The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-03-17

over the young grass Oh the iouS ds
enue, the branching oaks flung slant
ing shadows. The sweetness of Bank
STA roses dwelt in the Virginia sun
shine, where the trailing vines crept
up the grey walls, and around the
jewel-like panes of the mullioned win
dows, winding about the stately col
umns that guarded the portals of Cor
don Hall. The peace of the country
Sabbath had laid its hand upon the
daily come and go; quiet that
brought every far off moving thing
very near, in the rustic of mighty
silence.
Mistress Esther Gordon came slowly
down the broad winding stairs. The
light from the great oriel window
above her head, shafting down into
the gloom below, played qu1verlns
halo of golden notes about the fair
young head. In the dark setting of the
old hall, the dainty figure shone out
as some royal dame stepped down
from a Romney picture, the blue bro
cade cut away from the firm white
throat. where the pearls rose and fell
amid the foam of lace, and the small
feet clad in the high-heeled satin shoes.
-Four" booms the clock that towers
above her head and as if in answer.
| the thud of galloping hoofs come up
| the avenue. Lansing had been true to
| his tryst, although just across the riv-
| er lay the army of Corn wallis. and the
hail of the pickets could be heard in
| the clear evening air. There was
scarce an instant's pause, ere the ri
ders spurred heel rang on the stone
step. and Lansing strobe down the
length of the long hall A goodly man,
| this young continental, albeit the buff
! and blue were trif1e tattered and ia
| ded, the blue eyes were bright, and
| the stalwart form carried 1.-THE grace,
| that betrayed even more than the
| tinged cheek, the good red blood OF
Powhatan. The Romney picture
awoke and Mistress Esther, the sweet
face all aglow, held out her two white
| hands.
You foolish boy" but there is no
Gliding in the lovely eyes-and then
his grave face brought the question to
her lips. Before she could voice it the
faint sound of a distant bugle rang
across the river. Lansing sprang to
to his feet. There they are. Hide
me, Esther. for the love of the sweet
saints, hide me. 1t is the Kings
| troopers"
Over Esther Gordon's face a white
ness went. Between lover and King
lay the choice of moment, but be-
fore that tribunal where a woman's
verdict is fore-ordained. A moment
later and Mistress Esther's own lit
tie page was speeding the great red
roam to a hiding place in the swamp,
and Mistress Esther herself was fitting
key to the high carved clock that
lowered on the stair. To and fro,
swung the great round disc of the
pendulum, and the hands were point
ing to ten minutes past four, when a
laugh, and clatter of accoutrements
in the avenue warned them of the dan
ger close at hand.
| Mistress Esther closed the case, and
hid the key among the laces about her
white throat One little foot was pois-
ed on the last step of the stair, as the
Captain entered the door, his glitter of
gold lace on the Kings scarlet lighting
I'D the gloom where the sun-rays failed
to penetrate. He bowed low, as Mis-
tress Esther advanced to meet him, and
the ungloved hand, half-doubtingly
held out to her. was white as a wo-
mans. for Captain John Willoughby
of My Lord CORVALLIS favorite regi-
ment, was versed far better in the lore
of courts than in the tactics of these
wild colonists, who fought as Indians
from tree to tree rather than as well
trained troops, standing up to be killed
in the open. There was an instant's
embarrass ment, as he halted auC
stumbled through the unwelcome duty
nf arrand
Mistress Esther, 1 am forced to com
nit the indignity of asking your per
mission to search the Hall. Believ,
me, the loyalty of your house is I'M
, questioned by My Lord CORVALLIS, a!
we'll as your humblest admirer." anC