Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale

sure it is that one fine morning Mary met with somebody. And this was the more remarkable, when peop

l," Mistress Anerley said to her daugh

outhern English (like her daughter Mary) upon polite occasion. But family cares and farm-house life had partly c

th natural logic, "why, who is there now to go with me

day, perhaps,

nnocent to blush; but her f

e said, "wheniver sha likes." And

d by Danes, while severed by the Dike from inland parts; and these Danes made a good colony of their own, and left to their descendants distinct speech and manners, some traces of which are existing even now. The Dike, extending from the rough North Sea to the calmer waters of Bridlington Bay, is nothing more than a deep dry trench, skillfully following the hollows of the ground

hollow of this ancient Dane's Dike. This was her shortest way to the sea, and the tide would suit (if she could only catch it) for a take of shrimps, and perhaps even prawns, in time for her father's breakfast. And not to lose this, she arose right early, and rousing Lord Keppel, set forth for the spot wh

unks which had trickled for a twelvemonth, or been only sponged with moss, were hailing the fresher light with keener lines and dove-colored tints upon their smoother boles. Then, conquering the barrier of the eastern land crest, rose the glorious sun himself, strewing before him

pecially set off the color of things, and was set off by them. For instance, how could the silver of the dew-cloud, and golden weft of sunrise, playing through the dapples of a partly wooded glen, do better (in the matter of variety) than frame a pretty moving figure in a pink checked frock, with a skirt of russet murrey, and a bright brown hat? Not that the hat itself was bright, even under the kiss of sunshine, simply having seen already too much of the sun, but rat

y frightened; for the sound was common enough in the week when those most gallant volunteers entitled the "Yorkshire Invincibles" came down for their annual practice of skilled gunnery against the French. Their habit was to bring down a red cock, and te

pposing they had jumped up with nightmare, where was the jubilant crow of the cock? For the cock, being almost as invincible as they were, never could deny himself the glory of a crow when the bullet came into his neighborhood. He replied to every volle

rked her pony aside, and called and beckoned; and without a word he flew to her. Words were beyond him, till his breath sh

hurry you are in! But I suppose you ca

another start, and could not even bow without hinderance. But to show that he h

can show you a place. I can hide

exhaustion in which a man scarcely cares whether he is

there-by the fern. Up at on

the poor fugitive time to get into his hole and draw the brown skirt over him. The dazzle of the sun, pouring over the crest, made the hollow a twinkling obscurity; and the cloth was just in keeping with the dead stuff around. The three broad men, with

, "and he a free-trader! Fou

I fear we spoil your ride. But his Majesty's duty must be done. Hats off, fellows, at the name of your king! Mary, my dear, the most daring villain, the devil's own son, has just run up here-scarce

, if you please? Captain

are trifling. It will be the worse for you. Forgiv

ns look so dreadful! My father would be quite astonished to see me not even all

a long way up the Dike, without giving them any time to spy at all about. She knew that this was wicked from a loyal point of view; not a bit the less she did it. "What a tr

ith rotten lashings. If I boarded him, how could I get out of

some enemy, captain. An enemy

of your father, my dear, and Sunday gowns. And you must have a young man by-and-by, you know-such a be

can I say? I can not bear the

mile off by this time. You could never hurt him now; and you c

t is too late to catch him, I can tell you all about

whatever my wife may say to it. Quick

to me to be running at

e been two hours after him; he could not run; n

here-mind, I say not that he did-and if so, he might have set off again for Sewerby. Slowl

ourishing his cutlass again, and setting off at a wonderful pace, considering his limp. "Five guineas

rust at Mary, having no better judgment of women than this, that he never could believe even his own wife. And he knew that it was mainly by

r pony's head toward the sea again, and rode back round the bend of the hollow. What would her mother say if she lost the murrey skirt, which had cost six shillings at Bridlington fair? And ten times that money might be lost much better than for her father to discover how she lost it. For Master Stephen Anerley was a straight-backed man, and took three weeks of training in the Land Defense

something high and noble, she might almost say something downright honest, in the face of that poor persecuted man. And in spite of all his panting, how brave he must have been, what a runner, and how clever, to escape fro

g man, smiling, and forth from the gully which had saved his life. To look at him, nobody ever could have guessed how fast he had fled, and how close he had lain hid. For he stood there as clean and spruce and careless as even a sailor can be wished to be. Limber yet stalwart, agile though substantial, and as quick as a dart while as strong as

bt whether he could be the man, until she saw her skirt neatl

he chance of a fatal bullet after him so sharp, that his mind had been astray from any sense of beauty, and of

aid she; "and if you would like to do any t

answered, in a deep sweet voice. "I r

lmost within call of you. They will come back wo

all the morning, in the wrong direction, even while they know it. Carroway is the most stubborn of men. He never turns back; and the further he goes, the better his bad leg is.

ee them. My father is a soldier, and his duty is

f it before. There are no two such. And you have s

the simplest manner to take back her riding skirt; and he, though longing in his heart to keep it, for a to

which in those days formed a part of every good young woman said to her plainly that she must be off. And she felt how unkind it was to keep him any longer in

y down to the sea, you would just pick up (if you should chance to see it) the fellow ring to this, and perhaps you will look at this to know it by. The one that was shot away flew against a stone jus

ar-rings? Careless, cruel, wasteful men!

ed 'blood-money.' One hundred pounds for Ro

people who have killed other people, and bad things-but to offer a hundred pounds for a free-tr

ourse. His life has been in my hands fifty times; but I will never take it. He must be k

h-the new Robin Hood, as they call him

as you have seen, I can not do much. I

hot at you too much. Cowardly, cowardly people! C

noon, toward four o'clock, in the lane toward Bempton Cliffs. We are off tonight upon

en me almost. The coast-riders might come ba

y are as stiff as nut-cracks. They have missed the best chance they ever had at me; it will make the

ngs. You may like very much to be shot at;

e to keep my ring for me. Of course you will tell nobody, Carroway will h

to retract her promise; and she thought of her mother,