Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-06-17

4 u0s says lie UoE0 . Sk8&8 m&1E8f,
and so doused my bead under the
hedge. Then Master Cocklescraft
says 20 our honorable Secretary.
Yon viii meet mo II You are o man.
And the Secretary says, am O man,
and | will meet you at the Cross
Cornwaleys's Cross When2 says
Cocklescraft. At noon tomorrow
morning, says the Secretary. I'll
90 and get ready. savs Cocklescraft;
and with that al be marches.
There viii be o pretty wrestling
match for you. Master Willyl And I
shouldn't wonder IL they should get
IN pitch OF the bar tef0re they part:
Master Cocklescraff has great arm
for heaviug bar. Yon and me,
Willy. will be there to see il. Oh
made up my mird lust night that
The fiEss thug Cd ssaifs day was %
tell you. that you might see "a. /
know you love wrestle. Willy"
This is matter 10 be looked TO.
Watkin,-l will cast 10 over In INV
mind and tell you whether we shall
60 IN 10 or not"
well, continued Watkin, "the
Secretary turns himself about 10 90
TO the house, and suddenly, out OF
the back OF bis head, be spies me:
and so takes me to account to say
what / lurked there for. Oh, bless
you, Willy,-I didn't tell himi-I
am no fool; If / had let on about the
wrestling ] should never have had
the luck TO get sight OF it-these
gentlefolks will not be O country
gaze-I know them:-the Secretary
was not going to tickle Toby In my
ribs. All he got out of me was that
l bad borne trencher of fodder TO
the boatmen-and so he went his
way. and / went mine"
You are wise boy, Watkin, and
all that / would haYe you do now is
to keep your counsel. Say not
word OF this to living man. We will
have it clean to ourselves"
My lips shall be as fast as a pad
lock, Master Willy. Mortal man
shall not screw IL out of me-"
The fiddler having extracted from
Wise Watkin the particulars detailed
in this dialogue. was shrewd enough
TO interpret them maccording 10 she real |
nature OF the incident TO which they
referred. He knew that the lad was
scrupuious in telling the truth, as
well as he comprehended IL, In all
that came under his observa.
tion, and Willy therefore had no re-
serve In tbe assurance that there |
was on foot quarrel between the |
Secretary and the skipper. which |
was to be adjusted at Corn waleys's
Cross, on that day. The nature of |
the quarrel he could not conjecture,
although he was not ignorant that |
the individuals concerned in it, both |
held q relation to the maiden of the |
Rose Croft which might very ma
turally breed i'll will between
them. Ii was indeed q part of viii. |
ly's vocation 70 note such matters |
in the range OF his wanderings,-l
and he had not been so idle since
the arrival OF Cooklescraft in the |
port, and especially during the festi-
val OF thesprevious night, as to shut |
his eye or ear to the department OF |
the two young men in the presence |
Of the damsel.
Upon revolving over the circum-
stances OF Watkins disclosure, and
perpending, after his own
manner the pressure of the case,
he came to the wise conclusion that |
the best thing he could do would be |
10 communicate the whole story to |
Blanche and leave the matter In her
hands. Accordingly, as soon as the
maiden had taken her morning re.
past, he gained access to her in the
little bower OF st Therese, and |
there made her o confidential rela- |
tion Of the particulars, not only as |
he received them from Wise Watkin |
but with such commentary as occur
red 10 him to belong 10 the probable |
state OF the facts. Blanche receiv-
ed the communication with the deep
est emotion. Whilst the fiddler told
his story, her cheek grew pale
tears started in her eyes, her lip |
quivered. her limbs at last became |
rigid and she tainted away. Before
Willy, however, could quit her side |
TO call in others TO her relief. she |
and with q tottering step |
made her way into the house. A |
brief pause enabled her to summon |
up her strength and more composed
ly to address herself TO the emer-
gency in her view. The thought
that Albert Verheyden was placed
in circumstances OF peril gave her
rs much alarm as II instant danger
herself; and now for the
first time in her life, she became
how deep was the stake
she had in his welfare. Then. too,
she felt no other conviction but that
his jeopardy was the direct conse.
auence of his zeal In her service
that the skipper had brought him
into the quarrel on some ground
having relation TO her. Cookies
craft, besides, in her estimate OF him,
was o reckless and ruthless man, OF
ierce passions and violent hand,
and she trembled to think that the
gentle Master Albert should be con-
'ronted with such an adversary.
But Master Albert Is brave" she
said. "and will not brook that rough
slippers rudeness; he chides his
coarse behaviour-as well snchlchurl
deserves TO be chidden. Albert
does not count the hazard OF his
quarrel. but leaves that for timid
maidens 10 do. Oh, blessed virgin
rherese |" she exclaimed as she
cast her eye upon the picture of the
saint which was suspended on the
wall Of her chamber take GOOD
Master Albert in thy care. and bear
him harmless through this peril.
bis quarrel cannos but be just, and
khe saints will guard him "a thav