(111 II 1111.
By WALTER BESAKT,
CHAPTER L
ALL TIIK I'KOI'I.K STANDI NO.
HEN the sun rose over
northern England on a
certaiu Sunday early In
May year of grace sev
enteen hundred and six
ty four it was exactly
fouro'clock In the morn
ing As regards the
coast of Northumber
land, be sprang with a leap out of a per
fectly smooth sea Into a perfectly cloud
less sky. anil if there were, a generally
happens, certain fogs, mists, clouds and
vapors lying about the moors and foils
anions the Cheviots, they were loo far
from the town of Warkwortb for Its peo
ple to see them The long cold spring
was over at last; the wallflower on the
castle wall was in blossom, the pale prim
roses bad not yet all gone, the lilac was
preparing to throw out its blossoms; the
cuckoo was abroad, the swallows were
returning with tumultuous rush, as If
tlioy had bad quite enough of the sunny
south and longed again for the battle
ments of the castle and the banks of Co
quet, the woods were full of song; the
nests were full of young birds, chirping
together, partly because they were always
hungry, partly because they were rejoic
ing in the sunshine, aud all the living
creatures in wood and Geld and river were
hurrying. Hying, creeping, crawling,
swimming, running, with intent to eat
each other out of house and home
The eye of the sun fell upon empty
Streets and closed houses not oven a
poacher, much less a thief or burglar, vis
ible in the whole of Northumberland, and
if there might be here and there a gyp
sies' tent, the virtuous toes of the occu
pants peeped out from beueutb the can
vas, with never a thought of snaring
bares or stealing poultry Even tn New
castle, which. If you come to think of It.
Is pretty well for wickedness, tho night
watchmen slept in their boxes, lanterns
long since extinguished, and th wretches
who hod no beds, no money am! slender
hopes for the next day's food slept en the
bunks and stalls about the market Noth
ing stirred except the bunds of time jurch
clock, and these moved steadily: thequar
ters and the hour were struck But for
the clocks the towns might have been so
many cities of the dead, each house a
tomb each bed a silent grave The
Northumbrian folk began to get up a
little later than usual because it was Sun
day first in the villages and fiimi houses,
next tn the small towns, lost und latest,
in Newcastle, which was ever a lie abed
city
Warkwortb is quite a small town and a
great way from Newcastle. It has only
one street. At one end of it Is tho church
and at the other end is the castle The
street runs up hill from church to castle,
in the year 174 the castle was more ruin
ous than it showed in later years, because
the keep itself stood rootless, its stairs
broken and its floors fallen tn a great
bell, echoing thunderously with all the
winds. As for the walls, the ruined gate
ways, the foundations of tho chapel, the
yawning vaults and the gutted towers,
they have always been the same since the
destruction of the place The wall flow
ers and long grasses grew upon the broken
battlements; blackberries and elder bushes
occupied the moat; the boys climbed up
to perilous places by fragments of broken
steps; the swallows flew about the lofty
keep: the green woods bung upon tho
slopes above the river, and the winding
Coquet rolled around the hill on which
the castle stood a solitary and deserted
place. Vet in the evening there was oue
corner In which the light of a fire could
always be seen It came from a chamber
beside the great gateway that which
looks upon the meadows to the south.
Uere lived the fugleman lie had fitted
a small window in the wall, constructed a
door, built up the broken stones, and con
stituted himself, without asking leuve of
my Lord of Northumberland, sole tenant
of Warkwortb castle
When the first comers had looked up
th Kt.nv.t Htiri down th fctrvt. Rlrairrht.
through and across the other, and exam
ined the sky and insiected the horizon,
and obtained all possible information
about the weather, they gave each other
the good morning, and asked for opinions
on the subject of hay Then one by one
they went back to their houses which
are of stone, having very small windows
with bull s eye glass in leaden casements,
and red tiled roofs.
After breakfast, for two hours by the
clock, they fell to stroking of stubby
chins and to wondering when tho barber
would be ready This could not be until
stroke of 0. at least, because be had to
comb, dress and powder first the vicar's
wig for Sunday Heaven forbid that the
church should be put off with anything
short of a wig newly combed and newly
curled! And next the wig of his wor
ship. Ciithbert Caniaby, Esq..' justice of
the peace, aud second cousin to his lord
ahip, the Curl of Northumberland. newl
Ua
uecetxAn.T Uf tiio tuiti v hen tills was
done the barber addressed himself to the
chins aud cheeks of the townsfolk, and
this with such dexterity aud dispatch
that before the church bull began he had
theoi all dispatched and turned off And
then their countenances were glorious,
and shone In the sun liko unto tho foco
of a mirror, ami felt as smooth to the en
amored finger as the chin und cheek of a
maid Thus does art Improve and cor
rect nature Tho savage who wearutb
board knows not this delight
It was a day on which something out of
the common was to huppeu, a day on
which ex-ctatlon was on tiptoe; aud
when at TO o'clock tno first stroke of the
church bell begun, all the boys with oue
and the same design turned their steps
slowly at first, and as If the business did
not greatly matter, yet should be seen
into toward the churchyard They were
all In Sunday boat; their hair smooth,
their hands white, their shoes brushed
and their stockings clean, they moved as
If drawn by Invisible ropes; as If thoy
could not choose but go; aud whereas on
ordinary Sundays not a lad among them
all entered the church till the very last
toll of the bell, on this day they made
straight for the porch at the first, and this
although they knew that If thoy once sot
foot within It, they must pass straight on
without lingering, Into the church, and
so take their seats, and have half an hour
longer to wait In Bilence and good behav
ior with liability to discipline For a rod
is ever ready in church as well as at
home, for the back of him who shows
himself void of understanding The
fugleman, who wielded that rod was
strong of arm; and no boy could call him
self fortunate, or boast that he had es
caped the scourge of folly till the sorvico
was fairly done.
Oat in the fields, and in the fair mea
dows, and down the riverside, and along
the quiet country paths, and among the
woods which hang above the winding of
the Coquet, the sound of tba bell quick
ened the steps of those who were leisurely
making their way to church, so that every
man put best foot for'ard. with a
"Hurry up, hull Lose not this morning's
sight I Be in tlmol Quick, laggard I" an I
so forth, each to the other.
At Morwick Mill. Mistress Barbara
Tumble would not go to church, though
her brother did. Nor would she let any
other of the household go. neither her
man nor her maid, nor the stranger, if
any. that was within her gates; but at
10:30 of the clock she called them together
and read aloud the Peniteutiui Psalms and
the commination service.
The show, meantime, had begun- At
tho 6rst stroke of the bell there walked
forth from the vestry room a little proces
sion of two First came a tall, spare man
of 60 or so, bearing before him a pike.
lie was himself as straight and erect as
the pike be carried, he wore his best suit.
very magnificent, for it was his old uni
form kept for Sundays and holidays that
of a sergeant in the Fourteenth, or Berk
shire Regiment of Foot, namely, a block
three cornered hat, a scarlet coat, faced
with yellow and with yellow cuffi. scarlet
waistcoat and breeches, white garters and
white cravat. On the hat was In silver
the white horse of his regiment and the
motto "Nee aspera terrent." lie walked
slowly down tho aisle with the precision
of a machine, and his face was remark
able, because be was on duty, for having
no expression whatever You cannot draw
a face or in any way present the effigy of
a 'human face which shall say nothing,
that is beyond the power of the rudest or
the most skilled artist, but some men
have acquired this power over their own
faces diplomatists or soldiers they are
by trade. This man was a soldier. lie
was so good a soldier that he had been
promoted, first to be corporal, then to be
sergeant and lastly to be fugleman, whose
place was in the front before the whole
regiment, and whose duty it was to lead
the exercises at the word of command
with his pike. In his ago and retirement
he acted as the executive officer in all
matters connected with the ecclesiastical
and civic functions of the town, whether
to lead the responses, to conduct a bap
tism, a funeral or a wedding, to set a man
in tho stocks and to stand over him. to
cane a boy for laughing in church, to put
a vagrant in pillory and stand beside him.
to tie up an offender to the cart tail aud
give him five dozen, or, as in the present
case, to wrap a lad in a white sheet and
remain with him whilo he did public pen
ance for his fault. He was constable,
clerk and guardian of the peace.
The boy who followed him was a tall
and lusty youth past 10. who might very
well have passed for 18; a boy with rosy
cheeks, blue eyes and brown hulr; but his
eyes wore downcast, his cheek was flushed
with shame because he was clod from
bead to foot in a long white sheet, and he
was placed so clothed, for the space of
half an hour, while the bells rang fur ser
ice in the church porch, and then to
stand up before all the congregation to
ask pardon of the people, and to repeat
the Lord's Prayer aloud in token of re
pentance. Tho porch of Warkwortb church is
large and square, fifteen feet across, with
a stone bench on either side. The boy
was stationed within the porch on the
eastern side, and close to tho church door,
to that all those who passed in must needs
behold him At his left hand stood the
fugleman, pllte'groiinded and" head drect,
looking straight before him, and saying
nothing except at the beginning, when
discipline for a moment gave way to
friendship and he murmured: "Ileart up.
Master Ralph I What odds Is a white
sheet?"
Then be became rigid, and neither spake
nor moved. As for the penitent, be. tried
(1 jfck.
I
wo-
vim-
At hi ''") (ai' th fvnlrman.
Uriuilt:. tuTiyiJllty of his" i'E.inioii.
but with poor success, for his month
trembled, aud his eyes sank, and his color
came and went as the people, all of whom
he know, passed htm with reproachful or
pitying gaxe The church and the porch
aud the churchyard were all eyes, he was
himself a gTgantlo monument of shame
Uere was a lad found out and convicted
ou the clearest evidence and coufesslon,
he hud mode fools of the whole town, bore
he was before all. undergoing the sen
tetice pronounced upon him by his wor
ship Mr Carnally; and a sentence so so!
dom pronounced as to make It an occasion
for wonder, aud the offender was not a
gypsy or a vagrom man. or one of them
sel vea, but young Ralph Enibletou. of
Morwick Mill, and the offense wss not
robbing, or pilfering, or cheating, or
smuggling, or beating aud striking, but
quite an unusual aud even a romantic
kind of offouso. for which there was no
name even, aud an offense not foiling
within any law
Toward iL? close of the ringing there
entered the church, walking majestically
through the lane formed by the rustics.
Mr Cuthbcrt Carnaby. justice of the
pH-e. with madam his good lady He
was attlrvd In a full wig aud a purple
coat with laced ruffles, laced cravat, a
flowered silk waistcoat, and gold buckles
in his shoes, iu his hand he carried a
heavy gold headed stick, and under his
arm he horw Iiih laced hat. his amnio
cheeks were red. and red was his double
chin Though his bearing was full of au
thortty Ins eytn were kiud. and when he
saw the boy standing In the porch he felt
inclined to remit the remuiudur of the
punishment
"So Ralph." be said, stopping to ad
mouisb him. "thy father was a worthy
man. he halb not lived to see this But
courage, hoy. and do the like no more
Slmiim attends folly Thou art young, let
this lie a lesson After punishment aud
r'x'iiUiice cometb forgiveness, so cheer
up. my lad "
"Ralph." said bis wifo. with a smllo tn
her eye and a frown on her brow, "I
could find it in my heart to flog thee
soundly, but then thou art punished
enough (Ihosts indeed! and not a muld
would go past the castle after dark, for
fear of this boy I Let us heur no more
about ghosts ."
Sho shook her finger they both shook
their fingers she adjusted her hoop, and
entered tho church The boy's heart fell
lighter; Mr Carnaby and madam would
forgive him His worship went on. bear
bug before him his gold bended stick and
wulked up the aisle, to his pew. a large
room within the chancel, provided with
chairs and cushions, curtains to keep oft
the draught, and a fireplace for winter
After Mr. Burn a by there walked into
the porch a man dressed in good broad
cloth with white stockings, and shoes
with silver buckles Aud bis coat had
sliver buttons, which marked him fur a
man of substance ills cheeks were full
and his face fiery, as If be was one who
although young, lived well, and his eyes
were smu!! aud too close together, which
mode him look like a pig It was Mathew
Humble. Ralph's cousin and guardian
At sight of him the boy's face Hushed
ind his lips parted, but he restrained
himself and said nothing, while the fnglo
.nun gave him an admonitory uudgo with
his elbow
The man looked at Ralph from top to
w, as If examining into tho arrange
iieuts and anxious to see that all was
lroierly anil scientifically curried out
"To la tol" he said with an air of dis
mtisfactiun "What is this? Call you
this M-nunco? Whore is the candle? Did
is worship say nothing about thecandlc?"
"Nothing." replied the fugluinun with
shortness
"He ought to have carried a candle
l)eur me! this Is Irregular This spoils
.ill But Ahl bareheaded 'he stood
is far back as the breadth of the porch
von Id allow, so as to get the full effect
ind to observe the picture from the best
point of view "In a long white sheet!
Ahl bareheaded and In a long white sheet'
Oh. what a disgraceful day! These aro
things, fugleman, which end In the gal
lows For an Embleton. tool if the old
man can see it whut will ho think of the
boy to whom be loft the mill? And to beg
pardon" he smacked his lips with satis
faction "to beg purdon of the people'
Ab. and to repeat the Lord's prayer in tho
church the Lord's prayer in the church
aloud' The Lord's prayer In the church
aloud before all the people! Ahl Dear
me dear mel" .
He wagged his head, as If be could not
tear hli.iself away from tho spectacle of
so much degradation Then be added
with a smile of perfect satisfaction a de
tail which he bud forgotten:
,11. 1 J'V.'.l
k jt u if i i ',i , t it", ,ii ii i. r
"Maiming, toot "Fiie Uird's prayer In
tho church aloud before nil tho people
standing! This Is a pretty beginning,
fugloman, for sixteen years "
If the Lord's prayer in Itsolf werosomo
thing to be ashamed of he could not huvo
spoken with greater contempt. The boy,
however, looked struight up Into tho roof
uf the porch, made no answer nor soomod
to hear
The speaker hold up both hands, shook
his head, sighed and slowly withdrew Into
the church
Thou there ciimo down tho street an old
lady In a white cap. a white apron, ashnwl
ami black mittens, an old lady with a face
lined ull over, with kind soft eyos and
white hulr. but hur face was troubled.
Beside her walked a girl of 13 or there
abouts, dressed In white frock and straw
hat trimmed with white rll,.xm. aud white
cotton mittens, and she was crying and
sobbing
"Thou mnyest stand up tn the church,"
said the old lady, "whan ho repeats the
Lord's Prayer, but not boside htm In the
porch."
"But 1 helped him." she cried "Oh, I
am as bad as hot I am worse, because I
laughed at him and encouraged him."
"But thou host not been sentenced,"
said tho old lady "It Is thy punish
ment, child aud a heavy one to feel
that Ralph boars thy shame aud his owu,
too."
"1 was on one aide of the bedgo when
Dame Ridley dropped bar basket." the
child went on. crying more bitterly "I
was on one side and be on the other Ohl
ohl obi She said there wore two ghosts
1 was ono "
When they reached the porch the girl,
at sight of the boy In the sheet, run and
threw her arms about his neck and kissed
him. and cried aloud enough fur all within
to hear
"Oh. Ralph. Ralph, It Is wicked of
theml"
These words .were heard !! over the
church, and Mathew (lumble sprang to
his feet, as If demanding that the speaker
should bo carried off to instant execution
for contempt of court All eyos were
turned upon his worship's pnw. and I
know not what would have happened, be
cause bis periwig was seen to bo agitated
and the gold bead of his stick appeared
above the pow; but luckily. Just then the
bells clashed all together, frightening the
swallows about the lower so that they
flow straight to the castlo and stayed
there, and the vicar came out of the
vestry aud sat down In the reading desk,
and. as was his custom, surveyed his
church and enngregutiou for a few minutes
before the service begun
It Is an old church of Norman work In
parts, patched up and rebuilt from time
to time by the Perries, but there are no
monumonts of them The vicar's eyes fell
upon a plum whitewashed building, pro
vided with rows of ancient and worm
eaten benches, worn block by many gun
orations of worshiers The choir aud the
music sat at the west end In front of
the chuncel was a square space In which
was set a long stool While tho vicar
waited the fugleman marched up the
aisle, followed by the boy In the sheet,
and both sul on this stool of n;entance
Then the vicar no he was a beulgnunt
old mail, with white hair aud began to
read in a full and musical voice how sin
nnrs may reetil and find forgiveness But
the people thought be rrrttit his words to
apply this morning especially and only
to the boy In the sheet This made
them fool surprisingly virtuous and in
cliued to sing praises wtth a glad heart
So. loo. with the lessons one of which
doalt with the fule of a wicked king All
the people looked at the boy In the sheet,
and fell that, under another name. It was
his own story told beforehand prophet
ically, and when they stood up losing In
thanksgiving their gratltinb took the
form of being glud that they were not
upon tho stool When the psalms were
read the people paid unusual attention,
lotting the boy have tho benefit of all the
penitential utlentncss. but taking tho joy
ous verses to themselves And the litany
they regarded as composed, as well as
read, exclusively for this convicted sinner
Among the elder ladles there was hope
that the offended ghosts might some at
least be present in the church and sue
this humiliation, which would not fail to
dispose their ghostliuesses to a benevolent
attitude, and even liifiueiico tho weather
It seemed to the boy as If that service
never would end To the congregation It
seemed, on account of this unusual epi
sode, as If there never had been a service
so short and so exciting
When the commandments had been re
cited. Ralph almost expected to henr an
additional one, "Thou ahult uot pretend
to be a ghost," end to be culled on to pray,
all by himself, for an Inclination of the
heart to keep that Injunction But tho
vicar threw away the opportunity and
ended as usual with the tenth command
ment.
He gave out the psalm and retired to
put on Ins black gown The music con
sistlngof a violin, a violoncello and a
clarionet struck up the tunc, and the
choir, among whom Ralph ought to have
(een, hemmed and cleared their voices. The
Northumbrians, as Is well known, have
good voices and good ears Tho tune was
"Warwick," and the psalm was that which
began.
Lord, In the morning thou shall bear
My voice ascend to thee.
Tho boy trembled because the words
seemed to refer to the part be was about
to play ills own voice would. Immedi
ately, be ascending high, but all by Itself,
fie saw the face of his cousin, Muthew
Humble, fixed upon him with HI concealed
and malignant joy Why did Mathew
hate him with such a bitter hatred? Also
he saw tho face of the girl who hud boon
Ulu ill HfllUH ""." Li'.il.lt. Wtlk, ' til 1 I I Jill U
mill at sight of her gi'iuf bis own eyes be
came hum Id
He did not take any part at all In tho
hymn
When It was finished, tho vicar stood
in his pulpit waiting his worship stood
up hi his pow, his lace turned toward the
culprit, In his hand Iiih grout gold headed
ciuio All the people si iired ut vhs culprit
wit h curious eyes, as boys stare at one of
their companions when hu Ik about to be
(logged Just then the girl loft her seat
and stepped deliberately up the ulslu and
stood besidii the boy In t ho sheet And
the congregation uiiii'imired wonder
The fugleman touched tho boy's shoul
der and brought his pike to 'tuntiou
"Say aftm me. " he said aloud Thon to
the congregation ho added "And ull the
people standing "
"I confess my fault," ho began
"1 confess my fault," repeated hoy and
girl together
"Ami um heartily sorry, and do beg for
giveness "
And then tho Ixird's Prayer
The boy spoke out the words clearly and
boldly, and with his was heard the girl'
voice as well but both were nearly
drowned by the loud voice of the fugle
man It was over then. All sat down; the
girl beside itulph on the stool of repent
ance, and the sermon began.
When the vicar hod drubbed the pulpit
to tho very end of his manuscript, and tho
service was ovor, the three stood up again
aud reuiulued standing till the people wore
all gone
"Come, lass." said the fugloman whan
the church was empty, "we can all go
now Off with that rag. Master Ralph."
Do unbent; his face assumed a human
expression, he laid down the pike.
"What odds, 1 say, Is a white sheetT
Why, think, twas a show for the hula
which thoy haven't had for many a year.
And May nigh gone already, and nover a
man In tho stocks yot, and the pillory rot
ting for want of custom, and never a tblof
flogged, nor a bear baiting If It 'twaaut
for the cocks of a Sunday afternoon and
the wrestling, there would have boon
nothing for the poor follows but yom
ghosts to keep 'em out of mischief And,
lad," he pointed In the direction of tht
mill, "your cousin means more mischief.
It was him thut laid Information before
his worship "
"Ohl" said Ralph, clutching bis fistB.
"Ay. him It was, and ids worahly
thought It mean, but he was bound to
take notice, for why says his worship,
'he can't let this boy frighten all the
tnnlds nut of their silly senses Tet, for
his own cousin uud hisguurdiuu' that's
what his worship suld "
"Oh!' Again Ralph clinched his fists
"Should I. an old soldier, pruned mutiny?
Never , But seeing that your cousin is no
rightful oflicor of yourn. nor yet commis
sinned to carry pike in your company.
why, I, for one
"What, fugleman?"
"1, for one. if t was a well grown boy,
nigh upon 17, the next time he gave
orders for another six dozen, or even three
do.on. I would ask him If he was strung
niintiirh to tin on n mntltiiwr "
1 he boy nodded his heud I
"Cousin thof he be." continued th4
fugleman, "cuptain ur lieutenant Is bJ
not
The boy hud by this time divested him
self of his sheet, and stood dressed In a
long brown coat and plainly cut waistcoat,
he. loo, worn silver buckles to his shoes.
like his cousin, but, not silver buttons,
his hulr was tied with a black riblsm, and
his hut was plain, without luce or orna
ment When his adviser had finished, h
walked slowly down the empty church,
bund In bund with the girl
in tho porch hu stopped, threw his arm
round her neck and kissed her twice.
"No one but you, Drusy," he said,
"would have done It. I'll nover forgot
it, uuvor, as long as I live. Go home to
grauny, my dear, and hove your dinner.''
"And you will go home. too. Ralph?"
"Yes. 1 am going home I've got to
baveatalk with Mathew Uumble."
Left alone In the church, the fugleman
sat down Irreverently ou tho steps of tho
pulpit, and laughed aloud.
"Mathew Humblo." he said, "Is going
to be astonished."
CHAPTER It
THE ASTONISHMENT OK MATHEW tlUMM.E.
Ralph wulked homeward with head
erect, oyos flushing and clinched fists, lie
was thinking what ho should do, how ho
should begin his mutiny: what would he
the Issue of tho fight Whatever tho
result, there would be joy In bringing, if
only for once, bund, fist, or stick Into con
tuct with the face or figure of his cousin.
It was ho, was ,it, who Informed against
him to his worship? It was no other than,
his cousin who had compassed this most
disagreeable of mornings And now,
doubtless, ho wulted, with a great cane,
his arrival at homo, In order to administer
another of those "corrections" of which
ho was to fond. Hitherto, Ralph had sub
mitted quietly! but he had boon grow
Ing; be was within a month of 17; was It
to be endured that he should bo beatea
and flogged like a child of 10, because his
cousin hated him?
When he left tho fields ond turned into
the lane leading down Into tho river, bo
began to look ubout among tho trees and
underwood as if searching for something,
Presently ho espied a long, pliunt aldtfr"
brunch In its second year of growth which
eemed promising He cut it to a length
of about three foet, trimmed of? leaves
and twigs, balanced It crlticully with a.
-Mittttiv. flourish or..t,wo.iii i.'u-.'iij'.
(TO UK CONTINUED.)