Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-11-24
CHAPTER XIV.

that stretched out DeIOre lne
house the young mistress Of
the Maryland farm, wearing dress of
thinnest white linen, sat with her lover
on a wooden bench. Both were silent,
La Fabienne watching with interest
the endeavors of young robin that
was struggling with large ground
worm and Margaret absorbed in her
own thoughts, that seemed from the
pensive and serious expression on her
face to be far away and troublesome.
Although large clouds had spread
themselves over the sky, aobscuring the
sun, the heat of the afternoon seemed
to exceed that of the M ming. Not a
leaf stirred; the dogs lay notionless in
the shade painting, andWthe air was
close, surcharged with lat and heavy.
Giles, passing with a Wagon load of
stones, touched his IA1t respectfully,
calling to them HAT relief was in sight,
as the clouds <ere forming for thun-
Gerstorm.
can FROM the looks of yon black
cloud metAnks twill be heavy one,
good Gilesf' La Fabienne replied; then,
turning to Margaret, who at the in
terruptio1 of her meditation had drawn
QuicB breath, half sigh, half an
expression of unpleasant thought, in.
quired, Hath lightning terrors for
thee, SWEET"
/"Nay, not now, when thou art here"
She said gently, laying her hand on his
sleeve with a caressing touch, but
last night, Godfrey, l had dream of
evil omen that, l confess, hath dis
turbed me. 1 dreamt that enemies by
stratagem took thee from me; then
came telling me that thou vert in this
place and that to taunt me. Wild eyed,
giving loud piercing shrieks of distress,
l followed their directions only to find
upon my arrival that thou vert not
there Oh, Godfrey, twas an awful
night! An the terror of it hangs DER
me today"
"Bon Dieu," he exclaimed, pressing
the small hand affectionately, ''how art
thou changed from the gay, laughing
Margaret who but lately dwelt in Par
is! Away with such megrims, sweet:
TITS this dull village, filled with scowl-
ing Puritans, that weareth on thy
nerves, I do protest. L truth, Marga-
ret" he continued more thoughtfully
"a man whose lot hath been to be much
at court as mine hath sees many sides
of life, but beshrew me if have ever
before encountered such ignorance ill.,
tolerance and narrow minded bigotry
as doth here exist. Outlines when
lounging about the inn and perfOrce
listening to the conversations and ar
guments of these sorry wights l fain
must call for another bumper in an
endeavor to raise my sinking spirits
lest / do myself harm from sheer de-
preston"
He laughed lightly at his jest, and
Margaret smiled
"Then the manner of my cousin Jo-
siah TaunstOn and his mother doth
grieve me-" she continued softly. "They
make their avoidance of me SO plain,
and Hetty, whom l love, is forbid my
house. Each day l receive an added
slight from them, one day this, an
other that. Only this morning one Of
the shepherds brought me word that
two more lambs were stricken with the
disorder that is spreading about among
the sheep, causing much loss and dam
age. So when / was dressed l crossed
over to mine aunt's house to ask of her
the remedy she hath for the malady.
To my civil greeting she returned
surly nod, did not invite me to enter
and replied that she knew Of no cure
for the trouble among my sheep unless
it was constant prayer. Then she adj
Vised me with sneerS and grim insinu-
atoms to ask God on my knees to lift
the evil out Of my heart and to scatter
the black and evil spirits that had to
all appearances obtained control of
me-"
Talked she so to thee, sweet" Sir
Godfrey cried angrily. "ThOu goeth
there then no more She hates thee be-
cause thou wilt not love Josiah!'
"And when I was going down the
path" Margaret continued, II met Het-
ty coming from the brook with the
ewers, and when she stopped to give
me greeting her mother called to her
quite wildly from the doorway to come
on at once, as If she feared would do
Hetty HARM" she concluded sadly.
For time La Fabienne sat quietly,
maintaining an angry silence; then he
said:
Margaret, methought once to go
away for the nonce and then come
back for thee But now, when l go,
I'll take thee with me, and We'll re-
turn no more"
Margaret slipped her hand into his
with clinging fingers.
Godfrey, oh, my love-" she whisper
ed. with tears standing in her eyes,
"there is a terror, an apprehension I'M
defined, hanging over me. The cold
looks of these people weigh heavy on
my heart. Take me with thee when
thou goest."
"An thou say the word we go to-
morrow" he exclaimed sternly, hold
ing the small hand strongly in his own.
Fright willingly would 1, Godfrey,
for without my dear father naught
pleasant here doth hold me. But cares
Of the estate, the selection of perma-
nent overseer, which l find difficult;
new buildings for the tenants, now in
and many matters Of i'm
portance to mine interests will keep
me here a few weeks longer. ClOthe
thy soul in patience for that small
time dear GOdfrey"-She lifted her |