CHAPTER LVI.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11713, 13 July 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHAPTER LVI.

Continued. Tliere, almost close to their feet, lay what bad once been Lady Magdalene. There !sy a withering nia^s of blue vefret and hlaek lace, half covered by a veil of gol i*»a hair — not bright now ; its color was dimmed. There, in the torchlight,- they saw the jdeamiDg of the pearls, and the light of the diamond t'wg. With one cry, that seem- i to come from the heart, both m<>n Rl on their knee?, aud thtj prayed the- *a though it had been a sanctuary, i.^-.eadofa living ioir.b— prayed with weeding eyfs and aching hearts ; for sar.-ly there had never been before so tragical a fate as that of t!ie golden-hnircd sister and wife slain so foul'y by jealously and revenge. They did not disturb what lay there. Bat C iptain Archie, raising what had OLce been the fair white hands, drew from ihe finger the diamond ring. 'See, Geralp/ he cried, his vo'ce luaise with emotion, 'this is the ring. 'Them can be no doubt ebont her identnj — my poor, murdered si c »er! God give me patience I God make me btrong to bear I' Th»y never spoke to each other in the « ( Kr years of what happened next — of the passion of grief and tears, of the war euch touchtd the fading hair, as they woul I have touched the relics of a saint, or low Captain Archie gave "hiai.-<>lf up t-7 his e.jrronv and threw himai'lf l>y tde side of. what had once been one of the sweetest, fairest jm!s in Ecj«jf»nd, '-n<l tin re wopt ont fee gr^et Uiafc hail -o !"?■<: rankled in hi* heart — his g'<«', " (l '*-' ''Part.

They looked round on the dark, sleep walls that had witnessed her agony, and then Gerald touched the captain's shoulder. 'Brother/ he said ; 'for the first time in ray life I call you by that name. Do not weep so bitterly for her. I am sure she died praying.' Then they gave the signal to the watcher above, and in a few minutes they were drawn up again. The dawn was breaking in the eastern skies. There was a delicious perfume in the cool air, the breath of a thousand odorous flower*. The birds wero awakening, and just beginning to sing. But George, who had kept watcb, wondered why the two strong men and brave soldiers should stand in the morning light white arid' faint as two delicate women. ; He wondered still more when they bade him keep silent a3 to all he had seen, and follow them to Haddon Hall.