The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-12
coPYRlGHr 1907. Br IRVING KING. RIGHTS RESERyEn.

, apparitor appeared one day at Flowers Barrows and summoned John to appear as a witness before the court of the Kings Bench at Westminster
 The truth was that Jeffreys hoped John might serve him as spy in the royal service over the peastnry and yeomanry of the district among whom there was felt to be some discontent and a leaning toward Monmouth and the Protestant succession
 John made the appalling journey up to London, a journey which only the greatest people of the county families took Tn those days, and then hardly more than once in a lifetime, and saw all the
 wonders of the great city. He stayed on and on in the capital, getting no command to appear before their lordships,
 though he had notified them of his ar-
 rival and longing much for the scent of the earth at Plover's Barrows, as
 well wondering whether Lorna's sig nal was set and what she would think
 of his absence.
 At last, his money being run out, he
 went to Westminster Hall and mached
 boldly in before Lord Chief Justice Jef- now, countryman, who art thou?" cried Jeffreys, looking at John out of little eyes which blazed in his blotchy face.
 John told his story and said he had now come to know if he could go home again,
 
 ing the terrible Jeffreys straight in the eye.
 Well done, John' cried his lordship. ''I'll go bail for thee thou never spoke so long a speech before. Waiting according
 to order hast thou been? Thou art made to weight, John, more than to order. Hath his majesty seen thee?'
 ''Yes, my lord, and made jest about me-"
 T doubt not sorry one,' returned Jeffreys. His wit is not so dainty as mine. Ha! ha! thou forward varlet. we
 shall have to try short commons with thee and thou art a very long common"
 Then Jeffreys examined John as to all
 he knew concerning the Doones and oth-
 CT gongs on and eonspirings in the dis trict, and then broke out with: T see that you know naught of con- spiracies, but 1t will not be long before
 England hears of them. Now, John, I
 have taken a liking to thee for never
 man told me the truth more manfully
 than thou hast Keep from the Doones,
 keep from everything that goes beyond
 thy Knowledge. I meant to use thee as my tool, but I see thou art not sharp enough-and too honest. Now, get thee gone"-and he gave the yeoman a glare which he remembered to his dying day. When John returned home he did not
 waste time trying to persuade people that
 
 the king upon affairs of state-that would
 have been task impossible among those admiring minds-but he sought out Lorna. in her glen and found that they were try ing to make her hasten her marriage with Carver Doone. As long as Sir Ensor lived
 Lorna believed that she would not be forced into the union; but he was very
 old and nearing his end, and after that she feared the power of Carver. Jeremy Stickles, the officer who had summoned John to London, now came to Plover's Barrows and made himself con-
 fortable there, liking the provender and
 the ale. He was mighty busy. riding about the country on some secret busi- ness of the kings and once John had the good fortune to save the officers life by giving him warning of an ambush pre- pared for him by the Doones. Now came on a terrible winter with much snow, such as the oldest inhabitant had never before seen and which is known In Exmoor to this day as the win ter of the great frost" John made him a pair of snowshoes and often went upon them to the top of cliffs overlooking Glen Doone, but saw no signal from Lorna Finally, when he was getting desperate. there came to him a little maid named Gwenny Carfax, who waited upon Lorna,
 and told him that old Sir Ensor lay dy- ing and would not die until he had seen John Ridd before him.
 Gwenny conducted him to the glen, and though the other Doones scowled at him. he was safe, by the orders of Sir Ensor The old man sat in his chair and sur veyed the giant yeoman curiously. Lorna had told Sir Ensor of her love for John,
 and that she would never marry Carver l Do you know this maiden is far above l your rank?' asked the dying man. Do | you know she Is come of one of the few l really ancient families remaining in Northern Europe? And do you know your | own low descent
 The Ridds," replied John, drawing him. | self up. have been honest men twice as long as the Doones have been rogues." T may have my opinion as to that
 said. Sir Ensor with twinkle in his fad ], ing eyes But if 1t be so, then your family is the very oldest in Europe" The old man sat regarding the two for while in silence, and then broke out
 with "Ye two foolsi Ye two fools!"
 We may not be two such fools as we look" retorted John, but if we be, we are well content to be so, so long as We may he fools together"
 Fools you are fools foreveri" cried Sir Ensor. "It Is the best thing I can wish
 you. Boy or girl; be boy and girl until you have grandchildren"
 Then John departed amid the fierce looks of all the Doones. but especially of
 
 eyes. But before he went, Lorna ar ranged a new signal which should tell him If she was in danger. In the valley
 was a tree with four rocks nests in it,. and Gwenny, who was great climber, was to remove one of them if harm threatened her mistress.
 Old Sir Ensor died, and soon after John. from his outlook on the cliffs, saw one of the rocks nests missing. That night he climbed the waterway up which he had first gone to meet his Lorna, and care fully made his way to the house where she lived. He found that she was kept prisoner there and was being starved to make her marry Carver.
 The next morning found Glen Doone without it's queen. Lorna was safe in the house at Plover's Barrows John s mother, who had taken on at first when her great son had informed her of his love for Lorna, was reconciled as soon as she saw the girl, and loved her as her own daughter.
 But it was not to be supposed that the Doones would let themselves be thus f1outed. They suspected where Lorna had been spirited to. and one night came rid