| Show li stress rosemary ailyn by MILLICENT E MANN copyright 1904 by LUCAS LINCOLN CO CHAPTER II 11 continued aked down the path I 1 had but i short distance when I 1 heard 11 voice call it a little the lady bids you as the old dame I 1 waited un e hobbled near thinking the I 1 had sent a message I 1 was cen it was more jollity the dished ace your elsh lord of the the nurse mumbled from be loose teeth as she held out the of trout I 1 had left on the answer tor it that ye 11 er bite nor sup to day but these my lord my lord fishmond Fis hmong a she echoed in the by a fresh oung voice milady immensely i had been my meeting with ss rosemary allyn sighed now as I 1 recalled it mis rosemary allyn thought me a and because I 1 dressed as the ars that I 1 needs must be one m she might have with half an eye had she not so engrossed in her own little st that my was of lest and my linen being from ind loom to nance was of as a texture as any to be had in n aye or even paris again I 1 d as I 1 looked abroad for as eye could see from the emi we were upon I 1 looked upon wa land CHAPTER III A pair of blue eyes reached a point where two met I 1 took the lower one tell 1 that I 1 should be home anon and desire to again see ss rosemary allyn pulled my bridle reins in the direction tie le drout was the only dwelling ions haut it was much nearer our huts these lay at the sal of vast woods if one could bridged the steep and ragged which separated ane two cas As it was the road led one miles in and out of tortuous ime near the castle it loomed nd quaint as a deserted house off my horse and left him to I 1 sat down on a boulder bowlder not yards from its postern gate I 1 sed I 1 was hidden from the eyes inhabitants yet from my place could see it perchance any either emerged or went in gh the narrow portals of the I 1 had not been there many ea with my chin resting my hands when a voice said bat need to watch the cage when ird has flown awaya was the wi erdest place people upon one without a sound barted and my face flushed ly I 1 assumed an indifferent air ne does not care to wear one s upon ones sleeve tor daws to at and certainly this was a daw host pert one that stood beside it was a red haired maid with black eyes which peered saucily balne who had spoken she was pd and had all the other that go to make up the of a fashionable lady s maid irdi what bird my pretty I 1 asked it the gentleman did not knowd aid know that you re a deucedly f I 1 affirmed and I 1 kissed heek i lud she cried with a of indignation hat would ess rosemary saya that terse question I 1 had no an evy where I 1 may I 1 said instead my good maid tell me where ess rosemary allyn has gone ne she hasa here would a fine lady goa she have a glib tongue my girl in sharply serve a glib mistress she re d as sharply with a courtesy have a message tor her I 1 sug st me be the messenger she since I 1 follow her tomorrow I 1 returned I 1 prefer to give to her own hands ell london at last she admit with a shrug of her pretty at which a lace scarf knotted t them became unloosed london arse london the home of hand i women and gallant men lon should suit you sir and you suit on down to the ground she i with a toss of her head and change of expression as though aply a compliment hereabouts in londona I 1 per itly asked sek and ye shall find she brief 1 if I 1 should wish to see the maid i I 1 said and I 1 gave her a glance meant to be most taking where shall I 1 find hera seek her too and ye shall find she said smiling audaciously but would you not like to see the bird s cage I 1 mean the castle I 1 acquiesced and followed her tor very idleness I 1 think through the atals into the house we passed many rooms of old and quaint furnishings we came to the end of a long hall in a wing separated from the rest she threw open a door in a mys denous sly manner and said in a raised voice while her eyes were de aurely dropped the mistress s the room was daintiness itself in its extreme femininity albeit the bed was disarranged as it milady had but just arisen lace fine as cobwebs was about bed and dressing table the table v as bare of any toilet articles save a box or two but many silken bows stuck here and there filled up the bar reness and gave a touch of beauty to the whole A large roomy chair of blue and white damask an immense divan estered in the same material with a few spindle legged chairs was about all the room contained such daintiness such femininity moved me like new made wine 1 grew hot for shamefacedness at my self an intruder going there 1 turned away but not before I 1 had caught sight of a pale blue satin slip per hiding under a frail chair to see was to desire to desire was to obtain but howa all sorts of ludi crous ideas flashed upon me as a means of becoming the owner of that crumpled slipper the maid most acute observer divined my thoughts ere I 1 had time to say a word pretty is it nota she laughed pretty indeed I 1 admitted sd miring her cunning what will ye pay for it she asked what you will I 1 replied delight ed at being able to gain possession so easily A sovereign please sir she said I 1 put my hand into my pocket and drew out the gold piece I 1 passed it into her greedy palms fat pink palms evidently mistress rosemary allyn did not work her maid to the spoiling of her hands I 1 picked up the slipper and before I 1 put it away balanced it lightly upon the tips of my fingers while I 1 yet stayed to banter the pretty maid even to pinch her saucy cheeks I 1 had my back to the door the woman faced it I 1 read in the steady ing of her too heavily towed cupid s lips that some one stood in its en trance I 1 turned and saw a youth beside whose beauty the bold dash of the maid s faded as the lesser beauty must always before the greater when brought together he looked not more than sixteen he was blue eyed raven wigged and as bitely appointed as a court beauty venetian lace fell over hib jeweled finders ribbons knotted his low shoes from hi wrist a ball dangled and batted all the odors of arabia he was a dazzling sight to behold mistress rosemary u brother gasped the maid and then she flopped into the easy chair to what sir am I 1 indebted tor the honor of seeing you in this poor the honor sir is mine I 1 replied striving to make time in which some reasonable excuse should come to me for my presence in his sister s room but why sir he asked again no why I 1 answered bluntly idle curiosity as you will curiosity he echoed A worn ans excuse and what pray Is that doing in your pockets he touched with his sword which he had been playing with since his advent into the room the heel of the slipper sticking from where I 1 had dropped it my property bought and paid for I 1 answered jealously bought from a thieving maid he said while he glanced scornfully at her who with her handkerchief to her face seemed doubled up with fears and tears since ou lalue it so highly perhaps you 11 not mind fight ing for if you see that I 1 am unarmed I 1 re plied with a shrug that can be soon remedied he said he stepped to the wall and tool a rapier from the rack hanging there he held it out hilt to hilt with the one that he had measuring them you see they are al he he said I 1 bowed and accepted the sword I 1 could do no less surely not herec I 1 made one more protest 01 1 1 the d cried silence you lave brought upon yourself 1 P said to her to me with a bo as good a place as ao other I 1 intended to lesson him quickly and have done with the bus ness which conferred no honor upon me back and forth we swept I 1 would not forget he was her brother 1 I 1 soon found that his slender wrists were like steel and that he was as agile as a cat I 1 was warm parrying his dexterous thrusts and sought an opportunity to end the affair with as little harm as I 1 could but fighting gets into the blood when you have a bright point before you and we both fought as though we loved it I 1 had him against the wall he was almost tired out his breath came in gasps I 1 looked into bis face with a half laugh before giving him the pink which should stop proceedings god he had eyes like his sisters and the lame daintily curved lips it put me oft my guard for the briefest second but it was enough being a youth of great quickness he took ad vantage of my momentary aberration I 1 received a thrust in the shoulder he lowered his sword first blood cried the maid au it is enough honor was satisfied the young spark was smiling slightly but ills face was as white as the lace hand kerchief he drew back and forth over the gleaming length of his rapier red dening it As the gentleman has paid twice for the shoe in both blood and money I 1 think sir it belongs to him said the maid persuasively the youth shrugged his shoulders while he muttered something about ts being an old thing and conse of no account a brother s view I 1 am afraid sir that you are more seriously wounded than you think he said as he pointed to the dark spot gradually enlarging on my shirt A scratch no more I 1 hastily said let me bind it up begged the maid I 1 pray you accept of the maid s services said the youth you will find her an adept at all such tasks he gave out a soft laugh castle drout will yet be your un doing sir I 1 m afraid he then ob served evidently the youth tad heard ol 01 the other scratch I 1 had received the falcon I 1 replied rather roughly as I 1 reached for my coat and put it on it Is nothing I 1 assure you sir I 1 bow before your superior handling ol 01 the rapier and a pair of blue eyes eyes wonderfully like like what sira he snapped lil e 1 ke nothing in the world but another pair of blue eyes I 1 re plied I 1 bid you good day in lon don I 1 may again be so fortunate as to meet you to be continued |
