Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall

time for her to return to the Hall, and he walked with her do

e stile at the old stone wall, a

d then the cloud considerately floated over the moon

the wall, and saw the dimly outlined forms of four men. One of them was John, who was retreating up the hill. The others were following him. Sir George and Sir John Guild had unexpectedly returned from Derby. They had left their horses with the stable boys and were walking toward the kitchen door when Sir George noticed a man pass from behind the corner of the terrace garden wall and proceed up Bowling Green Hill. The man of course was John. Immediately Sir George and Guild, accompanied by a servant who was with them, started in pursuit of the intruder, and a mome

my feet. My sword point is at his heart. Make but one

servant halt

ng with the haste which he well knew was n

to depart in peace. I am here on no harmful errand, and I demand tha

follow you; no one will spy upon you. To this I pled

ll and rode home with his heart full of fear l

anding. She was hidden from them, however, by the wall. Jennie Faxton, who had been on guard while John and Dorothy were at

said Dorothy to Jennie Faxton, "tell him that

onded Jennie. "I will have a

op of the stile. Sir George, thinking the girl was Dorothy, lost no time in approaching

d, "I have made a mistake.

in time to see Sir George and Guild enter it. They saw her, and supposed her to be myself. If she hesitated, she was lost. But Dorothy never hesitated. To think, with her, was to act. She did not of course know that I was still in her apartments

aimed Lady Crawford, clasping

. Don them quickly." I did so, and walked into Sir George's room, where that worthy old gentleman was dressing a slight wound in the hand. I s

ard had been lighted and cast a glare over two score half-clothed men and women who had been aroused from their beds by

anded Sir George of the trembling Jennie. Je

ve come to a pretty pass when a maiden cannot speak with her sweetheart at the stile without he is set upon and beaten as if he w

rong. I did not know you had a sweetheart who wore a sword. When I saw you at th

Sir George. "Ben Shaw, see that

ir George and I entered after them. He was evidently softened in heart

him eager to offer amends. The active evil in all Sir George's wrong-doing was the fact that he conscientiously thought he was in the right. Many a man has gone to he

tile with a man. I was mistaken. It was the Faxton gi

many matters, fath

ed, "perhaps I do, but I mean for

times, father, to bring abou

hasteneth," replied S

rish. A man who has a good, obedient daughter-one who loves him-will not imprison her, and, above all, he will not refuse to speak to her, nor will he cause he

t feminine eloquence-tears. One would have swo

and I know what is best for yo

, surer knowledge than the oldest man living. Solomon was wise

e, smiling in spite of himself

orted quickly, "that you w

r have it," returned Sir George; "ki

neck and kissing him with real affection. Then Sir George said good night and s

, "I relieve you of your duty as a guard over

id Aunt Dorothy. "The tas

er and kissed him again,

"I thank Heaven, Dorothy, he does not know that you have been out of y

is because you are not old enough yet to b

t as you did, and now to speak so plainly about being in love! Malcol

e?" asked Dorothy, turning tow

o Lady Crawford, "when did I say

, and she proves her words to be true by speaking so boldly of her fe

hed painfully. "But," continued Dorothy, seriously, "I am not ashamed of it; I am proud of it. For what

rned the old lady, who in fac

to love," said Dorothy. "What would b

the aunt, "where lea

took in my life with her milk. I pray they may be written upon my breast some day, if God i

ed Lady Crawford, "you

world decrees that women shall remain in ignorance, or in pretended ignorance-in silence at le

t have half your wisdom on the

e you really in a state of ignorance

lady, hesitatingly, "I did

d had done? Were you ashamed of His great purpose in creating you a w

annot argue with you. Perhaps y

k concerning that of which my heart is full to overflowing. God put i

ng to weep softly. "No, no, you are not immodest. You ar

eyes to the fact that the girl whom she so dearly loved was being thrust by Sir George into the same wretched fa

ering me her hand. I kissed it tenderly; then

h all my heart,

, Malcolm,"

went to her room, leaving Doro

life, spanned the long years that separated them, and bec

herself and Dorothy

ll me, do you love this man so tenderly, s

responded, "words cannot tell

age, and none but God knows what I suffered when I was forced by my parents

ng her arms about the old lady's neck and kissing

r love is worthy of you. Do not tell me his name, for I do not wish to practise greater deception toward your father

he is handsome beyond any woman's wildest dream of manly beauty. In character

eek your hand from your

dare not do. Although he is vastly my superior in station, in blood, and in character, still my father would kill

Dorothy's mind, and she excl

child,

ed the girl, "

you do not tell me, I cannot know with certainty who he is." After a pause Aunt Dorothy

pity us, sweet aunt," cr

l help you," she continued. "It will be through no f

ed her aunt

the sun at dawn-because it cannot help singing. It awakened Aunt Dorothy, and she began to live her l

nmity that existed in Haddon Hall against the house of Rutland. He did not, at the time of which I speak, know Sir John Manners, and he did not suspect that th

r George known of John's presence at Rutland, the old gentleman's mind could not have compassed the thought that Dorothy, who, he believed, hated the race of Manners with an intensity equalled only by his own feelings, could be induced to exchange a word with a member of the house. His uncertainty was not the least of his troubles; and although Dorothy had full liberty to come and go at will, her father kept constant watch over her. As a matter of fact, Sir George had given Dorothy liberty partly for the purpose of watching her, and he hoped to discover thereby and, if possible, to capture the man who had brought trouble to his household. Sir George had once hanged a man

orge placed great confidence in his forester; so he told Dawson to employ the man if his services were needed. The new

he fires in the family apartments of the Hall. The name of the new serv

the acquaintance, "Thomas, you and I should

s; indeed, indeed I do, but I cannot tell wherein I am so fortunate as to have anything

" responded Do

make sure, is such as the blessed Virgin had. I ask your pardon for speaking so plainly

knees, placing w

gize to a lady for making so fine a speech. I dec

ed among courtiers,

believe you are above your station. It is the way with all new

uming on her condescension, and was about to tell him so when he continued: "The servants at Haddon Hall are gentlefolk compared with servants a

admired his wit in giving them an inoffensive turn. From that day forth the acquaintance grew between

ng dash of familiarity; but he always gave to his words a harmless turn before s

ncern, and since she felt kindly toward the new servant, she thought to create a faithful ally by treating him graciously. She might, she thought, need Thomas's help when the time should come for her to leave Haddon Hall with John, if that happy time should ever come. She did not realize that the most dangerous, watchful enemy to her cheri

Faxton, that he had gone to London, and

capacity of spy, and Dorothy knew of the censorship, though she pretended ignorance of it. So long as John was in London she did not care who fol

l possibility he might then be loitering about the old trysting-place at Bowling Green Gate. There was a half-unconscious conviction in her heart that he would be there. She determined therefore, to ride toward Rowsley, to cross the Wye at her former fording-place, and to go up to Bowling Green Gate on the Devonshire side of the Haddon wall. She had no reason, other than the fe

ls. The man was a stranger, and she knew nothing of his character. She was alone in the forest with him, and she did not know to what length his absurd passion for her might lead him. She was alarmed, but she despised cowardice, although she knew herself to be a coward, and she determined to ride to the gate, which was but a short distance ahead of her. She resolved that if the insolent fellow continued his familiarity, she would teach him a lesson he would never forget. When she was within a short distance of the gate she sprang from Dolcy and handed her rein to her servant. John was not there, but she went to the gate in the hope that a letter might be hidden beneath the stone bench where Jennie was wont to find them in times past. Dorothy fo

this insolent fashion?" cried

ale face, "I wager you a gold pound sterling that if you permit m

othy, after one fleeting, luminous look into his eyes, fell upon her knees and buried her f

t so sure of seeing you? My reason kept telling me that my hopes were absurd, but a stronger feeling full of the breath of certainty seemed to assure me t

netrate my disguise. You once said that you would recog

r it. Great joy is harder to endure than great grief. Why did y

," returned John, "othe

that followed. It is no a

Dorothy, the fact that John, who was heir to one of England's noblest houses, was willing for her sake to become a servant, to do a servant's work, and to receive the

fires in Haddon Hall, he did not neglect the other flame-the one in Dorothy's heart-for the sake of

. So they utilized every opportunity that niggard chance offered, and blinded by their great longing soon began to make opport

approached boldly as he would have met any other affair of business. But the Earl of Derby, whose mind moved slowly, desiring that a generous portion of the Vernon wealth should be transferred with Dorothy to the Stanley holdings without the delay incident to Sir George's death, put off s

othy's dower should be her separate estate, and demanded that it should remain untouched and untouchable by either of the Stanleys. That arrangement did not suit my lord earl, and although the son since he had seen Dorothy at Derby-town was eager to possess the beautiful girl, his father did

orothy had given him much teaching thereto. I knew that he had transmitted to his daughter a large portion of his own fierce, stubborn, unbreakable will, and that in her it existed in its most deadly form-the feminine. To me after supper that night was assigned the task of reading and rereading many times to Sir George the contents of the beautiful parchment. When I would read a clause that particularly pleased my cousin, he insisted on celebrating the event by drinking a mug of liquor drawn from a huge leather stoup which sat upon the table betw

pleased with the contract; but when the liquor had brought him to a point where he was entirely candid with himself, he let slip the fact that after all there was

if you will permit an old man, who loves you dea

y," I int

ed, "to say that I believe you to be the great

t your condescending flatte

ually a deadly malady, as a look about you will easily show; but, Malc

or I knew that my cou

hand an easy, painless mode of death. I shall become only a little more of a fool." I laug

in the dark corners of the night when a man's troubles stalk about his bed like livid demons; and when I think that all of this evil which has come up between

as Dorothy, not I, who refused. She cou

Drink had made Sir George sullen and violent. It made me happy at fir

win a woman if he would try. But put all that aside. She would have obeyed me.

ve forced her to ma

s, and William Kimm. Their daughters all refused to marry the men chosen for them, but the wenches were made to yield. If I had a daughter who refused to obey me, I would break her; I would break her. Yes, by God, I wou

er," Sir George continued, tapping

out this; but, by God, Ma

er great blow with his fist, an

ughter when he made the marriage wi

new what a child owes to its father, and, by God, Malcolm, after trying every other means to bring the wench to her senses, after he had tried persuasion, after having in two priests and a bishop to show her how badly she was acting, and after he had tried to reason with

died," I i

e, sullenly, "till she died, and it ser

ear distorted to me. Sir George rose to his feet, leaned toward me with

usal, I'll whip her. Wyatt is a man after my own heart. I'll starve her. I'll kill her. Ay,

s daughter. Dorothy under the intoxicating influence of her passion might become so possessed by the spirit of a martyr that she could calmly take a flogging, but my belief was that should matters proceed to that extreme, should Sir George flog his daughter, the chords of her highly strung nature would snap under the tension, and she would die. I loved Dorothy for the sake of her fierce, passionate, tender heart, and because she loved me; and even in

ation of rage and ferocity, to so great a pitch had he wrought himself. The sputtering candle feebly flickered, and seemed to give its dim light only that the darksome shadows might flit and hover about us like vampires on the scent of blood. A cold perspiration induced by a nameless fear came upon me, and in that dark future to which my heated imaginati

man because of his

the girl's hair was darkened and dead. Her bending attitude was one of abject grief. Her hands covered her face, and she was the image of woe. Suddenly she lifted her head with the quick impulsive movement so familiar in her, and with a cry eloquent as a child's wail for its mother called, "John," and held out her arms imploringly toward the dim shadowy form of her lover standing upon the h

erated from floor to oaken rafters, I turned an

"You would kill your daughter. Why should I not

gering toward the fireplace to get one of the fire-irons with which to kill my cousin. I remember that when I grasped the fire-iron, by the strange working of habit I employed it for the moment in its proper use; and as I began to stir the embers on the

, and I staggered up the stone stairway

stood on the tower roof bareheaded and open-mouthed while I drank in the fresh, purifying air. The sweet draught helped me physically; but all the winds of Boreas could not have blown out of my head the vision of the previous night. The question, "Was it prophetic?" kept ringing in my ears

them was Dolcy, and I, feeling that a brisk ride with Dorothy would help me to throw off my wretchedness, quickly descended the tower stairs, stopped at my roo

s were going out for a ride,

accompany h

for me to go with

the stable and fetch mine." The man hesitated, and

ll, Sir

able leading his own horse. At that moment Dorothy came out of the tower gate, dr

re you taking the

swered the servant. "Sir Malc

to a look of disappointment so sorrowful that I at once knew there was some great reason why she did no

cuse me, I shall not ride with her this morning. I

homas, and his eyes, too, were alight. I could make nothing of it. Thomas was a fine-looking fellow, notwithstandin

y had mounted, she tim

n Malcolm, that you

uickly followed at a respectful distance. From the dove-cote Dorothy took the path down the Wye toward Rowsley. I, of course, connected her strange conduct with John. Whe

had received word from Rutland Castle that he had not re

ssing at the riddle Dorothy had set me, but my effort was useless. I wondered and thought

e man-servant. I do not know why the truth of Thomas's identity did not dawn upon me, but it did not, and I stole away from the gate, thinking that Dorothy, after all, was no better than the other women I had known at various times in my life, and I resolved to tell John what I had seen. You must remember that the women I had known were of the courts of Mary Stuart and of Guise, and the less we sa

ing of grief, anger, and resentment because Dorothy had destroyed not only my faith in her, but, alas! my sweet, new-born faith in womankind. Through her fault I had fallen again to my old, black belief that virtue was on

hing familiar in his figure. At first, the feeling of recognition was indistinct, but when the riders drew near, something about the man-his poise on the horse, a trick with the rein or a turn with his stirrup, I could not tell wha

y backsliding, but I had come perilously near doing it, and the thought of my narrow escape from such perfidy frightened me. I ha

ignorance should Sir George accuse me of bad faith in having failed to tell him of John's presence in Haddon Hall. That Sir George would sooner or later discover Thomas's identity I had little doubt. Th