The times., 1901-05-12
The Lady Of Lynn.
By SIR WALTER BESANT.
Copyrighted 1900 by Sir Walter Bcsant.)
BY SIR WALTER BESANT.

home, Molly he asked. Tor the pres
ent-that is to say, for a day or two-it
will be best. I shall claim you very soon
There is no one but ourselves in the YES
try (For the clerk, having locked the
box and accepted the guinea bestowed up
on him by the bridegroom, was now
tramping down the church and through
the porch. No one but themselves was in
the vestry or the church) You may
therefore take off your domino.
AS your lordship pleases." Lord Fly
lingdale started. Whose voice was that?'
AS you order | obey. So the bride re-
moved her domino and threw back the
hood.
The bridegroom started What is this?''
he cried. furious with certain words which
We're out of place in church
Lady AnaStasiai' cried Mr Purden.
Good Lord Then we are all undonei
What does it mcan2 Tell ME, she devil
What does 1t mcau2 Where Is Molly?
But this is play acting This is not
i fear, my lord. said the parson, that
! it is n marriage. The registers are In the
strong box. hey cannot be altered.
Go after the clerk. man. Order him
To give up the keys. Tear the pages out
of the registers
not The man is Il witness of this mar
riage He has seen the entry in the reg
lister. ] dare not alter them or destroy
single page. | have done great deal for
your lOrdship but this thing | cannot do.
Ii is a marriage, ] say. You are married
to the Lady Anastasia here
"Talk, Talk, Go after the man. Bring
back the man. Tear the KEYS from him
Silence the man. Buy his silence. by
-, ! viii murder him in order to stop
his tonguer
Your lordship forgets your bride-your
happy smiling, innocent bride.
He cursed her. He raised his hand as
if to strike her down. but forbore.
Il told YOU she continued, that in
everything | was at your service-eX-
cept in one thing. Tear the registers
he e1a -Grrt ba lrid vii ha
left. And il you murder her as well
you viii be no nearer the possession Of
the lovely Molly"
The bridegroom sank into a chair He
was terrible to look at, for his wrath and
disappointment deprived him of the power
of speech. Where was now the cold and
naughty front? 1t was gone He sat in
the chair. upright, his face purple. his
eyes starting from his head, as one who
hath some kind of fit
The clergyman, still in his white sur
pliCe, looked on and trenbled. for his
old pupil was in a murderous frame of
mind. There was no knowing whom
| he might murder. Besides, he had be-
fore this OWNED the true meaning Of
the visit TO Lynn, and he foresaw ruin
to himself as well as his patron.
Lord Fylingdale turned upon him sud
denly and=eursed him for fool an ass.
a villain traitor. You are in the plot, -
| ne said. You knew all along. You have
been suborned"
My lord, nay lord, have patience. What
to marry you. l supposed that the bride
was the fair Miss Molly. / could not tell
l knew nothing. The lady was in a DOM
ino. 1t is irregular TO be married in a
domino, but your lordship wished it,
What could I do?''
Send for the key, then, and destroy the
registers
Alas. my lord. il is now, you may be
sure, all over the town that you have been
married. and to Miss Molly"
Where is Molly? Where is Molly then?
Why did she keep away2"
The bride looked on with her mOckiug
smile Of triumph. You may murder me, "
she said but you viii not undo the mar
riagc. | have been married. 1t is true un-
der false name, but am married none
You have brought ruin upon us all, 3"
her husband said, ruin, headlohg ruin. l
am at my last guinea. l can raise no more
money. ] have no more credit. You your
self are as much discredited-'
If you are ruined, the lady replied
you are rightly punished How many
1 vows have you made TO me- How many
/ lies have you invented to keep me quiet?'
With submission, my lord Mr.. Pur-
den stammered, for terror and bewiider-
mcnt held him. This is a bad morning 5
work. Let me advise that before the
town is awake we leave the church and
talk over the business in her ladyship's 5
rooms or elsewhere. We must be private
To curse and TO swear helps nothing, nor
does il help TO talk Of a jealous revenge
Let US GO.
1t was with a tottering step, as If he
was smitten with palsy that the bride
groom walked down the aisle. The bride
put up her domino and threw her hood
over her head and so. with the parson, in
silence, walked away from the church to
her lodging, leaving the bridegroom to fol-
low by himself. AS yet the market people
had not heard the news.
But the news spread The clerk told
his wife. Il come from the church, he
said. Il have witnessed the marriage OF
Miss MOlly-Captain Crowle's Molly-with
the noble lord, who wears the star and
looks so grand. A private wedding it was,
l know not why. The parson was the
Rev. Mr.. Purden. he who reads the morn
ing prayers and breaches on Sunday"
Then the clerks wife, slipping on her
aprGn-fOr such folk find the shelter of
the apron for their hands necessary in
cOnveTsation-fan round to the pump
room. No one was there as yet but the
two dippers. To them she communicated
Then she went on to the market and
told all the people Of the town who were
chanering there.
At O'Clock the captain walking in his
garden. was surprised by the arrival Of
the horns. who stood before the house
and performed a noble flourish. what
the devil is that for? said the captain.
| Then there arrived the butchers with
their maTTowbones and cleavers and be-
gan to make their music with zeal The
captain went out TO them. Up went their
hats.
"Huzza for Miss Molly and her hus-
band"
Her husband? What do YOU mean?"
Her husband, his Iordship; married
this morning"
WHAT Then captain stared in
amazemcnt. Then he rushed into the
house Molly was in the kitchen. What
is this2" he asked. The butchers are
here and the horns, and they swear you
were married this morning. Molly"
why, captain. / have not been outside
the door. ! am not married, / assure you,
and / begin 10 think now that l never
shall be married"
The captain went out and dismissed the
musicians. but the thing troubled him
and he was already sick at heart on ac-
/ count Of the last nights discourse and it's
discoveries.