The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-25

! PROBABLY until another wear had mass
ca. sun, they always set guards at
! night, and, besides themselves. kent
| twenty stout men sleeping at the hall
anu arranged also that on the lighting
OF signal fire upon the tower of
| Steeple Church their neighbors should
| ocme to succor them.
so the time went on towards Christ
mas, before which the weather chang
ed and became calm with sharp frost.
IL was on the shortest day that Prior
| John rode up to the hall and told SIP
Andrew that he was going to South
minister to buy some wine for their
| CHRISTMAS cheer. The knight asked
| what wine there was at Southminster.
Inc Prior answered that he had heard
! that ship, laden amongst other things
| with wine of Cyprus of wonderful ouaI
! lty, had come into the river Crouch
| with her rudder broken. He added
that as no shipwrights could be got
from London, Cypriote, who was in
| charge of the wine, was selling as
| much as he could in Southminster and
to the houses about at a cheap rate.
| and delivering it by means of a vain
| that he had hired.
Sir Andrew replied that this seemed
a fair chance to get fine liquor, which
| was hard to come by in Essex in those
Il
| babe Wulf, whose taste in strong drink
was nice, to ride with the Prior into
Southminster and if he liked the stuff
| to buy few casks of it for them to
make merry with at Christmas-al-
| though he himself, because of his all
| ments, now drank only water.
So Wulf went, nothing loth-for in
| this dark season of the year when
| there was no fishing, it grew very
fnTlI Loft oh
| he did not read much, like Goodwin,
sitting for long hours by the fire at
| night watching Rosamund going to and
fro upon her tasks but not speaking
with her overmuch. For notwithstand-
ing all their pretense of forgetfulness,
some sort of veil had fallen between
| the brethren and Rosamund and their
intercourse was not so open and ia
miliar as of old. She could not but
remember that they were no more her
cousins only, but her lovers also. and
that she must guard herself lest she
! seemed to show preference to one
above the other. The brethren for their
part must always bear in mind also
|. that they were bound not to show their
love, and that their cousin Rosamund
was no longer a simple English lady
but also by created rank, as by blood
a princess of the East, whom destiny
might yet lift beyond the reach of
either of them.
Moreover, as has been said, dread
sat upon the rooftree like a croaking
raven, nor could they escape from the
shadow of its wing. Far away in the
East a mighty monarch had turned his
thoughts towards this English home
and the maid of his royal blood who
dwelt there, and was mingled with HIS
visions of conquest and of the triumph
OF his faith. Driven on by no dead
oath, by no mere fancy or imperial de-
sire, but by some spiritual hope or
need, he had determined to draw her
to him, by fair means if he could; If
rot, by foul. Already means both
foul and fair had failed, for that the
attack at Death Creek quay had to do
with this matter they could no longer
doubt. 1t was certain also that others
would be tried again and again till his
end was Won or Rosamund was dead
Tor here, il even she would go back
upon her word, marriage itself could
not shield her. So the house was sad.
and saddest of all seemed the face of
the old knight, Sir Andrew, oppressed
as he was with sickness, with mem
cries and fears. Therefore, Wulf could
md pleasure even in an errand to
Southminster to buy wine, of which,
in truth, he would have been glad to
drink deeply if only to drown his
thoughts awhile.
So away he rode up Steeple Hill with
the Prior, laughing as he used to do
before Rosamund led him to st. Pc
tiers -on-the-Wall to gather flowers
Asking where the foreign merchant
dwelt who had wine to sell, they were
directed to an inn near the minister.
Here in a back room they found a
short, stout man, wearing a red cloth
cap, who was seated on a pillow be-
tween two kegs. In front of him.
stood number OF folk, gentry and 9TH
ers, who bargained with him for his
wine and the silks and embroideries
that he had to sell, giving the latter
to be handled and samples of the drink
to all who asked for them.
"Clean cups" he said, speaking in
bad French, to the drawer who stood
beside him. "Clean cups, for there
comes holy man and a gallant
knight VINO wish to taste my liquor
Nay, fellow, fill them up, for the top
of Mount Trooidos in winter is not so
cold as this cursed place, to say moth
ing of its damp, which is that of a
| dungeon" and he shivered, drawing
his costly shawl closer round him.
''Sir Abbot, which will you taste first
the red wine or the yellow? The red
is the stronger but the yellow is the
more costly and a drink for saints in
Paradise and abbots upon earth. The
yellow from Kyrenia? Well, you are
wise. They say it was my patron st.
| Helenas favOurite vintage when she
visited Cyprus, bringing with her
Disma's cross"
Are you a Christian" asked the
Prior. II took you for a Paynim."
Were not a Christian would l visit
this foggy land OF yours to trade in
wine?" answered the man, drawing
aside the folds of his shawl and re-
vea1ing a silver crucifix upon his broad
breast. II am a merchant of Fama-
gusta in Cyprus, Georgios by name.
] and of the Greek Church which you
Westerners hold 10 be heretical. But
I what think you of that wine, holy ABB
! bot?"
The Prior smacked his lips.
Friend Georgios, 1t is indeed a drink
for the saints" ne answered.
Aye, and has been drink for sin
ners ere now-for this Is the very IL
uuor that Cleopatra, Queen Of Egypt
drank with her Roman lover Anthony
of whom you. being a learned man,
may have heard. And you, Sir Knight.
what say you of the black stuff
Mavro.' we call it--not the common,
but that which has been twenty years
in cask?"
Il have tasted worse" said Wulf,
holding out his horn 10 be filled again.
AVE. and will never taste better IL
YOU live as long as the Wandering
lew. Well, sirs. may l take your or
ders? II you are wise you will make
them large, since no such chance Is
lIkelv to come your way again, and
that wine yellow or red, will keep