Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-06-15

How great a distance to the May
land farmE 1 inquired as he showed
us to a room.
The Maryland farm: he repeated
in stupid bewilderment. 4 ha' ne'er
heard on it,
Fool Churl" / exclaimed, my pa
tience exhausted by the long series of
discomforts. Thou livest at Cragen-
stoI.y 49,. .-.-.-- ----.-'-r heard OF the May
land farm
but this is the village of Stern
dorf,' he answered. 'Cragenstone lleth
/. on t'other side of the mountain, across
the forest Prithee, sir, It's long, te-
lious, roundabout journey from here
TO there Margaret, in my surprise
and disappointment at his information
1 could have run him through, so des-
perate was |. The mans stolid, I'M
sympathetic face and no better sugges-
ton to offer than that we abide there
until the ending of the storm mad
dened me, and, as though the fault of
the mistake were his instead of mine, l
bade the fellow begone in my surliest
TO tell thee ALL" he continued, with a
sigh-'how the next day the storm
ragged. preventing our departure, and the
next and next; how | took counsel re-
peatedly with the idlers about the tav-
ern as to the expediency of our setting
forth and how they all assured me
gravely that it would be impossible to
ford the Skolvent stream. Then grew
listless and, to my surprise, seemed not
to care; had no appetite; mine eyes
swelled and smarted in my head, fol-
lowed by nausea and hot fever. Then,
, dire calamity, was attacked with the
pest called measles, n disease raging
in every house in the village, and lay
i'll of it for near fortnight, and, Mar
garet, when l was strong enough and
safe Of contagion to come to thee all
traces OF the storm had passed, the
stream was passable, and we rode
forth, with blithe farewells to the so
Der faced loungers about the tavern
door, down the mountain to find the
right road that brought us at last hap
PLY to Cragenstone. Sweet, art glad
to see meW
Margaret pressed the hand gently
hat held hers, saying, with Il sigh OF
content: Thou knowest well, dear God
frey, how glad am |. Such nights of
suspense, such burning fevers of i'm
patience, such days of hourly heart
sick expectation, no mortal e'er before
experienced. Methought perchance that
thou vert dead, Godfrey, that thou
vast SO long in coming"
Nay, heavens gift Of joy, lived for
thee"
For moment neither spoke; then La
Fablenne said suddenly But tell me,
Margaret, of thy cousin. Certes, he
seemed an i'll favored whelp enough.
So he would wed with thee, my lover
What rare fortune, Godfrey, that
thou didst come in timer she eXclaim-
ed, with u shudder. AN thou had
delayed another minute that vile
wretch had put his lips to mine"
La Fabienne's face darkened, and he
exclaimed angrily as he laid his hand
upon his sword
"See my bodice how it's torn? And
my kerchief is in ribbons, SO desperate
was our encounter. In my fright |
screamed quite wildly"
And thou didst call my name" he
said fondly. Il recall my surprise at
hearing it, Had thou news of mine
arrival. MargaretY
Nay, dear Godfrey" she answered,
with little laugh that was half sob
as she buried her face in the velvet
folds of the puffed sleeve OF his
doublet. Thy name, that does ever
dwell securely in my heart IN my
necessity sprang from thence to my
lips, and they gave voice to ii. Then
thou, as il sent specially by kind
Providence to rescue me, burst through
the thicket and now-thou art here"
"Aye, am here" lie said, with par
ticular emphasis. But, sweet, art not
aweary from standing so longp
She slipped her hand through his
arm.
"Come, Godfrey, to the portal Of my
door, where | had hoped TO meet thee.
Thou did have but II rough and un-
pleasant welcome. And thy lady"-she
made him little, mocking courtesy,
with u smile on her lips-"would give
thee a greeting more befitting thy sta
tlon and high rank"
He turned and kissed her where she
stood.
"The rough forest path or this stone,
sweet Margaret, an thou art on either,
Is the portal of welcome that best be-
fits my station" he replied. But
will go with thee gladly, oh, my love,
an thou leadeth the way, even to the
end OF the world"
Just then the moon rose over the
horizon, Illuminating the mountain so
that the lovers could discern the path
way without trouble, and soon they
turned the corner of the road, passing
out of sight.