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Show i ; , THE LION'S WHELP IP A Story of CromwoII's Time BY AMELIA E. BARR. Au'hor of "Th Dow of Oran Ribbon." "I. Thou and tho Other Ono." Tho Maid of Maldort Lane." Etc . 'f (Copyright. 1901. by Dodd. Me.d & Company. All rlt hti reserved.) CHAPTER I. Swaffham and De Wick. - , During tho sovcntoonth contury Swaffham Manor House was ono ot tho most plcturesquo dwellings ' In Cambridgeshire. It was so old that It .had a sort of personality. It was tho history of tho Swaffham family In stono and timber. Tho central ' tower built of tho white stono of the neighborhood was - ,- tho fortress which Toribert Swaffham erected A. D. 870, to defend his lands from an invasion of the Danes; and live generations of Tonbert's descendants descen-dants dwelt In that tower, before William Wil-liam of Normandy took possession of the crown of England. Tho SwalTnJim of that dato becamo a friend of tho Conqueror; and tho Manor Houso had tho singular fortuno to bo Identified with tho stirring events of every dynasty. In tho middle of tho seventeenth century It still retained this charactor. Puritan councils of offense and defense de-fense had been held In Its great hall, f -f- and parliamentary soldiers drilled In its meadows. For Capt. Israel Swaffham Swaff-ham was tho friend of Gon. Cromwell, and at tho time this story opens was with Cromwell in Scotland. A great fighter, he had no parliamentary parlia-mentary talent, and no respect for parliaments. Ho belloved England's religious and civil liberties wero to bo saved by the sword, and when the King's fast-and-looso proposals had been discussed by the men of Cambridgeshire, Cam-bridgeshire, In Swaffham, ho had closed tho argument with this passion-I passion-I ato declaration: "There is no longer disputing with H .such a double mind as the mind of - Charles Stuart. The very oath of God I -would not bind him. Out, Instantly, I all of you who can!" His three sonB rose at his words and the rest of tho council followed, for I all felt that tho work was but half done there was to bo a Second Civil H "War. Then homo was again deserted for the battlefield, and Capt. Swaff-H Swaff-H ham's wlfo and daughter wero once H moro left alono in tho old Manor H House. H Mrs. Swaffham was tho child of a iK , Puritan minister, and she had strong mffT "" ' principles, but therfe wore hours when J sho had pitied tho latn King, excused UB J his lnoxcusablo treacheries, and re- .fl .gretted tho pomps ana ceremonies of H? royal state H Jano Swaffham was of a dlfforent' Wt spirit. She had a soul of tho highest H mettle; and alio had listened to those H .English mystics, who camo out of tho H steel ranks or triumphant Puritanism, H until sho had caught their spirit and nH "been filled through and through with m their faith. H This was tho maiden who was slt- H ting, one sunny afternoon, at the open H -window of the household parlor in H Swaffham. Sho was thinking of her H father and brothers, of tho unhappy H condition of England, and of the un- rest in their own household. For she H Jmew that her mother was worried H about many things, and the fret that H -was bred in the kitchen and tho farm offices in spl,to of all her efforts Insinuated Itself into tho still order I of the handsome room in which sho I -was sitting. At this moment thore was tho sound of wheels and tho tramp of H horses, and Jane said, "It is Matilda B do Wick. I know tho roll of tho car- H rlago." Thon Jano lifted her sewing, H and tho wheel began to hum, and tho door opened swiftly and Matilda do I "Wick entered. "I have Just beon at Ely," sho said, "and if I live seven-nnd-fifty years longer In this sinful world, I shall not !m forget the visit. I havo beon visiting fl Xady Hencngo, and I have heard so much of tho Cromwell's full cup that, In faith, I think it has gono to my I head." I "I trust Lady Heneago is well," 1 M said Mrs. Swaffham. ,M "Sho had ncod to bo well. Her houso is as full as tho ark. Mrs. ' Elizabeth Hampden Is thero, and 1 daughter Flambord, and daughter I Clayton, and all thdlr children and I retainers. It is their last gathering I heforo thoy go away. Do you wish 1 to know where they are going? To Ivondon, of Course." "And thoy aro going to London? Is It really so?" asked Jane. -, " 'TIs not very civil to doubt it. But that is not all of my nows I heard also that Jano Swaffham was going to London a thing I would not bo-IIovo bo-IIovo without Jano's assurance." "It is very uncertain," replied Mrs. Swaffham. "Jano has an Invitation E' from Mary Cromwell, and if Doctor I! Verity comes here soon, ho may find I . It tho time to take hor to London with Ik him. Wo know not assuredly, as m yet." 1 "Jano must inovo mountains to go. sin Tho Cromwells nro now living in tho stately Cockpit. They will hold court there, and Jano Swaffham will bo of it." "I am sure of ono thing," answered Jane. "Public honors plcaso not Gen. Cromwell. Ho would thank God to escapo them." "I do not say that tho wish to seo him honored la universal," continued Matilda. "Father Sacy thinks tliero are a few thousand mon still living in England who have not bowed tho knee to this Baal." "Children! Children! can you find nothing moro lovely to talk about? Matilda, you know that you aro baiting bait-ing Jano's temper only that you may seo hor loso It." Thon Matilda laughed, and stooping to her friend, kissed her and said, "Come, little Jano, I will ask your pardon. Kiss and be friends, Jane. I camo to get your receipt for lavender conserves, and this 1b nothing to It. Como, lot us go to tho still-room." Sho spoke with an unconscious air of authority, and Jane as unconsciously oboyed It, but thero was a coldness In her manner which did not disappear until tho royalist lady had talked with hor for half an hour about tho spices and tho distilled waters. When the electuary had been prepared, pre-pared, tho girls becamo silent. They wore as remarkably contrasted as wero tho tenets, religious and civil, for which they stood. But If mere physical ascendency could havo dominated domi-nated Jano Swaffham, sho was in its presence. Yet it was not Matilda, but Jano, who filled the cool, sweet place with a sense of power not to bo disputed. dis-puted. Hor pale hair was full of light and Hfo; It seemed to shlno In Its waving order and crown-like coll. Her eyes had a steady glow In their depths that was tnvinclblo; her slight form was proudly poised; hor whole manner man-ner resoluto and a llttlo cold, as or ono who was putting down au offense only half-forgiven. Matilda was conscious of Jane's Influence, and sho called all her own charms forth to rival It. Putting out of account her beautiful faco and stately flguro as not likely to affect Jano, sho assumed tho manner sho had never known to fall a manner balf-BCTlous and wholly affectionate and confidential. Sho know that Swaffham was always a safo subject, and that a conversation sot to that koy went directly to Jano's hoart. So turning slowly round to observe everything, ev-erything, sho said, "How cool and sweot Is this place, Jano!" "It is, Matilda. I often think that ono might receive angels among theso pure scents." "Oh, I vow It Is tho rosemary! Lot mo put my hands through it," and she hastily pulled off hor whlto embroidered embroid-ered gloves, and passed her hands, shining with gomB, through tno dollcl-ously dollcl-ously fragrant green leaves. "I havo a passion for rosemary," sho continued. "It always porflgures good fortuno to mo. Sometimes If I wako In tho night I smell it I smell miles of it and then I know my angel has boon to seo mo, and that somo good thing will tread In her footseps." Then sho said with an attempt at indifference, "When did you hear from Cymlin? And pray in what place must I romombor him now?" "I know not particularly. Whorover tho Captain-General Is, thoro Cymlin Swaffham is Uko to be." "Why do you not ask after Stephen's fortuno good or bad?" "I did not at tho moment think or Stephen. When Cromwell is in the mind 'tis lmposslblo to find him fit company. It Is ho, and ho only." "Yet If over Stophon do Wick gets a glimpso of home, it Is not homo to him until ho has boon at Swaffham." Jano mado no answer, and they walked silently to tho door where Matilda's Ma-tilda's carrlago was waiting. Mrs. Swaffham Joined them as Matilda was about to loavo, and tho girl said, "I had como near to forgetting something some-thing I wished to toll you. Ono of those men called Quakers was preaching preach-ing his now religion at Squlro Oliver Leder's last night. Thoro was much disputing about him today." "What said Lady Heneago of tho preacher?" asked Mrs. Swaffham. "Sho thought ho ought to bo put In the stocks; and her sister Isabel said that ho was a good man, and had tho root of tho matter In him. I heard that ho was to preach again at Deeping Deep-ing Den. Now, I must mako what hasto I can; my father will bo angry at my dolay. Good-bye! faithful till wo meet again." "Sho says 'faithful,' yot 'knows not how to bo faithful." "Sho is much changed." "It would bo strange Indeed if Bhe was not chnnged. Before theso troubles trou-bles she was a girl living at hor mother's knee, potted by hor fatner, and tho Idol of hor brothers. Two of her brothors fell fighting by the sldo of Princo Rupert, her mother wopt herself ' into tho graco for 'them, her father Is still nursing tho wound ho got at Nasoby, and her only brother, Stephen, Is with Charles Stuart, wher-ever wher-ever ho may bo. If such troubles did not change a girl, sho would be hewn from tho vory rock of selfishness." On her way homo Matilda sat ercrt, lost In thought, and hor eyes had a look In them full of anxiety and sorrow. sor-row. Tho sadness of an immense disillusion dis-illusion was over her. Her life had gono to ruin. but. sho trusted that somo miracle would restore It. All hor old friends had departed. Tho gravo had somo; others had taken different dif-ferent ways, or battle and exile had scattered them. By tho sldo of her sick father sho stood alone. Oppressed by such considerations, she felt like a child that suddenly realizes It has lost Its way and Is left alone in a wilderness. Nothing In hor surroundings offered her any help. Tho road was flat and dreary; a wide level Intersected with deep drains and "droves" a poor, rough, moist land, whose horizon was only broken by tho towers of Ely, vasl and gray In the distance. Large Iron gates admitted her to de Wick park. Tho houso was a quadrangular building build-ing of various dates, and gray walls rising from trim gardens with box-edged box-edged (lower plots and clipped yew hedges. An old-world sleepy air, lonely lone-ly and apart and full of melancholy, pervaded tho place Tho door stood open, and sho passed without delay Into tho wide entranco hall, and wont lolsurely up tho broad stairway. Her hat, with its moist drooping feathers, was in her hand; her hair hung limply about her brow and faco; sho was tho very picture of a beauty that had suffered tho touch of adverse nature, and the depression of unsympathetic humanity. But the moment sho entered her own room she had the sense of covert and refreshment. She put off her sonse of alienation and unhapplncss with hor damp clothing, and as tho comfort of renewal camo to her outwardly, out-wardly, tho Inner woman also ro- gained her authority; and tho girl conscious of this potent personality, erected herself in its strength and individuality. in-dividuality. Sho surveyed her freshly fresh-ly clad form In Its gown of bluo lutestring; lute-string; she turned right and loft to ad-mlro ad-mlro a fresh arrangement of her hair; sho put around her neck, without pro-tonso pro-tonso of secrecy or apology, tho rosary of coral and gold; and admired tho tint and shimmer of its beauty on hor whlto throat. Then she askod "XVJm Jfny..jitrarj?l.taW.ltliV4-Earl at dinner, Delia?" "My lady, ho dined with Father Sac alono." "And pray what did thoy eat for dinner?" "There was a sucking pig roasted with Juniper wood and rosemary branches, and a Jugged hare, and a pullet, and somo clotted cream and a raspberry tart. All vory good, my lady; will you please to eat some-thlnir?" "Yes. I will have somo Jugged haro, and Borne clottod cream, and a raspberry rasp-berry tart and a glass of Sapnlsh wine, Dolla, and a pitcher of now milk. Havo thorn served as soon as possible." She took ono comfortablo glanco at herself, and In the pleasure of its assurance as-surance went downstairs. Her step was now firm and rapid, yet she paused a moment at tho door of tho room sho wished to enter, and called up smiles to her lace and a sort of cheerful bravado to hor manner ere sho lifted tho stool baap that admitted her. In a moment ter quick eyes took a survey of Its occupants. Thoy woro only two men Earl do Wick, and his chaplain, Father Sacy. Both woro reading; tho Earl, Sir Philip Sldnoy's "Arcadia"; tho chaplain, tho evening servlco In tho book of common prayer. Neither of them noticed hor entrance, and sho went straight to hor fathor's sldo, and covering tie opon page with her hand, said in a merry tone "Hero Is a noble dwelling in Arcadia, Ar-cadia, while tho greit Captain-Genoral Cromwell " "Tho dovll!" "Is going up and iown and to and fro In tho land, soeklag whom ho may devour. I havo beea at Ely and at Swaffham, gathering what nows I can, and I assure you, s;, thero Is rono to our comfort." "What havo you h'ard? Anyinlng about tho Scots?" "Cromwell Is In Scctland Wnat do you expect from that lows?" "That Losllo will bt bis match." "Thon you will b disappointed. 'Thoro is a tldo In thealrs of mon and this tldo of Croawell and tho Commonwealth is i?ol to sweop all royalty and all nobllltl Into tho doop sea." "Well, then, I may niwell return to my 'Arcadia' and learnt to rustical. rus-tical. Wo noblos may play at Canute If jvo llko hut " "It Is uboIoss, while tils man's star flames In tho flrmamoft. I( ne conquers con-quers tho Scotch nrmy.iliat more can thoy offer him but thotrown?" (To Bo Contltied.) w A |