The Washington times., 1913-05-13

i'll used Of Fate and Great-aunt Eus-
tasia.
So far had Thomsine grown away
from the child Thomsine that she never
thought of bestowing her Inheritance on
Waite, as she once had dreamed TO do.
But she was passing glad to see him.
short and sullen though she found
him, and she asked eagerly for news
of Charlotte and the little baby. touch
ing whom Watts replies were vague.
She was glad. too. on the whole, to
find that Wat had brought a letter
from her guardian, in which she was
hidden make her ready to come to
Kings Staversham and there be duly
now herIbetrothed.
On the whole. yes. she was glad. For
she could not bear to live on alone at
Allenthorn, and, outside Allenthorn
and Kings Staversham, what world
So. in the Lenten days after Watts
departure, Thomsine, grown much a
woman, under the weight OF her duties,
consulted with the lawyer and with the
farm baliff and looked to the hundred
closed the doors Of Allenthorn.
At last, one wet spring day. she rode
from the house that had been home,
and, remembering how once before
she had Quilted it. & hish-hearted, hea te ,s9 to
fashion she had come creeping back.
she felt her spirits dashed with chili
OF the Allenthorn folk she took to
attend her only the hard-visased
Of them all, she least desired to take.
Indeed, she had thought with relief
that she need never again look on old
Joan, who. in her early years. had
knackies with a hard thimbiej and
combed her hair (and pulled t in SO
doing when she sat not still.)
She could comfort herself with the
thought that Joan was well provided
interest in a cottage. which Aunt Eus-
tasia had bequeathed her.
She could leave the grabbed soul
well at ease, and meantime. for her
own satisfaction, she had planned to
who was Of her own years. and a
merry, comely wench.
Weliaday for the manner In which
fine plans are dashed to naught.
appeared before her Joan Laycock. in
here decent blacks, with a black apron
over all, and said she:
Kings Staversham is a seat Of pass
ing danger, yea, even to the soul. a
dwelling place of Dagon and house OF
child of my old ladys' bosom adventure
thither alone? Nay, mistress. to be your
guard and defense. / go with ye.'
To be sure, ThomsIne should have
stood upon her rights in that hour and
packed the officious creature about her
business: but the child in her was still
in awe Of her great-aunts chief serv-
ant, while the woman IN her was all
pity for the faithful soul who, of
truth. gave up her own ease for what
she held her duty.
So when Thomsine rode from Allen
nn
took Joan Laycock in her train
Six men from Staversham's regiment
had been mounted and detached for
Thomsine's protection on the trCublous
road of her bridal, and since Wat was
too busted to ride again afield, they
We're under command Of Baptist Ay
skew
What with drink and dice and other
distractions. young Ayskew had spent
the savings of his fathers life in four
brief months at oxford.
Then. thanks to the influence Of his
careless kinsman, Sir Edward BorIase,
he had been commissioned an ensign in
my lord Staversham's regiment, where
he acquitted himself no more than toll
erably.
But at least he was sufficient guard to
Thomsine. and. thereto, her deferentiaI
servant, though with his courtesies he
moved Joan Laycock to audible COM
ment on a wanton and pranking gen.
Grafton.
Under Bob Askew's escort Thomsfne
rode into Kings Staversham on a dusty
April noon.
OF the ancestral seat Of which IL
Fate were kind, she should one day be
mistress. she gathered a puzzled and
repellent impress.
At first. from a far hilltop. she had
sighted a jumbie of roofs and gables,
reared above thick walls that were set
round with watch-towers. Then,
through the hcllow3. she had rlimps,l
only a blood-red banner that streamed
above graz walls.
Later, as they threaded through the !
nesting matched cottages of Staver-
sham village she felt the grav walls
press upon her. heavier and heavier.
with a leaden weight. Then she grew
aware of earthworks that circled at
the foot of the gaunt walls.
Through a gatchouse set IN the line
of earthworks they paced upon hea"y
that spanned the loath
some, green scummed waters Of a mOat.
Beyond the moat. through the great
guarded gateway of The inner walls,
they entered the bailey of King STAY
ersham.
Buildings and many buildings. a
swarming village behind massive walls, !
Thomsine was aware of.
Troop stables and troop barracks,
hastily built of rough-hewn timDers;