THE GHOST KNIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 11

THE GHOST KNIGHT.

BY WARWICK DEEPING,

"Deceit, deceit," cried the swallows, skimming < the water, and gliding about the gray tower in tho meadows. "Deceit, deceit." And . their wings kissed ripples upon the broad, still moat, or flashed in the sunlight amid the aspen trees. And upon the hills tho pine woods were dark under the* sunset, with streamers cf crimson vapour afloat across the west. AYhen Gareth of Avranches reined in his horses before tho rough hostel that stood by the'wayside in the valley, with a few hovels to keep it company, an old •vomaii came out to hhn, and bobbed to him for service. She had a cold, whito face, with, a skin like wrinkled vellum, aUd her eyes gave never a twinkle as she looked up at the knight. ■ "A night's lodgiug, lording?" Ciareth cast a glance over' the. rotten thatch, and at an old sow that came grunting out by the hostel door. There would be move to be gathered, than spent in such a hovel; nor did the old woman's hard face please him. Thcr efore lie pointed with his spear to the tower that rase gray amid the' aspens ac.-oss the meadows, with the sheen of its broad moat catching the gold of ' the western sky. "Whose : tower is that—yonder,: damo ?" ihe woman crossed herself and shook her head. .- "My, lord would not lodge yonder," she saul, making a mouth of mystery. - why not?" he asked. : ■- ■ "There is a curso upon tlie place, lording; the, wailing 'of the woes is heard 111 the tower."

Gareth gazed - at' the place under his hand. . "The sun shines on it".ho said/ ""Who lord,of the place?*' "A year ago' Sir fleno ruled there," said the woman, "but ho is dead. And then his eldest son took. the father's place; but he/lording died also. Then (.TtulJaume, the second, ruled, but death soon took him, and he "was seen no more m - v;or M« Raymond—the'third —is Jcft, and 'Yvette, .his sister. But it is not-a mouth since Jlessirc Guillaume died, and the curse is there still—they say. ■ ... . J ''Hot.* did they die, dame?" . "No man knows, lording.' They went, and were seen no ; more. That is all." -- = Gareth looked at .her keenly, as-though 1 mistrusted tlie woman's tougue. "I would- hear : more of this/' ho said curtly. "Such happenings are'not to bo missed, and he loft the woman standing .111 the road, and -passed on' over the .meadows toward the tower. It was growing dusk when Gareth reached the bridge over tho moat, and blew his horn as a summons. The place seemed very, dolorous and silent, with its dark windows aud its grayMvalls that were cold now against the twilight. The bridge was lowered, : the pate opened, and Gareth rodo in. A breesu stirred in the aspen trees,-so. that they chattered al his back, and Gareth, peeriug alrout him- in the dust, looked for the porter who had opened the Rate. A shadowy figure stood stiffly against the wall.' It waved a hand to the,knight, but did not speak. And Gavcth nasscd through into the base court out' of tho r.Oi!SC\ . ..Now, from tho doorway of tho hall, a girl camo forth in a robe of some black stuff;-her hair had the colour of a full moon snen through mist, and licr eye* looked dark in her pale face. She stood looking at Gareth for a moment as though slio had learned to livo with somo shadow of fear. haunting her. But the cross that ho woro in his surcoat seemed to lighten her distrust. "Welcome, Messirc," slio said, "if 3-011 would lodge tho night with us." And Gareth, when lie Jiad dismounted, went to kiss her . hands. ■"1 am on the homeward' read/' ho said, "laying a hand over the cross on his-coat. "It is many: months; since I have seen tho orchards of' Normandy." So he. followed Yvette into tho house, marvelling at tho colour of her hair. Gareth sat down to supper in'tho solar that evening with tho girl and. Raymond, her brother, an old man' serving .thorn, and tho old man was dumb. A groat sadness seemed Upon the house, nnd upon Yvette and her brother, tho sadness of thoso who grieve, the dread of .those who: watch continually . for sou.u horror in the dark.. Yet they did then best . to. bo debonair and courteous for Gareth's sake, questioning him as to his' adventures, and liow the Christians fared in Syria, and'how the wars , went against tho .Saracens., For ' Gareth had corau u>...

sea froni Acre .by Cyprus. and Crete in a Venetian shin. He had ridden through Lombard}- and Genoa' into Provence, and so northwards towards tho Loire.' They liad talked of the Kings, Philip and Kichard, when 1 ' Raymond of tho Tower spoke of a neighbour who had taken the cross. "lialvo do la, llontagne was with certain lords who sailed a year ago," lie said,-"you two may have met—yonder— in Syria?" , Gareth thought a moment, and then shook his head. "I remember no such name." "A big man with a dark- forehead, ancl four big teeth as largo as hazelnuts. We.: -knew ,him here; and had good- cause. But that is our own tale." Gareth remembered 110 such man. But lie saw. Kaymond look at -Yvette, and the girl flushed hotly, and hid her eyes from them. For lialvo do la Ifontagno had sought her in love, roughly, and her brothers had taken the, man and beaten him with their sword-belts, so that he had gone home bloody, half naked,, and savage as a wounded bear. And tho next that they had heard of lialvo was that, ho had. taken the cross,. and gone; perhaps, for' penance, to light in tho holy wars. So they-went to : their-rest that, night, Gareth still wondering at tho curse that seemed to' hang over the house, at, its silence and emptiness, and .at tho sad and watchful, faces of the girl and the man. There .seemed no servants. in the house, save only the dumb porter, and 0110 old woman.. And Gareth lay down .011 a truss of. straw in'the hall, and drew his cloak about him in the-darkness and the silence. Tht Norman had not slept an hour when he awoke suddenly, like a man called By a trumpet cry. Starting up 011 tho bed, ho laid a hand on his sword, and sat there listening, with a vague, ghostly- sens'o of fear. A moon had risen, and the beams thereof came slanting through the narrow windows of the hall. Yet the silence of tho night covered everything for tho moment, and Gareth wondered what had awakened him. He was putting, the sword aside, as though ho had been roused by nothing more than a trick of the- brain, when a strange cry thrilled up out of the silence of tho night, a cry that seemed to make the moonlight quiver. as it poured into the darkness of the hall. The cry held in one long-drawn note, to break at last, and fade into nothingness, liko the smoke from a candle that wavers into tho night. Then, againall was silence. Yet Gareth, who was 110 coward, felt liis hair bristling, and longed to hear something moving in the house, for ho remembered what tho woman at the inn had told him.

110 w«s vising from liis bed when he heard a voice calling outside the tower, a thin, faint voice, that seemed to como from beyond the meat. And so clear were (ho words it uttered that Gareth heard them in the. hall. "Follow, follow, follow. Blood of.thy blood calls thee, Raymond. Accursed art thou, if tliou follow me not. And lieuc, thy father, shall abide in hell." The voico died away,, and in its place Gareth heard the sound of movement in the tower above. The door at tho end of the hall swung open; the figure of n man stood in the dark entry, and by the glimmer of his body Gareth knew that lie was armed. Tile Norman had taken down his shield from the wall, and stcod ready and alert for what might happen. The figure moved forward, till the moonlight v.-as upon his face, and Gareth recognised the lad Raymond, his face white as swan's down, his eyes like the eves of one walking in his sleep. He 'liad a shield upon his arm, and a naked sword in lila rlyht hand. A*or did ho bo much as jjoucq uaietb, us ho moved down the

How Garetli, Knight oi Avrancites, Dispelled the Curse Upon the Castle of Raymond and Yvcttc, and What Came of It.

Tho meadows had been ghastly enough, but this moonlit wood seemed full of whisperings and shadows, and strange shapes that moved. The chequer "of silver light that fell here and there upon tho brown mast and thin, wiry grass made the grim gloom around appear deeper. The figure on the white horso beckoned ahead, following a narrow way that climbed Hie long slope of the hill. And Gareth held on after it, feeling like a man in a land of ghosts, and wondering whether he would be struck down from behind some tree. The way grew less steep of a sudden, yet Garetli, peering from underneath his helmet, found that lie could no longer see the rider on the white horse. There was nothing but the straight alleyway between tho trees, and a blur of moonlight ahead of him, as thouah ho were coming to an open space amid the pines.

hall, and unbarred the door leading into the court. And Gareth, who followed him cautiously, and without a sound, saw him cross the court towards the stables although to saddle and bridle a horse. . The lad came iorth in due course from the stable, leading a black horse by the bridle, the moonlight shining upon the llagstonos of the court,, and upon the mists that rose from the moat. Gareth, keeping within the shadow of the hall, saw .Raymond walk his horse towards the gate. And so wrapped was the knight of Avranches in watching this midnight • sally that he did not hear footsteps crossing ,the hall. A hand, touched his shoulder. He 'turned with a start, and a grip of the sword to find the girl Yvette standing there, a cloak covering her white shift, her,feet in sandals, her hair falling about her like so much tawny sinoke. »She seemed silent, tongue-tied, dumb tor the moment .as with;some great fear. Her eyes looked into Gareth's,' like the eyes ol some wild thing pleading for life. 'Messire--my brother ?" :Gareth pointed his 1 sword towards the gate. • .

r uJ e^ ias sone?" And 'even in the moonlight he saw the pupils of her eyes dilate. t They heard the. sound of a chain falling. lvette ran. out, .with one backward glance at Gareth, her. eyes said "Follow! '. And the Norman followed her and gleam' of her hair. ' But Yvette went "faster than the man, lor lov,e winged her heels.' She . disappeared under the dark entry of the gateway Just as her brother swung the heavy gate open, -Gareth heard-hcr give a low, i eager .cry, and when he, came to them lvette. was clinging .to her brother, and looking up passionately into his face. You shall'net go,", she said. "No on my life, you shall not." . Raymond, who had dropped his horse's bridle, was trying to. thrust the girl from him. ' "I will sen the end of this," he said. Let go, child; would vou' have Rene our father, left in hell?" But Yvetto still clung to him, fastening her arms again upon hint, when he had lorced fJiem away. It is a devil's trick," sho said; "no warning from God. Geoffrey went as you are going, and came not again; andGuillanmo followed Geoffrev. ; They wero bewitched—taken—- And'l shall lose you —Raymond—also! r The.;lad was a brave lad, though' his faca was white .'.ami his voice husky. He put. his sister's hands away from h'm thrust her' back against-the wall, and caught at. his horse's bridle; The gate stocd open, and ho was in' the saddle, and to spur, across the bridge, but a stronger hand than hiV'took the peril from him that night, and turned the horse intw the courts Knymond .was out -of the saddle, hot .with a boy's anger, but Gareth caught uim 111 hjs arms. , i Softly, lad; I am not hero to (^tan-el. ii . .r a wish to have a hand in this.

He let Raymond go, seeing Yvette ready to plead.ones more with the "stiff-necked youth; "'Child,".- he said to her,. "what is it that you have to fear? Who is it who comes and calls'to you—nt midnight ?" one hat. gone to liaymond, mid put an arm about him, but she looked at Gareth vwith, eyes that shone. ■ . .God knows, jVlessire!" sho said. "But there, is somo curse over iis, somo power that has lured my father and inv brothers" to their death. First mv father went as though a Spirit had" taken mm; then we heard cries—and a voice at midnight, calling 011 my brothers to seek their sire. Two have, gojic where the voico led, and we have never seen their faces again. Now Raymond is- called, and if ho goes—l—Yvette—s'liall be left alone. Gareth stood holding the bridle of Kaymond's horse. His brows were knitted, and his eyes were grim and keen in the moonlight. * , "Come,"-lie said suddenly., "There is some devil's trick here., A stroke of tho sword may end the mystery. I will take Kaymond'a place to-night." . '-j-'h° lad's face Hashed up to Gareth's with a generous denial. ,1 Jkssire, no. Am I a coward (liat " • "I know that, lad, but I have come to my full strength. Let be—l will try :r.y fortune. "Lend me. your horse, and fetch me my helmet out from the hall. The cross I wear will kc-op the devil from 1 harming me." Raymond looked at 'him, and then his arms Ml to his side. . "So-be it, Messirt," he said sullenly, as though half glad and half ashamed.' But.Yvette.had ,run into tho hall to' sc-arch for. Gareth's sp?ar and helmet. - She came out, bearing them,, her linir flooding over the burnished, casque. Gareth had turned.his surcoat so that tho cross should not ; betray him.. Ho took the opear from Yvctto's hand and knelt for liur to put tho helmet upon him. before s ' le covered his head with the. casque, she stcoped and kissed him, smiling a . mysterious smite. "God shall guard you, Jlessire/' she said, .and Gareth felt his heart grow great and strong within him. .Now liaymond . lead them, being soro witK. himself, and, a little ashamed, and, passing through the moonlit hall, made lor the tower, to watch from its battlements what might happen. Gareth had ridden- out before the lad had reached tho platform, and, holding his horse well iii hand, was looking right and left over the moonlit meadows.

Ho had not seen a-slight figure dart alter him , across the bridge, and follow at a little distanco over the grass. . It was Yvette, with her cloak drawn over her bosom, and her white feet wet with the heavy dew. Gareth, alert as a man who knows not what manner of peril may be his at any msment, rode forward slowly, his 'eves searching every bush and tree. About a' furlong from tho moat stood, a clump of aspens, their leaves flickering very faintly.in the .moonlight, the straight stem's of-tho trees splashed with white light : or blackeued with shadows.' And Gareth heard a. voice, calling to him from amid the aspen trees: ' "Follow—follow \" it cried, "to the Monk's grave; there shall thy father meet with thee, and thy brethren—whom thou thinkest dead." And Gareth, reining in. for the moment, saw a figure 011 a white horse go riding out across the meadows, spectral and strange through the mists that rose from the wet grass. The rider on the white horse looked to him like a woman, and the clothes of the rider were all a-glisten as though powdered over with frost. Moreover, the eyes of the horse seemed to shine as, with tire, and .the breath from his nostrils rose like smoke. Gareth crossed himself, muttered a pater noster, and, seeing that his sword was loose in its scabbard, rodo 011 after the figure on the white liorse. ' And at a little distance. Yvette: of the-tower followed Gareth of Avranches, shivering with the cold of the misty meadows, yet strong in her faith to watch over the mail who had-taken this curso upon his head. Now, this midnight rider , led Gareth 011 toward the pine woods' that rolled liko a black' Hood from the hill-tops into the valley. ■ A thousand pinnacles were touched by tho moonlight, a wikktangle of. branches latticed the light of the moon. The tall trunks rose like the pillars of some vast temple. A great silenco covered the place, save for the trampling of Garetb's horse.

And suddenly the woodland way opened before him, and he heard a voice calling: "Come conic, here is thy journey's end." Now, before him, Gareth beheld a little clearing in tho v;cod, not more than sixty puces from, shade to shade, with the tree trunks like a palisade about it, aud the grass short and sleek and smooth.' 11l tho midst of the clearing stood a great black mound, or barrow, half as high as Yvettc's tower. And a fir tree grew ou the summit' thereof, like a black plume on the crown of a helmet. ' Gareth was looking about him for the guide who had led him, when suddenly there was a noise like the clashing of iron doors that seemed to come from the deeps of the mound. And a. man on a great black horse leaped out as from the very heart of the earth itself, a man armed in black mail, with a blur of light upon, his helmet; and a shield that shone liKe silver upon his arm. lie' brandished his spear,- and. wheeled his horse to' and fro, tho beast's licofs tearing the grass. Then he turned toward (iareth, and laughed and shook his shield. "Guard—guard," he shouted, backing his black horse, and fewtering his spear, "the eyes o! Yvette. shall look long for thee-on tho morrow." Now Gareth felt that he had mortal man to deal with, and that Yvette's brothers had been. shin here ill tho. midst., of- the pins wood, and that there was seme deviltry that deserved the light of day. ;So he put his' shie'.d forward, kicked in the. spurs, and charged in on tho Black, Knight without word ,or parley. And (the Black Knight's spear set Garelh's helm a-ringing, but Gareth - smoto the Black lvnight over his horse's 'iil. . Gareth threw his spear aside, and was out of the saddle with sword a-gleam, ready to give his man his. quittance. But the Knight of the Mound was onihis feet,' i and breathing hard through, tfie.bars. of his helmet. He was a big man, and strong iii .the arms, and he came at the Norman with such good-will .that Gareth gave ground, keeping his sjiield.iip, hard put to it lor a moment to save himself from, the whirling sword. So he foiiicd, and dodged, and kept his.guard, till the Blank. Knight's first fury had tirecj him a little, for he was a man who- fought like a giant for. a while,, but weakenedwith tlio weight and, the fat lie carried. Therefore Gareth watched his. man, till he knew by his heavy breathing that the first flush was out of him. Then the knight of Avranches gave a loud shout.

"Holy Cross—Holy Cross," and the man lin the-black harness foiind .lightning .playing about his head.' For Gareth beat about him with long, dean strokes, trying shoulder, thigh, and gorget, aud baffling his man with the grim swiftness of his swordplay. ./The Black, Knight began, to ..bleed at the. throat. Ho was slow, .overmatched,' beaten to and fro about the mound. Now Yvctte had come to the clearing,, and stood in the shadow,, leaning against a tree, .watching, the men lighting, and dazed, by the..clangour'of their blows.And as she' stood thbro.'sho saw'a figure, in white dart out from the mound, pick up Gareth's:-fallen,, spear, and ■ creep 4 forward to'smite the Norman in the back.Yvctte's heart stood still for a : moment. Then she gave'a shrill cry, and-ran out into tlio moonlight,. calling to .Gareth to warn him of this treachcry. . Gareth heard'her -voice, despite the hot blood .drumming in his ears, and the trampling of their feet upon the grass. Ho turned, sprang aside two full , paces in time to catch the lance point upon his shield. And. in a -Cash he had ,;cut of! the head from ..the stall, and his. sword .overhung the figure in' white, but the thing: turned from him, and fled streaking away info the darkness of'the : trees. Again Yvette called to-Garc-th. : '"Guard, 1 iUessire; guard!" ■ I'or the Black : Knight had shaken tho blood out of • Jiis eyes* and. come bv his breath again, and: He rushed at Gareth, and tried to. grapple him, but the; Norman. beat,h\m..back,.and thrust'.at him with* his shield; l 1 or Gareth had seen Xvette standing: and watching in. the ! moonlight, and . for her sake his heart was grim ■ in him, and great to make an end., ' I The Black Knight tottered with a blow Wf..('Mi '- recovered, only to be smittai '-it - se'eond ' tini'eu'jion the.-' threat. Ha threw up his arms with a hoarse cry, his sword quivering in the mooulight, his shield jerking to; and fro like the broken wing of a- bird. 1 Suddenly ho fell forward- upon . his' knees, : and irom his knees he sank.iipou. his face. The'fight and the life were out of him, and Gareth stood over him, and with'his sword-point made certain of tho doom. .He turned -to Yvctte, ■ and-the -words that lie was'about to utter died in his throat,' for, crawling close to the girl, like a snake in the grass, was the white figure that had led him from. the tower to tho iiionVs (irave. Garoth sprang for-Vard-'-as * tho- figure rose up at/Yvette's bank. , "•tall, child—fall on your facc! ,J lie shouted.. . . » I'vette gave one side glance and obeyed him, and the .knife 'blade touched her shoulder, but wisscd tho 'more fatal mark.

■There was the Hash and tho'whistle of iy sword, Hung like a curling brand.at the iigure in the white hood and tunic. The Knife-bearer gave - a low,' dolorous' cry and fled away,; with a red stain' spreading upon its bosom. Gareth did not lollow, but caught up Yvctte in his arms' gieatlj afraid that tho blow bad given her her death. "Child—child " Her hair fell from her face, and she looked at him and smiled. • "It is nothing—a scratch of "the shoulder ' "Our Lady bo thanked," said he. Ah, McsSiro, the thanks are yours/' And .lie would have chided her' ior fol-' lowing hinj; but ior the look in her sreat eye??. • - ' • . . Ho stood her. upon'her feat, and:looked at her shoulder,' finding but a faint reel stain upon her sleeve. Then, since sho seemed more , precious to him because of the perils of the place, he lifted her upon his horse, mounted, and', rode at a canter down through the'wood-way towards the meadows. iN'or did either of them SDeal: till'they were beyond the .shadows or* tho pino trees, and saw the tower rising beneath them from tho sheen of the broad moat. ■ . • "What does it mean, Jlessire?" she asked him, looking in his eyes.. "That you have, a brave heart,. child," he answered her. - • ,r Kot that—but yonder ?" Gareth stared at the'moon. ' "I have slain an enemy,'" he said shortly. '"To-morrow—when it dawns, we will go and 1 learn tho truth." • And she said no more, but suffered her head to rest upon his shoulder, for she was thinking how Kene, her lather, and his two sons had been slain and hidden in ihoso dark . woods. •So they, camo .to tho.' tower and told Raymond all that had passed, and the lad held Yvctte in his arms and kissed her. unable; to scold 'in l his gladness for her return. He embraced Gareth, and brought him wine and meat, and dressed a flesh wound that the Black lvnight had given him, pouring iu oil, and binding the wound with soft linen. And they willthemselves in readiness for. the dawn, Yvette watching, while Gareth and lier brother slept. i ' When the dawn came,"Gareth and the lad took their arms and their horses, and, leaving Yvetto in the tower, rods into the pino woods to the barrow on the hill . The place was very still and silent, toll' tho first flush of tho morning touching tho tops of the tall trees. The knight's black' horso was still standing there, cropping the grass, with bridle trailing. And tlio Black Knight lav dead whero Gareth's sword had left him, tho grass .1 deep purplo about his body. They turned him upon his back, and pulled oft' , his helmet. And Raymond, when he saw his face, started up with a quick cry: "Malvo de la Montague!" "lie who should have been in Syria s " But the lad stood awed and silenced understanding everything as 110 looked at the dead man's face. for Jlalvo had plotted a strange vengeance against Rene and his sons, and, perhaps, if Raymond had gpno in Gareth's place, he would have lain dead there, aud Malvo would have seized ■ Yvette and ■- married her against her will.

GaretU had turned, pnd walked towards the barrow. He called to Rav mond ■ suddenly,- and. stood' pointing to an opening in the mound, an openiii" that had been concealed with masses of furze and Utter. Ihe Norman drew his sword and went in with his shield forward For the moment he could see nothin" bo cause of the darkness of the.place" But when his eyes fathotaed the 'deens of that strange death chamber, ho stepped back suddenly, bearing back Ray. »a w J ho , llad pushed into the passage ■"The dead ara here," he said solemnly

And, sheathing his sword, he put his arm about the iad, and led him out into tho sunlight. Thou he turned the furze back over the opening, knowing that it was better that llayinond should not see what he had seen. For Sir Rene lay there wrapped in a grec-n cloak, and oa either l side of him—Geoffrey, and' Guillaurae'in their armour. So they rode back to the tower, Raymond hanging his head over his horse's neck, grieving, yot glad that the curse had been dispelled. It was Gareth' who told Tvette all that they-had found in that amid the pine trees on the hill. She . listened to uim silently, her hands crossod ufcon lier.bosom, realising tho fate from,which Gareth had rescued hc-r, and that Raymond's life had been saved by his sword. . ' "What are my r thanks, Messire?" she said, looking towards the ground, her face very' wisfful between' the glim« merings of her hair. Garethof Avranches held out his hands, "In the midst of your sorrow—l must not speak," he answered, "but in all. Normandy there is - no hair like to thine." ' Hut Normans in after years called Gaietti's lady, "Tvette—Moon in a Mist,", so that it would appear that Gareth woa his wife.