The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-10
NEW BOOKS.
The Mistake OF Roland's Father

IrhSllSilhS, ~ OoooPu iANSh"S
story Of THE Coming Of the King" little
Brown 4 Co.. Boston,, was gifted with the
confidence of youth. Roland's father shook
lis head sadly and said to him: Roland
I am sorely grievcd for thee. I have no
fortune to give thee, neither are there
means whereby a man bearing the name
Of Rashcliffe can honorably win ore. Mar
rage seems impossible. Not one maid do
/ know who would wive a pennlese lad like
thee by that mean maid OF fomily and
eoTrv. am known among men as Penni-
Less Raahclif and such a name makes it
impossible for my son TO mako suitable
marriage
his was rcssi!nism with some reason
lehind it, but Roland was not cast down.
surely" said hn, "there must be means
whereby a man may carve his way to for
tune" A spirit of sarcasm seized upon
the elder RashclifTe as he took il this oh
.ervation. "Tell me about them, Roland.
said he where can We find them?' He
did violence to grammar in his next SEN
tcnce. Said he: Those who. like !. have
,ocr foolish enough TO trust the King and
fight for his cause are left well nigh penni-
less and friendless The elder Rasholife
had tsen stripped Of his ancestral posses
sons in tho course of the trouble between
the Stuarts and Cromwellites. His temper
was affected, and he would have been e1-
Cusable for a slip in grammar, but we sus-
Iect that his preservation and employ
,nent of the nominative was deliberate. and
that he was proud Of it, as we know the case
is with plenty of people nowadays, who
say with something Of an air: For you
and H. or. Between you and l and the
lamppost.'
We ourselves we're satisfied that Roland
was right and that the elder Rashcliffe was
wrong in the matter Of Roanc's future.
but we thumbed over a few pages at once
in order to be quite srro. We came
upon the name of Constance, and we
,aid to ourselves instantly that here was
the maid that Roland was going to marry,
lowry or no dowry, There was no ques-
ion OF family for the name itself was
guaranty in that particular.
Katharine Harcorb came with informa-
ton regarding the black box. Here wes
work cut out fer our young Roland. Katha-
rine was not prepossessipg person. Roland
felt disa greeable feeling in his heart when
he looked in her face. But plainly she was
important. We find her saying to Roland's
father: We play for high stakes. Master
l'ashclitfe nothing less then the throne OF
of England" 1t is recorded that the elder
llashclifre looked thoughtful as he replied
hat he gathered rs much The black box.
Of course, contained proof that King Charles
had married Lucy Walters and that the
hoy known as James Croft, tho offspring
Of the pair, was heir to the English crown.
II became the business of Roland to get the
black box. Katharine Earcomb. once
maid in the RashcliTe family, knew where
the box was hidden. Katharine now at
Al was not bad looking ard it was reported
that when she was 20 the hing had reen in
love with her.
1t is unnecessary to speak at length OF
the aged woman who encountered Roland
as he vas taking walk in the dusk Of even
ing. revolving these high matters. We
will merely say that she, too, was related
to the English throne. The black box. as
Katharine Harcomh. after much tergiver-
sation, made known page 33,, was at the
house of Elijah Pycroft five miles from
the town of Folkstone. Pycroft was an
urcanny character. 1t was said that he
had sold himself to the devil. From all
accounts he was eminently fitted to te the
custodian Of dark state secret locked in
black hox.
As We have said Roland went after the
box. He met at an inn ra'c young woman
of twenty. 1t is remarkal le what caution
and powers of questioning she pos
eessed. She said with terrible passion
through her set teeth after hard. cruel,
bitter laugh Crage 56i: You had better go
hack to your led. Macter Rashcliffe. You
do not know why I am here, You do not
know what my mission is. | will tell you.
] am here because 7 fear the devil and
because I seek to do his bidding" We
trust that it will not he revealing too much
to say that she was Constance and that she
dwelt with the dreadful Pycroft in the old
house in the Pycroft woods.
We cannot restrain ourselves altogether
at this point. Why dwelt she th"Te? is
II for pleasure?" said she to Roland. Have
You not heard that the house is haunted'
tell you deeds are done there which would
brighten you, brave as you think you are,
And I go because must. Now, had you
not better go back and leave me?" What
question to ask Of Roland, the hero Of
this tale!
There is picture of an old man standing
by table. His shaggy locks fall upon his
shoulders. His beard descends to his waist.
eundry fagons and skull. He rests one
hand on the table, the other on his hip. just
below the cord confining his long, envelop-
ing gown. His severe eyes stare forth
beneath his frowning brows. A maiden
kneels in front of him. The limelight falls
upon her face. She is Constance. He IS
Pycroft.
Il would lie wrong to tell all about tho
black box. We will tell Just Il little. 1t will
le found at page ?ll that Roland opened
the box and found within certain distin.
guishcd quotations Of mocking character
lightning: He that diggeth pit shall
fall into it," This was certainly not cor
tiirate OF the Kin IS marriage to Lucy
Walters, nor did the box contain such a
certificate. Roland looked all about, but
could discover nothing more. 1t is re-
corded that he stamped his foot in rage
This, however, was only moral relief.
The matter of the En- lish royal succession
was not affected by it.
We turn to page Sl2 and there we find
Ro'and and Constance riding away to-
gether on Roand's famous horse Black
-. ,h4 ..zl