Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-09

round the rivers mouth? Awhile ago
it hung upon its oars as though those
within it watched u.s.
Fisher folk" answered Wulf care
lessly. II saw their nets"
Eyes, but beneath them something
cleaned bright, like swords"
Fish, said Wifi, Eve are at peace
In Essex" Although RoSamund did
not look convinced. he went on, Now
for Godwin's thoughts what We're
they?'
Brother. If you would know. of the
east nlso-the east and its wars"
(Which have brought us no great
luck" answered Wulf. seeing that our
sire was slain in them and naught of
him came home again ave his heart.
which lies at Stangate yonder. But.
brother, there is peace at Jerusalem, as
in Essex"
Peace? Yes: but Don there will be
war again. The monk Peter-he whom
we saw at Stangnte last Sunday and
who left Syria but six months gone
told me that it was coming fast. u
when it comes, brother, shall we not
be there to share it, as were our grand
father, our father, our uncle and so
many Of our kim"
Now it was Wulf's turn to take fire.
by Our Lady in heaven and our lady
here and he looked at Rosamund.
who was watching the pair Of them
with quiet. thoughtful eyes. 'go when
you will, Goodwin. and | go with you.
and as our birth was one birth, so. IL II
Is decreed, let our death be one DEATH"
And suddenly. in a voice that caused
| the wild fowl to rise in thunder from
the Saltings beneath, Wulf shouted the
Old war cry that had rung on so many
a fcld-"A Darcy. a Darcy! Meet
Darcy, meet DEATH
Goodwin smiled grlmiy, but answered
nothing; only Rosamund said:
! 80, my cousins, you would be away,
perhaps TO return no more, and that
will part us. But'-and her voice broke
somewhat-"Nch is the woman's lot,
since men like you ever love the bare
sword best of all, nor should l think
we'll of You were it otherwise. Yet.
N'-Ai hAi'' ~ "'s aAA saS
shivered a little-'it comes into my
heart that heaven often W such
prayers swiftly. | am afraid-of l
know not what. Well, we must be 60
ing, for we have nine miles to ride, and
the dark is not so far away. But first,
my cousins, come with me into this
shrine and let us pray st. Peter n
st. Chad TO guard U.s."
Then they turned and entered the old
church, one of the first that ever was
In Britain. rough built of Roman stone
by the very hands of Chad, the Saxon
saint, more than 800 years before their
day. Here they knelt awhile at the
rude altar and prayed, zach Of them in
his or her own fashion. then crossed
themselves and rose to seek their
horses, which We're tied in the shed
hard by.
Now, there were two roads, or, rather.
tracks. back TO the hall at Steepie, one
q mile or so inland that ran through the
village of Bradwcll, and the other, the
shorter way, along the edge Of the Salt
ings TO the narrow water known as
Death creek, ut the bead of which the
ira Weller to Steeple must strike inland,
leaving the priory of Staugate on his
right. 1t was this latter path they chose,
since at low tide the going there is good
for horses, which, even in the summer,
that Of the inland track was not. Also
they wished TO be- Mt home by supper
time lest the old knight, Sir Andrew
Darcy, the father Of Rosamund and
the uncle Of the orphan brethren. should
grow anxious and perhaps come out I'd
seek them.
For the half of an hour or more they
rode along the edge of the Saltings. fol
the most part in silence that was bro
ken only by the cry of curlew and the
lap of the turning tide. Ma human be
Ing did they see, indeed, for this plact