The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-12
Ralph Drake and his shadow

"and I will have you to understand It.
He is gentleman as well as yourself,
and you owe him an apology" So say
ing, she stamped her foot and looked
at Ralph Drake, her eyes flashing in
the moonlight But Ralph Drake,
whose face / could see was flushed,
even in that whiteness OF light. lung
away with an oath muttered under his
breath. and struck out across the lawn,
his black shadow stalking before him.
Then Mistress Mary turned and bade
me good night in the sweetest and most
curious fashion, as IL nothing unusual
had happened, and yet with a softness
in voice as il she would fain make
amends for her cousins rough speech.
and duttered in through the open door
like white moth. and left me alone
with Sir Humphrey Hyde.
Sir Humphrey was but q lad to me,
scarcely older than Mistress Mary, for
all his great stature. He stood before
me. scraping the shell walk with the
end OF his riding whip. Both men had
ridden hither. and / at that moment
heard Ralph brakes horses hard trot.
IF you come counting Mistress Mary
Cavendish. it's for her guardians, her
grandmother and elder sister to deal
with you concerning the time and place
you choose" said I, ''but II It be on
any other Grand
Good God, Harry" broke in Sir
Humphrey, do you think I am come
love making in such fashion and with
Ralph Drake In bis cups, though I
swear be fastened himself to me
against my willT'
1 waited moment. Sir Humphrey
had been much about the place since
he was a mere lad and had had, be-
lieve. a sort of boyish good will toward
me. Not much love had he for books,
but was accounted fair shot and
had some knowledge of sports Of hunt
ing and fishing and had given him
some Lessons, and he had followed me
about some few years before, some
what to the uneasiness of his mother,
who could not forget that 1 was a con-
Wet
I cast about in my mind what to say,
being resolved not TO betrny Mary Cav
endish. even did this man know what
could betray. and yet being resolved
to have some understanding of what
was afoot.
"a man OF honor includes not maid
ems In plots. Sir Humphrey,' said
finally
Sir Humphrey stammered and looked
at me and looked away again. Then
suddenly spake Mistress Mary from |
her window overhead, set In climbing |
trumpet vine, and SO loudly and reck-
lessly that had not her grandmother |
and sister been on the farther side of |
the house they must have heard her |
'"Tis not Sir Humphrey included the |
maid in the plot. but the maid who in |
cluded Sir Humphrey said She Then |
she laughed, and at the same moment /
mockbird trilled in tree
why do you not tell Master Wing |
field that the maid and not you nor |
Cousin Ralph is the prime mover in
this mystery of the cargo of furbelows
on the Golden Horn said she, and
laughed again.
Il shield not myself behind a maid
ems skirts" said Sir Humphrey grimiy.
Then" cried Mary. will fell thee.
Master WingfeId. what it means He
cannot betray us. Humphrey. for his
tongue is tied with honor, even If he
be not On our side. But he is on our
side. as Is every true Englishman."
Then Mary Cavendish leaned far out
the window. and a white lace scarf
she wore doated forth. and she cried
with q great burst Of triumph and