The Yale expositor., 1901-11-29
nj a % W The MAID OF
A Story of English
BY JOSEPH HATToN.

the lass heart"
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.
"Glad 10 see any friend OF Mr.. Tay-
Tor. 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."
The company consented. Taylor
and Wilson sat down. Morley called
Mary. and presently the girl. with the
aid OF servant. and Morley himself,
had set upon the table n bowl OF rum
punch that filled the atmosphere with
n delicious perfume.
Mary had never looked more beauti-
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 10 disguise his admiration.
which set old Morley of on her
strength. her courage. her athletic
feats
Mary was more or less sad because
she had parted with Richard Parker,
not for many days. he had said; but
she had n strange forebodlng that this
first parting might be their last. He
had offered her marriage. but he pro-
posed that their wedding should be
secret. His father would not consent
TO his marrying out OF the aristocrauc
families in which he had sought TO
make an alliance for him. IL he dis
obeyed his father he would be disin-
herited. and Mary herself would not
hear OF that. Neither would she lis
ten TO the proposal that they should go
90 Leeds. be married privately, live
secretly as man and wife In some re-
mote cottage which he would provide.
or travel into foreign lands. until
such time as in the course OF nature
his father should make way for his ac-
cesslon TO title and estate. His father
was an old man. and although he loved
| him very much. he could only live n
few years longer. and IL might be that
perhaps in the meantime he would
forgive him and take his dear Mary,
his beautiful wife, 10 his castle, and
forget and forgive.
Mr.. Richard Parker. under the influ-
I ence OF his consuming passion. had
| done his best and his worst 10 induce
Mary 10 go away with him. But she
was as firm in her refusal as she was
In the confession that she loved him
and would never marry II she did not
marry him. He was Obliged to be con-
tent with this declaration, and he
was Obliged to join his companion,
I Foster, as previously arranged.
When he left Mary he took a ribbon
from her neck.
"The knights OF Old" he said. fast
ened their ladies gloves in their he'll
NETS. their cages OF battle. their love-
tokens. Let your dear little fingers
fasten this ribbon upon my chapeau.
Mary. and II shall be my talisman OF
love and luck"
Unhappy boast! She stitched the
ribbon upon his hatband In the shape
OF a rosette. half hiding II behind the
silver buckle that already ornamented
the young fellows picturesque head
gear.
When he rode away she had sat at
her window. watching his retreating
figure until IL disappeared along the
London road She did not see the
horseman change his course an hour
later. and make for the distant towers
OF York.
But 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 not belle your
report. Taylor" said Wilson. II have
seen many fine women In all parts OF
the world. but never so superb a crea-
ture as the landlords niece"
1T 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. 81 ad-
mire beauty more than pluck in wo-
man: but I shouldn't mind having
some proof OF the girls daring"
We'll" said a man who had not pre-.
viously spoken, she amt afeard OF
ghosts I've knawed her 20 walk
about the abbey at nightfaw' when
wouldn't a done Il for a wager. And
I've seen her walk 4 abbey on Al
Zen by hersen. when it's been as darn
as II Is now
"Ayel" said the others.
II wouldn't mind walking with heI
now" said Wilson. laughing. I'm moi
afraid OF ghosts
"Mayhap you'n never seen one,
said the previous speaker