The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-03-31


What shall we do? am full
weary" she confessed.
'The forest offers the best protec-
tion," he reluctantly suggested. Lit
tie as lie favored delay, he realized the
wisdom of sparing their horses. More
over, her appeal was irresistible.
She gazed half obviously into that
woody depth. "Why not rest by the
wayside-in the moonIight?"
II like not the open road,'' he an
swered. But if you fear the dark
ness
For answer she guided her horse to
the verge of the forest and lightly
I sprang to the ground. Upon grassy
knoll but little way within he spread
his cloak.
There, Jacqueline, is your couch"
he said.
"But you" she asked. ITO rob you
thus Of your cloak seems i'll comradc-
ship"
''The cloak is yours" he returned.
GAS 1t is, you will find 1t but hard
bed"
1T will seem soft as down." she re-
piled and seated herself on the hillock.
In the gloom he could just distinguish
the outline Of her figure, with her ell
bow on her knee and her hair blacker
than the shadows themselves. A long
drawn, moaning sound, coming with
out warning behind her. caused the
girl to turn.
What is that?" she said quickly.
"The wind, Jacqueline. 1t is rising"
AS he spoke, like n monster it entered
the forest. About them branches waved
and tossed. A friendly star seen
through the boughs lost itself behind q
cloud. Yet no rain fell and the air
seemed hot and dry despite the mists
which clung to the ground. A crash
of thunder or fash of lightning would
have relieved that signing dolor which
filled the little patch of timber with its
melancholy sounds.
Suddenly above the plaint and mur-
mur of wind and forest the low, clear
voice of the girl arose. The melody
was no ballad, arietta or pastoral, such
as he had before heard from her lips,
but simple hymn, the setting by Cal
vim. n The jester started. How came
she to know that forbidden music?
Not only to know, but to sing it as he
had never heard 1t sung before. Sweet
ly 1t vibrated, her waywardness sunk
In its swelling rhythm, its melody
freighted with the treasure of her
trust. AS he listened he felt she was
betraying to him the hidden we'll Of
her faith, the secret of her religion
that she, his companion, was proclaim
Ing herself hereto and therefore dou-
bly, IN outcast.
A stanza and the melody died away
on the wings Of the tempest. His heart
was beating violently. He looked ex-
pectantiy toward her. Even more gen.
tly, like a lullaby to the turbulent
night, the full measured cadence of the
majestic psalm was again heard. Then
another voice, deeper. fuller, blended
with that Of the first singer. Unwa-
vering she continued the song, as
: though It had been the most natural
mattS he should join his voice with
b1s& Fainter fell the harmony, then
Eeased altogether-a hymn destined to
become interviewer with terrible mem
cries, the tragic massacre Of the
Huguenots on the i'll fated night of
st. Bartholomew. Again prevailed the
tristfuf dirge of the pines.
! "You sing well, mistress" said the
Jester softly. "Is it true you are one of
q hated rtT'
"As tTS as that you did not deny
the herH } volume found In your
room, replied.
nee ensued between them. "Tt
was Marot placed the horses there for
u.s." she said at length. "He, too, Is q
hereto and would have saved YOU"
Thereafter the silence remained un-
broken for some moments, and then
"God keep you, mistress" he said.
"God keep you," she answered soft
ly.
Soon her deep breathing told him she
was, sis2Eaing, and as he listened In
FAM he could hear the faint echoes of
her yoice, accompanied by the signing
wfnA How intrepid had she seemed!
How helpless was She nowl And as he
bent over her. divining, yet not seeing,
he asked himself whence had come
this faith In him. that, like child, she
slusnbered amid the unrest Of nature.
What had her life been, who her
friends, that she should thus have cho-
ser a Jester as comrade? What had
driven her forth from the court to
nameless hazards? Had he surmised
correcfIy7 Was IT,
"The king, she murmured, with sud-
den restlessness In her sleep.