked more beant-
full than on this fatal night There
was a touch Of sadness In the express
sion OF her face that rather height
ened than diminished the interest the
young stranger felt In her. He did not
attempt to disguise his admiration.
which set old Morley on on her
strength. her courage. her athletic
fcats.
Mary was more or less sad because
she had parted with Richard Parker.
not for many days. he had said; but
she had strange forcbodins that this
hrs, parting might be their last. He
had offered her marriage. but he pro-
posed that their wedding should DO
secret. His father would not consent
to his marrying out Of the artsiocraiic
families In which he had sought TO
make an alliance for him. II he dis
obcycd his father he would be disin-
hcritcd: and Mary herself would not
hear of that. Neither would she lis
ten TO the proposal that they should 20
to Leeds. be married privately. live
rccrcsiy as man and wife In some re-
mot. cottage which he would provide.
or travel into foreign lands. until
such time as In tho course OF nature
his father should make way for his ae-
ccasion to title and estate. His father
was an old man. and although he loved
him very much. he could only live
few years longer. and Il might be that
perhaps In the meantime he would
forgive him and take his dear Mary.
his beautiful wife. to his castle. and
forget and forgive.
Mr.. Richard Parker. under the infu-
cncc of his consuming passion. had
done his best aad his. worst TO induce
Mary to so away with hisn. but she
vas as firn In her refusal as shc was
In the confession that she loved him
and would never marry u she did not
marry him. lie Was Obliged TO be con-
tent with this declaration. and he
was Obliged 10 join his companion.
Foster. as previously arranged.
When he left Mary he took a ribbon
from her neck.
The knights Of old he said. EAST
encti their ladies. gloves In their he'll
NETS. their cages Of battle. their love
tokens. Let your dear little fingers
.fastcn this ribbon upon my chapcau.
Mary. and IL shall be my ,aiisman OF
love and luck"
Unhappy boast. She stitched the
ribbon upon his ha,band In the shape
of rosct,r. halt hiding II behind the
silver buckle that already ornsmsntc1
the young fellows picturesque head
gear.
when he rode away she had an, at
her window. watching his rptrratins
figure until IL disappeared along the
London road. She did not see the
horscman change his eourse an hour
later. and make for the distant towers
of York.
Bu, TO return to the punch. the rev.
oilers. and the stormy wind at the Star
and Garter. Mary and her uncle had
retired to their little room behind the
bar. leaving the guests to their own
conversation. which had turned upon
the state of the roads. the safety OF the
Yorkshire highways as compared with
those In the south. and had drifted
back to Mary. the maid of the inn.
'She certainly does no, belle your
port. Taylor said Wilson. Il have
cen many fine women in all parts of
the world. but never SO superb a crea-
,urc as the landlords niece"
II. is not her beauty only. It's her
courage. her daring. that makes her
SO popular in these parts said Tay-
lor.
For my part" said Wilson. ''f ad-
mire beauty more than pluck in a wo-
man; but shouldn't mind having
some proof OF the girls daring"
Well" said man who had rot pre-
viousiy spoken. "she amt afeard of
ghosts. I've knawed her TO walk
about the abbey at nightfaw' when
wouldn't a done Il for a wager. And
I've seen her walk L abbey on All
Fen by hersen. when it's been as dark
as 1t is now"
"Ayel" said the others.
II wouldn't mind walking with her
now said Wilson, laughing. I'm not
afraid of ghosts"
"Mayhap you'n never seen one"
/ said the previous speaker.
..N-.. L hnrn t,ni-.nt lrnst mi tn my