The Lost Lady of Lone

wedding all the prepar

this heavenly blue sky of June, were adorned with all that art and taste a

the little hamlet of Lone was so wreathed and festooned with flowers as to look like a fairy bower. The little gothic church, said to be coeval in history with the castle itself, was decorated within and without as for an Easter or Christmas festival. And the only inn of the place, an antiquated but mos

he young marquis to keep the duke quietly at the inn. The old man enjoying his pleasing hallucination of being still the proprietor of Lone, and the possessor of a princely revenue, fretted agains

that custom did not sanction his visit to his bride-elect on the night before their wedding, but he could at least

ll the arrangements for the mor

ing-rooms, all sumptuously furnished and beautif

service was of solid gold and finest Sevres china; the viands

essing cases, work boxes, and writing desks, of ormolu, of malachite, of pearl, and of ivory, of silver, and of gold; illuminated prayer-books and Bibles, with antique covers and clasps set with precious sto

h of Ormus

costly gifts to the banker's

arls; white kid gloves, trimmed at the wrists with lace; wreath and bouquet of orange flowers; necklace and pendant earrings and bracelets of rich Oriental pearls, set with diamonds. These jewels were the imaginary gift of the mad duke to the bride-elect of his s

it be said, that not even Salome knew but that this elegant gif

g ladies who were to attend her to the altar, had arrived early in the afternoon, each chaperoned

l and admiration upon the sumptuous wedding-breakfast table, set in the great dining-room, and with surprise and enthusiasm at the splendid wedding presents displa

chamber, she found the old house

o see ye, gin ye hae ony commands for me

erstand. If there be anything left undone, you will use you own

nd a blithe waking till ye," said the dame, co

u please," said the young lad

l please," promptly replied th

n a slow and hesitating manner. "Have you seen

ght o' love Rose Cameron, me l

wds of people on the island today to inspect

t when I caught her prowling about here, I sent Mr. McRath to warn her off the pl

was cruel,

about here, and making an excuse o' luking at the deekorated grounds. Sh

girl look lik

-breasted, with a handsome head that she carries unco high, and big, bol

he Juno-like Highland beauty; but the

mair, me young leddy. She'll na be permitte

that poor girl. If she is a little crazy, she is all the more to be pitie

d blithe waking to ye," repeated the old

her rude Highland home, mistook such gentle courtesy for preference, for love, and gave him her love in return? He would not be in the least to be blamed, while she would be much

her door di

me

aid e

is it,

ught me a message for you. Sir Lemuel requests, Mis

warm-and leave the windows partly open, and then go to bed, my girl, I shall not want you again tonight," said Salome,

er wrapped in his gray silk dressing-gow

ted to have a little talk with you tonig

lf, not on the chair by his side, for that would not have brought her near enough to

e said, sadly, as he ran his long white fingers through the t

t ever lived!" she answered, drawing his

. I feel it to-night. I left you fourteen years in a foreign convent, a

. And the nuns did their whole duty by m

atest blessing and comfort has made me feel and know how much I lost in banishing her from m

e son. You know it is settled that after our brief wedding we shall return to Lone, and you and the duke, and Arondelle and myself, will all live here together until the meeting of Parlia

an old man to be your father? You were the child of my old age, Sal

Salome, caressing him wi

seed-the germinating bed; the full and perfect world is beyond. Young Christians believe this. Aged Christians know it. There, brighten up! And think that this marriage of yours and Arondelle's if it be as true as I feel assured it is-will be not for time only

es," said Salome, in a voice thrilling with emotion, as

n her bowed head and solemnly

race to bear your burdens and do your duties as wife and mother, and save

s, put her arms around his neck, k

mysterious thing happ

saw the form of a man approaching from the direction of her own room. He might be some belated servant on some legitimate business for one of the guests, yet he startled her. She looked intently toward

m of her betrothed husband. But the face was deadly

e!" she exclaimed,

he empty air, the

o see where it could have gone, and in what pa

passage opening from the hall and leading to the door of a

passage. It was black

ntil she had reached her own room, rushed in, and shut and bolted the door. Then she

ns, and had not only turned the lights

the windows were open and the room was flooded with

m was lighted. She sat there thrilled w

-or his spirit? Or had she been

into the house and up into the hall of the bed-rooms, at that hour

would have crept into the house and up to their private-rooms,

she had seen in the

n appear in one place, while the body of the man was present in another? Sh

s was n

ect of an optical illusion? She

too solid, too substantia

hat of some other person, some guest

g at the castle, and knew that not one of them bore

e murky hall seemed that of her betr

ir beds. And the household all had long since retired. She could not rouse them only to satisfy her own doubts without any other practical result.

degree of calmness. But she was still too much ex

n her nervous condition it seemed to her to be so. She wanted more air. S

venly

rs. The full harvest moon was at the zenith and pouring down

lake between the island and the mountain, at the base of which stood the

tiful

ect the decorated grounds, and to triumph over the approaching marriage of

greater and more rejoicing crowd. For all the Clan Scott were to ga

ul scene was holy in its

a

oices beneat

moment, paralyzed by consternation and despa

, Rose?" inquired a

d a prison if I ever showed my face here; but once mair I hae come agen, in obedience to your bidding! Come creeping, creeping, creeping a

me 'lord;' I am your slave and not your 'lord,' my la

the altar railings? Into the bridal chamber? It's deceiving and fuling me, ye are, me laird! But I'll tell ye weel! Ye sail no marry yon girl, I

mplished until to-night. But to-night something will happen that will put all thoughts of marrying and giving in marriage effectually out of the heads of all parties concerned, I will warrant. And to-morrow, you

will you

erhaps two hours. Y

can be

ispering voice c

f through, Salome had fallen bac