Show r wf THE LIONS LION w 1 d d A story of cromwell 9 time BY AMELIA E BARR author u ore of the 0 bow 0 a of orange range ribbon I 1 on I 1 thou and the other one the maid cf of maiden lane etc coper 1901 by dodd mead company all r gats reserved CHAPTER V continued the man and the time and the place had met and there was no doubt ing it his wolds burned this assur ance into the hearts of all who heard him and when lie struck his sword hilt to emphasize them they answered with the same movement unconscious and simultaneous in some remarkable remar able lable way this tre national crisis had become kown known in every corner of the land and the very ya vagueness gueness and mystery of the conviction intensified its im for generally the informs tion came as the wind blows no one knew whence at swaffham ham ana de wick this fate ful feeling was aggravated by keen personal interests to mrs swaffham ham and jane the coming battle might mean widowhood and orphanage to de wick it might mean the extinction of the family root and branch the loss to the lonely earl and his daugh ter of the one love on which their future could build any hope on the third afternoon there came rumors of a great parliamentary vie tory rumors that charles stuart had been slain in battle suppositions and sur alses innumerable and contradict cont radic tory jane went as quickly as ble to de wick for if it indeed there had been a royalist defeat stephen de wick might have reached home and life was hardly to be borne unless some certainty relieved the tension cutting ill e a tight thong the heart and brain the neglect and desolation of de wick park had in it something un usual it was that strange air of sor row new and unaccepted which in alses on recognition it hurried jane s steps she felt sure she was either room he Is dying you see that he may live till morning no longer said matilda he Is only waiting to see stephen and stephen will never come what can I 1 do tor for you dear oh what can I 1 do I 1 will have nothing from you not even pity I 1 never wish to see your face again and how poor stephen loved you and you you have not a tear for his fate I 1 thank god I 1 am not of your profession I 1 can weep for the death of those who loved me with these words matilda turned sobbing away and jane slowly at first and then hastily took the road to swaffham ham for she remembered that the news which had reached de wick was probably at swaffham ham so she made all possible haste and as soon as she reached home she was aware of a change her mother came quickly towards hur her her look was flurried but not unhappy as she cried have you the news jane 1 the greatest victory that hath ever been in england dr verity came an hour ago so tired he could scarce ly sit his horse he has had a warm drink and sleeps but he says no vie tory was ever like it and nay my father and brothers 9 what of them your father Is well donbert and win will have some slight sword cuts we must be ready to go with dr verity to london on tuesday morning your father desires it to tomorrow morrow being sabbath we can do nothing towards our journey but on monday all must be finished jane worked rapidly her lutle box was soon packed her room put in or der when there was a sharp ampa tient knock at the door before she could in any way answer it matilda de wick mick entered and threw herself on her knees at jane janes s side you said you would help me she cried you aid you would with heart and hands now jane keep your word what is it Matilda 9 what is it you wish it is stephen it is his friend hugh belward they are searching de wick for them noa now I 1 have brought them to you jane for god gods s sake save them not for my sake not for pity s sake but tor for god gods s sake save them I 1 they are now outside this door jane jane janet why don t you let them in oh for god gods s dear sake how can I 1 do what you ask me matilda think of what you ask I 1 know I 1 ask life for two poor souls ready to perish jane there Is no time to talk let them through the door I 1 will call mother she said let them in until I 1 bring her here then she opened me liae door and matilda brought the bloodstained f 10 1440 14 40 lane jane janel why don t you let them in going to meet trouble or that trouble was following after her she entered the hall and sa a man in his stock hinged feet softly descending the stairs she knew his name and his occupation and her heart stood still with fear Is that you jane swaffham ham cried matilda ru running lining down stairs come here come here come here and seizing her by the arm she compelled jane to ascend at her side jane made no resistance resistance to such imnetu ous imperative passion and she was hurried up the steps and along the corridor until matilda suddenly stopped and threw open the door of a darkened room go in mistress swaffham ham she cried and look your last on one of cromwell s victims and jane shook herself tree free and stood a moment regarding the placid face ot of the dead priest oh god be merciful said jane and matilda answered yes for men know nothing of mercy come there Is more yet then she opened the door next to the death chamber and jane saw ly ing on a great canopied bed the dying earl his last breaths were coming in painful sobs but he opened his eyes and looked mournfully at jane tor for a few moments then the physician sitting by his side motioned author natively tat ively to the two girls to leave the tainting fugitives within the sancta ary mrs swaffham ham was not long in an matilda Mat ildas a petition surely surely my ray poor lads she said pit piti fully I 1 will find hiding for you I 1 god himself thank you madame sobbed matilda father gaid isaid you would yes dearie and will shall saddle a horse and take j ou home no no no it would then be known I 1 had come here in the dark no one must know I 1 can find my way and I 1 must now go J tell your father father that they who would hurt the young men must hurt me first it will be the greatest the last comfort he can have in this world then she kissed her brother and with a glance of farewell pity at his corn com panion went quickly and quietly away go downstairs jane said mrs swaffham ham and it if dr verity Is wait ing order supper to be served I 1 will bestow our friends in the oah oak room on the west side of the house to this room she took them and then brought water and wine and bread and meat and some of her sons son s clothing showing them also thattie that the wide chimney had been prepared for such emergencies by having stout firm iron stirrups placed right and left at very short intervals by these you can easily reach the roo roof she said she kissed them both and poured out wine and made them drink and then left them to eat and rest in parlor she found dr verity eating a beefsteak pudding and t talk alk ing to jane who sat with a white and anxious face trying to smile and an awer him come and rest a little martha he said and what think you here come a half a dozen riders awhile ago seeking young de wick they said also that it was thought charles stu art might be with him and they would have searched swaffham Swat tham ham high and low if I 1 had not been here I 1 think we will begin our journey to london on monday morning martha martka I 1 cannot it if I 1 had as many hands i as fingers I 1 could not you may keep watch and ward tomorrow to morrow and monday and it may be well to do dd so for to tell the truth I 1 trust neither men nor maids in the kitchen for a parliament halt half crown they would hide the devil when was this great battle of worcester fought last wednesday on tue third day dir of thie this month mother remember how sad we were all that day you said to me jane there Is death in the air and the men could not work and they lowed the beasts trembled and were not to guide or to hold the third of september said mrs swaffham ham that was dunbar day A great victory was dunbar yes and now there Is peace peace comes too late for many a family there are the de wicks I 1 am sorry for them and I 1 could be sorrier it if they had suffered tor for the right instead of the wrong what will the young lady matilda do after her father fathers s death her aunt lady jevery has been written for more than a week ago she may be ai at de hicl even now I 1 thin matilda will maire malre her home with the geverys then she goes to london I 1 know their great house near noar drury lane it has very fine gardens indeed indeed and now jane dear little jane listen to me you are going ta to the great city to whitehall palace to hampton court to the splendor and state of a great nation you will be surround ed by military pomp and civil glory and social pride and vanity dear lit tie tle girl keep yourself unspotted from the world may god help me dr and let not the tale of love beguile you go often to the assembling of the saints and catch the morn ing dew and celestial rain of their prayers and praise jane smiled gratefully and her eyes 0 were dim with tears as she laid her hands in doctor verity 8 to clasp her promise yet when she reached her room and eat sat quiet in its solitude no one will blame her because many thoughts of love and hope blended themselves with the piteous ones she sent to de wick and to the two weary fugitives under swaffham ham root roof CHAPTER VI on the tide top the great day of triumph was waa over cromwell had entered london at the head of his victorious army and the city was sate safe and jubilant standing at her mothers mother s side jane had witnessed from a window in the crowded strand the glorious pageant of liberty and in the midst of this joyful aur turbulence she had caught sight of her father and brothers and lover I 1 her ier father s face sternly glad like the f face ac i of a man who had fought a good fight to assured victory his sons imitating his s bearing ear ng as we well as you youth could copy age and the young lord not far f from r om them proud and radiant and carrying aloft the colors of the corn com mon wealth As yet they had not met nor had cluny any certain knowledge of the swaffham ham s location mrs swaffham ham had learned that cluny neville was personally objection objectionable ible to her hus band and sons and as she could fiot not t see clearly what road to take she very wisely stood still waiting for some light and guidance and it seemed unnecessary to trouble jane a heart until there was a positive rea son for doing so yet her depression and evident disappointment trotted fretted her mother what Is the matter with you jane she asked irritably one morn ing you look as if you everything in the world instead of ha be ing as your father thinks right on th road to many a good day I 1 wouldn I 1 throw such a damp over things it if I 1 were you you seem to have YO forgotten cluny mother he seems sms to have forgotten us he might have called I 1 think 0 does he know where wo we are he ile could have found out and jane it is not maidenly to take any young man so seriously as you take lord neville until your father and brothers are satisfied to be continued |