Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-05-04

at the mothers deathbed, and though
| he liked it not. he kept it,
| AHA, | see. And for this single lamb
OF your scant fold you brave the terrors
of our hereto backwoods? 1t does you
credit. Father Matthew. The war fills
all horizons now. mayhap, but l have
saen the time in Mecklenburg when
your cassock would have been chal-
| I-nge To the mob
His smil. was quite devoid of bitter
ness. The time has not yet passed."
he said. gently. II have been six weeks
on the way from Maryland hither. hid
ing in the forest by day and faring on
at night. Indeed. 1 was in hiding on
a neighboring plantation when our
demoiselle's messenger found me-
This put me keen upon remembering
what had gone before. how he had said
at first, that she had sent for him.
| thought it strange. knowing how peril
Gus the time and place must be for
such as he. But not until he rose and.
bidding ME goodday, left me to my
self, did l so much as guess the thing
his coming meant. When had guessed
1t: when 1 put this to that-her telling
me Sir Francis had proposed for her.
and this her sending for the priest
the madness of my love for her was as
naught compared to that anger which
seized and racked me.
I know not how the hours Of this
black day were made to come and go.
grinding me to dust and ashes in their
passage, yet leaving me alive and keen
to suffer at the end.
A thousand times that day lived In
torment through the scene in which
the priest had doubtless come to play
his part of Joiner. The stage for 1T,
would be the great room fronting
south: the room my father used to,
call our castle. For guests l thought
TO spare, for. as you know our Neck
lenburg was patriot to the core. But
as to this. the bridegrooms troopers
might fill out the tale. and in my heat
ed fancy ! could see them grouped be-.
meath the candle -sconces with belts,
and baldrics fresh pipe-clayed. and
shakos dotted. and sabretaches we'll I'M
front "A man full grown--a soldier
she had said; and trooper guests werei
fitting In such case.
From serving in a Catholic land I
knew the customs of the mother
church. So l could see the priest in;
cassock. alb and stole he would
stand before some makeshft altar lit,
with candles. And as he stands they
come to kneel before him; my winsome.
Margery in all her royal beauty, a child,
to love, and yet AN empress peerless in.
her womans realm; and at her side,
with his knee touching hers, this man,
who was a devil!
What wonder IL 1 cursed and choked'
and cursed again when the m;,ddening.
thought OF what all this should mean.
for my poor wounded Richard--and la
ter on, for Margery herself-possessed
meo In which of these hot fever gusts,
of rage the thought of interference,
came. know not. But that 1t came att
length-a thought and plan full grown.
at BIRTH do know.
The pointing of the plan was desper~
ate and simple. IL was neither mons
nor less than this: ] knew the house.
and every turn and passage in 1t, and,
when the hour should strike l said.
should go down and skulk,
among the guests. and at the cru,
cia moment find or seize weapon and.
fling myself upon this bridegroom ash
he should kneel before the altar.
With strength to bend him back and
strike one blow, | saw not why 1T might:
not Win. And as for strength. 1 have
learned this in war; that so the rage
be hot enough, twill nerve dying man
to hack and hew and stab as with the
strength of ten.
(Continued Next Week