INVANLOG

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21180, 29 October 1938, Page 28 (Supplement)

INVANLOG

At Torquilstone

CHAPTER. 18

Cedric no sooner saw the turret of Front-de-Boeuf’s castle than he instantly realised who their captors were. “I did injustice,” he said, “to the thieves and outlaws of these woods when I supposed such banditti to belong to their bands. Tell me, dogs, is it my life or my wealth that your master aims at? Is it too much that two Saxons, myself and the noble Athelstane, should hold land in the country which was once the patrimony of our race? Tell your tyrannical master, I do only beseech him to dismiss the Lady Rowena in honour and safety. She is a woman, and he need not dread her.” The attendants remained as mute as they had been during the whole journey. They had now entered the castle, and the prisoners were at once conducted to various apartments, the Lady Rowena Being accommodated with a distant chamber of her own, and Cedric and Athelstane having to share one. The same alarming distinction as that shown to Rowena, was copferred on Rebecca, in spite of her entreaties that she might be permitted to abide with her father. But Isaac was forcibly dragged off to a dungean in the basement of the castle. Cedric paced the apartment, filled with indignant reflections on the past and on the present, while Athelstane seemed to have sunk into his usual apathy. Now the door of their prison opened and gave entrance to a sewer —that is, an attendant whose duty it was to set out table, place guests, and so on. He was followed by four other attendants, carrying a table covered with dishes. The persons who attended on the feast were masked and cloaked.