The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-01-12
sdmiring himself before a reflection

IN nOnN1jI i WAS l0aQulaH
| Whipping my rapier from its scabbara
| cried at the top of my voice: death!
| Come out lest | disgrace myself as
| you have done by intruding into a
| ladys chamber and Stay you therer'
| The fellow turned and. seeing me
! glaring at him withp rapier. leaping
| forward to pierce his vitais. lost all
| the color from his face. which as soon
| as | saw it ! knew it belonged to one
| Of tender years. But he was not I'M
| armed. having Il rapier at his waist,
which gladdened me- If. indeed, l could
be gladdened at such time. for it
! gave me an excuse to Stay him.
Eleanor turned. too, and gazed at me.
| all amaZement
AHA, my Mistress Eleanor! Is it
meet that you should accept lover
| one day and the next receive another
| In your chamber? Mayhap had not
| Graft set the door ajar | should
never have known Of your faithless-
ness" With that l began to baWl and
| to roar at the Spanish dog" the mis-
| creant." to come out into the corridor
and defend himself. And, he not COM
| ing, l made step forward. What did
| the coward do but run behind the bed
and crawl under it!
BY this time. with my roaring and
swearing, the corridor was filled with
guests, both gentlemen and ladies, who
had come from their rooms to learn,
mayhap, If lion had got into the
castle. They saw me standing before
the Lady Eleanor's open door. she, fac
ing me, white as sheet and not able
to make herself heard above the noise
I made
Then came Lord Everest running
along the corridor. and when he reach
| ed me and saw NE standing, rapier IN
hand, glaring and bowling for the
Spanish cur t. come out and fight like
a man, he drew his own sword and
beat mine down. crying:
What means this bedlam? Cease
| your bowling and let me hear what the
Lady Eleanor has to say"
This somewhat Quieted my tongue.
though | continued to glare The Lady
Eleanor. seeing protection, went to the
| bed and, putting her hand under 1t,
dragged the Spaniard out and helped
him to stand upon his feet. Then she
pushed him forward. saying:
Look at this Spanish cur seeing
| for yourselves the crime | have COM
mitted in harboring him in my cham
| ber''
why, it's the Lady Gwendolin Ira
| cyl" said one of the bystanders.
| Then my chOler suddenly gave place
| to O sinking in the heart as we'll as
| the knees, for saw what had done.
| Surely the Spaniard was none other
| than the Lady Gwendolin whose cos
tune for the masquerade had just ar
| rived from London and who. having
| taken her friend the Lady Eleanor into
| the secret of her character. was trying
| the suit on in her company.
"There. Sir Ralph" said Eleanor. lis
the Spaniard for whom you would
rob me of my good name before all
| these goodly people. Get you gone
| from me and never let me see you
again."
| With that she burst into a torrent
| of weeping and. retreating within her
room, shut the door.
And I stood broken by my folly be-
| fore the whole company, who present
ly. after the retreat Of the Lady Flea
| nor. suddenly seeing the absurdity of
my action. burst into loud peals of
| laughter.
Down with the Spaniardr' cried
| the old duke. who had heard the same
words often during his boyhood when
! Queen Marys Spanish match was I'M
| popular in England. whereupOn all the
company laughed again.
| ''Tis like the dOns," cried another,
| ito hide ul1fler the bed before a drawn
rapier.
For shame. Sir Ralph. to draw sword
upon a girl
But !. full Of anguish at having by
my choler induced by jealousy to act
upon Impulse and without knowledge,
heard not q word of these jests. I was
| longing to throw myself upon my knees
| before the Lady Eleanor and at the
same time bethinking myself that
would never obtain her forgiveness.
Finally Everest. with kindly courtesy,
seeing my suffering. came to me and,
| taking my rapier from my hand, thrust
1t into its scabbard. Then, putting his
| arm through mine, he led me away.
| AS we walked down the corridor to-
gether i heard the murmur of voices
and laughter behind me of those who
continued to discuss my lamentable
biunder.
''Do II fret your SOUL" said Everest
"This evenings festivities will wear
away the Effects Of your rashness."
''There are no more festivities for
me-" walled. unless mayhap the Lady
Eleanor ma find it in her guileless
heart to forgive me-
"And so she WILL" replied my friend,
when she omeS to consider that your
act was goodly evidence of your love
for her