Evening star., 1908-01-12

lowed him. John the smith had already
dropped his torch. which lay smoldcring
on the ground
There was distinct movement in the
direction of general retreat.
Well. laughed the duke. good ma
turedly. have you done enough mischief?
Get ye gone, all of you, or shall l have TO
call the guard and have you all whipped
Tor set of dastardly towards eh?-or.
better still. hanged. as your leader and
! friend here suggests-what?'
They had no need to be told twice. Still
silently, they picked up their caps. one or
two of them scratching their added
pates. They were ashamed and really
frightened and had quite forgotten all
about the witch.
| There's nothing like real. personal dan
ger to allay imaginary terrors. The devil
was all very well, but ne was long way
or and for the moment invisible, while
his grace of WesseX was really there and
he was--well. he was his grace of Wessex.
and that's all about it.
One by one they edged away, and the
darkness soon swallowed them up. The
duke never moved until the last of them
had gone. leaving only Abra and his
henchman covering in terror beside the
pla atform.
From behind bank of clouds the pale.
crescent moon suddenly emerged and
threw faint silvery light on the now de-
serted scene of the dastardly outrage.
Well Harry, my friend. l think that's
the list of them!'' said Wessex, lightly,
as he finally put up his sword and mount
ed the steps to the platform.
Mirrabs long strands of golden hair
hung like veil over her face and breast;
she had Strengthened herself out some
what. but her head was still bent. Her
totterfng reason was very slowly and
gradually returning to her.
She did not even move while WesseX un-
did the leather belts which tied her to
the flagstaff and with his heel kicked the
faggots to one side. She seemed as un-
conscious now of her safety as she had
been short while ago of her impending
doom.
AS her last bonds were severed she fell
Ike shapeless bundle on her knees.
He never looked at her. What was she
but a poor, tattered wreck of humanity.
whom his timely interference had saved
from an appalling death? But he was
very sorry for her, because she was a
woman, and had just gone through inde
scribable sufferings: in that gentle. imper-
sonal pity there was no room for the
mere curiosity to know what she was
like.
Before he finally turned to go he placed
a well-flled purse on the ground not far
from where she was covering, and said,
very kindly:
Take my advice, girl and do not get
thyself into any more mischief OF this
sort Next time there might be no one
Harry" he added calling to his dog,
time is getting late
At the foot of the steps he came across
the shrinking forms of Abra and his COM
panion The duke paused for moment,
and said more sternly:
"As for thee, sirrah, get thee gone, bag
and baggage thy tents and thy trickeries,
before the night is half an hour older.
The guard shall be sent to protect thee,
but If thou art still here an hour hence.
those sobered ruffians will have returned
and nothingn save thee and thy wench
a second time"
He waited for no protestations from
the abject wizard and turned his steps
toward the river.
AS he was crossing the open space. how
ever. he suddenly felt tight grip on his
cloak: he turned, yet could see nothing,
for the capricious moon had once more
hidden her light behind pass ng cloud,
and the darkness, by contrast. seemed all
the more intense.
But he heard sound. which was very
like a sob, and then a murmur which mad
a curious ring of passion in 1t:
Thou hast saved my Efe-hs thine-l
give 1t thee! Henceforth. whene'er
read the starlit armament I'll pray to God
that the most glorious star in heaven
shall guide thy destiny"
He gave pleasant laugh, gently disen-
gagged his cloak and without another
word went his way.