The herald., 1922-03-09
Lady Brown of
New England
By CLAIRE SMITH

SS2S2S2S2S1S9s1S1
Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union
Little Miss Brown had one bright
spot In her otherwise drab life; that
was her friendship for Merton Cald-
well.
Caldwell was no hero; he was just
New York business man. He spent
his summer vacation at Cape Cod, in
the village where the little school,
mistress taught.
II shall not be here next summer,
Miss Brown" said Caldwell one
bright afternoon In August. They had
been strolling together along the shore.
II am going to take six weeks and
visit England" he continued, not
knowing that Miss Brown was sud-
denly quiet. II am going to take in
all the old Northumberland castles
and"
northumberland echoed Miss
Brown.
"Yes. My family came from there"
But so did mine" said Miss Brown
quickly. THE Brownies of Constable
castle are supposed to be relatives Of
mine. II you 60 there you must visit
the place. and tell me all about 1t. 1t
Ia one Of the show seats Of the coun-
ty."
They parted soon after; Miss Brown
to his Office. Next summer he sailed
for England, and In due time found
himself at Constable castle.
The castle was itself notable, but
more so the old Norman church.
The sexton, grumpy old fellow,
expatiated upon the history Of the
statue with shrewd calculation that
the American visitor would bestow
largess upon him.
that's the tomb Of Sir Roger" he
croaked. HE lay there-all but his
heart, which is buried In Jerusalem.
But his lady don't lie by him.
Nov, John, you're telling the story
wrong" interrupted a laughing voice.
and Caldwell turned to find himself
gazing into the eyes Of a singularly
pretty girl Of twenty years or SO. you
are Mr.. Caldwellr she inquired. I'VE
heard about you In the castle, and my
father wants you to come up to dinner
and make our acquaintance"
Merton Caldwell found his welcome
singularly unaffected and warm. After
q pleasant evening he was invited to
make the castle his headquarters, and
the upshot was that. q week later. he
was still a guest there, and his host,
the squire, resolutely refused to let
him depart, at least until the relation
ship had been cleared up.
81 think" he said. that you and
Lucy are twenty-ninth cousins"
Lucy was the most delightful cou-
Mn he had ever had.
She proved q mine Of genealogy.
"Why, I do believe 1 didn't finish
that story Of the legend" she said one
day, when they stood side by side at
the tomb. "You know Lady Browne
was really a bad woman. She ran
away to Lyonesse, In the west some
where-a mythical country far out In
the Atlantic-while Sir Roger was in
the Holy Land. When he came back
he prophesied that in eight hundred
years she would come back to him,
and he would recognize her and rise
out Of the grave and pardon her."
There was a newcomer at dinner
q Caldwell. He was q young fellow
Just down from Cambridge, and evil
IDENTIFY an old friend.
I'D have known you for a Caldwell
any day." he said to Merton. do you
know You are the exact image Of Sir
Rogerr
After dinner the squire took him
aside. II ought to tell you" he said.
innocently, "that Mr.. Caldwell and
Lucy are to be married next autumn.
They have been engaged for q year.
30 II they are . little inhospitable
you-you'n understand. chr
Yes" answered Merton, dismauy.
An hour later he was In the Norman
church, beside the tomb. He must
leave on the morrow.
A beam Of moonlight lit up the an
Gent lady's marble face. and. as II
did 20, Caldwell started back with an
exclamation Of amazement.
The face Of the knight was his-so
much he had seen. But that Of the
lady was-not Lucy's, but Miss
Browns.
half an hour afterward he was bid
ding his host good-by in the hall Of
the castle.
II Miss Lucy had guessed his feel.
ing she would have thought herself
mistaken when she looked into hia
ftank face.
II. hope you will both be very hap
py," he said. "And perhaps the old
alliance between the Brownies and
Caldwells will be repeated many q
time"
They did not quite understand
mtn they received his wedding an
nouncement.
For, important a. his business might
have been, Merton Caldwell hurried
Arst to Cape Cod. And he found Miss
Elizabeth walking upon the sands
alone.
She stopped and looked at him In
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