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Show THE LION'S WKELPl A Story of Cromwell'. Time DV AMIXIA E. DARR. Aulh., .( "Th. Bow l Or.n,. Ribbon." " I. I h. snd Ih. Olh.r On..-"The On..-"The M.ie of M.iaon tic. I K""r"ilt"- I" !l, H-.d ( nmr-.u.. All rlila. reorvnl.l CHAPTER VI.-,Contlnucd.) I have only .,.,, i..,n,lJU ,hrne 1 wns III at tie Wick. I hecamo """"scions at my lather's burial Ynu remember Anlh....y .,u. ,,e tanner and carrier, Jhim-?" "Yes." "Ho has Imitehi de wick frnm the an-called Parliament. ,. Vlla very kind to me. ami ho knew hi, place; hut on my fnlth! nearly t my senses when I raw him sitting n my father's c hair, Well, thrn, I am now In IxiiKton. ami all reads lend from l.tilon. I shall not longer f,h! my eyes for the Fen country, liul. oh, Juno. Ihn melancholy (ue country! The black, melancholy dose, with In sullen water and muddy hanka. No wonder men ttjrncil traitors In It." And Jane only leaned close, and doner to tlia sad. xli k girl. She. tin dnrstoud that Matilda niuat complain little, and aim won not unwilling to let the dreary niradowa of tho Ouso sear the hnrden. Ho the ihort aftor-aoon aftor-aoon wore away to Jane'a tender ministrations min-istrations without ono croa word. Early In her visit the hud yielded to Matilda's entreatlea. had sent home ner carriage, and promised to remain aU night Hho dismissed Delia, and herself undressed her friend an tenderly tender-ly a a mother could have dono; and whon the tired head wns laid on the pillow ahn put her nruis under It and kissed and drew tho happy, gratorul girl to her heart, and said some of those sweet, foolish words which, alast too olten become a forgotten tongue. Matilda answered them In the same tender, broken patois "Dear seartl Sweet heart! Darling Jnnc! Oo to) the little drawer In my tollot table and bring me a picture you will and there. It Is In an Irory box, Jane, and here Is the key." And Jane wont and found the ml'ilature she had once got a glimpse of, and she laid It In Matilda's hand. And the girl kissed It and said, "Iook here, Jane, and tell one who It Is." Tbea Jano looked earnestly at the handsome, melnnrholy, haughty faco; at the black hair cut straight across the brows and flowing In curls over -th laced collar and steel corsolot, and "Hut for Ood's sake let me ark when you heard anything of Prince Hit pert?" "You Know that he was madn admiral ad-miral of the Koynllst tiay; hut. in-dcd. in-dcd. he If sn!d to he nothing clue lull a pirate, rubbing all ships that lie may support the Stuart family at The lliigue." "He la the tir-nd Under of the King as well as his defender. So much I kt.i w. and 'tis well dune In him." "The Intcst news Is the drowning of 1'rlnco Maurice." "Tl at Is the w orst of news. Rupert loved this brother of his so tenderly. They wen not happy apnrt. Poor Unpen! That nlllietlon will I ring hi in to shore, mill then wliat will the King do fur moie ?" "Hp is said tiow to ho In great need of II. thomil Prime Itupert sect hum! a rich prize this past summer; anil 'tis further said be resigned his ov u sharp of It to hla cousin, Charles Sto art." "Twould bo most like him." This conversation had many sides and deviations, and the night was far spent when .Matilda was willing to sleep. And In the mornler. while they ato breckfiiat together, the subject sub-ject was renewed; for si.rruw Is sel-Dsn sel-Dsn and MntlHa forgot thnt she had rover even a-kod after tho welfare of Janes family. Jane returned to her homo soon nfler hrcnklnst, and her mother met her with a smiling fnce. "I was go ing to send the coach for you." she auld, "for there Is 10 bo company tonight," to-night," and then she looked at Jane to Intelligently that the girl understood under-stood at unco what was meant. "Is It ClunyT" she asked, blushing brightly. "Yes. He has asked for an Interview Inter-view with your father, and 1 suppose that It Is granted, for I was told of tli mnttnr." "Mother, dear, will you speak In our favor?" "If needs ho. Jnne. But I am of this oplnjon some one has spoken already." "Do you mean the I.ord General?" "I wouldn't wonder If he has said 1 With the gallant Royalist Issdsr. I ska lifted her eyos to Matilda's, but Iaha did not like to speak. Matilda smiled rapturously and said: "It la not Impossible, Jane, though 1 sea you think so. Ho lores ma. He has vowed to marry me, or to marry bo one else." "But but he cannot marry you. He will not be allowed. Half a doion kings and queens would rise up to prevent pre-vent It for I am sure I know the tare." "Who Is It, JnnoT Whisper the words to Die. Who Is It, dear heart?" And Jane stooped to the face oo the 1 pillow and whispered: "Prince Rupert." And as the name fell on her ear, Matilda's face grow heavenly sweet 1 and tender, she smiled and sighed, and softly echoed Jane'a last "vord "Rupert." CHAPTER VII. Two Love Affairs. Matilda's confession brought on conversation which laatod many hours. , The leal of silence having been broken, the sick and sorrowful girl eagerly took the consolation her confidence procured her, Blie related with an Impulsive frankness often I with bitter, though healing tears the story of her love for the gallant Royalist loader, t v "Jane, think of my father and , " mother dead of grief, and of my throe ' brothers two slain In battle, one wandering, I know not where. Re-memher Re-memher that with my father's death died all my own hopes regarding my lover. And when father had been three days In his prove., and I lay at point of death, Anthony I.ynn came with his Parliamentary title to our house and lnnds. I was at his tuorcy, at his charity, Jane." "Well, and If so, many favors ho and his have received from your family. fam-ily. All he Is worth he owes to your father" "He was kind and respectful: I am very sensible of thai." ' Then, speiil.lng with her old per- empturlneni'. she said suddenly, K the two or three words that would move your father more than any woman's talk or tears. Keep your bravery, Jane; father likes women that stand up for themselves." It was evening when Cluuy came, and he was taken at once to the room In which Oen. BwalThatu wua smoking his good-night pipe. "Good evening, sir," ho answered to Cluny'i greeting. "Sit down. You have requested speech with me; talk straight out, then." "I am here, Ooneral, to ask for your daughters hand. I love 'her. I have enough fur our necessities and somewhat for our comfort and ' we aro both willing to take love as security secur-ity for our contentment." And though the words were such ordinary ones, the young man's heart throbbed In them, and the father felt It. (Inn. Bwaffham looked at Neville silently for a few moments and then said, "I. will not be unkind to either you or my daughter; but there must be no leap In the dark, or In a hurry. Take five years to learn how to live together fifty years. I waited six years for my wife; Jacob waited fourteen four-teen for llachool." "Sir, we live not by centuries, as Jacob did If It would please you to say two years." "I have said live, and verily It shall be five. Cannot you wait and serve for five years? If not, your love Is but a summer fruit, and Jane Swart-ram Swart-ram Is worthy of something bolter." "Sir, I entreat. I am no coward, but I cannot boar to think of five years." "I have said my say. There Is nothing to add or lo take from It." Then Clutiy perceived that entreaty would only weaken his cause, and he advanced aud offered his hand, saying, say-ing, "I am much In your dnht, sir. Tie more than I desorve, but Love must always beg more than his desert." des-ert." And Oen. Swalfhain's voice trembled perei ptlbly nn he answered: "You have time uml up) luiiliy to win your way lo my lu-nrt. then I will glvo you a sun's place, (lo and ask Jane; she will toll you I have doue i i. .. W -fa. klt.dly and wisely." And Cluny bowej and went silently to stk his t initheil. 1 Yi ur father a e are to wlt live )cnra, avvect .lane and 'tis a lie 4 condition. I l.i.ow m-i bow I am Ui endure It." ! And Jnne smiled and begnn to t ' over with her lover the hard coai'i-Hon, coai'i-Hon, nnd somehow II became an r"T and teaninnble one. They sism set It through love aud Hope and Vtivj ilimi. ai d so at the licslnulng of tin It, pinbation, they rejoiced In the eud d It. I I Life soon settled Itself to the rr corullilonK of the HvialTbams. Tin! tiencrnl. In spite of bis wire's SM danehlei s itisappioval. bought tin Snndvs HmiHp near Kussid sqnsii, rit some of the most precious hut looms of old Hwanlinm wero hrouu np to London lo adorn It. ' t Mrs. BwnrThnm was well content ll I onion. H iclal by nature, fopd of the stir nnd news of life, enjoylm: even the shadow of her old frlcudr power and splendor, and Inking t I-rent est Interest In all public evosti of the lime, b'ip was pleased ratsw tnnn olherwlso al the lxrd Oenertl'i determination lo keep hur husbtnt in nr him. Neither wns Jnne at all averse to lindon. t'luny was In london, an! Ya'lbla was there, nnd most of tin -.-1 r I m whom she had known all ha) life long. And If Jane accepted wl lenly this change of life, Matilda tuk , her phase of It still more enthu . astleally. Hhe was not long In disco erlng that It was In hei power to tn virtual mistress of the Jevory ms slun. Her youth, her beauty and h j many sorrows Inclined Sir Thomas I levery s heart to sympathy, and tbH I pieH sslon grew rapidly to devut- ed affection. She was conslderlnj one tnoriili g a siring or Orient pcarit, wondering If they could be worn wlti her new ihuoiiKse gown, when Jam entered her drcsidrg room. "Juno Hwaffhnm,' she cried wits delight, "I'll swear I was Just wishing I for you. Htephen is here. Will yui aeo him?" "I will not," answered Jane po lively. "I will not come to qucstlm alHiut him If he Is discovered. IK not ask me to put myself in such a strait. Matilda. It Is far better 1 should bo able to say, 'I have nit neen him.'" "Jano. I will tell you a piteous tale. TIs of our late Uneen. She Is so wretchedly poor, and since hor S'H i returned to their miserable Ilttlf court lu the Ixiuvre, so broken-heart ml, 'twould make you weep to hear of j her. Htephen came with Sir Hugs I llelward lo got some money on IlV j ward." "How does Sir Hugh Ilrlward hops 1 lo gel pioney on Uulward? He Is pn acrlbed." I "His younger brother joined tin Parliament, and he left the osiate I his caro. And his brother has turn! traitor to him, and would give hi i nothing but permission to rtde a0 j as sm-rclly as ho came. Tim oa-4jJ4, -the poor, poor Queen!" and thai Me tilda went Into some details of th piteous straits and dependenrla and Insults the widowed woman hut bees obliged to bear. Jane listened silently, but there were tears In her eyes; and when Matilda said. "I have given bar the Jewel the gracious King sent as by my beloved Prince Rupert, and also, what moneys I could get frota my Uncle Jevcry," Jane added: "I have ten pieces of gold Ihst sre altogether my own, I will give Item lo her. I will send lite gold by siurt messenger to-day." Matilda did not urge her to resilo, and Jane was eager to get away. When she reached home, her fslbet was walking about the parlor ud talking In an excited manner to bis wife. He showed much dlicosimt, and as he walked and talked b rat UihI his aword ominously lo bit words. (To be continued.) |