The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-07

Ihen II was that Godwin spoke for
the first time.
'Wulf. Wulf.' he said sternly, keep
watch upon your tongue, for there are
things that should not be said even as
silly jest. See you. 1 love my cousin
here better than aught else upon the
earth"
There, at least. we agree" broke in
Wulf
Better than aught else on the
earth,' on the EARTH repeated God
win; but, by the Holy Blood and by
st. Peter, at whose shrine we stand.
would kill her by my own hand before
her lips kissed the book of the false
prophet"
"Or any of his followers" muttered
Wulf to himself. but fortunately, per-
haps. too low for either of his COM
panions to hear. Aloud he said, You
understand. Rosamund, you must be
! careful, for Goodwin ever keeps his
word, and that would be but a poor
end for so much birth and beauty and
wisdom"
"Oh, cease hooking, Wulf," she an
swered, laying her hand lightly on the
tunic that hid his shirt of mail. Cease
hooking, and pray St. Chad. the build
err of this shrine. that no such dread
! full choice may ever be forced upon
you. or me. or your beloved brother
who. indeed. in such case would do
! right to Stay me-"
| "Wen, if it were" answered Wulf,
and his fair face flushed as he spoke. Il
! trust that we should know how to meet
it,. After all, is it so very hard to
choose between death and duty?"
Il know not" she replied; but Oft
! times sacrifice semes easy when seen
! from far away; also. sometimes things
may be lost that are more priced than
! life
What things? Do you mean place,
or wealth, or-love?"
Tell me-" said Rosamund, changing
her tone, what is that boat rowing
round the rivers mouth? A while ago
it hung upon its oars as though those
within it watched us"
'Fisher-folk," answered Wulf care
! leSsly. Il saw their nets"
Yes; but beneath them something
cleaned bright, like swords
Fish" said Wulf, 1--WE are at peace
in Essex" Although Rosamund did
not look convinced, he went on, Nov
for Godwin's thoughts-what were
thew"
Brother, If you would know, of the
East also-the East and it's holy wars"
Which have brought us no great
| luck" answered Wulf, seeing that our
sire was slain in them and naught of
him came home again save his heart,
| winch lies at SIdnRaIe yODueT.
How better could he die" asked
Goodwin, than fighting for the Cross
of Christ? Is not death of his at Harenc
told of to this day? BY our Lady, 1
pray for one but half as glorious!"
Aye he died well, he died we'll"
said Wulf, his blue eyes flashing, and
his hand creeping to his sword hilt.
But, brother, there is peace at Jeru-
| salem, as in Essex"
| fhara Txril1 he
war again. The monk Peter, he whom
we saw at Stangate last Sunday, and
| who left Syria but six months gone
| told me that 1t was coming fast. Even
| now the Sultan Saladin, sitting at
Damascus, summons his hosts from
| far and wide, while his priests preach
| battle amongst the tribes and barons
of the East. And when it comes, my
brother, shall we not be there to share
it, as were our grandfather, our father,
our uncle, and so many of our kin?
| Shall we rot here in this dali land, as
| by our uncle's wish we have done these
| many years, yes, ever since We were
home from the Scottish war. and count
the kline and plough the fields like
| peasants, while our peers are charging
on the pagans, and the banners wave
and the blood runs red upon the holy
| sands of Palestine?"
Now it was Wulfs turn to take
1 fire.
by our Lady in Heaven, and our
| lady here!"-and he looked at Rosa
mund, who was watching the pair of
them with her quiet thoughtful eyes
"go when you will, brother, and 1
| go with you, and as our birth was
| one birth, so, If it is decreed, let our
| dc ath be one death" And suddenly
! the hand that had been playing with
| the sWord-hilt gripped it fast, and
| tore the long. lean blade from its
scabbard and cast it high into the
air. flashing in the sunlight, to catch
| it as it fell again, while in voice
| that caused the wild fowl to rise in
| thunder from the Saltings beneath,
| Wulf shouted the old war-cry that
had rung on so many a zelda
| darcy! a Darcy Meet Darcy, meet
| DEATH" Then he sheathed his sword
again and added in a shamed voice,
Are we children that we fight where
no foe is? Still, brother, may we
| find him soon!"
Goodwin smiled grimly, but answered
nothing: only Rosamund said:
! 80, my cousins, you would be away,
| perhaps to return no more, and that
would part us But,"-and her voice
broke somewhat-"such is the wom-
ans lot, since men like you ever love
| the bare sword best of all. nor should
| i think we'll OF you were II OtnefWlSe.
Yet, cousins. 1 know not why'-and
she shivered a little-'It comes into
my heart that Heaven often answers
such prayers swiftly. Oh Wulf! your
| sword looked very red IN the sun
! light, but now: l say that it looked
very red in the sunlight. l am afraid
of l know not what. Well, we must
| be going, for we have nine miles to
ride, and the dark is not so far away.
| But let us pray st. Peter and st.
| Chad to guard us on our journey home.
"Our Journey" said Wulf anxious
| ly. What is there for you to fear
in a nine-mile ride along the shores of
the Blackwater?"
Il said our journey home Wulf:
! and home is not in the hall at Steeple,
| but yonder," and she pointed to the
! quiet. brooding sky.
| "Well said" answered Goodwin, Sin
this ancient place. whence so many
have joume-ed home: all the Ro-
mans who are dead. when 1t was their
! fortress, and the Saxon who came aft
er them, and others without count"
Then they turned and entered the
old church-one of the first that ever
was in Britain, rough bult of Roman
| stone by the very hands of Chad, the
Saxon saint, more than five hundred
years before their day. Here they
knelt a while at the rude altar and
prayed each of them III his or her
own fashion. then crossed themselves,
and rose to seek their horses. which
were tied in the shed hard by.