Evening star., 1912-07-21

attempt to follow but stood watching until the exas-
atingly mysterious young woman disappeared Then,
tterng something the effect that he would find out
at it meant if it took all summer, the young fellow
,de down the driveway walked to the next village,
up at the inn, made some guarded inquiries, wrote
friend in Northampton for letters of introduction
my families he might know in the north of Wits, and
ted for what might turn up.
less than week he was in possession of credentials
that opened the doors of several houses within a
ius of ten miles, and, because he quietly bent every
1g to this end, it not many days until he crossed
rdons threshold and introduced to his wife and
lghter
IN the occasion of this first call, Elizabeth Gordon
naged to get the young aside and to extract
N him promise that, SO far Mr. and Mrs. Gordon
e concerned, committed him to silence the subject
he mystery he was bent solving; and, having done
5, Elizabeth herself became absolutely uncommunca-
:. In every other way the girl frankness itself;
whenever, then thereafter, birmingham men,
ned the ring or the falcons she became reserved,
mt, and obviously uncomfortable. Finally, seeing
t his persistence really distressed her, he dropped
subject and gave his undivided attention to max
love to Elizabeth Gordon. And in this he
re successful.
HE day their betrothal was parentay ratified Eliza
beth led her lover into the library where she took
yn heavy, leather bound book, which she laid on
lie and opened. Bending beside her to look Framing
n saw that 1t was genealogical record of the Gordon
nily, running back through more than five centuries
zabeth rapidly turned the leaves until she came to
on which the name of Richard Gordon, with those
OF his sons and daughters, appeared. The
opposite page was filled with quaint, angular
writing and to this Elizabeth directed the
young mans attention
The faded lines, translated into a more
modern English read:
Today there came into the COURTYARD stroll
ing mountebank and soothsayer. who did
vastly divert the men at arms and the servants.
that at last did order him to be brought
into the hall, that we might witness his antics.
After much fooery, and when we had given him
gifts. being about to depart. the did sud-
denly pause. grow rigid as dead person. roll
his eyes frightfuly upward, and did speak, or
was that when Frammynghamme shall come
in peace through the gate of the falcons. hav-
shall bring to an end the ancient enmity be-
tween the house OF Gordon and the house Of
Frammynghamme. Wherefore. as these sooth-
sayers having familiar spirits, ofttimes
possessed of hidden wisdom. am at pains
& to write here this strange prophecy. that itmay
4: hereafter be seen whether it comes to pass.
The name of Richard Gordon was ap-
e pended to the writing, and the date 1641,
- was also given.
- There is another record that bears on
~ the mystery said Elizabeth, turning the
leaves to later entry. Read this
- Rudolph read:
49, This day there brought home the body
=. of Sylvester Gordon, Knight, slain in combat
with Eugene Frammynghamme. The seal ring
of the house of Gordon. .customarily worn by the
said Sylvester, had been taken from the corpse
This entry was signed by William Cor
< don, and the tragedy was noted as having
occurred in 1857.
$50 this is the Gordon SEAL" said Franz
ingham taking the ring from his pocket
and examining it with interest.
"Yes; twelve tr1anges interlaced within
a circle. You understand now,' she
tinued, flushing rosily, why l could not
explain anything to you that day in the
summerhouse You see, l am the only
daughter of the house, and the moment l
saw the ring on your finger realized that
the old prophecy had come true and that it
unmistakably pointed to You can
easily understand that, from my point of
view, the situation was at once intensely in