Show HALF PAST FOUR i A juno afternoon in the year 1645 the j great ball of fane place was occupied by two persons tho window were care fally shuttered and only a small crack was left open to admit light the door was closed on the table were spread i viands and a gentleman in the dress of f a cavalier was hastily partaking of roi tresh menta his companion a young f f woman of prepossessing appearance ministered deftly to his wants laying her finger on her lips when he attempted to speak hash 1 she said softly eat master whilo thou canet who knows what may happen next my brother toby watches and he may bring ns pursuit at any moment eat he atto and drank therefore at her command bat when bo had satisfied his hunger master roso and stood before her with longing words trembling on his lips he was young not more certainly than five and twenty and handsome with a winning smile and bright eyes sho was perhaps three years his junior and as beautiful as a morn in may thero were indeed some that sighed that thero was no court where mistress anno pane might havo displayed her charms and won the heart of somo great noble by her beauty and her grace but there was no court now and tho iding was in borrow and mis treba annos machlin lace was sold and her mothers jewels pawned and she herself bad donned a sad colored robe and her countenance was careworn nevertheless tho fugitive from nashby thought she was tho most exquisite sight ho had over seen and his eyes dwelt tenderly upon her face how can I 1 thank taco enough he began 1 I came here friendless and thou hast succored me I 1 found theo alone thy father dead thy elder brother far away nobody to defend theo but a lad of 16 and a dotard servant and yet thon hast received me fed mo entertained me hushi she interrupted thon tightest in a good cause and I 1 would I 1 did it for the iding E for the king only he said 1 I did it for the king she repeated blushing but do not tarry master quivis I 1 pray theo go for I 1 cannot con coal even bur lumber rooms are bare and not a could shelter there in safety 1 I will I 1 will I 1 ho cried but first f 0 mistress anne should I 1 not wait till sundown I 1 cannot fly in open day little more than 4 by the clock sho followed hie gazo to tho clocks face mistress I 1 will depart at sundown until then my flight would command an easy capture harbor mo tor these few hours sweet mistress and I 1 will bo gone thon not what these few hours aro to me but hast thou forgotten our childish days hast thou forgotten when wo played together I 1 was but a lad and thou a lattio maid and yet mistress I 1 called thoo sweetheart dost thou recall she did recall and her palo check was a bright pink spot as ho spoke but sho did nofa reply 1 I aavo thoo a rose ho said dost remember juno so long ago that it seems liko a dream we walked together in the roso garden I 1 A mind mo we bad escaped from henry and left him sulking and I 1 plucked a roso and said take it f nan tako it as a pledge from tho ani formed boy that the gallant man shall return to woo thee and thou it sweetheart with a tear glistening in thy pretty eyes and thou promise to dry its petals and fold them among thy raiment and keep them till I 1 camo back to prove my gallantry and to win thee alas nan leavo come back but my gallantry is unproved for the day is lost and I 1 havo fled and bow can I 1 hope that thou wilt smile upon me now he caught her band and kissed it ah master quivis wilt not call mo jack love dear heart I 1 como to theo scarred and luckless gidaro not offer thee my empty hand but send mo not away comfort leee dear jack sho murmured blushing thon bast ever been in my heart he caught her to him E and it happier days should come nan sweet nan when my bands hold a triumphant sword and when the king teare hes proudly to london and when abe gay court gathers again gayer and statelier than before say nan wilt thou tako my happy hand and suffer mo to lead theo to that bright court which thou wilt brighten and adorn as a diamond adorns tho crown oh jack thou speak cst too kindly nay mistress I 1 am thy hemblo servant but thou thus glorify ay poor life oh jacif dear jackl but even aa ho pressed her to bis breast something passing tho window for a moment obscured tho one of light which streamed through the that had been left ajar the girl violently and withdrew from her lohere embrace what wae that she whispered acar tolly Ifo thing my queen bo sandrena ETi rilly key aay jack one old diggon mayhap or thy broth toby no no eho said iu terror dig BOU fa ie the field and toby wateree the aed was is one who haa alight ed at tho postern gate through the garden then it is some one who knows the dear love a friend beelike belike nay there is no one young master dowdeswell alone bath come hither over and again bat ho is a traitor and hath come hero spying the land and jack it ho should come again he cornea as thy enemy was he a naseby lie was nan I 1 saw the prick eared rogue it may bo he oh jacb jackl in another moment tho sound was beard of a handle being turned and then the heavy tread of ono who crossed the outer vestibule and drew near to the door of the great hall anno clasped her lovers arm my own love thou must escape she bobbed through the window no no I 1 he will have placeda watch in the gallery alas no shelter there 1 she looked around wildly tho foot estepa drew yet nearer suddenly her eyes lighted on tho clocks face the clackl she cried in a stifled voice throwing open the case and holding aside the pendulum she motioned to quivis to got within he obeyed her in and without a word sho closed the case upon him and as she turned away the door of the apartment opened and a loud and stern voice demanded admittance before sho had timo either for welcome or denial tho speaker entered ho was a tall and soldierly man wanting yet several years of so a man whose countenance had acquired the sour expression cultivated bythe roundheads Round heads but who was not naturally ill favored he looked suspiciously round the room as ho came in and finally doffed hia beaver to the lady good day mistress anne ho said good day master dowdeswell sho returned 1 I como upon business ho announced noun ced 1 I have a search warrant to ransack thy house I 1 seek the body of master john quivis he is supposed to be in hiding hero or hereabouts and I 1 he paused but she did not speak 1 I came this way he went on after a moment 1 I thought madam it might be more agreeable that a friend should search thy bouso than a atran agta kindly done master dowdeswell nay madam duty is rarely kind and I 1 have strictly fulfilled my duty and have cut off every of escape from this house by entering myself through tho postern gato while directing my men to follow tho public path lam not kind but I 1 have boon minded to make the search as little painful to ebeo as possible Is tho traitor john quivis hidden here ho demanded thero is no traitor here returned anne quickly dowdeswell smiled grimly mistress anne thou what I 1 mean he said abino is a willful misapprehension I 1 ask again doth tho traitor john quivis lie hero concealed 1 I conceal no traitors master dowdeswell but dost thon conceal tho body of john quivis Qu ivil for a moment eho could not answer and dowdeswell smiled again 1 I perceive that thou hast lately eaten ho said then glancing at the clock halt past 41 marvelous strange that thou dine or sup at such an hour tho times are strange master dowdeswell and wo do things ine times aye mistress oven to the harboring of traitors who I 1 desire thoe tell me who hath broken bread in this place but nay answer me not cover not thy malignancy with falsehood thon hast a traitor hero and I 1 will drag him forth then striding to tho door he shouted to bis un derlinga who had just reached the front entrance of tho house bidding them search the mansion and the outhouses out houses bo seated himself at the table laying a pair of pistols upon it anne still stood in front of abo great clock whose hands pointed to wilt thou not be seated mistress asked dowdeswell presently in a gentler tono 1 I do not aft with the kings enemies she replied ah mistress reproach me not he protested time was when henry dowdeswell could win a smile from fair mistress anno fane that sir was when master henry heart beat true it hath beat ever true mistress anne and never truer than now suppose that henry heart could beat for any but mistress anno fane master dowdeswell I 1 listen mistress anne dost forget all the days of youth all the games that wo twain played together all our intercourse sweet and bitter by turns all the jealousies and rivalries between thy humble servant and jack quivis I 1 never liked the lad but I 1 forbore to cuff ono upon whom my mistress smiled thou not often smile upon me mistress anne yet there were times when thou calibet cali det mo henry and when thy hand would clasp mine as wo crossed the rotten bridge returning from church and when thy thanks came prettily if I 1 brought thee a honeycomb or a dish of yellow plums aye I 1 bear in mind thy goodness of yore but master was then loyal subject of tho king charles stuart lady was then a loyal king tut tut sir I 1 hie majesty can do no wrong mistress we will not arguo that speak not wo of the king speak we only of ourselves mistress anno thon wert little nan to me hush master I 1 cannot hear thee because I 1 servo not tho king madam ayo and because not because thou loviet another say not that 1 1 I must say it master he looked at her gravely mistress ia it all forgot bo said chidingly 1 I twined many a rosy garland for thee in the days of my carelessness and my profligacy and thon not always then wilt not smile now when in my new habit of graca I 1 an elect soul aek thy favor but I 1 cannot lovo twain and thou lovest whom master what is that to thee then thero ans silence for u space and presently tho trampling of mens feet in tho vestibule well roso and went to the door we have searched captain amt we have discovered none eaid a harsh voice only in tho stable a nag and thero be blood upon his flanks and a blight wound and me thinka he hath been in the battle and in tho bolster was this kerchief embroidered with the letters J Q good returned dowdeswell await mo without then he shut tho door and came back to his former position fronting anno and with tho clock that still pointed to half past 4 behind her mistress anno fane bo began sententiously 1 I liko thee well and I 1 would fain make thee my wife and gradually draw theo to higher delights and school thy mind to right thinking to my sorrow thou dis me and I 1 withdraw but I 1 quit taco I 1 conjure ebeo to tell meas thou dearest god and as thoa lovest virtue and desires t the recarda of heaven dost thou conceal hero in some secret chamber or in some bidden vault the person of tho rebel whom I 1 seek no said anne As thou adest tho fires of hell mistress I 1 conjure theo to speak tho truth 1 I do speak tho truth sir without quibbling mistress I 1 bid taco inform me it one lio hid hero in secret chamber whom I 1 account a rebel there is no secret chamber master dowdeswell mistress anne is hero master dowdeswell Dowde swoll thou hast sought throughout the house and thou hast not found him and I 1 tell theo thero is no secret chamber here then to whom appert aineth the wearied nag in the outer stable how can I 1 say our stable door hath no key and he who will may ylare his beast there mistress tear tho lord and speak the truth I 1 to whom appert aineth tho kerchief embroidered J Q master dowdeswell thou to conclusions may no man own the initials J Q save one parley not with me madam I 1 love thee mistress anne but my conscience condemns mo even while I 1 bandy words with thee toll me lest I 1 drag theo to the seat of justice where thoa john quivis Qu ivil sho was almost at her wits end but sho hold firm how thou that master quivis was at the ill fated field of naseby she asked how know I 1 because I 1 baw him madam saw him in the rear company of abo man charles stuart whom thou callist king I 1 saw him and I 1 know that ho fled in this direction madam the evidence of his presence hero is circumstantial cum hero are bis wearied steed and his kerchief yield him up it in my power master dowdeswell never would I 1 yield him nal the kings loyal servants are my truo friends and I 1 deliver no faithful friend to a foe because thou him mistress not so because I 1 lovo the king dowdeswell gave a short laugh a womans wile ho said tho traitor is bere madam mad am thoa last as good as admitted hi s presence must away with theo to tho scat of but ho did not order her to prepare preparo herself to depart stood looking at cr with blazing eyes vain and trifling woman he burst orth at length Think cst thou to dis with me thou to deceive the lords elect know that I 1 see thy wicked endeavor that I 1 perceive thy bold purpose and that I 1 shallow deceit the man john quivis is here madam he is hero and I 1 forbid thoo to conceal him longer acquaint me where he is I 1 master dowdeswell thou but now that thou me said anne it thou hast ever loved me ask no more but depart in peace 1 I said I 1 loved thou I 1 he cried impetuously yes and I 1 do love even as jacob loved rachel lovo I 1 theol even as tho hart tho water brooks oven so I 1 desiro my eole desire in lifo is to content thee and it needful I 1 would shed my blood for thee dear nan wilt not return my love and como into my arms confessing thy great fault of today and telling me where john lies hid no master dowdeswell said anno with dignity take me away and immure me in the vilest dungeons but for my kovesi sake I 1 will reveal naught but wilt not love me nan no ho was deeply mortified tho pcr stood upon his brow and bis heart was hot within him he looked bt her again then with an unpremeditated gesture ye sture be raised his eyes to tho clock taco above her head something in its aspect struck him strangely half past 41 bo exclaimed half past 41 Is it always halt past 4 here mistress tho clock bath stopped faltered fihe strange that it should stop oven as I 1 entered the chamber eaid ho lot mo set it going for taco nay she said quickly why set it going for naught sinco thou art going to tako me to jaidt let tho clock bo that would be indeed an unkind measure said he even if thou bo taken hence should not the bembera ot thy household amow the time 1 I have no ser said she none madam beware dost thoa dwell alone absolutely solitary my brother toby is here eho admitted but he never looks at the clock and our old servant is half blind and cannot read the timo nevertheless I 1 will set tho clock said dowdeswell Dowde swolL and putting her aside ho flung the clock case wide by st george 1 ho exclaimed quivis stepped forth his plumed hat in hand i good day master dowdeswell ho said complacently we are met 1 I arrest thoo traitor said dowdeswell sergeant fairchild he was about to raise Us boico to call upon bia subordinates to enter and seize quivis but quick ae thought anno circumvented him snatching one of his from the table eho darted up tho flight of steps into the gallery and leaning over the railing she cried to dowdeswell to stay his movements hoedl she cried imperatively see here master I 1 havo thy it is loaded I 1 hold it to my raise thy voice but 8 syllable touch master quivis by but ono fanger and I 1 ye and I 1 am dead I 1 and thou dovcet me master dowdeswell thoa lovest mel nay egand thou art I 1 stir but an inch and I 1 die see the pistol is at my bosom I 1 listen I 1 make up thy mind to depart in peace and leave jack quivis unharmed while I 1 coant 10 for it when I 1 come to 10 thou bo still hero I 1 fire and I 1 die thy little nan whom thon lovest dies I 1 she began to coant leaning over the balustrade with the pistol pressed against her breast and her fanger on tho trigger and her eyes fixed upon the two men they dared not stir the determination mi in her eyes held them spellbound one |