Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall

he mounted Dolcy and rode toward Bakewell. That direction, I was sure, she took for the purpose of misleading us at the Hall, and I felt conf

ident of the cause of Dorothy's tears, I, of course, did not give Madge a hint of my suspicion. Yet I then knew, quite as well as I now know, that John, notwithstanding the important business which he said would bring him to Overhaddon every day, had forced himself to remain at home, and Dorothy, in consequence, suffered from anger and wounded pride. She had twice ridden to Overhaddon t

ised name in my hearing. Cu

s he been do

nor will I listen to you," and she das

rned she was so gentle, sweet, and happy that she was willing to kiss every one in the household from Welch, the butcher,

er, Dorothy." Then, speaking to me: "She has b

o her shoulders, bent forward her face, which was red wi

othy's trip I soo

us conversation between Sir George and me concerning my union with his house. Ten days after Sir George had offered me

ress with Doll," said Sir George. "Have

act, I did not know that I had taken a single step. I was

arriage, and I fear that I have made no progress a

ed would indicate considerable progress," said S

" I stupidl

l. She said you told her it

, "pray give your especial care t

t my side with his

ittle troublesome unless we let her think she is having her own way. Oh, there is nothing like knowing how to handle them, Malcolm. Just let them think they are having their own way and-and save trouble. Doll may have more of her father in her than I suspect, and perhaps it is wel

, and my slip concerning the

is matter, but don't be too cautious, Malcolm

ds unconsciously sank away to thought, as thought o

d again, "where came you by the golden heart?"

ted in the sweet restful azure of the vaulted sky. "From love," cried the mighty sun as he poured his light and heat upon the eager world to give it life. I would not give a fig for a woman, however, who would not lie herself black in the face for the sake of her lover, an

ek Dorothy. I found her and asked her to accompany me for a few minutes that I m

y my ignorance nor show surprise when I suddenly learn what I have done. Yo

orothy, pale with fear and

ay you, but I came

body, but I could not bring myself to speak. I was full of shame, yet I was proud and happy

saw Manners the other day, and t

ou know? D

returned after five hours' abse

claimed, with a s

at other times when you rode out

" she asked, with

ll-humor,"

t see father and Madge and you-even the servants-reading the wickedness written upon m

are transparent to all the world. In that fact lies an evil-doer's greatest danger," said I, preache

ef rose from the gi

too glad to do so. It is heavy, Malcolm, heavy on my conscience.

red, and now you tell me that it is heavy on your conscience. Does one

. But this I know: I have done no evil, and my conscience nev

"but I feel sure it will be far safer for each of

ieve, however, your advice is good, and I will tell you all that has happened, though I cannot look you in the face while d

aps, but not unw

I was about to add, "To act womanly often means to get yourself into mischief and your friend

ative, "after we saw-saw him at Overhaddon, you k

ow that al

and-and-but never mind that either. One day I found him, and I at once rode to the well where

tic of her sex

ou say?" as

thi

ed as if he were glad to see me and I-I, oh, God! I was so glad and happy to see him that I could hardly restrain myself to act at

he wished to say to you," said

rl returned seriously. "He was in trouble. I

uble?" I

forgot to ask, but

had sufficient cause for trouble," I finished

trouble?" she hastily asked

y which should have pierced an oak board, while the gir

as it? Let me hear y

esponded l

xclaimed i

-well, if he intends to keep up these meetings with you it would be better for his peace and happin

sing her head with a show of anger in her eyes. "This is no time to j

ell in silence for a very long time. The village people were staring at us, and I

said I, "because of y

e a very long time. You see, Cousin Malcolm, I was not the one who s

I, interrupting the i

ll him. So I drew Dolcy to a stand. Was not that bold in me? But wait, there is worse to come, Malcolm. He did not move, but stood like a statue looking toward me. I knew that he wanted to come, so after a little time I-I beckoned to him and-and then he came like a thunderbolt. Oh! it was delicious. I put Dolcy to a gallop, for when he started toward me I was frightened. Besides I did not want him to over

so. I dreaded to tell you my name lest you should hate me. Sir Malcolm at The Peacock sa

se I did,' I answered, 'else why should I be here?'-'No one regrets the feud between our houses so deeply as I,' replied Sir John. 'I can think of nothing else by day, nor can I dream of anything else by night. It is the greatest

ouses of Manners and Vernon grew out of the fact that it separated him fr

you that he grieved becaus

e been very hard for him to say. I told you what he sa

e not," I

out my hand and clutch him, becaus

our only feel

y breast. I cannot sleep at night. I can do nothing but long and yearn for-for I know not what-till at times it seems that some frightful, unseen monster is slowly drawing the heart out of my bosom. I think of-of him at all times, and I try to recall his face, and the tones of his voice until, Cousin Malcolm, I tell you I am almost mad. I call upon the Holy Virgin hour by hour to pity me; but she is pure, and cannot know what I feel. I

, the cloud, and th

ere again I find trouble, for I cannot bring myself to ask him to will it. The feeling within

anners; but I was not prepared to see such a volcano of passion. I need not descant upon the evils and dangers of the situation. The thought that first came to me was that Sir Geor

can a man throw a spell ov

e never heard of a ma

sked th

ewitch a man. John Manners, I doubt not, could al

o it. I would deal with the devil gladly to learn the art. I would not care for my soul. I do not fear the future. The present is a tho

inued: "I am not myself. I belong not to myself. But if I kn

t rest upon that point," I answer

the selfish wish she had expressed. "If he

g her that John also suffered, and I deter

said, "You have not told m

e hair, he says, is red, but not at all like mine. I wondered if he would speak of the beauty of my hair, but he did not. He only looked at it. Then he told me about the Scottish queen whom he once met when he was on an embassy to Edinburgh. He described her ma

you could

t a keepsake which had belonged to his mother, as a token that there should be no feud between him and m

ood-by,' and I put Dolcy to a gallop that s

purpose of seeing Manners many times

'many times'?" she as

odded. "Yes. But I have seen him only once

d do justice to the subj

how your father came to know

sked me to tell him how I came by the jewel, and in my fright and confusion I could think of nothing else to say, so I told

lead up to the subject so near to Sir George

suspectingl

olm." She looked in my face and continued: "I will grant your request, whatever it may be. You are the dearest friend I have in the world, and mine is the most loving and lovable father that girl ever had. It almost breaks my hear

t I soon discovered that I had given her much more time than she needed to

see him never again." She scarcely had sufficient resolution to finish telling her intention. Whence, then, would come the will to put it

sly but kindly, "have you

I meant to say "of love,

And I-I think-at least I ho

eed not see him again. He has acted like a fool and a knave. He is a villain, Dor

blazing with anger; "you-you asked for my confidence and I gave it. You said I mi

t is safe with me. I swear it by my knighthood. You may trust me. I spoke in anger. But Sir John has

y, "I cannot deny it; but the

ou must take the step at once if you would save yourself from the frightful evil that is in store for you. For

ce of kindness than Dorothy's. No heart was mo

d aroused. But she did not entirely succeed, and a spark remained whic

e, and then spoke in a low, slightly sullen tone

is it that you wish to ask of me? Your

uest your father ardently desires me to make, and I do not kno

it for a further opportunity to say that I spoke only because her father had required me to do so, and that circumstance

d the girl in surprise, suspectin

l not pass out of the family name, and he wishes you to be my

k. She looked at me for an instant in surprise, turning

you have squandered your patrimony and have spent a dissolute youth in profligacy, after the women of the class you have known will have no more of you but choose younger men, you who are old enough to be my father come here and seek your fortune, as your father sough

able of intelligent thought. But as Dorothy walked from me I realized that something must be done at once to put myself right with her. When my fit of temper had cooled, and when I considered that the girl did not know

wait a moment. You have n

provoked, not at her words, for they were almost justifiable, but because

ll I have

answered viciously

nd because my refusal to speak would have offended him beyond any power of mine to make amends. I could not tell you that

ruse," responded the stubborn, angry girl,

lp me by acting as I suggest, we may between us bring your father to

rothy, in a voice such as one might

I suggest that you permit me to say to your father that I have asked you to be my wife, and that the subject ha

consider. You already have my answer. I should think you had had enough. Do you desire more of the same sort

would have an

uit. Then take the consequences. He has always been gentle and tender to you because there has been no conflict. Cross his desires, and you will learn a fact of which you hav

ry you if you wore the English crown. I, myself, will tell him of my meeting with Sir John Ma

e years and do you not better know his character than to think that you may go to him with the tale you have just told me, and that he will forgive you

distance, and all my anger was displaced by fear for her. When we reached the Hall she quickly sough

me to Haddon Hall a-fortune-hunting. He has asked me

ll my heart," returned Sir George, aff

it no longer, for I

her father, sprin

I will not.

amned insolent wench," answered Sir George

ontemptuously. "He has come here in sheep's clothing and has adro

bject, which is very dear to my heart. The project has been dear to me ever since you were a child. When I again broached it to Malcolm a fortnight or more since I feared from his

arry me. He said he wished me to give a sham consent for the purpose of gaining time till we might hit upon some plan by wh

face from her to me. When she had finished sp

r speak the trut

to place myself before Sir George in a better light, I continued: "I could not accept th

furious with anger. "You too

y without her free consent. No gentleman of honor

ad no intention of marrying her even s

se exact words," I replied, "b

listened to me when I offered you my daughter's hand, and you preten

"That is true, for I knew that Dorothy would not consent; and had I been inclined to th

ir George into a

dog, you-you traitorou

him, for I was no longer able to restrain

, grasping a chair with which to s

you wish to hear." I stood my ground

once," he said in

hour from now I will have you fl

" cried Dorothy. "

me late, Mistres

zzy, and if you leave it without my permission, by God, I will have you whipped till you bleed. I will t

g the floor in a towering rage. The girl had learned that I was ri

and collected my few belongings in a bu

d sent to me by the hand of Sir Thomas Douglas. England was as unsafe for me as Scotland; but how I might travel to France without money, and how I mig

and Will Dawson. The latter was a Scot, and was attached to the cause of Queen Mary. He and I

in the gallery near the foot of the great staircase. S

you, Cousin Madge," said I. T

g to leave Haddon

responded. "Sir George

uncle were friends. What has happened? Tell me if you can-if you wish. Let

titute for her lost eyesight that their sensitiveness showed itself not only in an infinite variety of delicate gestures and movements, changing with her changing moods, but they had an expression of their own, such as we look for in the eyes. I had gazed upon her hands so often, and had studied so carefully their varying expression, discernible both to my sight and to my touch, that I could read her mind through them as we read the

She said she owed it all to me. A faint pink had spread itself in her cheeks and a plumpness had been imparted to her form which gave to her ethereal beauty a touch of the material. Nor was this to be regretted, for no man can adequately make love to a woman who has too much of the angel in her. You must not think, however, that I had been making love to Madge. On the contrary, I again say, the thought had nev

hy my uncle has driven yo

sk Dorothy to be m

u?" she

did

hen I had another revelation. I knew what she meant and felt. Her hands tol

force her into compliance. I would not be a party to the

:-"I do not wonder that you should wish to m

use me, therefore I promised Sir George that I would ask her to be my wife. Sir George had always been my friend, and should I refuse to comply with his wishes, I well knew he would

" cried Dorothy, as she ran weeping

Dorothy!"

ught upon you?" said she. "Wher

r of London when Queen Elizabeth's officers learn of my qu

ed Madge, tightly hol

sum," I

e you," insisted Madge, clinging to my hand and s

sorry to say; only a fe

ars and the brooch from her throat. Then she nervously stripped the rings from her

turned toward the staircase, but in her confusion she missed it, a

d. "I wish I were dead. Please lead me to

p the steps, and I knew that she was goin

e other. She was halfway up when Dorothy, whose generous impulses needed only to be prom

. Let me do this. Let me. You have all else to make you happy. Don't

upon the steps and covered her face with her hands. The

orothy. "Here are a few stones of gre

othy held her jewel-box toward me, and in the midst of the diamonds and

e heart from the box by its chain.-"Yes, yes," cried Doro

to check the falling tears:-"Dorot

to her side and taking her hand. "H

yet you would not leave to me the joy of helping him. I could not see, and you hurried

the outburst from Madge

elp Cousin Mal

our jewels are more than enough. He wo

shall accept help from no one but

" said Dorothy, who had begun to see

in her hands a purse and a little box of jewels. These she offered to me, but I took only the purse, saying: "I accept

ing that the time might come when they would be of great

eyes, and Dorot

ke the jewels al

here I have wealthy relatives. There I may have my mother's estate for th

er offer to repay th

t," I glad

"you have paid me in advance f

une. As I was leaving I bent forward and kissed Madge upon the for

ther hand, "you are a strong, gentle, noble m

I could not blame you if I wished to do so,

ps and said: "I shall never again be guilty of not knowing that you are good and true and noble, Cousin Malcolm, and I shall never again doubt your wisdom

d went to the gateway under Eagle Tower, where I

excited. Has anything disagreeable happened? Are you leaving us? I see

as quarrelled with me and

gland no place but Haddon Hall will be safe for you, and the ports are so clos

try to escape to France. If you wish to communicate with me, I m

personally, or in that other matter, Queen Mary

accept your kind offer sooner than you anticipate.

he res

e may be trus

rue as any steel in her fat

, you may hear

Madge. Her hand was covering her eyes. A step or two below them on the terrace staircase stood Will Dawson. They were three stanch friends, although one of them had brought my troubles upon m