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

allied it. When they returned Caleb was
 gone and so was the spit with the wild
 goose.
 Proudly he rode back to the castle and set the dinner before the guests, with a l glance every now and then to upbraid his | master Then he retired to the kitchen, where he entertained the Lord Keeper s
 servant with tales of the glory of the 1 Ravenswoods and of the tribute that it was his custom to gather from the sur l rounding habitants.
 The company in the hall was no less 1 pleasantly engag ged. The pride and enmity | of the Master of Ravenswood could not
 but be softened by his duty as a host ! and the beauty of the feminine guest 1 In addition the Lord Keeper used those 1 charms of conversation which he pos l sessed in perfection. He lost no oppor- | tunity to ingratiate himself with the man ] whose patrimony he had obtained. He had been alarmed at his own fntrep- ! idity at first when he found himself in 1 the gloomy tower, whose half-ruined and ! savage aspect was rendered stlll more forbidding by the gathering storm, and the 1 demands of its owner did nothing to lessen | his dread. But now reassured by Ravens | woods altered manner, he became easy
 in mind and even loquacious, and before l long he managed to bring the talk around 1 to the subject of the charges that had
 been made against him, and thus got the | opportunity to show the master the mem | orandums that he had drawn up. l After perusing these papers the Master l of Ravenswood remained for minute or 1 two in profound meditation. He read the 1 papers carefully again, as If deslrous or | discovering some deep purpose or some
 note of treachery in them Then he 1 started up impulsively and took the Lord
 Keepers hand within his in generous pressure.
 "My generous friend." said he, and with
 that brief utterance he gave to his feudal | enemy the full confidence of naughty | but intensely sensitive and honorable 1 heart.
 Impulsvely Lucy held out her hand, | too. She looked with enthusiastic admira- 1 ton at the noble form and fine features | of the young man. When their eyes en- | countered both blushed deeply, CONSCIOUS l of some strong internal emotion, and | summed again to meet each others LOOKS. Sir William Ashton watched their eX- | pressions closely: .I need fear no Parl1a- 1 ment" thought he. In thus selhshly cal 1 culating on the young mans directions, 1 he not merely failed to consider any pain l that it might infiict on Ravenswood but | he quite forgot that his daughter might l become involved in an unfortunate pas l sion.
 l 1 Rayenswood was all the greater since he l had learned during his stay that the l Marquis of A had written to his klns ! man. His indignation conjured up the l picture of an immediate assault on his | possessions. He decided to increase the masters evident admiration for Lucy by inviting him to the castle, and much to {, his own surprise Ravenswood found him. l self willing to go
 ] Caleb Balderstone's cheek turned pale !, when he heard it. "rhe mercy of Heaven l forbidi' said he. "Oh, sir. dinna ye ken ! the words of true Thomas the Rhymer? When the last Laird of Ravenswood to Ravenswood shall ride
 And woo a dead maiden to be his bride
 He shall stable his steed in the Kelple's
 flow
 : An4l his name shall be lost for evermoe, - -oir{
 lRavenswood laughed lightly and soon
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