The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-15


 naughty expression. It was Squire Raby. He fainted then. When he recovered his senses he was being taken to Raby Hall. Near him, guarded by armed men, he saw the man who had tried to beat his brains out.
 Squire Raby immediately held a hearing in virtue of his power as magistrate. Summarily he told Henry's assailant, one Sam Cole that he would send him to Hillsborough next day to stand trial for attempted murder and ordered him locked up in the strong room at the top of the house.
 Then he turned to Henry. with no un- kind manner and asked him his name. He refused haughtily to answer. Seeing that Grace Garden was about to step forward and reply for him, he looked at her fixed ly and said, pointing to the portrait, When that picture Is turned to the light wi-4 tell you my name and not until them and if anybody here knows my name and tells it, may that person s tongue be blistered at the rootP'
 Terrified and amazed Grace Garden stopped speechless. Then seeing that the Squire was becoming violently angry. and fearing for Henry's liberty, she came to sudden resolution. Darting to the pie ture, she turned it without a word.
 There happened to be strong light on the picture, and the lovely face the vivid features and the glorious black hair and eyebrows seemed to flash into life.
 The Squire arose and stood quite still, evidently much moved. As he looked at the picture there came to him, in com mon with Grace and everybody else in the there was a wonderful likeness between the swarthy, handsome young man and the dark beauty on the wall.
 MT. Raby turned to Henry and with stiff politeness asked:
 IS your name Little, sir?"
 Henry answered shortly in the affirma- tive.
 MT. Raby turned back to the picture and looked at it. regardless of the peo- pie in the room.
 You shall remain this way" said he, addressing the portrait. Poor, unfor- tunate grill You look as If you didn't want me to quarrel with your son. Well, 1 will not. There has been quarreling enough. Any of the loyal Dences here?' A beautiful tall girl of the fine rural type stepped forward. She had great gray eyes and wonderful reddish hair and her form was as graceful as it was elo- quent of strength This was Jael Dence. Ever since there had been Rabys there had been Dences to go to war with them at their bridle reins and interpose their loyal bodies between their masters and the foe. Through all the generations countless acts of kindness had passed be- tweer. the yeomen Dences and the knights and squires of Raby, and never a Christi mas or other feasting time passed with out the Dences being invited to the hall
 Take that young gentleman home with yol. Jael," said MT. Raby, and send him to bed. The young gentleman has a fancy for forging things. He shall not forge in church and defile the tombs of his fathers; but, and the Squire groaned. "he can forge in your yard. All the snobs in Hillsborough shant hinder
 
 three men every night with guns. Load the guns with ball, not with shot If those ruffians molest him again. kill them anu then come to me and complain of them; but, mind you, kill them first-com- plain afterward There, Edithl"
 He had never turned from the picture while he spoke.
 Grace Garden crept up to MT. Raby, gently put her arms around his neck and kissed him with tender violence, mur- muring into his ear:
 How good, how noble you are. And how I love you!'
 Then she looked after Henry Little with swimming eyes as he was helped out of the room, while Mir Coventry watched with chilled and foreboding heart the strange and unexpected turn that events had taken, and cursed his meddling that had made the workman suddenly a dan- gerous competitor.
 A cold precipitation came to his brow when he reflected that the prisoner might confess enough to furnish clue to ex- pose his treachery and dishonor. His de- cision was taken at once. That night he helped Sam Cole to escape.