The San Francisco call., 1905-01-01
CHAPTER III.
Sir Andrcw D,Arcy.

IL SIONrlllS Ddli, NiiiSS tlc WAS 0oIlit ku
and fro through the b!ackness stretched
upon a. couch of ebony. There We're
bright watchers by his. couch also.
watchers twain. and he knew them for
his guardian angels given him at birth.
Moreover. now and again presences
would come and ask questions of the
Watchers who sat at his head and foot.
One asked:
Has this soul :sinned?'' and the an
gel at his head answered:
1T has sinned.'
Again the voice asked: did it die
shriven of its sins?''
The angel answered: TT died un-
shrlven, red sword. aloft, fighting a
good fight
Fighting for the cross of Christi"
Nay; fighting for woman"
Alas, poor SOUL sinful and unshriven
who died fighting for a woman's love.
How shall such. a one find mercy?"
walled the: Questioning voice, growing
ever fainter, till it was lost far, far
away.
Now came another visitor. 1t was
his father-the warrior sire whom he
had never seen, who fell in Syria. He
knew him we'll, for the face was the
face carven on the tomb in Stangate
church and he wore. the blood-red cross
upon. his mail and the Darcy deaths
hand was on his shield and in his hand
shone a naked sword
is this the soul of my "he ask
ed of the white-robed watchers. And
how died hep
Then the angel at his foot answered:
He died, red sword. aloft, fighting
good fight.
Fighting for the cross of Christi
Nay; fighting for a woman"
Fighting Cor a. womans love who
should have fallen in the holy war?
Alas. poor son; alas! poor son! Alas!
that we must part again forever" And
his voice, too, passed away.
Lo. a glory advanced through the
blackness and the angels at head and
foot stood up and saluted with their
flaming spears.
How died this child of God?" asked
a voice.. speaking out. of the .glory,
low and awful Voice.
HE died by the. sword answered
the angel.
"By the. sword of the children of the
enemy. lighting in the war of hea-
ven?"
And the angels were silent.
What has heaven. TO do with him,
if he fought not r.heaven?" asked the
voice again.
Let him be spared, pleaded the
guardians, who was young and brave
and knew not. Send. him back to earth
there to- retrieve his sins and be our
charge once more"
$50 be it, said the voice. Knight.
live on, but live as a knight of heaven
if thou wouldst win heaven
Must he then put the woman from
him?'' asked the angels.
"It.was not said" answered the voice
speaking from the glory. And all the
wild vision vanished.
Then a space of oblivion. and Cod
win awoke to hear other voices around
him. voices human, well-beloved, re-
n1embered; and to see face bending
over hin,-a face most human, most
we'll beloved, most. remembered-tha
of his cousin. the Lady Rosamund. He
babbled some questions, but they
brought him food. and told him to
sleep, so he slept. Thus 1t went on,
waking and sleep. sleep and waking.
until at length one morning he woke
up truly in the little room that opened
out of the solar or sitting place of the
Hail of SteeDle, where nc and Wulf
had slept since their uncle took them
to his home as infants. More. on the
trestle bed opposite to him, his legs
and arm bandaged, and a erutch by
his side, sat Wulf himself, somewhat
laier and thinner than of yore, but the
same. jovial, careless, yet at times
fierce-faeed Wulf
do / still dream my brother, or is
it you indeed?"
A happy smile spread upon the face
OF Wulf, for now he knew. that Goodwin
was himself again.
'sMe sure enough he answered.
Dream folks don't have lame legs;
they are the gifts of swords and men,
And Rosamund? What of Rosa
mund? Did the gray horse swim the
creek, and how came We here? Tell
me quick-I faint for news
Herself shall tell you" And hob
bling to the curtained door, he called.
"Rosamund my-my our-Lady
Rosamund, Goodwin is himself again.
Hear YOU, Goodwin is himself again, and
would speak with you.'
There was a swift rustic of robes and
a sound of quick feet among the rushes
that strewed the floor, and then-Rosa-
mund herself, lovely as ever, but all
her stateliness forgot in JOY She say
how the gaunt Goodwin sitting up upon
the pallet, his gray eyes shining In the
white and sunken face. For Godwin's
eyes were gray, while Wulf's were blue,
which was the only difference between
them whereof stranger would take
note. although in truth Wulf's lips
were fuller than Godwin's, and his chin
more marked also he was larger
man.. She saw him, and with little
cry Of delight ran and cast her arms
about him, and kissed him on the
brow.
"Be careful" said Wulf roughly,
turning his head aside, 'or, Rosa
mund, you will loose the bandages, and
bring his trouble back again; he has
had enough of blood-letting.
.sThen / will kiss him on the hand
the hand that saved me" she said, and
cid so. More, she pressed that poor,
pale hand against her heart.
Mine had something to do with
that business also, but / don't remem-
ber that you kissed 1t, Rosamund.
Well, will kiss him too, and oh! God
be praised, and the holy Virgin, and
the holy Peter, and the holy Chad,
and all the other holy dead folk whose
names I cant recall. who between
them. with the help Of Rosamund
here, and the prayers of the Prior
John and brethren at Stangate, and
of Matthew, the village priest, have
given you back to us. my brother, my
most beloved brother. And he
hoped to the beside, and threw his
long, sinewy arms about Goodwin and
embraced him again and again.
BE careful" said Rosamund, dri-
~, sor. Wulf. you will disturb the
bandages, and he has had enough Of
blood-letting."