The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-01

| hasten to the tower and Sc what could be done but they were halted by Caleb's screech: Turn bride for the love of mercy! There are kegs of powder in the vaults, landed out of a Dunkirk dog ger. To the right, lads. to the right. The fire canna be far off it, l trow!'
 This announcement hurried the Marquis and his servants into the route prescribed by Caleb, dragging Ravenswood with them, though there was much in the matter that he could not comprehend. Finally he rode on with the Marquis but as soon as he had seen him safe he turned to look back. Balderstone however, held on to his stirrup and said: "Dinna expose yourself before the Marquis. The tower is standing haill and safe as when ye left it."
 And the fre?" said Ravenswood.
 "A wheen fern and horse litter that fired in the court yard, after sending back the loon of a messenger, and to speak heavens truth the next time that ye bring onybody here to look on the wrang side of anes housekeeping and to force ane to damn their souls WI telling ae lee after another faster than I can count them, l wad rather set fire to the tower in gude earnest and burn it ower my own head"
 Ravenswood returned to the company and told them that the fire had burned itself out judging it best to protect his faithful old servants pride by lending himself to his stratagem. The next day they set out for Edinburgh where the for tunes of their party were soon in the ascendent-so much so that some of those who had profited by the wreck of the Ravehswood fortunes hurriedy made res titution in the hope of escaping the storm Before proceeding against the Ashtons Ravenswood wrote to Lady Ashton and Sir William, who had already been de- posed from his office of Lord Keeper offering to settle matters amicably and again pressing his suit. To Lucy he sent another letter by secret messenger
 Sir William wrote an ambiguous, fawn- ing reply that promised much and said nothing. Lady Ashton sent an insulting answer, refusing utterly to give him her daughters hand. From Lucy herself there came a piteous little scraw asking him not to write again, for fear of the con- sequences to her. 'I am sore beset," she added, but l will be true to my word while the exercise of my reason is vouch- safed to me-
 Ravenswood tried despera tely to convey another letter to her. but he had only the modification of learning that un- known but effective means had been tdhel to prevent any pOSSlDlllty or tnelr correspondence. The mission that had been confeded to him was of the highest importance to those who trusted him. Honor forced him to go without delay He departed for the continent with a heavy heart
 Had Ravenswood known what was go- ing on at the castle it is probable that no consideration on earth would have pre- vented him from forcing entrance to the presence of his sweetheart Lady Ashton bent every effort of her masterful mind to place a perpetual bar between the lovers by, marrying Lucy to the young Laird of Bueklaw whose rich lands ad- joined the Ravenswood domain. She, sur rounded her daughter with spies..f She told her that the Master of Ravenswood had become engaged to a foreign lady of rank and fortune. She sounded every deep and shallow Of her daughters soul and even forced on her as. an attendant an old crone, ill-famed aszpwitch, who worked on the girls supA4t.;ions terrors with if fss bisett. met tories of aoom of the
 " To fathef
 Her, "