The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-10-03
LORNA DOONE
BY R. D. BLACKMORE
Condensation by Katherine r. Markward, AIston Mass

In Exmoor, in the county of Somer-
set, in the year of grace, 1861, dwelt
the outlawed Doones, who, huge and
{ brutal, defled king and common, COM
united brazen robberies with impun,
lty, and took refuge after every out
rage in the well-nigh impregnable
Glen Doone. On the nearby farm of
Flowers Barrows dwelt John Ridd, a
great limbed lad who had been sum-
moned home from boarding school in
his teens to learn that his father, a
wealthy farmer, had been slain in a
night raid by the Doones. John, blunt
and honest, was kind to his mother
and his two sisters, did his share of
the farm work, and, as he grew to
manhood, learned to ride a horse and
shoot a blunderbuss with unfailing
skill.
One day, while yet boy, his fishing
excursions in BagWorthy water led
MN TO discover an entrance to Glen
Doone, so secret, SO remote that the
robber band stationed no guard there
never dreaming that living soul would
discover it. Following a little cascade
John emerged at last into a dell bloom
Ing with primroses and beheld with
amazement a beautiful child of eight
with hair like black shower and eyes
tull OF pity and wonder. Her name
(pretty, like herselG was Lorna DoOne
and John often had her in his thoughts
through the six years which followed
He was twenty then and Lorna four
teen, and already John Ridd knew that
ne loved her, that fate had decreed it
so and that all the world was naught
when weighed against this girl
- No i
death for any man, but the thought of
Lorna light and white, nimble,
smooth and elegant" filled John with
yearning and lured him to the hazard
Again and again he sought the maid
in the primrose bower above the cas-
cade and then one afternoon in the
splendor of an April sunset John once
more threw down the gauntlet which
love ever casts at danger. To Lorna's
tremulOus, you are mad to come,
they will kill you if they lind you
here" John smiled and thought her
tairer than the prtmroses amid which
she stood. She lived in constant fear,
she confessed, for the gigantic and
passionate Carver DOone openly paid
her homage and glowered with jeal-
Gus eyes at any man who burst cast
a glance at her.
Il care naught for him or his ieal-
ousy," cried John Rid. Il have loved
you long, as child, as comely girl, and
now as full grown maiden. l love you
more than tongue can tell or heart
can hold in silence" Lorna raise her
glorious eyes and, flinging her arms
about his neck, cried, with her heart
on his. Darling, shall never be my
own again. l am yours forever and
forever" But before he went she was
in tears. How dare l dream of love?
Something in my heart tells me it can
never be-"
That fear of his beloved's spurred
John to penetrate into Glen Doone one
night at the risk Of his life for word
of Lorna. Once a guard leveled his
gun at him but went off cringing at
the thought that after all so huge a
form could be only that OF Carver
Doone
1t was a real danger which threat
ened Lorna, for old Sir Ensor Doone,
head of the robber crew, lay dying
and he alone had been her protector
against the brutal Carver. For John
to play a desperate game and carry
Lorna off would but incite the Doones
to wreak revenge upon the country
side with fire and sword At times he
swore to smoke out this nest of ras-
calls, but the timid farmers, overaWed
by their sayagery, would promise no
support.
Meanwhile an unparalleled winter
had set in. Day after day the snow
fell steadily and. blown by the wind,
almost smothered the 1ow-eaved cot
tages. Desperate for some word OF
Lorna, John made his way on snow
shoes into the very heart of Glen
Doone, unobserved in that feathery
fog, John found Lorna's hamlet,
stifled her EXPLANATIONS of surprise
with kisses, and felt his heart swell
with anger on learning that she and