Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-28
CHAPTER XII.
The Legend of the Runic Ring.

On the morning after his adventure on
the seashore Idris went out with the in
tention of calling upon Mademoiselle R1-
Were; and that he might not lack reason
| able pretext for his visit he took with
| him the book which she had asked him 10
return Apart altogether from the charm
! of her beauty. Lorelie interested him, oo'h
| as being the daughter of Captain Hoche-
| fort, and likewise as the depositary OF
some strange secret relating to his rather 5
| history. Though earnestly pressed by ldris
| she had firmly declined to give any ac-
| count Of Eric Marville from the time OF
| his escape to the sinking OF the yacht IN
| Ormsby race 1t was difficult to assign
motive for her refusal, but Idris did not
doubt that in course Of time he would be
! able to overcome her reticence; and, there
| fore. If only on this account, Lorelle II
| Were was a person whose friendship II De-
| hooved him to cultivate.
| The way to her villa, The Cedars. took
| him past Saint Oswald's Church, and moved
| by a sudden impulse, he turned aside 10
| enter the edifice, which In more than one
| sense was hallowed ground to him, mas
much as 1t was here that he had first met
| with Lorelie.
Surely Eros was directing his steps! For.
| scarcely had he passed within the porch of
| the Ravengar Chantry when his ear caught
the soft rustic of silk. and Mademoiselle
| fIlV1eT6 nerSelI was SCdQUluS UeLOT0 iiuis
She had entered by another door.
and the basket of flowers hanging
| from her arm seemed to indicate that
| her object in visiting the church was. to
| deck its altar. Dressed in a graceful cos
| tune of black and silver that harmonized
exquisitely with her delicate complexion she
looked more beautiful and witching than
ever in Idris' eyes. as with bright smile
she extended her hand.
| And your sprained ankle?" he asked.
| when their first greetings were over.
us not my presence here satisfactory
| answer to that question: she smiled.
| May l ask for a flower in exchange,
mademoiselle?' said Idris, as he returned
| the book to her.
Here is variety to choose from. Let me
! learn your favorite
She held out the basket for Idrs to make
| his choice.
you are taking nothing but forget-me-
| notS,' she cried.
II am in a parabolical mood, you see.
| The name of this flower expresses what my
l1ips would say
.'And thereby you accuse me of ingrati-
tude."
How SOP"
by suggesting the possibility of my for
getting one who has saved my life, re-
| piled Lorelie. the color stealing over her
cheek. She raised her eyes to his with an
| expression in them that thrilled him and
continued. Shall tell you the dream l had
| last night? 1 thought 1 was still lying on
| those sands where l fell, unable to move.
! The rising tide came on and rippled around
| me, striking a chill through my clothing.
| At last the water was so high that 1t flow
ed over my face. filling my mouth and nos
| trIs. I fought with it, but 1t assembled
higher and ever higher above me, till was
! deep down below the surface.
| And the curious part of 1t all was that
| still lived. I lay there as in a trance, mo-
| tionless, staring upward. 1 could see the
! air bubbles of my breath ascending to the
| surface. The moon with tremulous motion
shone through the CLASSY water. looking
nE1f AWAY co fn - a yU
| around and chung to my cheek and ha1r
| Curious monsters came and looked at
| me- then went away again; sheilhsh crawl
| ed over me, and all night long the restless
| water flowed over my face and splashed In
| and out of my mouth. Its faint murmur
! rings in my ears STILL In the morning l
awoke and found 1t dream. Then L saio
| to myself. This Is what would have hap
pened f-if no one had been near to aid
| me- "
TT is past now" replied Idris. observing
i heT Sn'Ver' Ion LINK any A'''' N''
1.-THE peril is past but the memory Of 1t
| remains. All. that dream! If 1t should oc-
cur again tonight l shall begin to be IKE
| Richard III, and tremble at the thought of
| sleep. Shall put those flowers IN your
coat. Mr.. Breakspear? You seem to lind II
| a difficulty"
| Idris readily accepted her proffered aid.
"Forget-me-not" she murmured, fas-
| tening the nosegay to his buttonhole; ana
| Idris wondered whether the words were ad-
dressed to him, or whether she was simply
| repeating the name of the flower; the lat
| ter 1t seemed by her next remark. why
should our French myosotis be called IN
English forget-me-not? Can you tell me
+ the origin of the name?"
Idris could, and did: relating the some
what apocryphal story of the youth VINO,
in wading to the opposite bank OF river
with a view of procuring some flowers Tor
his sweetheart. was swept off by the cur
rent and drowned, but not before he had
had time to fling the flowers at her feet
with the parting cry of "Forget-me- not!
THE moral OF which is" added 1dris
"You are spelling pretty story by your
cynicism," said Lorelie. His love was all
! the greater If he could not swim"
| She turned to arrange her flowers upon
the altar of the Ravengar chantry. Idris
| was watching her. when his eye was caught
by shadow outlined on the stone pave
ment The sun was shining through the
| window above the altar, and casting at his
feet glowing splasheS of various hues For
a few seconds he continued to stare, doubt
full whether he saw Alright. and then
slanting shaft of colored light upward from
the pavement till his eyes rested upon the
stained window.
The central pane was blazoned with the
armorial device of the Ravengars. The
| shield, supported on each side by a raven
in canting allusion to the family name. was
charged in the center with silver circlet
| a thin purple line forming the perimeter.
| The runic ring!
| Yes; there was it's fac-simile cleaning
from the colored glass. and seeming in the
morning sunlight to sparkle with new and
| mysterious significance That this argent
circle was intended to represent the Morse
| altar-ring Idris had not the shadow Of a
| doubt: and for a moment he felt resentment
both against Beatrice and Godfrey: for
familiar as they must be with this coat OF
| arms-Beatrice herself. a Ravengar
being entitled to assume ft-they had made
no allusion to it when he was telling them
the story of the runic ring. 1t was singu-
lar, too. that he himself should have failed
to notice this blaZon in his previous visit
| to this chantry.
What was the reason for its figuring In
the Ravengar shield?
Curious stories are often latent within
armorial devices, as students of heraldry
can testify. Was 1t possible that this ring
had been adopted by the Ravengars of a
past generation because II had been in some
way connected with their history?
! "Mademoiselle Riviere," said Idris, i'm.
7 pulsively. thinking that she might be able
to throw some light upon the matter, lear
! you tell me whether the Ravengars Of pas,
times had any historic reason for deco
rating their armorial shield with a silver
! ring?"
There is an interesting legend to accoun,
! for it," she said after a moments hesita.
ton. which you will find in curious ole
book entitled Traditions Of the House OF