The Washington times., 1913-05-15


What had he, the young eourtier, In
common with the needy fighting aen
who filed his fathers house, or. for
that matter. with the graye-eyed coun-
try girl, whose marriage should serve
but to make him master Of fortune?
I'm fain to ride" said Carisford. snd
won ready consent from Stayersham,
who was glad to buy complaissnce At
On the eastern terrace Of the great
house, Thomsine. with Joan attending.
fingered for 1r03oment, 4eaned on the
stone balustrade while she watched my
In the moment Of the squadron's set
ting forth. the sun famed kindly from
the scudding clouds. and Carisford, in
the sunlight. showed q gallant. blonde
young figure, in his glittering corselet.
with the loye-locks falling over his
laced hand.
Many would say" spoke Joan lay
cock. with curious glance at Thorn
tieman to your husband. good, my mis-
AYE, truly" Thomsine answered,
and added. meshed in thought: But a
brown favor. too. is passing manly in
Joan Laycock changed her mood.
Myself" she grumbled, spinster!y, "I
set small store by men-bodies. With
their irn.nso vile pipes and the pestiient smell
Thomsine rounded on her.
welIi"
when Thomsine turned again to the
baiustrade. she found that Carisford
had flashed from. sight into the dark
nav Of the castle gate, and. neither
glad nor sorry for his going, she saun-
tered into. the little eastern parlor.
where Eleanor and Charlotte idled for
Thomsine sat down and fell to
stitching delicately at a gown that
she was fashioning for Henrietta. II
ever that troublesome fellow Crom-
pail. on their horizon, she meant to
ride forth and visit that undesired girl
baby.
Sc Thomsine set her delicate stitches
and dreamed dreams. through the IAN
guild morning. and had taken Up her
sewing and dreams again. In the hour
after dinner, when she felt-as who did
not. In the castle-the ripple Of con
eternation that ran widening from the
Something amiss hath fallen" said
Eleanor, rising from the chair where
she had lounged.
Il can hear men shouting" added
Charlotte.
But Thomsine. 1.-the and swift. was
out upon the eastern terrace. She was
In time to see a horse, foam-fecked
with dropping bride, come through The
black gate that had swallowed Caris-
ford short hours before, and the horse
was riderless.
For Lieutenant Cresset and my Lord
Carrisford and their twoscore unim-
portant troopers had failed to meet
with Colonel Aubrey.
Instead. blindly confident. laying Of
wagers like two lads on a noliday-and
indeed they were hardly more-they
ran into Gin Ackworth and his thun-
derous troopers from Friars' Sulgrave.
In the IS smother Of the melee sed that fol
parson slew the son Of Lord Stayer-
sham with no more compunction than
ne would have bestowed upon COM
mon man.
heels Of the riderless horse, brought
news Of the rout to Kings Staver.
sham.
Lieutenant Cresset was taken. and
my lord was slain. Ere nightfall young
Carisford's body lay In the chamber OF
state that should have been his mar
Rage chamber, with candles burning
at the head and feet ]
He lay like a hero with hands clasp
ed upon the sword that rested on his |
breast, and his young face set in lines |
far more austure and lovely than ever !,
Il had known In life. Sanctified In
death he lay. not the man he was, but /
the man he might have been. I
Make the best of it''
My Lord OF Staversham, brooding /
above the body OF his heir, had recourse
10 his hopeless creed.
He remembered the ruinous debts of
the lads uprunnine. debts hat IL had
needed Thomsine Musgrove's fortune to
clear-the wild debauches. the useless
fonies that had already sapped and un-
dermined the young strength Of him.
Better 80 II might be. Dead on the
held OF honorI Better SO.
In her chamber meantime Thomsine
ausgrove sat stunned. Even in her
hear. she dared not say Better sof'
Instead she felt a terror in ncr-a ho--
ror OF herself Twice on the eve of mar
rage she had brought calamity upon
tbe house of Staversham
And yet-and yet why did she not
weep? She was a bride betrothed, and
bride bereft three days before her