Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-08

the reeds that grew about the mouth Ok
the earth-dwellr Eve saw them.
MY father and the Frenehman." she
whispered. "Look!'' and she slid back a
little so that Hugh might see.
| Peering through the stems of tho
underground, set as it were in \ littisi
frame against the red and ominoual
sky, tho eyes of Hugh de Cressi fell
upon Sir Edmund Acour. gallant. even
splendid looking. knight-that was
his first impression of him. Broad
shoulders. graceful. in age neither
iyoung nor old, clean featured. quick
leyed, with mobile mouth and a little,
square cut beard, soft and even 1angutd'
voiced, black haired richly dressed In
a fur robe and mounted fine black
ihorse-such was the man.
| Staring at him and remembering that
The, too, loved Red Eve Hugh grew sud
Iden1y ashamed. How could he, mere
/ merchants lad, compare himself with
this magnificent lord. this high bred.
many titled favorite of courts and of
IfortHne? Howl could he rival him, het
lwho had never yet travelled a hundred
miles from the place where he wasj
born, save once when he sailed a
TRADING voyage to Calais? AS well
might hooded crow try to match
Iperegrine that swooped to snatch away
the dove beneath its claws. Yes, he
was the gray crow. Eve was tho dove
whom he had captured, and yonder
shifty eyed Cunt was the fleet. fierce
pereg CRIME who soon would tear out his
heart and bear his quarry far away.
Hugh shivered little as the thought
struck him, not with fear for himself.
but at the dread of that great and close
bereavement.
| The girl at his side felt the shiver.
and her mind, quickened by love and
peril. guessed its purport. She said
nothing, for words were dangerous
fonly turned her beautiful face and
pressed her lips upon her lovers hand. /
| It was her message to him; thereby, asi
| he knew well, humble as he might be,
she acknowledged him her lord forever.
1T am with you,'' said that kiss; have no
fear; in life or in death none shall
divide u.s." He looked at her with CRATE
full eyes and would have spoken had
she not placed her hand upon his mouth
and pointed.
| Acour was speaking in English,
which he used with a strong French &c
cent.
| We'll, we do not ind your beautiful
runaway, Sir John, he said, in clear
and cultivated voice, land, although L
am not vain, for my part I cannot be-
lieve she has come to such place as
this to meet merchants c1erk-she who
Should company with kings
| yet fear 1t is so, Sir Edmund" an
iswered Sir John Clavering. = stout.
dark man of middle age This girl of
tnine is very heady, as I give warning
you will find out when she Is your wife.
For years she has set her fancy upon
Hugh de Cressi-yes, since they were
boy and girl together, as I think-andi
while he lives doubt she'll never
change it."
| while he lives. Then why should he
continue to live Sir John?' asked tho.
Count, indifferently. Surely the world
will not miss a chapmans boy"
Tho De Cressis are my kin, although
1 Kate them, Sir Edmund. Also they are
rich and powerful and have many
friends in high places II this young
imam died by my command 1t would
start blood feud of which mono can tell
the end, for, after all, he is nobly born"
Then, Sir John, he shall die by mine.
No; not at my own hands. since do not
tight with traders; but L have those
about who pretty swordsmenI
and know how to pick a quarrel Be-
fore week is out there will be fu-
neral in Dunwich."
Il know nothing of your men and do,
not want to hear OF their quarrels, past
or future" said Sir John, testify
of course not" answered the Count,
II pray you, forget my words. Name
of God! what an accursed and Ill omened
spot is this, 1 feel as though I were,
standing by my Ia grave; it came.
upon me suddenly" and he shivered'
and turned pale.
ITO those who talk of death, death
/ often draws near" replied Clavering,
crossing himself. though I find the place
lweu enough. seeing the hour and season. 1t
/ do you. do you, Sir John? Look at
/ that sky; look at the river beneath i
4 that has turned to blood. Hark to the
! howl of the wind in the reeds and the
tcry of the birds we cannot see. Ave.
/ and look at our shadows on the snow.
Mine lies HAT by a great hole, ana
! yours rising against yonder bank is
that of a hooded man with hollow eyes
Death himself as L should linn him:
There, it is one What fool am /.
or how strong il that wine of yours.
Shall we be going aIso?"
! Nay; here comes my son with It'd
ings. Well, Jack, have you found your
sister," he added, addressing a dark
and somewhat saturnine young man
who now rode up to them from over
the crest of the hollow.
} No, cir. though we have beat the
marsl- through and through, go that
scarce an otter could have escaped U.s.
And yet she's here, for Thomas of Eess-
land caught sight of her red cloak
among the reeds, and, what's more,
Hugh de Cressi is with her, and Gray
Dick too, for both were seen"
| 81 am glad there's a third said Sir,
John dryly, though God save me from
his arrows. This Gray Dick" he added
to The Count. lis wild, homeless half