Chapter XVIII.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 68, 21 March 1871, Page 2

Chapter XVIII.

THE OUTLAWS. We left Mary de Lawnford bowed down with the crushing weight of disappointment. When she recovered from the first storm of anguish she tried to find a reason for Sir Hugh's indifference. She could not, however, conceal the one cruel truth that his For remainder oj news see fourth page.

heart was no longer herjL When she recalled the hours of haopiness long past, those hours which had[ proved so fatal to her, every little incident had a new meaning. The pleasant conversation, the delightful hunting excursions which had been the means a few years jago of arousing a warm, mutual sympathy between them, now assumed a less ros)f hue. What right had she to think he caret! for her more than for any other companiori of his sport? She asked herself this question over and over again. Miserable and | broken-hearted^ as she was, she still strove to defend the object of her hopeless affection jfrom even a thought of wrong. He had spoken words which she had cherished as expressions of more than friendly tenderness — he had looked into her face with those dark eyes of his in a dreamy, lingering way that she had remembered with a strange thrill of secret rapture. It was a hard" task to fling ofi^atl this pleasant delusion, a heart-rending ta T sk to convince herself that she had not been deceived by him, but had deceived herself, yet she had learnt to reverence him so much, and to put such faith in his generous manliness, that it was more difficult, it was even impossible to believe him false-hearted. So she stifled the hysterical sobs which threatened to divulge the sorrow that was gnawing at her young heart, and, calling together her attendants she bade them prepare to accompany her on a long journey. It was impossible for her people to be ignorant of her trouble, arid many were the discussions that took place among them while making the necessaiy preparations to depart from Dauedred Tower. "Poor creature," said one of her tirewomen' " she hath been sorely smitten by a trouble of the heart. She takes after her father, who was as warm as a glowing brand in matters of love, religion, and feud. She hath his southern blood in her veins, audit's hard to drmkjjof the bitter cup. "Marked you her face??' "Aye, truly did Lf replied her companion; her soul glows through her fair flesh; her sweet face is like a living mirror, and the more she strives to check its telltale propensities — poor, pretty thing! — the more painful it is to see her. She tried to smile when she bade me get ready to go from hence, but her poor dear lips seemed to tremble, and she looked as white as yonder ashes. He is a cruel knight, any way, to serve so beautiful and gentle a lady so falsely." " Surely," said the first speaker, " some evil spirit has possessed him. It i 1 ! becomes a gallant soldier of the Cross to come to his house like a blight in the orchard, and wither the fruit that was ripe for the plucking. It matters not that he be strong of arm and stout of heart, or that he /js favored in form, if he knows not the worth of a woman's love, and can break a gentle heart as lightly as a Saracen's pate." " I wot his mother has had even less mercy at his hands," said the other woman. " He has come back like a wild boar, tearing and rending his home that was ready to give him cheer and welcome." The day following this conversation Mary de Lawnford set forth from the Castle. Sir Hugh was away on special business at the house of a neighboring baron, and the only person who bade her farewell was the Lady de Danedred. Mary could not comprehend the cause of Sir Hugh's anger with his mother; she had observed his manner towards her on arriving at the Tower, and she saw that the Lady de Danedred was suffering from some secret trouble, but she was too much distracted with her own aching heart to attempt a solution of the mystery, and she left with a few courteous words of thanks for the hospitality so long received, and a brief explanation of a vague and faltering character. She went with her retinue to a castle belonging to a wealthy baron who had married her mother's sister. Her aunt had often solicited a visit from her " Orphan niece Mary" as she called her, and Mary had quite as frequently promised to avail herself of the invitation ; but the journey was long and tedious, and, as al t such journeys were in those days, it was attended by many dangers; her sympathies, moreover, had all been concentrated about Danedred Tower, and the visit had been frequently postponed. She felt that such a place would be a fitting asylum now that her long romantic dream had come to such an abrupt termination, because it would be far away from the scenes and associations of the past. We need not follow the course of her life during the two years she remained under the protection of her aunt. Suffice it that , she was frequently courted by the chivalrous knights who went to and fro her uncle's castle, that she had often heard of Sir Hugh's doings in assisting to crush the ambitions designs 'of King Richard's brother, that the warm glow which made her so beautiful never . returned to her cheeks,, and. that..she. could .not entirely forget the blissful delusion of her youagji&u or keep away its sense of void in her heart. At times. she would assume much of her old. v cheerfuliiess of manner, but in such, moments an excess of excitement betrayed - iff 1 ; •'

the severe shock that her nerves had sustained in secret wrestlings with the burden of sorrow in her bosom. About two days before the occurrence related in the foregoing chapter a special messenger arrived in great haste at the castle, and demanded audience with Mary de Lawnford. The circumstance somewhat startled Mary, for she had few friends who were likely to communicate with her on auy matter of importance. ''Bid him approach," said Mary to the serving-maid who stood awaiting her answer. "Yet stay! What kind of person is this auxious messenger?" "Me is a lean, long-limbed person, my lady, and muclr begrimed with the dust and dirt of a long ride.". "Does he bring his message by word of mouth, or has he a scrip?"' "He has a sealed letter, my lady," answered the serving-man, "which he declares he must deliver with his own-hand^." - "I will see him, then. Call hither Father Malini; I need his services to read the letter." The serving-man disappeared, and in a few minutes Father Malini, who was chaplain to the household, entered the room, followed by the messenger. " Art thou the Lady de Lawnford?" asked the man, bowing his head very low. Mary assured him that such was her name, and having received from his large rough hand the small roll of parchment, she bade him seek rest and refreshment in the kitchen until her answer was prepared. She then handed the missive to the monk, and requested him to read it aloud. It ran thus: — " The loving greeting of the Lady de Danedred, now at the priory of St. Ann, Norwich, to Mary de Lawnford. Come to me, for in my hour of sorrow I have had a dream of joy. The return of King Richard is as the rising of the sun after a long and dreary night. Thy estates will soon be free from the war^enship of the King. Sir Hugh has not forgotten all the past, and I shall see thee happy,. .before I die. Haste thee, my daughter, thajb;l may show how thou shalt win back my waywarden. Bring thee thy dresses and jewels, for if need be thou wilt go hence on a journey of state." Mary turned her , face away while the monk read slowly and distinctly the letter. One sentence — "Haste thee, my daughter, that I may show thee how thou shalt win back my wayward son," stood forth prominently from all the remainder, and filled her with a new hope. For a moment she hesitated on the course to pursue. Why do I disturb myself with this renewarSof the old dream? It is only the preparing of another cup of bitterness. Such was the thought that flashed across her mind as the monk moved towards a small bench, and mechanically prepared his writing materials to engross her reply. But the yearning of her heart overwhelmed every other consideration, and she caught at the new hope inspired by the Lady de Danedred's letter, reckless of the misery that might be concealed beneath it. " What answer wilt thou send, my daughter?" inquired the monk, with the indifference of one who was performing an ordinary duty. "Mary de Lawnford's affectionate greeting to the Lady de Danedred," dictated Mary. " I will go from hence at sunrise to-morrow, and will journey to Norwich with all speed." The monk wrote the epistle with much care, and having read it aloud, fastened it together with wax, on which Mary pressed her seal. r . At sunrise the next morning the hduse-N hold was astir, aud Mary with her retinue" set forth for Norwich. That day's journey was comparatively uneventful, and the party found refreshment, and rest towards evening at arehgious house near Hertford. On the following, day they started in the direction of Royston, and the weather being very favorable, the journey seemed to revive Mary's spirits. She chatted quite merrily with her attendants, and sat on her palfrey with the same careless ease which distinguished her of yore. " What is that behind yonder ash tree, my lady?" asked one of her attendants, pointing to a dark object crouche'cl behind the tree. "It has the appearance of a human body," answered Mary after a careful scrutiny. "Call Harold hither, aud let him keep our people together. I do not liketha attitude of this strange figure." There was no fear evident on Mary's countenance as she gave these orders; the Heart trial of the last two years had made her wonderfully callous of danger. "See!" cried her attendant, "there is another and another; they are approaching. Ah! they see that we notice them. Oh, my lady, (hey are outlaws. What 'shall we do? We are all lost!" .. * With marvellous rapidity the outlaws, for such they really were, sprang from their several hiding-places, and advanced towards the small cavalcade. To be continued.