Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-14

ngureS in needlework, was obviously very
ancient, apparently of the Ravengar
helr!ooms employed to give An air Of an
tqu1ty to the refectory scene.
1T was somewhat difficult to obtain a
GEAR view of this tapestry owing to the
intervention Of the banqueting table and
the picturesque figures grouped around
1t; but bringing his lorgnette to bear upon
such parts OF 1t as were visible, Idris OBJ
served that one of it's needlework pictures
WIS subscribed with the words: 'ORMUS
HlI-DAM NUBIT"
"Orm weds Hilda,'' he muttered. ''By
heaven! that is the tapestry that once
tomb"
True" returned Beatrice. "But-we
are losing the words of the play
This last was quite true. So occupied
ic effects, that he had not yet caught a
word of the act then in progress.
Fixlng his attention upon the dialogue
idris noticed that Alboin Cor WAR was
inviting his cOmpanions-n-arms to drink
to their recent victory While speaking
he lifted on high his own goblet, a goblet
OF very curious character, for it was
fashioned from human skull, supposedly
that of the fallen Cunimund. The upper
portion of the Uranium had been sawn off,
and being attached to the lower part by
silver hinges, formed the lid of the grim
drinking vessel
you from Ormfell?" asked Beatrice.
That cup is not the Vikings skull"
returned Idris decisively, as he surveyed
1t through his glasses. Its color is white;
mine was yellowish brown, Now, notice
the lid; 1T is lifted and turned toward us;
1t ought to contain a circular perforation,
put there is none, you see. Trust me, [
know my relic too well to be deceived
You are quite right, Cousin Idris; the
cup now in Wars hands is not the 'Vik-
lngs' skull; being merely the one used in
the rehearsal. 1t would have been a be-
trayng of her purpose had Lorelie en-
n hIIti viii 10 q
appearance soon"
She turned her attention to the dialogue
again, and Idris did the same, wondering
what the end of it would be.
Extending the skull-cup to slave, WAR
Alboin cried, in the words of history:
FIJI this goblet to the brim; carry it
to the queen and bid her in my name
drink to the memory of her father.
The attendant poured wine into the cup
and carried it off the stage for the pur-
pose of presenting it to Queen Rosamond.
And pre-informed by Beatrice, Idris knew
that the goblet carried out would not be
the same as that which would be brought
IN. Lorelie would enter with the identical
skull taken from Ormfell. Why should
this be? He awaited the sequel with
breathess interest. an interest that would
have been far more intense had he known
with what person Godfrey had connected
this same skull. But some things had
been kept from the knowledge of Idris and
this was one of them.
The advent of Queen Rosamond was her.
aided by music of a singular character
The softer and more melodous instrument
ceased, and there arose threnody drawn
entirely from violin chords and from the
metallic wires of the harp-a threnody that
was staccato, shivering, weird The faint
whisperings which had been going on here
and there among the audience instantly
ceased; every ore sat Spellbound, thrilled
with awe by that unearthy music as if
it were a prelude to the entrance of Death
himself.
that was never heard except at the death
of a Ravengar That it should now be
played seemed suggestive of some coming
tragedy He learned from Beatrice that
this requiem had formed no part of the
rehearsals; and, indeed the wondering
looks 1nterchanged among the amateurs on
the stage showed that it came upon them
as surprise. Idris was not slow to mark
the perturbed air of the earl-b.s shop. If 1t
were Lorelies object to unnerve him, she
had to some extent succeeded
Amid this eerie refrain Queen Rosamond
slowly entered the banqueting hail. carry
ing in her hands the dread cup the fatal
skull of her father Cunimund The eyes of
every one, both on and off the stage were
riveted upon her movements. She had ex-
hibited splendid acting IN the two previous
scenes; was she now about to surpa 81 her.
self?
She was robed in vesture of violet sa tin.
embroidered with gold. that shimmered as
she moved; and in her flowing raven hair
there BledfEeu an ornament that ldriS
a thrill of surprise, for he Immediately rec
ogniZed 1t as the stiletto hairpIn that had
wrought the fatal deed in Ormfell
BY aid of the lorgnette he surveyed the
OBJECT she was carrying. Yes. that golden
brown thing was indeed the Vikings
skull. set in silver. and mounted as cup
cup IN appearance only. for the Uranium
was perfect and entire. and had not been
fashioned into a lid
Rosamond had entered through an arch
ed door in the wall on the right-hand side
of the stage. Ivar-Alboin's throne was on
the extreme left, and therefore to reach
him 1t was necessary to traverse the entir,.
length of the stage.
Slowly very slowly, she advanced with
silent and majestic tread, holding aloft the
fatal skull.
To ldris the moment was one of thrilling
interest. He felt that the crucial point of
the experiment had come; the object for
which Lorelie had caused her play to be
staged was now about to be disclosed.
Not word passed Lorelies lips as she
moved forward, the ghostly tremolo music
going on all the time. She looked neither
to right nor left: she had eyes for one per-
son only, and that was the earl, and him
accuSer.
And the earl. observant of her manner
and always suspicious of her since that
memorable night in the vault, dreading lest
she should have OWNED his purpose in taxi
ing be there. grew troubled 1t began tn
dawn upon him that Lorelie had an ulterior
purpose in staging her play, purpose
fraught with Ill to himself. His eve
rested on the skull she was carrvine.
he noted the difference. vet no inS
ling of her real aim entered his mind
he stared at her, trying to read her
thoughts: she returned his gaze: their looks
became silent duel
At last she reached the place where Albion
sat me shivering music came TO an end
enabling her voice - be heard
Ere | comply with my lord kings re-
quest she said, addressing War, and using
the words of the play, '.Iet me learn from
whose skull drink
She set the relic upon the table keeninp
one hand over the Uranium Idris felt thai
she did this for the purpose of hiding the
fatal perforation. But though her words
were addressed to War, she did not for one
moment remove her eyes from the earrs
face.
1T is the skull of thy late sire, the royal
Cunimund."
Not SO. husband mine" she cried. with
sudden change of voice that startled eyery-
body present, actors and spectators alike
mot so! Let us leave acting and be real
Tell me, my lord of Ravenhall." she said,
bending over the table and addressing the
earl in a thrilling sibilant whisper that
penetrated to every part of the hall, tell
me- whose skull is this?'
She withdrew her hand from the skull and
pointed to the orifice in the Uranium
strange gasp broke from the earl He
cast one glance of fear at Lorelie, and then
sat with parted lips and dilated eyes star
ing at the thing before him. Lorelie's sig