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diff --git a/26410-h/26410-h.htm b/26410-h/26410-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..90e34d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/26410-h/26410-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5426 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Peak's Island, by Ford Paul. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + +body {margin: 5% 15%;} +h1,h2 {text-align: center;} +h2 { margin: 5em 0 3em; } +p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} +hr {} +.pagenum {visibility: hidden; position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: x-small; text-align: right;} +.center {text-align: center;} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} +.poem {margin-left:10%;margin-right:10%;margin-bottom:3em;text-align: left;} +.poem br {display: none;} +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} +.poem span.i0 {display: block;margin-left: 0em;padding-left: 3em;text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i2 {display: block;margin-left: 2em;padding-left: 3em;text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i4 {display: block;margin-left: 4em;padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.subtitle {line-height: 3em;margin:3em 0 0 0;} +.font-large {font-size:large;} +.byline {margin:3em 0 3em;} +.copyright, .publisher {margin:3em 0 0 0;} +.dedication {margin:5em 0 0 0; line-height:3em;} +.ralign {position:absolute;right:20em;} + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Peak's Island, by Ford Paul + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Peak's Island + A Romance of Buccaneer Days + +Author: Ford Paul + +Release Date: August 23, 2008 [EBook #26410] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PEAK'S ISLAND *** + + + + +Produced by Robert Cicconetti, V. L. Simpson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1><span class="smcap">Peak's Island</span></h1> + +<div class='subtitle font-large center'>A ROMANCE<br /> +OF<br /> +BUCCANEER DAYS</div> + +<div class="byline center font-large"> +BY<br /> +FORD PAUL +</div> + +<div class="center copyright">PORTLAND, MAINE<br /> +PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR<br /> +1892</div> + +<div class="center publisher">PRESS OF BROWN THURSTON CO., PORTLAND</div> + +<div class="dedication center">DEDICATED TO<br /> +Cora Caroline Clifford<br /> +AS A SMALL TRIBUTE OF GREAT LOVE<br /> +BY THE AUTHOR + +<p class="ralign">FORD PAUL</p> +</div> + +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Roll on thou deep and dark blue ocean roll;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">. . . . . . Upon the watery plain.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A shadow of man's ravage, save his own,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When for a moment like a drop of rain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">September</span> 27, 1607.</p> + +<p>Dead bodies everywhere. The ocean, lashed +to fury by the gale of yesterday, came +booming and hissing upon the beach in +great breakers white with foam; each billow +as it dashed upon the jagged and broken rocks +bore in its terrible embrace still more human victims, +or some portion of the two unlucky ships that +were fast breaking up. One wedged in between +two rocks with just sufficient play to allow of its +heaving from side to side, with every wave that +struck it. The other and much larger vessel, the +Queen Elizabeth, a fine British ship, which had +sailed from England freighted with a cargo of general +merchandise for the colony of Virginia, went +crashing up against the cruel stone teeth of the +cliff which overhung and projected into the angry +sea; dismasted, her bulwarks and rigging torn away +she floated out into deeper water only to be driven +back again upon the rocks, by the violence of the +wind and the rapidly incoming tide.</p> + +<p>Another crash and another, the forecastle carried +away, the decks opening, bales, chests, cordage, +stores of all sorts tossed high up on the +shore, more dead bodies—chiefly of men, for they +had some time before given up to the few women +and children the now capsized and shattered boats. +All along the shore, as far as eye could see, the +beach was composed of a heterogeneous mass of +enormous fragments of rock thrown together and +piled up on each other, leaving here and there in +their midst a separate pool of sea water; in some +of these pools was a dead body or two, but by far +the greater number were lying in every imaginable, +distorted position among the huge, irregular blocks +of stone. Many, who had been washed in sufficiently +far to escape drowning, were killed by the +force with which they were dashed on shore: there, +with broken bones and gnashed and blood-stained +bodies, they slept in death, like men who had fallen +in some great battle. It was noon, but not a +ray of sunlight glinted across the ghastly scene. +Every sound was lost in the terrific roar of the +great, heaving hills of water, which rolled in continuously; +huge masses of wet gray cloud hung +over all, obscuring or transforming every visible object. +Far up among the shingle lay one human +form which still bore signs of life. It was that of +a young lady, attired in deep mourning, a stream +of blood trickled down the pale face, and from time +to time one hand moved convulsively toward a +deep cut in her head as if to assuage the pain; presently +in half-consciousness she whispered "Do not +tell my mother I am hurt, it would grieve her. +She has had too much sorrow already."</p> + +<p>The beloved mother, and all others who had made +life precious to the speaker, had three years previously +been tenderly laid to rest in their quiet +graves thousands of miles away; but at this moment +the mind had only half awakened. A few +minutes later her brain was clear and active, and +the truth flashed upon her in all its force. The +recollection of her bereavement and the fact of her +being utterly alone in life, were the first thoughts +that came and the thoughts which dominated. And +so it is that all who are called upon to endure a +great sorrow, acutely realize that sorrow again and +again with each return of the mind to the consciousness +of human existence, whether it be after +the delerium of fever, the stunning from an accident, +or the awaking each morning to daily life. +With the awaking to our senses assuredly comes +the old heartache; nay, before we awake it is there, +and before we are conscious of aught else we are +conscious of the grief which weighs heaviest on +our soul. Thus it was with Anna Vyvyan: the +awaking to life brought with it the pain in all its +intensity, although she lay there on the cold +stones, her clothing drenched through and through, +bareheaded, her hair matted together with the sea +water, bruised and cut and faint from exhaustion, +still the present physical suffering seemed by comparison +nothing to her. Everything was buried in +the sorrow of the past, the sorrow that she had +lived through, but had not left behind.</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The stately homes of England<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How beautiful they stand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Amidst their tall ancestral trees,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">O'er all the pleasant land!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The deer across their greensward bound<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Through shade and sunny gleam,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the swan glides past them with the sound<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of some rejoicing stream.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The merry homes of England—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Around their hearths by night,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">What gladsome looks of household love<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Meet in the ruddy light!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There women's voice flows forth in song<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Or childhood's tale is told<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Or lips move tunefully along<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Some glorious page of old.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The blessed homes of England,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How softly on their bowers,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is laid the holy quietness<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That breathes from Sabbath hours<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Solemn, yet sweet, the church bell's chime<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Floats through their woods at morn,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">All other sounds at that still time<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of breeze and leaf are born.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>Miss Vivyan was the daughter of an +officer of high rank in the navy of Queen +Elizabeth, who lost his life in the royal +service while his little girl Anna was still +very young. His valor had gained for him many +medals and yet more substantial honors in the form of +valuable grants of land from Her Majesty. This +property, added to the family inheritance of Anna's +mother, who was a lady of old and noble race, left +both the widow and her child in very affluent circumstances. +The young widow, handsome and +possessed of brilliant talents, attracted many suitors +for her hand; but her heart lay far down beneath the +sea with her dead husband, and she resolved to devote +her love and her life to the care of her child. +She accordingly retired to an old manor house on +the borders of Wales, which had descended to her +through many generations. The great stone halls +and corridors, the long, low rooms and the little diamond-shaped +window panes, admitting so small an +amount of light, might have given to some minds a +feeling of gloom; but both mother and daughter had +their occupations, the one in giving, the other in receiving, +an education, beside the care of all the sick +and poor peasants of the neighborhood. Indeed +they were so happy in their affection for each other +and found so much to do, that they had neither the +time nor the inclination to cultivate morbid or +gloomy thoughts, which would, they felt, make their +companionship an infliction on every one whom +they approached, and unfit them for the duties of +their position. So life went on calmly and happily +with them.</p> + +<p>A faithful steward attended to the estates and a +good old housekeeper managed the servants, always +keeping order, discipline and peace in the establishment. +Twice a year they were allowed to have +a dance in the servants' hall, one at Christmas and +the other on Anna's birthday, on which occasions +they invited the sons and daughters of the neighboring +farmers, and the tradespeople who supplied +the manor house. The village shoemaker, the +tailor, and the blacksmith were the musicians, and +to the strains of two violins and a clarionet, they +merrily danced through the livelong night, such +good old figures as Sir Roger de Coverly, Speed +the Plough, and the Cushion dance, till the rising +sun streamed in at the windows and warned them +that it was time to blow out the candles, take off +their holiday garb, and assume their daily work. +As for the mistress of the mansion, she found her +pleasures in the duties of her position and the rich +companionship of a well stocked library. She had +no neighbors of her own rank within several miles +distance, no one to visit or to be visited by, with +the exception of the old bachelor clergyman of the +parish, whose formal calls took place at stated intervals, +unless some sudden case of want among +the poor caused him to ask her aid, for he knew +very well that her heart and hand went forth on +every occasion of distress. Hers it was to soothe +and cheer and comfort and help, and many a thorny +path was made smooth and many a heavy burden +lifted by her brave and generous spirit and the pleasant, +cheerful way she had of doing such things. In +the presence of others she made a duty of cultivating +cheerfulness of manner. Not that she ever +for a moment forgot the recollection of her love +and her loss; but she considered her sorrows too +sacred for a subject of conversation on one hand, +and on the other, that her grief was her own, and +that she had no right to intrude it upon others, or +to weigh down and sadden their lives by what was +sent for her to bear. Hence her presence was +always welcome to the peasants, who regarded her +with reverence and affection, as she passed, accompanied +by her little daughter, from cottage to cottage +leaving some dainty for the sick, or an article +of clothing for the needy.</p> + +<p>Years went by and Anna had left babyhood far +behind her and was now a girl of fifteen. Her +mother at this period, decided that it was time to +call in the aid of masters to assist in her daughter's +education. Accordingly, such were summoned +from a distant town. There was a master for the +minuette and the gavotte, a master for the harpsichord, +a master for the French and Italian languages, +and so on. The days and hours were all +laid out systematically, giving an abundance of +time for physical training and out-door life, but +with the exception of the masters for music and +dancing (more especially the former) none of these +instructors made much impression upon the girl's +mind. Her heart and soul were given to music. +While she was in the house her time was spent +between the old church organ that stood in the +hall, and the harpsichord which adorned the long, +oak-panelled drawing-room. When out of doors +she was forever listening to the music of nature, +the wind through the trees, the dash of the water-fall, +the rippling of the brook, all had their charm +and fascination, for nature never played out of +tune. She would try to make out what key these +sounds were in, whether they varied at different +seasons, or if change in the weather made them +alter,</p> + +<p class="center">Music was her passion, her love, her life.</p> + +<p>Just at that time, two new inmates were added +to the manor house family. Young Cecil Vyvyan, +a cousin of Anna's, who was of the same age as +herself, and his tutor, Dr. Strickland, a grave, middle-aged +Scotch doctor of philosophy. The boy's +parents were in India, which caused the widow to +suggest to them that he should, for a few years, +make his home with her, in order that she might +watch over his health, which was exceedingly delicate.</p> + +<p>It was in the twilight of a day late in the autumn +that Anna waited in the large old-fashioned +library to make the first acquaintance of her +cousin. In the broad stone fireplace, logs of beech +and chestnut were piled up on the hearth, across +brass dogs, where they blazed, and glowed, and +lighted up the comfortable looking room, with its +dark, massive, carved oak furniture, its painted +glass windows, its rich but faded velvet draperies, +interspersed here and there with a piece of old tapestry, +the needlework of the ladies of former generations. +A few family portraits, and well-filled +bookcases of vellum-bound octavos, quartos and +folios. As the butler threw open the door of the +room and announced Master Cecil Vyvyan, Anna +went forward to greet the latter, and almost gave a +start of surprise at seeing the real cousin differ so +much from the ideal one which she had pictured to +herself; for she expected to find Cecil of the same +type as the English boys that she had always seen. +She thought he would be large of his age, with a +fresh rosy complexion, bright eyes, an open countenance, +crowned with masses of rich, curling +locks. Strong and healthy, overflowing with buoyant +spirits, agile and ready for active service either +of work or play. Instead of which there stood before +her one of small stature and thin, diminutive +figure, with a pale, weary-looking face and tired +eyes, which apparently did not observe any of the +objects by which he was surrounded, but concentrated +their gaze upon the young girl only, with +whom he stood face to face, carefully regarding her +with that scrutiny which we are all wont to use +when we first make the acquaintance of a new relative.</p> + +<p>Anna gave him her hand and welcomed him +with a few kind words. As the boy and girl stood +there, no two cousins could have appeared more +externally unlike, and yet never were two more +alike in their highest tastes and deepest feelings. +But an ordinary looker-on would only see the boy +so small, and quiet, and weary, and the girl so tall, +and active, and healthy, abounding in lively spirits, +in the full enjoyment of her young life, with the +mother she adored, thinking nothing could be more +beautiful than her picturesque old home and its +surroundings of hill and valley, and woodland, and +broad green meadows, and turning over in her +mind how she would show Cecil all the favorite +haunts. The lily pond in the park, the finest view +of the Welsh mountains, and the right place for a +good gallop—then the ponies, and the dogs, and +the fish pools.</p> + +<p>"You must be tired from so long a journey, +Cousin Cecil," said she, "let me bring this armchair; +it is the most restful one in the whole house. +It has a pedigree, too, the same as you and I have. +It belonged to our great-grandfather, Sir Vyell +Vyvyan, and was made more than a hundred years +ago from one of the oaks which grew in the north +grove in the park," so saying she laid one hand on +the back of a huge, cumbersome piece of furniture, +and rolled it across the room up in front of the +glowing logs.</p> + +<p>It was now Cecil's turn to be amazed, how could +she move that great, clumsy thing, he pondered to +himself, I could not. With a gentle thank you, +and bowing gracefully to her, he sank into their +great-grandfather's chair, and was almost lost sight +of among the ample velvet cushions.</p> + +<p>Anna who had seated herself on one side of the +fireplace, was watching the pale face, and the +weary eyes that were looking dreamily at the fantastic +shapes which from time to time the glowing +embers assumed. Presently a slight, convulsive +shudder passed through the boy's frame and a quiet +little sigh escaped him.</p> + +<p>He is sad, thought Anna, perhaps he is thinking +of his home in Calcutta, poor fellow, I must do +something to amuse him. At the same instant, +what she considered a very happy thought suggested +itself.</p> + +<p>"I am so glad you came, Cousin Cecil," said she +"they say you will soon get well and strong here. +I have a little terrier that catches rats, you shall +take him out in the morning, if you like, and the +gardener's boy will show you where you can kill +plenty."</p> + +<p>"I don't kill rats," he replied, still keeping his +eyes fixed upon the burning logs and striving to +follow the outlines of a fairy island with palms and +tropical plants and ferns as tall as forest trees, +which, in his imagination, he saw there.</p> + +<p>"Do you go with your terrier to kill rats?" he +inquired, with the slightest tone of sarcasm in his +voice.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," replied the girl, "but I thought you +would like to. Most boys are amused by it, they +call it sport, and you know the rats must be killed +or we should have them running behind the wainscot +of all the rooms in the house, and the gamekeeper +would not be able to rear the young pheasants, +and we should have no chickens nor pigeons, +nor anything of the kind."</p> + +<p>"Why, Cousin Anna," said the boy, "have you +a Scotch governess, and does she make you give a +reason for every thing, and give you her reason in +return? That's what Dr. Strickland does with me. +It tires me dreadfully, and I don't see what use it +is, for I always know things without reasoning +about them; they come to me of themselves."</p> + +<p>Anna, in her eagerness to show kindness to the +guest of the house, and to divert what seemed to +her his sad thoughts, did not stop to make any +reply, but rose and hastily crossed over to one of +the bookcases, bringing back in her arms a large +folio, full of colored illustrations of field sports.</p> + +<p>"Now, Cousin Cecil," said she, drawing up a +chair close by the side of his, and laying the folio +open upon her lap, "this will please you I am sure; +this is not about rats, but thorough-bred horses +and dogs, stag-hounds and fox-hounds. Did you +ever hear that our grandfather kept a pack of fox-hounds +here, that is a hundred dogs you know. I +will take you to the kennels and the huntman's +lodge some day soon."</p> + +<p>Cecil did not know that a hundred dogs made a +pack, for he had passed all his life in India, until a +few months previous to his coming to the manor +house.</p> + +<p>"Look at this picture of coursing, here is another +of hawking, and now see these otter hounds."</p> + +<p>"The landscape is beautiful," said the boy. "I +like the soft gray light on those distant hills in the +background, but I do not care about pictures of +horses and dogs; please take them away. I like +to see the animals moving in the fields, but I think +all this kind of sport is very cruel."</p> + +<p>This was said in an extremely gentle way, and at +the same time with an inflection of the voice which +made a deep impression upon his listener. I wonder +what I can do to amuse him, thought Anna; I +don't suppose he would care to look at my last +piece of embroidery, or hear how many sonatas I +can play; I am afraid he is sorry he came here, +perhaps he was thinking of the Himalaya mountains, +when he said he liked those hills in the +picture. Most boys like out-door amusements, she +again thought to herself, and acting upon the idea +of the moment.</p> + +<p>"Cecil," said she, "we have two capital ponies, +we will go out in the forenoon to-morrow if you +like, for we are to have a holiday from our studies +all day, in honor of your coming here."</p> + +<p>Again a gentle "thank you" from Cecil, his tired +eyes still seeking air castles among the red and +gray embers of the fire. After some minutes +silence, he turned to look at the tall old clock in the +corner, which, in addition to the hours and minutes +depicted upon its face, was adorned with supposed +likenesses of the sun and moon and other heavenly +bodies, beside the terrestrial globe which represented +Jerusalem as being situated in the very +center of the earth's surface.</p> + +<p>The same old clock, which had stood in the same +corner of the library long enough to mark the +hours of the births and marriages, the meetings +and partings, and death, of several generations of +the Vyvyans, now chimed in slow, subdued tones, +through which ran the echo of a wail, like the +voice of a human being, who has seen much and +suffered much.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Strickland will expect me to return to him +now, Cousin Anna, so I must say 'good evening.'"</p> + +<p>"Before you go, Cecil, tell me at what time you +will be ready to ride with me to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"I must ask my tutor," he replied.</p> + +<p>"Very well, you can let me know at breakfast +time. I suppose you can find your way to your +part of the house, follow straight along the corridor +till you come to the south wing at the end. Your +study and all the other rooms for you and Dr. +Strickland are there. Good night."</p> + +<p>The next day the ponies were brought round to +the hall door immediately after luncheon, and the +boy and girl were mounted. Cecil, whose chief +mode of locomotion had hitherto been in a palanquin, +did not by any means enjoy his present situation; +but as he made no remark, his cousin supposed +he was as pleased and jubilant at having an opportunity +of seeing the beautiful surroundings of the +place as she was showing them. They rode through +the park, down the long avenue of oaks and beeches, +and out by the keeper's lodge to the lake, and then +away over the hill among the scattered cottages +of the peasants, who touched their hats or curtsied +as the cousins rode by. Anna always returning +their salutations with some pleasant word +or nod, or an inquiry after their welfare. At last +they turned their ponies homeward. The boy all +the while silent; the girl chattering and explaining +and repeating anecdotes which had been told to +her, and laughing merrily at the ludicrous passages +in them. As they were again entering the park, +the boy's riding whip slipped out of his hand and +fell to the ground. Looking at his cousin with a +grave expression of face, he said,</p> + +<p>"I have dropped my whip, what shall I do?"</p> + +<p>"Dismount and pick it up," replied Anna.</p> + +<p>"But I cannot," he replied, "I am afraid I could +not mount again without the groom to help me."</p> + +<p>"Very well, then I will get it," so down she +sprang, passed up the whip to Cecil, and bounding +into her saddle again was off at a canter before +the boy could say a word.</p> + +<p>"Come along, Cecil," she cried, looking back, +"come along, this is the finest stretch of ground +in the country for a race."</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">No—that hallowed form is ne'er forgot<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Which first love traced;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Still it lingering haunts the greenest spot<br /></span> +<span class="i2">On memory's waste.<br /></span> +<span class="i2">'Twas odor fled<br /></span> +<span class="i2">As soon as shed:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'Twas morning's wingèd dream;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'Twas a light that ne'er can shine again<br /></span> +<span class="i0">On life's dull stream:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oh! 'twas light that ne'er can shine again<br /></span> +<span class="i0">On life's dull stream.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>Dr. Strickland and his pupil had been fairly +ensconced, and for some time past settled +in the pretty, sunny rooms in the south +wing of the manor house. All the windows +of the lower suite opened to the ground, and +overlooked and led into a Dutch flower garden, +which, in accordance with its name, was laid out +in formal walks with high box borders on each side, +and stiffly-shaped flower beds of poppies, and tulips, +and marigolds, and clusters of monkshood, and +the tall white lilies of France, edged round with +thyme and sweet basil. In the soft green turf, +were planted evergreen trees, which were cut and +clipped into fantastic shapes of peacocks, and pyramids, +and cubes, and swans, and other devices. +Here and there were clumps of holly and yew, +from the midst of which some fawn or dryad, +some Hebe or Flora, in Italian marble, had long +kept watch. Then there were the old cedars of +Lebanon, with seats encircling their great trunks, +the ends of their long branches lying on the grass, +offering beneath them, rest and shade at any hour +of the day. The western side of the garden terminated +in what was known as Lady Dorothy's +walk. A straight, long, gravel walk, bordered on +either side by a few feet of soft turf, and an avenue +of yew trees two centuries old. The small +closely-growing foliage of these trees was so dense +that it formed a perpetual green wall, effectually +shutting out all the world, with the exception of +the sun at noonday, and the stars and moon at +night. At the head of the walk was a sundial, +and at the further end a fountain. Not a great, +noisy, conspicuous construction, suggestive of the +rush and turmoil of life, drowning in its splash all +the sweet sounds of bird and bee, and the marvelous +music of nature, but a pure, gentle, dainty +little fountain, the sound of whose crystal drops, so +full of soothing and tenderness, fell upon the ear +like the voice of the one we love. Near the fountain +was a rustic seat from which one might look +across the park with its forest trees, its green undulations, +and its lake, and still further away westward +to the purple Welsh mountains. In every +way this was a beautiful garden, a place to dream +of, and live, and love, and die in.</p> + +<p>Springtime had come, and Cecil and his tutor +were sitting in their study, looking out at the linnets +flitting about the garden, and at the primroses +and blue violets which grew in front of the +windows. The lessons of the day were over, and +the Doctor was pursuing his favorite amusement, +namely, drawing mathematical deductions, and +coming to logical conclusions upon all matters. +Although he was a ripe scholar, he would frequently +forget himself, and break out in his strong Scotch +accent; but that signified nothing, as Cecil perfectly +understood his speech, and the family all liked him, +for they knew he was a good man and greatly interested +in the well-doing of his pupil.</p> + +<p>"Ye had a lang walk wi' your cousin this morning," +said the Doctor. "I hope ye understand her +better than ye did."</p> + +<p>"I am not sure that I do," answered Cecil. "I +don't see why she moves so quickly and is always +well; I don't like people who are always well, they +cannot feel for others."</p> + +<p>"Ye should no say that, Cecil, when ye look at +your aunt; she's no invalid, but she gi'es up her life +for the sak' o' others. Did ye ken that these verra +rooms are the anes she likes most, the anes she +lived in till we came, and she gave them up that +ye might enjoy the best she had to offer?"</p> + +<p>"O yes, I know that," said Cecil. "My aunt is +very kind, but I was not thinking of her when I +spoke, I was thinking of Cousin Anna; she runs +so fast and when she is not singing, she is laughing, +and I don't believe she has any nerves, for the +other day my pony got a stone in his shoe, and she +was off hers in a moment, seized my pony's fetlock +and snatching up something in the road, knocked +out the stone and mounted in less time than I have +taken to tell you. Now none of the young ladies +in India would take a pony's fetlock in their hand, +so I think Cousin Anna cannot possess nerves."</p> + +<p>"In one respect ye are right," said the Doctor, +"Such a young leddie as ony o' those we used to +see in India, would ride on and leave ye, and when +she got home, she would tell one of the servants +to tell some one of the other servants to see aboot +it, and when they had passed the order through +half a dozen, in the course of a few hours perhaps +one of them would be with you, and, in the meantime, +she would be lying on the sofa, with Shastri +standing by, fanning her out of her nervous shock."</p> + +<p>"But think of the first day I rode with my +cousin, she surprised me so when she picked up +my whip, I thought then she had no nerves."</p> + +<p>"Admitting such a statement to be true," replied +the Doctor, "which we are by nae means +sure of, for the truth has no been logically proved, +I say, admitting that it be true, is it no' a gude +thing for ye that your cousin has nae nerrves, if ye +are to gang aboot drapping things that ye dar' na +pick up again. In the sense that ye appear to desire +your cousin to hae nerrves, I dinna ken mysel' what +use they wad be to a young leddie wi' a speerit such +as she has. I wad no' wish to see a lassie o' her +years hae nerrves; na, na, she wad no hae ony use +for them; Providence kens what is guide for us a', +and will send her the nerrves when she is fit to +manage them."</p> + +<p>"Still I don't see," said Cecil, "why she is not +frightened sometimes. Perhaps she may be, but +if so she will never say so; I don't think a girl +ought to be so fearless."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps ye dinna ken that young leddies o' +her rank in England are all educated in that way. +The English hae this proverb amang them. 'A well-born +woman is ever brave.' Your cousin inherits +her courage a long way back, she is no mongrel +born; I wish ye to see for yourself, Cecil, that it is +a gude thing to be brave. There are mony ways +o' showing it beside being a soldier or a sailor." +And then the Doctor dropped his Scotch accent +and spoke slowly, "We ought to be brave enough +to do our duty to others," said he. "And now I +will give you six reasons for being brave for the +sake of those we love. Firstly, brave that we may +inspire them, with courage when their hearts are +weary. Secondly, brave that we may be patient +and gentle when their nerves demand rest. Thirdly +brave that we may be kind and diligent and +loving when they are sick. Fourthly, brave that +we may not be morbid and gloomy and thus depress +them. Fifthly, brave that we may be faithful +and true in all things. Sixthly, brave that we +may endure without murmuring to the end."</p> + +<p>Long after the Doctor had left the room, Cecil +was still there, leaning his head against the side of +the window and thinking over this conversation. +He possessed a generous disposition, and could not +bear the idea of having misjudged his cousin. But +he was of a sensitive temperament and not having +a robust constitution, the girl's gaiety of spirit and +great vital energy fatigued him. The cousins continued +their amusements and their studies steadily +together for the next two years, and although +Cecil still called Anna as wild as a hawk, yet he +never got into any serious difficulty, but he +applied to her to help him out of it, whether it was +in solving a problem or otherwise; carrying out +Dr. Strickland's teaching he appeared to feel that +his strength lay with her and she in her turn was +rejoiced to help him.</p> + +<p>There are natures which seem made to help +others, they find their greatest happiness in it; and +so it was with Anna, the more he needed her help +the more she delighted in giving it. Cecil's health +was greatly improved by the climate of England, +and with stronger health came stronger nerves. +He now no longer thought his cousin without them, +but he thought she knew how to control them; in +fact, they had grown to love each other with that +certain kind of cousinly affection which one often +sees, and which is very true and lifelong, but has +not the rapture, the intensity, nor the anguish, +which belong to really falling in love.</p> + +<p>It was a day in sweet summer time, all roses +and beauty, when the young people met as usual +in Lady Dorothy's walk; it was their favorite place, +and here they would ramble up and down, and sit +by the fountain, and talk, and paint, and read for +hours together; and the next day it was the same +thing, and the next, and the next, for they never +grew tired of the place, or of each other. They +were now pacing the long walk, and although they +were past the age of eighteen, they still continued +their studies, but were permitted to select them.</p> + +<p>"What a pleasant thing it is, Cecil, to follow out +one's own life and study what we wish," said +Anna. "I am so glad to be free, no more construing +sentences, no more conjugating verbs, no +more solving problems; I always hated all of that +dry stuff."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do, then," inquired +Cecil.</p> + +<p>"Firstly, I shall spend more time with my +mother, more time in the study of my music, and +read all the poetry I wish to, and ride on horseback, +and dance, and, of course, help my mother +more in taking care of the peasantry."</p> + +<p>"Now, Cecil, what shall you do?"</p> + +<p>"Firstly, I think I shall paint, and rove about +among this beautiful scenery," he replied. "I +shall paint until I feel sure that I shall take the +first prize in the grand exhibition; I will not exhibit +one stroke of my brush until then."</p> + +<p>"Well done, Cecil," said Anna, "that is the +spirit I like."</p> + +<p>For she knew as she looked at him, that he +possessed a wealth which no money can buy, a +soul full of poetry, a mind full of genius, the elements +of true greatness in any art, and the only +wealth that she valued.</p> + +<p>And Cecil went on with his painting, and progressed, +and brought more depth of tone and +beauty into his pictures with every fresh attempt, +till the canvas seemed to live under his hand, and +his poetic soul and gentle nature spoke through +his art. When any difficulty presented itself, he +would always seek Anna and have her near +him, not that she was an artist, but from some +cause he could paint his best when she was by; +indeed they were together the greater part of the +time, for if they began the day in their different +parts of the house, by some chance they either +found each other in the library, or Lady Dorothy's +walk, long before noon. They drifted to the same +place, they scarcely knew how, but they began to +know that the presence of each one to the other, +was equally essential to their happiness. Cecil +was a poet, not a writer of rhymes or jingles, but +as we have said a true poet in his soul. Anna felt +this in all her intercourse with him and heard it in +the tones of his voice when he spoke, a voice that +had a ring in it, a resonance, and that exquisite +power of modulation which says more than the +words themselves. And so time went swiftly and +sweetly by with their walks and rides, and occupations, +until they were twenty years old. Anna +happy in the possession of Cecil's love, with life as +she wished it, pure, joyous life, with music and +beauty everywhere. A song ever on her lips, the +happiest, merriest maiden in all "Merrie England."</p> + +<p>Cecil in his gentle way, deriving extreme pleasure +from the study and exercise of his art, and +Anna's companionship. For the cousinly affection +of two years ago, had in both of them merged +into deep intense love, which ended only with +their lives.</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And those were sudden partings such as press<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The life from out young hearts.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">O who wad wear a silken gown<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Wi' a poor broken heart,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And what 's to me a siller crown<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If from my love I part.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Alone, alone, all, all alone,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Alone on a wide, wide sea!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And never a saint took pity on<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My soul in agony.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>It was springtime again, and the snowdrops +were nodding their dainty, little white +heads, and the linnets were again building +their nests in the sweet old garden, when +Anna's mother summoned her from Cecil's side in +Lady Dorothy's walk, to the oak-paneled drawing-room.</p> + +<p>"My daughter," she began, "I regret that I must +interrupt your present happiness, but circumstances +compel me to separate you and Cecil for the +present. It is time that you were presented at court, +and it is time that you passed a season in London. +We have hitherto lead so secluded a life that your +name is not known beyond the limits of our county, +and I feel I am not doing my duty by you."</p> + +<p>"But we are all very happy, mother," said Anna. +"Why need we be more known?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my daughter, we are happy now but +changes must come to all sometime. I may be +called away from you."</p> + +<p>"O my dearest mother do not say that, I cannot, +I dare not think of what life would be without you; +you know I will do anything you wish, or give up +everything else in life, but I cannot give you up; it +would break my heart, I should die," cried Anna.</p> + +<p>"Broken hearts don't die, my daughter, would to +God that they did; few, very few die of broken +hearts, but many live with them. I have carefully +considered what is my duty toward you, and my +reason and affection coincide; now listen, in case I +am called away by death, there is Cecil to whose +care and protection I could resign you, for I knew +you loved each other long before you knew it yourselves; +I am happy that it is so, but if Cecil were +taken away also, there would be no very near relatives +to care for you, for the nearest members of +your father's family are in India, and mine in the +colony of Virginia, and as you will inherit the +landed estates of your late grandfather as well as +mine, it would be better that you should make +trustworthy friends before I leave you, I see this +pains you, dear daughter, I shall say no more on +this subject. In three days we shall set out for +London as the season has already begun, and we +shall require some time to get our court dresses +made."</p> + +<p>The last evening at the manor house was passed +by Anna and Cecil under the light of the stars, in +Lady Dorothy's walk. The next morning saw the +large, old yellow family coach at the door, drawn by +four strong, heavy horses, a coachman and groom +on the box, a maid and a butler in the rumble, and +the widow and her daughter inside. Cecil who was +standing by one of the coach windows looking very +pale and thoughtful, tried to put on a smile as he +said,</p> + +<p>"We are to look for you both back again in the +early autumn, you said, aunt."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Cecil, as soon as the first brown leaves +fall."</p> + +<p>The young people looked good by to each other, +but said not a word, and the heavy old coach +moved away. In three days more the travelers +were in London, and in due course Anna was presented +at court by her mother, who had herself been +presented on the occasion of her marriage. Then +came calls and cards and invitations to balls and +routs and state dinners, and the poor tired mother +went through all these ceremonies as a duty +toward her daughter, and the daughter endured it +because she loved her mother, and desired to obey +her wish. It was necessary that a young heiress +of her rank should be dressed in accordance with +the fashion of the day, but the young heiress +longed to be released from the thraldom of fashion, +the fatiguing, heavy brocade dresses, the hoops, the +stiff ruff and the stomacher, the farthingale and high +heeled shoes, and a thousand times more than all, +did she desire to be released from the artificial and +to her unsatisfactory life, from the flattery, the +coquetry, the idle, envious tattle, and to be back +again with Cecil, in her simple, healthy attire, and +to live among honest hearts.</p> + +<p>The autumn came, and the dry brown leaves +began to fall from the trees. Day after day, Cecil +opened the harpsichord, and laid a bouquet of the +rich deep-hued flowers of the season upon it, and +then he took his place by the fountain, and watched +the winding road through the park, so that he +might get the first sight of the coach when it returned. +The autumn leaves continued to fall, and +Cecil kept his daily vigil until they were lying +deep on the ground, and the branches overhead +were bare. Then came a letter saying that Cecil's +aunt was ordered by her doctor to pass the winter +in Italy, in the hope of curing a cough, which had +of late settled upon her, so that it would be spring +before the ladies could return to the manor house, +hence they traveled to Italy and spent the winter +among its masterpieces of genius, both in music +and art. The soft air seemed all that was wanted +to restore Anna's mother to health. Every day, +they found something beautiful that they desired +Cecil to see, but it was too late now to send for +him, for spring was near. With the spring, came +back the cough, and again the medical order was +change of climate. This time, a sojourn of some +months in Norway was prescribed for Mrs. Vyvyan, +bracing air, and much out-door life in the pine +woods. After many weeks of slow journeying, the +ladies with two of their servants reached Norway, +and took up their abode in an old chateau, in the +midst of a pine forest so-called, but a forest really +composed of many varieties of fir and spruce, as +well as pine. The combined aroma of these woods +made the air fragrant for many acres around the +chateau, and for a time, it appeared to have the +most beneficial effect upon the invalid. But one +quiet eve, when the summer days had waned, and +the faded leaves of another autumn fell, a pang of +anguish shot through Anna's heart. The dearly +loved mother was called away.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A short time only had elapsed since that event, +and the servants were packing, and making preparations +for the return to the manor house, when a +mounted courier arrived at the chateau, with a +large package of papers addressed in Dr. Strickland's +handwriting. Very long, and full of feeling, +and minute in every detail, was the letter the good +man had written, if letter so long a dispatch might +be called. He told of Cecil's conversations, of his +watchings from beside the fountain; how every +day he picked flowers, and put them on the harpsichord, +saying this is the place she loves best; and +how he faded and wasted day by day, yet struggled +so bravely against the hand of death, that he +might finish his last and best picture for Anna; +and how on the last day of his life, he had laid his +flowers on the harpsichord as usual, and then desired +to be carried to the library and lifted into their +great-grandfather's chair to die,—the chair that +Anna had placed for him the first time they met.</p> + +<p>When Anna had finished reading the final words +of Dr. Strickland's letter, she rose and moved +quietly into the recess of one of the large, heavily +mullioned windows, and looked down a long vista +into the forest, to the tall dark pines under which +was her mother's grave. Every vestige of color +had left both cheek and lip, and she stood in the +great somber room, as cold and white and as still as +the statues which adorned its walls. The extremes +of grief and joy have no speech; she had none. +No cry of lamentation went forth; no tears of +relief fell from her eyes; she knew her life was +ended, but she also knew that she could not die. +Three words only escaped her lips. "O God, +alone."</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Has hope like the bird in the story,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That flitted from tree to tree<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With the talisman's glittering glory<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Has hope been that bird to thee?<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">On branch after branch alighting,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The gem did she still display,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And when nearest and most inviting,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then waft the fair gem away?<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>Among the papers of the late mistress of +the manor house, were found two letters +which from their dates showed that they +had been written during her stay in Italy. +One was addressed to Sir Thomas Richardson, +Lord Chief Justice of England, the other to her +daughter. She appeared to have had a foreshadowing +of her death, and directed Anna, in case of +such an event, to have Sir Thomas' letter delivered +to him immediately, and to abide by whatever +decision he might come to. Anna had never seen +Sir Thomas, but she knew that he was in some way +related to her on her mother's side of the family, +and that he was an old gentleman, who lived among +his books, in an old-fashioned country house in +one of the midland counties of England, with no +one but his servants about him. And when the +decision came, which informed Miss Vyvyan that +she too was to live there, as his ward, she was +thankful, for the tie of kindred was strong in her +nature, and she thought to herself, there is still a +link, that connects with the memory of my loved +mother. Besides he is old and alone, perhaps I +may be able to do something to make his life less +lonely. But what could she do, she asked herself, +for to her all seemed vague and undefined.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the quiet old home of Sir Thomas, +with its smooth green lawn and flat meadows +around and in front of the house, she was shown +into the presence of a tall, stately, white-haired, +old gentleman to whom nature had indeed been +gracious, for he was extremely handsome, and of +courtly manners. He greeted her kindly but with +much dignity, and addressed her throughout the +conversation as Miss Vyvyan. A shudder swept +through her frame each time she heard herself so +called, by the only one left who had the right to +address her by her own familiar name of Anna, +which she had hoped he would do. But although +desiring to be in every way kind to his ward, his +ideas of dignity and courtesy were fixed, and to +him she was always Miss Vyvyan. Thus without +a thought of causing her pain, he ever brought +before her the deepest sense of her bereavement +and her isolation. Life in Sir Thomas' home was +very different from life at the manor house, both +in doors and out. The old gentleman passed most +of his time in his library, and Anna rarely saw him +until evening, when he would sometimes instruct +her in playing chess. When she went outside +of the house, all seemed strange and dull and +dreary, plain grass lawns all around, not a flower +bed to be seen, no long garden walk, no fountain, +no hills to ramble over, no purple mountains in +the distance, but a flat level country on all sides. +And when she came in doors again, no loved +mother, no Cecil to greet her.</p> + +<p>Nearly three years had gone by since Anna's +arrival as Sir Thomas' ward. It was evening, and +they had just finished their game of chess, when +he for the first time addressed her as my dear +young lady, and after a short pause proceeded.</p> + +<p>"This is not a fit place for you; I am too old to +be the companion of youth; I am doing you injustice +in allowing you to remain with me, and have +decided that you shall have a more suitable home."</p> + +<p>"I do not wish to leave you, Sir Thomas," +replied Anna, "besides I have nowhere to go. I +cannot live at the manor house all alone."</p> + +<p>"Certainly you cannot," he answered. "I have +arranged everything for you to the best of my +power. You do not really come into property until +you are twenty-five years of age. Your landed +estates and other moneys are secured to you in +such a way that you need not feel the least apprehension +about your affairs, everything has been attended +to. The manor house will be in the charge +of a steward for the present. You will probably +wish to live there again some day. As I have just +said, I am too old; I may not, I cannot have long +to remain here. There is a cousin of your mother +living in the colony of Virginia, Fairfax by +name. He has a wife and family, two nephews, +whom he has adopted, twins, I think, also Fairfaxes. +They stand in the degree of a third generation +from myself. I mean to say these twins are about +the same age my grandson would be now, had he +been spared to my declining years. Therefore, +they must be a few years older than you are, and +more adapted for being companionable to you, +than I am. I have been in correspondence with +your Cousin Fairfax, during many months, in +regard to your making your home with them in +Virginia, until you are older, and have ceased so +much to need protection, or until you have settled +in a home of your own. The arrangement appears +to be very agreeable to them, and I trust you will +be happy in their society. I cannot part with you +without saying that your presence in my house +has given me much pleasure—the only one now left +to me, that of recollection. Although you are very +quiet, for one who has only reached your years, yet +the sound of your footstep about the house called +sweet though sad memories of my only daughter, +and I thank you for them. If I thought only of +myself, I should keep you here till the end, but +there are times when it is more noble to resign +than to fulfill the dearest wishes of our heart."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was in the summer of 1607 that Miss Vyvyan, +attended by her waiting woman, sailed from England, +for the colony of Virginia, in the ship Queen +Elizabeth, from which she had just been wrecked, +when we took up the narrative of her early life. +To that period of time we will now return.</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Stand like Druids of old, with voices sad and prophetic.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Stand like harpers hoar with beards that rest on their bosoms.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Loud from its rocky caverns the deep-voiced neighboring ocean,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Speaks and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And thou too who so 'ere thou art<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That readest this brief psalm<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As one by one thy hopes depart<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Be resolute and calm.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Oh fear not in a world like this,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And thou shalt know ere long,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Know how sublime a thing it is<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To suffer and be strong.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>As the shipwrecked young lady lay on the +cold, rough beach, amid the dead bodies, +with the hoarse roar of the ocean sounding +in her ears, and the heavy, wet clouds +of mist clinging about her, indifferent to life or +death, the recollection of the ship being pursued +by buccaneers and driven far out of her course +came back to her mind, and then being caught in +a hurricane and seeing another vessel battling with +the tempest, and both ships furiously hurried on +toward a wild, rocky coast, the vessels crashing on +shore and rebounding again, and some one lifting +her into a boat, and then she remembered no more. +While these recollections were passing through +her brain, she raised herself upon her elbow and +looked around. Death everywhere, the ocean with +its floating corpses and wreckage lay before her. +On either hand a long broken beach, with its +gloomy rocks and its scattered dead. A scene +which at any other time in her life would have +struck her with awe, she now gazed at quietly, and +questioned "Why am I the only one left, oh, if I +too could die." Turning to look behind her +through the mist, she observed that the land was +hilly, and in some places rose to a considerable +height. The whole surface as far as she could +make out was covered by a thick growth of lofty +pines, mingled with spruce and other sorts of fir, +among which sprung up an entanglement of various +kinds of undergrowth, all these trees and shrubs +growing nearly down to the sea and forming so +thick a forest, that it was impossible for sight to +penetrate it further than a few yards. There was +no building of any kind to be seen, no sign of +human habitation of either savage or civilized life. +The great abundance of pine trees, and the general +appearance of the forest, which strongly resembled +the forests of Norway, instantly called up the question +in Anna Vyvyan's mind, can it be possible +that destiny has sent me back to the land of my +mother's grave?</p> + +<p>A low wail like the cry of a young child in +distress, caused the only hearer to start to her +feet, and looking on the other side of a broken +rock close by, she saw stretched out white +and still, a young lady by the side of whom, in a +half-standing position, and bending over her was a +beautiful golden-haired little girl of between two +and three years. In another instant Anna was +also bending over the young mother, to whom she +found the child was tied by a crimson silk sash +such as were worn by military officers. The tearful +little one turned up her sweet face, without any +apparent fear, but with a great deal of sorrow in +it, and said, in her baby language,</p> + +<p>"Mama dorn seep," then she pressed her lips +upon the cold white cheek, and kissed it and +stroked and patted the also beautiful mother, who +lay so mute and pallid and unconscious of all her +little one's gentle love.</p> + +<p>Again and again came the cry from the poor +forlorn little creature, "Det up, mama, det up, +mama;" but the dear mamma was beyond the reach +of the sweet baby voice. Anna's first thought +was to see if any sign of life remained in the slender +form before her, but she could find no pulse, +and the face and hands were as cold, as the rocks +upon which she was lying. Miss Vyvyan unfastened +the child, and drew away the long sash, +which had tied her to her mother's waist. As she +did so, she observed the delicately formed features, +which were so regular and proportionate that they +might have been chiseled in marble, to represent +some Greek goddess. She saw the masses of soft +brown hair, and the long dark eyelashes, which +dropped upon the cheek like silken fringe. She +observed, too, the simple traveling habit, made of the +finest material, but perfectly free from any attempt +at vulgar ornament. And as she took the child +into her arms, and looked down once more on the +sweet white face, which lay on the stones at her +feet, and noted the refinement in everything about +her, she knew that the little one's mother came of +gentle blood. The child was willing to go to +Anna, but not willing to be removed out of sight +of its mother. So Miss Vyvyan sat down where +they were with the little one in her lap, and shook +out the silk sash with the idea of wrapping it +round the shivering child, but that, too, was wet, +every thing in the shape of clothing was wet, both +on Anna and the child. All that she could do for +the moment to comfort the tiny thing, was to fold +it in her arms, and try by that means to keep it +from perishing with cold. It had probably been +shielded by some heavy woolen wrap, which was +torn off by the breakers when they were cast on +shore, for as Anna shook out the silk sash, there +fell from it a strip of thick woolen fringe, which +had the appearance of having belonged to a shawl.</p> + +<p>But now the child was bareheaded, and wore a +little white dress of exceedingly fine embroidery, +which also spoke of the mother's love, for none +but loving hands ever wrought work so dainty as +that. Round its neck was clasped a small gold +chain of minute links of very fine workmanship. So +thin and delicately was it made, that it resembled a +thread of golden silk. Anna examined it carefully +to see if she could find any letter or name upon it, +but none was there, then she spoke to the child as +it lay nestling its pretty head upon her arm, and +still talking to its mother, and said,</p> + +<p>"Tell me, dear little one, what is your name?"</p> + +<p>The child looked up, but evidently could not +understand the meaning of her words.</p> + +<p>Anna tried again by laying one of her fingers on +the child's shoulder and saying, "Who's dat?"</p> + +<p>"Mama's baby," answered the little one in an +instant.</p> + +<p>"Will Mama's baby tell me where papa is?"</p> + +<p>"Dorn seep," replied the child.</p> + +<p>"Tell me where dorn seep, sweet child."</p> + +<p>"Down dare," answered she, pointing to a mass +of human bodies which were thrown together on +the beach some distance below them, and which +were constantly kept in motion by the incoming +tide.</p> + +<p>Anna's desire to die no longer existed; as she +held the beautiful little creature to her heart and +rocked it, all her thoughts concentrated in the one +question, what could she do to aid this sweet helpless +one. The ideas rushed through her mind +with the rapidity that they come to us in fever. It +must have warmth and food, or it will perish. I +cannot let it die, it is so beautiful, and I love it. I +must act this moment. Rising with the child in +her arms, she hastened along as rapidly as she +could among the wreckage, scrambling between +bales and chests of all kinds, in the hope of finding +something, anything; she could not surmise +what it might be, but some sustenance must be +had for the child. Although hundreds of cases +and bales were strewed about, they were all so securely +corded and nailed up, that it was impossible +to procure anything from them.</p> + +<p>At last, far in on the land, she came to a large +pile of freight, which had struck so violently, that +the greater number of the cases and bales, had +broken in two, or had burst open. The first object +that met her sight, was a broken chest full of +table covers of rich cloth, evidently the product +of India and Persia, as the silk embroidered borders +in oriental needlework showed; happily everything +was thrown in so far that it was dry.</p> + +<p>Taking one of the table covers, she wrapped it +round the child, who in the midst of its discomfort +showed its gentle nature by saying,</p> + +<p>"Pitty sing, pitty sing," and holding up its sweet +face to kiss Anna.</p> + +<p>"Yes, mama's baby shall have more pretty +things soon," said Miss Vyvyan.</p> + +<p>"Dinner," cried the child, "bing dinner, Dinah +bing dinner."</p> + +<p>"Yes, darling, we must find dinner for mama's +baby."</p> + +<p>"Dinah bing dinner?" again repeated the poor, +hungry little thing, with an expressive look of +interrogation.</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear, yes;" folding the soft woolen cover +still more closely round the child, Anna placed her +in a sheltered spot. "Stay there a moment, baby, +while I bring dinner."</p> + +<p>From the marks on the outside of the boxes it +was plain that they had come from some Mediterranean +port, and contained fruits and other edibles. +With a heavy stone, Anna soon broke open a small +box of candied fruit, selecting some, she gave it to +the half-starved child. One of the baby hands +held her fruit, the other one was instantly stretched +out toward the box.</p> + +<p>"Mama, tandy, too," she cried.</p> + +<p>"Mama is asleep, darling, she does not want +candy."</p> + +<p>"Oh mama, tandy, too," she repeated, with an +earnestness that sent a thrill through Anna's heart.</p> + +<p>"Yes; mama's baby shall take some if she wishes +to."</p> + +<p>The child took a piece of the fruit, "Doe now," +she said.</p> + +<p>"Go where, baby?"</p> + +<p>"Mama," answered the child, struggling among +the folds of her wrap, to get on to her feet and +pointing in the direction of its mother. A nature +so full of love, shall not be pained or thwarted by +me, mused Anna, as she carried back the child +who had already become precious to her. When +they reached the place where the cold white mother +was lying, and Anna was in the act of putting the +little one on the ground as it desired, an unusually +large wave broke so close by, that the spray and +foam dashed against, and flowed over the sweet +pale face. The child uttered a sharp cry of distress, +and disengaging itself from Anna's arms and +darting to its mother, threw itself down by her +side, and, clasping her neck with its tiny arms, +covered with kisses the face that was so dear. +The next wave will carry the mother away, Anna +thought. I cannot let the child witness such a +sight, it would break her loving little heart, and +she also felt that she, herself, could not give up to +the all-devouring ocean, the object of so much +affection in the babe. Placing the little one in +safety, she took up the cold, white burden in +her arms, and carried it far back from the reach of +the sea, putting it down on the moss, at the root of +a large pine. As it lay there so lone and sad and +beautiful, with the child standing by it, for the +little soul had followed with its swiftest steps, +Anna bent over it and kissed the face. Poor dear, +she murmured in a whisper, as long as I exist, my +love and my life shall be devoted to your child. +She bent again and kissed the cold lips. Could it +be possible that breath came lightly through them? +It was,—it was,—deeper and deeper drawn and +more regular each time. Merciful God, she lives, +and the tears fell fast from eyes that had long been +dry with grief. A faint sigh, and the partial parting +of the long silken eyelashes, told that life was +coming back still more and more. In a few +moments she feebly uttered, "My child."</p> + +<p>"Your child is safe and with you," replied Anna, +lifting the little one closer to its mother's side.</p> + +<p>"Dudley," she faltered.</p> + +<p>"He has not come yet," said Anna, surmising +for whom she was inquiring, and pitying in her +inmost soul the widowed heart that must so soon +learn to live without him.</p> + +<p>When the poor mother opened her eyes, the +scene of horror was more than her delicate organization +could endure, and a violent, fit of trembling +came upon her.</p> + +<p>"Tote on," said the anxious, sensitive child.</p> + +<p>The suggestion was acted upon, Anna ran to +the pile of dry wreckage, and soon returned, with +an armful of table covers and a box.</p> + +<p>"Tote on mama," cried the child hurriedly, as if +it felt there was no time to be lost.</p> + +<p>"Yes, darling, a coat for mama," said Anna, improvising +a pillow with one, and wrapping several +other warm covers about the shivering mother.</p> + +<p>"Take this," said she, holding to her lips some +cordial which she had poured into a mussel shell, +"It is buanaba, a very delicate restorative made +in Turkey, pray try to take it, it will keep you +from shivering so."</p> + +<p>As we have already said, Anna possessed great +vital energy, and with her to think was to act. +She saw that the delicate, slender young mother +and the child must both die, unless she could find +some means of getting them warm. There was +an abundance of dead wood close by, if she could +only start the first spark of fire. Pushing her way +a few yards into the forest, she brought out a quantity +of dead grass and resinous wood, and continued +striking two stones together until at last +the spark came, and a good fire soon blazed high, +and sent out its glow toward the pine tree beneath +which they were lying. Some large stones were +soon heated in the hot embers, and rolled to the +feet of the mother. Covering was brought and +held to the fire, and the lowly bed made so warm +that the exhausted mother and her little one fell +into a natural and refreshing sleep. In the meantime +Anna was everywhere scrambling and +climbing among the freight, dragging what she +could not carry, searching for anything that +might be appropriated as a covering against the +cold, and looking after the cases of eatables with a +thought for the poor, starving ones under the pine +tree. It was late in the afternoon when the sleepers +awoke. The mist had in a great measure +cleared away, and the sunlight was straggling +through the remaining clouds. A good fire was +burning, and a tin of water was boiling beside it. +A long box cover, supported by stones at each end, +formed a table, other box lids made seats, and the +table was spread with food that would at least sustain +life. Heaped up under another pine tree, was +a sufficient supply of both food and covering, to +provide for the ladies and child for some time to +come. There was no lack of tins of all shapes, so +they were made use of to cook in, and for holding +food. As soon as the child was thoroughly awake, +it sat up in its bed, showing its sweet fair face, and +smiling with happiness at finding its mother awake +by its side. Taking up a cup of food made from +sea moss and sweetened with the candied fruit, +Anna attempted to feed the child by means of a +shell, but it turned its face away, and said in tones +full of distress, "Mama too, Dinah bing dinner." +When Anna took hot coffee from the fire and +propped up the exhausted mother and induced her +to drink it, everything went well with the child. +It was perfectly satisfied, and took its own food, +and laughed and played with the pebbles and +shells that were brought to it.</p> + +<p>"I have tried often, very often to speak to you," +said the mother, addressing Anna for the first time; +"I was conscious, but I could not speak; I was too +weak I suppose, and now my voice has come back +to me, I have no words, I do not know what I +can say to you."</p> + +<p>"Will you let me suggest what you shall say," +asked Anna? "It is this; say what I can do that +would most help you and your lovely child; and +now try to rest while I think how you can be sheltered +from the night air, for night will be upon us +in the course of two hours at furthest."</p> + +<p>The fog and mist had now completely disappeared, +and given way to the sun, which, however, +was nearing the horizon, and the trees cast long +shadows on the grass.</p> + +<p>While the mother and child had been asleep in +the afternoon, Anna had built up a few broken +boards and stones between them and the sea, that +they might not be pained on their first awaking by +seeing the terrible sight which was so near.</p> + +<p>"I am better," said the mother. "I feel stronger. +I cannot endure to see you doing all. I want to +help you. I do not need more rest now. But tell +me first, pray tell me the truth, whatever it may +be. Is there any one left alive here besides ourselves. +Have you seen an officer in a colonel's +uniform? My husband was in the service of King +James, he wore the royal uniform, when he tied my +child to my waist with his sash, and lifted me into +a boat. I cannot remember any more. I think I +must have been stunned. How long have we been +here? I seem to have lost some of the time, but I +felt you take away my child, and I heard you speak +tenderly to it. Have we been here too long for +my husband to be living? Tell me, can it be possible +that I may find him?"</p> + +<p>Anna could not add to her anguish by repeating +what the child had said when questioned about its +father, for she believed it had spoken truly when +it answered,</p> + +<p>"Dorn seep, down dare."</p> + +<p>"I do not think we have been here longer than +to-day," she replied. "I do not know exactly. It +was early in the morning when our ship struck the +rocks, but it was broad daylight when I came to +my senses on the shore. The tide was coming in, +it was very high, and now it must have been going +out for nearly four hours, so I think we must have +been cast on shore this morning."</p> + +<p>"Then my husband may still be alive, I must +seek him." With those words, she rose to her +feet, but nearly fainted with the effort.</p> + +<p>"Your child is sleeping," said Anna. "Let me +support you, if you will attempt to walk. Tell me +your husband's name, that I may call it aloud; +these rocks are very rugged and I can send my +voice into places among them, that it would be impossible +to go into."</p> + +<p>"Colonel Carleton," she replied.</p> + +<p>"Lean on me, Mrs. Carleton. Shall we go +down this way?"</p> + +<p>The tide had carried out the mass of floating +bodies to which the child had pointed at noon, but +numbers of others still remained in all directions. +Tottering and staggering among the dead, Mrs. +Carleton continued her search, until she had +looked into every ghastly face that lay there.</p> + +<p>"Now will you call aloud for me," she said, "for +I cannot, my strength is gone."</p> + +<p>Anna called, but the only sound that came back +was the echo of her own voice from the forest and +the heavy rolling of the sea. They returned in +silence to the child, who was still asleep. The sun +had nearly set, when all at once a rich, bright glow +from the west rose behind the forest and flooded +every object with golden light. Looking out to +sea eastward, they observed only a few miles away +many islands, some of them covered with forests +down to the water's edge.</p> + +<p>"Where can we be," they both ejaculated at the +same time. There was no habitation visible on +any of them, nor any smoke rising from them.</p> + +<p>"These trees remind me of Norway," said Anna. +"Do you think we can be in Norway?"</p> + +<p>"I am unable to say," replied Mrs. Carleton, +"but I am sure we are in a northern clime by the +growth both of trees and plants."</p> + +<p>The ladies seated themselves by the sleeping +child, trying to think what it was best for them to +do. There was no time for delay; it would soon +be dark, and the little group of three appeared to +be the only living human beings in the place, +wherever that place might be. While they were +talking together, they had turned their backs to +the sea and were looking toward the sunset, and +watching the varied rays of light which here and +there penetrated through the forest on the hill +before them.</p> + +<p>"I did not hear your name, Mrs. Carleton, on +board the ship I sailed in from England," said +Anna.</p> + +<p>"I did not come from England," she answered. +"My parents settled in the colony of Virginia +long ago. I was born there, that is my home. My +husband as well as myself, had many relatives in +England, and we were going to visit them, and intended +to have our child baptized there, that its +name might be registered among those of its forefathers. +Sometime after we sailed, we fell in with +buccaneers; but our ship, the Sir Walter Raleigh, +was a fast sailor, and we got away from them; yet +I was told when the hurricane came on, that they +were the cause of our being out of our course, +hence our calamity."</p> + +<p>"We met the same destiny," said Anna, and +then she told in a few words whence she had +sailed, and that her name was Vyvyan.</p> + +<p>The hill in front of the ladies, rose too high for +them to see the actual setting of the sun, but the +rich glow of gold and crimson now lit up the +whole forest, and defined the outline of the rising +ground.</p> + +<p>"What is that I see?" said Mrs. Carleton, shading +her eyes with her hands.</p> + +<p>"'Tall pines' I think," answered Anna.</p> + +<p>"No, it is a tower; look, Miss Vyvyan, in that direction, +see on the hill; it is a stone tower; look, +now the light has changed; there are windows, +many of them, see on the right the building extends +a great way, it is very large."</p> + +<p>Anna looked through the wood where Mrs. +Carleton directed, and saw distinctly in the rosy +light of the sunset, an immense stone building, +with a massive tower capable of containing many +rooms, and rising to the height of two hundred +feet. With the exception of the tower, the building +was very irregular, and gave the impression of +having been erected at different periods. It combined +the characteristics of a feudal castle and a +fortress. It was old and gray, but by no means a +ruin, yet it had a gloomy and forbidding appearance. +The ladies looked at each other and hesitated, +they did not speak for a few moments; the +same idea possessed the mind of each. They +thought that good people would not live in such a +place, amid such wild surroundings, but neither +one of them would unnerve the other by saying +so, for they knew in their present situation they +required all the courage that they could command, +in order that they might be ready to meet their +uncertain fate.</p> + +<p>While they continued looking almost spellbound +the child awoke, and observing their earnest gaze, +added her own scrutiny to theirs. She bent her +little golden head forward and saw some of the +windows upon which the reflection of light glinted.</p> + +<p>"Home," she exclaimed, smiling with childish +glee, "doe home," taking hold of her mother's +dress to draw her in the direction of the building, +which was about half-way up the hill, and only a +few hundred yards from where they now stood.</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The battled towers the donjon keep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The loop-hole grates where captives weep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The flanking walls that round it sweep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In yellow luster shone.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Act,—act in the living present!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Heart within and God o'erhead!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Let us then be up and doing<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With a heart for any fate<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Still achieving, still pursuing<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Learn to labor and to wait.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>The ladies held a consultation, should they +attempt to go to the castle and ask for +shelter. How could the child, which like +themselves had hitherto lived in luxury, +pass a night on the beach. Beside the forest +looked as if it was the resort of wolves and bears. +It would be unsafe. They could not after dark +remain where they were, there was no alternative, +so they decided to go at once to the building. +There was no path, but they held the branches +aside for each other. Taking the child with them, +they stumbled over the loose stones and among +the briers as well as their want of strength would +permit, for they were much exhausted. Mrs. +Carleton was so weak that she fell several times +and was severely hurt, but no murmur escaped her +and she rose and struggled on again as if nothing +had happened, turning, from time to time, with +some word of kindness or cheer to Miss Vyvyan, +who was helping the little one along.</p> + +<p>Emerging from the woods, they found themselves +in a long, open space of grass, which was +surrounded on all sides by the forest. The great +building stood full in front of, and overshadowed +them. It was a veritable feudal castle and, as we +have said, grand, gloomy and forbidding to look at. +The windows were far up from the ground, no +entrance door was in sight, no walks or drives +around it, everywhere rank grass, with here and +there a tuft of golden-rod, or fall aster springing +up. No smoke rising from any of the chimneys, +no traces of footsteps, no sound but the sighing of +the wind through the pines, and the surging of the +ocean. Mrs. Carleton was first to break the +silence.</p> + +<p>"If I were by myself," said she, "I should +imagine I must be dreaming, but I feel the reality +of our position, this is no dream. We are all alone +here; this place must have been deserted long ago. +Look, there is the entrance overgrown with +brambles. It is best that we are alone; if we can +get shelter, we need not fear molestation."</p> + +<p>She spoke calmly and cheerfully and tried to +wear a smile for the sake of the two who were +looking at her and listening to her words. Anna +had entertained grave fears for Mrs. Carleton while +they were getting up to the castle. She thought +the delicate frame must give way altogether, but +she now saw that her newly-made friend was as +brave, as she was gentle and loving and faithful, +and fear gave place to hope and resolve. As she +went a few steps to gather some asters, which the +child wished for, she said to herself, "This fragile, +suffering, uncomplaining woman has already taught +me a great lesson, and I will never seek selfish +relief by adding to her overburdened life, the +weight of my own sorrow. She shall always think +me cheerful, whatever I may know my self to be, +for nothing that I can do will be of so much help +to her and the sweet child."</p> + +<p>As Anna returned, the little one stretched out +her hands to receive the flowers and held up the +rosy lips to give a kiss for them, which was her +usual mode of acknowledging any kindness shown +to her.</p> + +<p>"Miss Vyvyan," said Mrs. Carleton, "I have +been looking on the other side while you have +been gathering the flowers. I find there is an +immense pile of ruins there, which looks as if it +were the ruins of a tower. That small entrance +at the north end is the only one that is open. +Shall we try to get in, we can beat down the +brambles."</p> + +<p>The doorway was low and arched, the stone +work about it coarse and massive, the door had +fallen from the upper hinge, and lay so far open +that ingress was very easy. The ladies entered +and passed into a broad stone passage, which was +many yards in length and led to a staircase at the +foot of the great tower at the south end. As they +passed along the passage, they saw a number of +rooms on either side, which were all in semi-darkness, +being lighted only by narrow loopholes in the +outer walls, yet there was sufficient light to show +them that they were all well filled with what +appeared to be chests, boxes and packages, but the +ladies were too much fatigued to make any examination +of them. They observed that the walls +were all of rough stone, but there was no feeling +of dampness. On reaching the staircase, Mrs. +Carleton discovered some inscriptions cut deep +into the wall.</p> + +<p>"What is this, Miss Vyvyan? I see it is not +Greek or Latin or Hebrew. I never saw any +characters like these."</p> + +<p>"They are runic," replied Anna. "I should +not know what they are, only that I have seen them +on old ruins in Norway. Do you think we are in +Norway? This old castle is very much like buildings +I have seen there."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton, who was an excellent botanist, +again referred to the trees and plants which they +had seen as they came up from the beach.</p> + +<p>"Those fall asters," she said, "and the species +of golden-rod are both of northern growth, but I +cannot in the least feel sure of our whereabouts. +It scarcely seems probable that we shall find the +means of getting away from this place very soon, +for there is no evidence of any commerce here, +and as far as I can judge, nothing for merchants or +traders to come for. I do not say this to dishearten +you, Miss Vyvyan, but I feel it right that we +should speak openly and honestly to each other."</p> + +<p>"I understand you," replied Anna, "you do not +wish to fill my imagination with false hopes; it is +good, and kind, and sensible, and I thank you for +speaking as you have done. I feel myself that +this is no time for dreaming, and I do not any +longer care to indulge in it. All I care for, is to +lead an earnest, true life in whatever position Fate +may place me. If we are destined to remain together, +you shall see."</p> + +<p>The ladies had now ascended the winding stone +staircase as far as the top of the first flight from +the ground. From the stairs, they stepped into a +corridor with a stone floor and bare stone walls, +somewhat similar to the one below, but wider and +well lighted. From this corridor, branched off +other passages and staircases, leading both above +and below, and numberless rooms of all kinds, the +doors of which were chiefly open, showing the +most luxurious and costly furniture, and the richest +hangings, containing chests filled with rich velvets +and satins, and all other requirements of +ladies' dress. Some rooms were evidently sleeping +apartments, others were furnished as parlors, the +walls being hung with tapestry, and adorned with +rare paintings and mirrors in frames of the most +exquisite workmanship, in ivory, silver and bronze. +Rich carpets and rugs covered the floors. The +rooms all felt dry. They had wide, open fireplaces +in which stood fire dogs of brass or iron; in some +of them still remained half-burned or charred logs, +and the dead ashes of long years ago. The +ladies remarked that, amidst all this abundance of +wealth, there was a certain incongruity in the arrangement +of the contents of every room. In one +they found silk draperies from India, a divan from +Turkey, an Italian settee in the finest Florentine +carving; beside it a massive English table of heart +of oak, and the light, spider-legged gilt chairs of +Paris, with their faded red silk cushions, and so on. +They rambled through room after room. In many +of them were firearms of all dates and nations, +sabers and cutlasses, daggers and swords, with pistols +and guns, and powder flasks, and spears. +Some of these lay upon the tables and chairs, and +others hung from the walls. In all the sleeping-rooms, +were numberless articles of men's dress, +uniforms and costumes of various kinds, sufficient +in variety to supply disguises for a whole regiment. +With the exception of the number of firearms +and other instruments of warfare lying about, the +rooms were all in order. The reflection of the setting +sun streamed in at the windows, and across +the floors at the west side of the castle, and lit up +the mirrors, and pictures, and beautiful and curious +works of art, which hung on the walls, or stood on +the shelves, or on quaint pieces of furniture, and +which abounded everywhere and made the interior +of the building a pleasant contrast to the gloomy-looking +outside.</p> + +<p>Passing hastily through the rooms which led off +the corridors, the ladies returned to the great +tower at the south end. They found the door, +which gave entrance to it was closed; but on Mrs. +Carleton laying her hand upon the lock, it at once +gave way, and they went through a vestibule, and +entered a large and very handsome room. It was +octagon in form, with a window in every division. +The upper part of each window was made +of antique painted glass, which shed red hues of +crimson, gold and purple in different parts of the +room, ever varying their position with the change +in the sun's altitude, and giving the apartment at +all times of the day, a bright, cheerful appearance. +This room was furnished still more gorgeously +than any of the others. The walls were hung +with the richest kinds of Spanish tapestry; on +a ground of dark green silk velvet, was embroidered +large flowers and arabesques in gold, interspersed +at intervals with the well-known representations +of the three castles, which are a part of the +arms of Spain. The furniture was all of chestnut, +carved in the deeply cut and highly raised work, +which is so rich and elaborate, and peculiar to the +Spanish artists. Several curiously cut mirrors +hung on the walls, and also some exceedingly delicate +paintings in ivory, and, a number of choice +enamels on plaques of gold. The mantel piece of +stone was high and adorned with beautiful vases +of Egyptian and Etruscan make, mingled with +those of Rome and Herculaneum, and the more +modern flower-holders of Bohemian and Venetian +glass. The sofas, as well as the luxurious armchairs, +were covered with green silk velvet. The +window draperies were of the same, ornamented +with gold fringe.</p> + +<p>The floor was made of various kinds, inlaid in +mosaic work, as we see them in Italy. Soft ruby +colored rugs were lying in front of the table, and +before the fireplace. On one side, was a small +carved bookcase containing a few volumes of novels, +some of poetry and a few sacred books of the +Roman Catholic creed, all of them in Spanish.</p> + +<p>In one or two of the books, the name of "Inez" +was written. Across the end of one of the sofas +lay a guitar of satin-wood, inlaid with mother-o'-pearl, +with a Spanish lace mantilla by the side of +it, and on a small table close by was an open music +book containing Spanish songs.</p> + +<p>Everything gave evidence of having been left +untouched for many years, the flowers in the vases +had dried, and fallen bit by bit, and lay in small +heaps that looked like chaff. In one corner of +the room stood a tall Chinese jar, that had once +contained sprays of the fragrant fir balsam, which +was now little else than dust. In the wide, open +fireplace on the hearth, the wood that had been +carefully placed on the dogs ready to light, had +become so dry, that it had crumbled away, and +fallen to pieces with its own weight.</p> + +<p>The ladies felt the importance of using the +remaining daylight in making some preparations +for the night, so deferred any further examination +of the castle until the next day. They experienced +a certain feeling of safety in being alone.</p> + +<p>"Mrs. Carleton," said Miss Vyvyan, "you will +not mind if I run down to the beach, and bring +up some of the table covers and some food. I +shall soon be back again."</p> + +<p>"I do not mind being left, but I do mind your +doing it without help; I want to help you in everything, +but I am not strong enough yet. We will +stand by the window and watch you as far as we +can."</p> + +<p>The child understood the conversation, and +turning with a very earnest and inquiring look to +her mother, she said,</p> + +<p>"Be back."</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear, Miss Vyvyan is coming back. That +is my little one's way of saying she wishes you to +return," said Mrs. Carleton. "She always says to +me, if I am leaving the room, 'be back,' she means +come back."</p> + +<p>"I like to hear her say it," said Anna; "it sounds +so real and so pretty, and it is her own way of +expressing what she desires. I hope you will +always allow her to keep that little remnant of +babyhood. I ask it of you as a favor."</p> + +<p>"I am only too glad, Miss Vyvyan, to do anything +you wish," replied Mrs. Carleton.</p> + +<p>As Anna left the room and hastened down the +tower stairs, she heard the sweet little voice calling +after her,</p> + +<p>"Be back, be back."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton had prepared a pleasant surprise +for Anna on her return. She had taken a flint +from the lock of one of the guns, and had succeeded +in lighting a cheerful fire, before which the +ladies spread the table covers, and slept until the +light of the morning sun shone in upon them +through one of the painted windows, and made +brilliant hues in various parts of the room, which +the child called butterflies. The little party was +rested and refreshed, and awoke to be greeted by +a beautiful day.</p> + +<p>As soon as they had breakfasted, they began a +thorough investigation of their new abode. They +descended to the basement where they had entered, +and discovered in one of the rooms immense +stores of provisions of all kinds, many of them in +good order, for they were in sealed jars and cases. +One of the down-stairs rooms was a carpenter's +shop, containing tools of all sorts, which were of +great use to the ladies in opening many things +that it would have been impossible for them to do +otherwise. There was a large store of wine, and +a kitchen containing strangely shaped cooking +utensils from different countries. Near the small +north doorway by which the ladies entered the +castle, was a narrow stone staircase, leading down +under ground, but it was so dimly lighted, that +they did not attempt to go down it. Ascending +again to the tower, they discovered several more +beautiful rooms in it, all richly furnished. All +these rooms had apparently been set apart for the +use of the lady, with the exception of one, a +library, containing carved oak shelves, loaded with +books in many different languages; the heavy +furniture was also of carved oak, cushioned with +old gold embossed leather. A Spanish cloak of +crimson velvet was thrown across the back of one +of the chairs, and upon the seat of it lay a sombrero +with a plume, also a sword and a pair of +gauntlets. An arched doorway in one corner of +the library, led into a small watch tower, the whole +size of which was filled up by a winding stone +staircase.</p> + +<p>"Come, Miss Vyvyan," said Mrs. Carleton, "we +will go up here, and we may, perhaps, see something +that will tell us where we are." They +climbed the stairs to the top, and passed through a +low door on to the battlements of a great tower, +whence they looked down at the pine trees, two +hundred feet below. They saw at once that they +were on an island; not by any means a large one, +and that the whole of it was covered by forest as +far as the water's edge, excepting in a few places +where a bare rock or swamp intervened. They +looked to the south and saw only the open ocean. +The day was clear and calm, and they could see +away to the horizon. To the east lay many other +islands; then to the north the same sight met +their eyes. Looking to the west still more islands +were to be seen, and also what appeared to be the +mainland, and far away, perhaps seventy miles off +in the distance, a magnificent range of lofty mountains. +Nothing could exceed the beauty of the +scene. As they walked round the top of the +tower, looking down upon all these forest-clad +islands without any sign of habitation, Mrs. Carleton, +turning to Anna, said, "Let us try to think +over all the maps we have studied in our geography +lessons."</p> + +<p>"Just what I have been trying to do," said Anna, +"but I can only think of a great number of islands +in the Pacific ocean, and we know we are not +there, and we are not in any of the West India +islands, for, as you say, the trees tell us we are in +the north, and now that I see so many islands, I +know we are not in Norway. But is it not strange +that the runic characters are in so many places in +this castle? See, here are more of them, exactly +the same as I saw when we were in Norway."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Mrs. Carleton; "everything tells +us we are in the north, and also tells us we are +alone. We may have to remain here, we know +not how long, perhaps years; and then, too, we +have something else to consider. These trees +show that the winters in this region are very +severe, as do also the rents in the rocks that we +clambered among on our way up to the castle. +Those great fissures were all caused by the action +of intense frosts, by such a degree of cold as you +and I have no idea of, excepting from what we have +read. In a climate like this, we know the winter +sets in early, so I think, Miss Vyvyan, the only +thing we can do is to prepare for it immediately +as soon as we can."</p> + +<p>"I see; everything is exactly as you say," replied +Anna, "and now let me ask you a favor. I am +stronger physically than you are, and I beg you to +allow me to undertake the heavier share of our +occupation. Let me do all that requires to be done +outside the castle, such as getting wood and water, +and whatever we may want from the wreckage, +and you take charge of the inside of our present +home, in which you must allow me to help you. I +understand you already, and I believe you would +do everything and endure all the fatigue without a +murmur, but that is impossible; you have not the +strength, and you must try to be well for the sake +of your dear child."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton endeavored to remonstrate with +Miss Vyvyan about the division of the toil, which +was so new and strange to each of them, for she was +born with a great generous heart that was ready +and willing to do and die for others; but Anna +would not listen to her sweet pleadings, although +in her soul she admired them.</p> + +<p>"Bow wow," said the little one, pointing down +to the forest.</p> + +<p>The ladies looked over the battlements and, to +their horror, saw three wolves creeping stealthily +along under the shadow of the great pines below. +They thought instantly of the fallen door at +the entrance, and hastened down the tower stairs +as far as the room hung with green velvet tapestry, +where they had passed the night, and which they +decided should in future be their sitting-room, so +they named it the green parlor. As they entered, +the glow of the cheerful fire on the hearth, the +beautiful prospect of forest and sea from the +windows, and the child's butterflies, glancing here +and there, gave a bright and pleasant air to the +room, but the ladies felt much disturbed by the +discovery of wolves so near them, and the knowledge +of the open door in the passage below.</p> + +<p>"Miss Vyvyan," said Mrs. Carleton, "there are +other doors of entrance to this, castle; I saw +them, we will go and see if we can open one of +them; and then we will close up the door below +altogether."</p> + +<p>At the end of a passage leading from the tower, +and not far from the green parlor, they found a +massive door, strongly barred and bolted inside. +They drew the bolts, and on opening it led down +on the outside, by a long flight of stone stairs to +the grass below, and very near to the place on +which they stood on their arrival from the beach.</p> + +<p>"We shall be safe in one respect now," said +Mrs. Carleton, "for no animal can break this door +and we can keep it bolted."</p> + +<p>The first thing to be done now was to close up +the entrance down stairs. The ladies went down +and out through the door by which they had +entered the castle at the north end. Quickly +gathering up some of the wood which lay round +about them, they set fire to it, in order to scare +away any wolves which might be prowling near, +and at once went to work, carrying stones from +the ruins of the fallen tower, and by their joint +strength replacing the door. They next piled up +such a barrier of great stones behind it, that they +were sure that no wolves could enter that way. +They had finished their first attempt at building and +were about to go up again to the green parlor, +when the child with a little laugh and in its sprightly +way cried out,</p> + +<p>"Kitta, kitta, see kitta." At the same instant +running as fast as her tiny feet could go, after two +small white kittens which the next moment disappeared +down the half-dark stairs, that they had +noticed when they first arrived, but were too tired +to investigate at that time.</p> + +<p>They now looked down them and in the dim +light, saw only a passage which led in the direction +of the fallen tower. They satisfied themselves +that there was no opening from that to the outside +of the building, and concluded that the immense +pile of ruins completely stopped up all means of +ingress that way, so they decided not to go to the +bottom of the gloomy staircase for mere curiosity, +when time was so precious to them, for they felt +as Mrs. Carleton had remarked that winter might +be upon them very soon. They passed all the +remainder of the day in bringing up from the +beach such supplies as they most needed, and decided +to devote a portion of each day to this occupation +as long as the weather permitted.</p> + +<p>Before sunset they were all safe in the castle +again, the child running about the room they were +arranging, and delighted with the many beautiful +ornaments. The ladies made up their minds to +adapt themselves to their circumstances, and be as +cheerful as they could, for the child's sake. They +selected the tower for their residence, as it contained +the best rooms in the castle, and the view +from every one of them was beautiful. They +could go up the watch tower and look off from the +battlements, over the islands and forests, to those +majestic purple mountains, whenever they desired +to do so.</p> + +<p>A sleeping room next to the green parlor was +chosen for Mrs. Carleton. It was fitted up with +the same degree of luxury as most of the others, +the furniture being of satin wood and ivory, and +the hangings and drapings of the bed and windows +of pink velvet and white lace. Two curiously +wrought silver lamps stood on the dressing table, +and showed that they had burned themselves out. +In front of the mirror was a jewel casket; it was +open, and showed rings and aigrettes of diamonds +and emeralds. A few ruby ornaments lay on the +table, and a string of pearls, also a small lace scarf +and a pair of lady's gloves, embroidered on the +backs with gold. The curtains and velvet draperies +of the windows were completely closed, and +the room looked as though some one had dressed +in it and gone away and left the lamps burning. +Everything was a mystery to the ladies which they +could not unravel.</p> + +<p>When the day was over, Mrs. Carleton and Miss +Vyvyan sat beside the sleeping child, in Mrs. +Carleton's room. The fire was burning on the +hearth, and the full moon poured its beams in at +the windows; they had no other light.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton spoke much of her bereavement, +but struggled to be brave, and to resign herself to +a destiny she could not alter, at the same time +revealing, quite unawares to herself, a character +full of intense affection, unselfishness and great +courage.</p> + +<p>As Anna watched the sweet, pure face so full +of emotion and sensibility, and the firelight flickered +upon and lit up the refined features, her whole +heart yearned toward her new friend, and her own +sorrow was buried in those of the forlorn young +mother.</p> + +<p>"I have been considering," said Miss Vyvyan, +"about your child. Do you not think we ought to +make life as bright and happy as we can for her, +and we can do a great deal, although we may have +to stay in exile for a long while. She need never +suffer from that idea. All will depend upon the +way we educate her, and the way we live."</p> + +<p>"Exactly so," replied Mrs. Carleton. "We will +make our lives as good an example as possible; +we will bring her up, as far as circumstances will +admit, the same as we would do if she were in +my old home. We cannot have the servants we +have been accustomed to have, but we can make +this home a systematic one, and a refined one, and +we must make it a cheerful one for her sake."</p> + +<p>"There is one thing I feel very anxious about," said +Mrs. Carleton; "my child has not yet been baptized. +As I told you, we were going to take her +to England for that purpose. I should feel happier +if I could carry out my husband's wish, and be +able to call her by the name he so much liked."</p> + +<p>"I can fully enter into your feelings," said Miss +Vyvyan. "Why not baptize her yourself? I +presume you are familiar with the service, as we +have baptisms in our church so frequently."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Mrs. Carleton, "and I cannot +see that there would be anything wrong in doing +so, myself, as there is not any one else to do it."</p> + +<p>"It can no more be wrong," said Anna, "to +repeat the baptismal prayers for your child, than it +is to offer up your daily prayers for her. Indeed to +me it seems perfectly right, as we are situated at +present."</p> + +<p>"I am glad you entertain those feelings on the +subject, Miss Vyvyan," replied Mrs. Carleton, +"and as we are both of the English church, will +you be godmother to my little one?"</p> + +<p>"You confer great happiness on me," replied +Anna, "by making such a request. What do you +intend to call her?"</p> + +<p>"Cora was the name my husband wished her to +be called," replied Mrs. Carleton. "And I desire to +add Caroline to it, as that is the name of my dear +mother, and is now, alas, the only means I have of +showing my affection for her, who is perhaps at +this moment mourning my absence."</p> + +<p>"Will you baptize her to-morrow?" inquired +Miss Vyvyan. "If you will, we can make a dress +for her in the forenoon. There is an abundance of +white India muslin and cashmere, too, enough I +should say to dress her for years to come."</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Mrs. Carleton, "I like that +idea, and we will keep her always dressed in white."</p> + +<p>"And as to yourself," said Anna, "I ask you as +a favor, to let me choose for you in this instance, +I wish you always to be beautifully dressed in +colors, that will look bright and cheerful. I think +it will have an influence on the child's spirits and +thence on her health. I do not feel that we need +to have any compunction about using the things +we find here, for we see that this place must have +been deserted many years ago, and I cannot help +thinking that all these costly things are the plunder +of buccaneers."</p> + +<p>"Nothing is so probable," answered Mrs. Carleton. +"Indeed, when we consider for a moment, +everything seems to say so. Many of those cases +which still remain unopened are such as the merchants +bring to the colony of Virginia. I have +seen similar ones there which came from foreign +countries. It occurs to me that all these stores +are the cargoes of ships that have been robbed by +those desperate men who have been and still are +the terror of the sea; but why they left this place +so suddenly is difficult to divine, unless, perhaps, +retribution fell upon them when they were out +at sea on some of their marauding expeditions. +Evidently a lady has lived here, too; perhaps they +took her with them on their last voyage, and she +also may have been lost, so I think we may feel +we are not doing wrong in using such things as are +necessary to our existence while we are here."</p> + +<p>The next morning the ladies were up early +busying themselves with their preparations for the +child's baptism. As they sat by the open window +in the green parlor, making the little white dress, +the sunlight falling upon the floor, the soft, warm +breeze from the south coming in upon them, and +the beautiful child playing about the room, prattling +to herself in her baby language, and trying +with her little hands to cover the colored shadows—butterflies +as she called them,—and to hold them in +one place, they each of them thought to themselves +how much there is in life to make us happy; +and yet, and yet, who can be happy when there is +an empty place which nothing here can fill. They +neither of them expressed what they thought, for +they had each made a resolution to help the other.</p> + +<p>The sea and sky were one beautiful blue; there +was just sufficient breeze to cause white caps at +distant intervals, and to toss the surf lightly +against the rocks.</p> + +<p>The ladies finished their sewing, and with the +child went out to gather some wild flowers to +adorn their parlor for the baptism. In a few +minutes they saw a narrow path which they followed +and found that it lead to a well of pure +water only a little way off. Below this was a +swamp surrounded by a luxuriant growth of asters +of every hue, and white and pink spirea and golden +rod, and blue iris, and the delicate, rose-colored +arethusa, and the blue fringed gentian abounded +on every hand; also shrubs of the bayberry, +wild rose and sweet brier, with many beautiful +ferns.</p> + +<p>By Mrs. Carleton's refined taste the green parlor +was soon transformed into a fairy bower. The +autumn sunshine sent a flood of golden light over +all, and the child, dressed in its fresh white attire, +was baptized, and Miss Vyvyan was its godmother. +The ceremony was just over and the latter lady +was still standing with the child in her arms, beside +a large crystal bowl which was placed on the table +and embedded in green moss and wreathed round +the top with white roses. It contained the water +from which the child had received the symbol of +the Christian church.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Mrs. Carleton, "I wish to say to +you, Miss Vyvyan, that from this day Cora belongs +to both of us, to you as well as to myself; she will +henceforth be <i>our</i> child. I want you to have someone +you can speak of as 'mine.' I am thankful +that I never knew what it was to be without someone +of my own to love, who was near to me, but I +can picture to myself what a death in life such an +existence must be to those who have to endure the +separation, and I should feel very selfish if I did +not divide my happiness with you."</p> + +<p>"I do not know how to answer you," said Miss +Vyvyan. "I cannot say what I wish to. Will you +grant me one more kindness; that is, let Cora +always call me by my name, Anna, and you do the +same. It is more than three years since anyone +called me Anna; there is no one left to do so."</p> + +<p>"I will," said Mrs. Carleton, "and to you I must +be Ada, for so I am named. I am glad that you +are pleased at having Cora for your godchild. I +thought you would be; that was a little plan of +mine. I wanted to do something to make you feel +happier."</p> + +<p>Gentle, loving Ada, always thinking of the good +she could do to others, always self-abnegating, always +giving up her own happiness that others +might receive pleasure; even in the midst of grief, +bereavement and exile, devising means to cheer a +life that she saw was more lonely than her own—such +was her character.</p> + +<p>The position in which Miss Vyvyan now stood +as Cora's godmother created a sincere bond of +friendship between the two ladies, which as time +went on developed into a lifelong affection. They +each understood and appreciated every thought +and feeling of the other. The child, who was of an +intense and affectionate temperament, loved both +of her guardians. She confided in Anna and +would stay with her for hours together, and she +always demanded in her baby way that Anna +should partake equally with her mother and herself +of everything that she deemed pleasure and +enjoyment, and if Miss Vyvyan remained long out +of sight, inquiry and desire were expressed by +Cora in one little sentence, "Anna be back." At +the same time, with an innate and delicate discrimination, +the child defined the distinction between +her filial love for her mother and that given +to her friend in so natural a way that neither of +the ladies could ever feel slighted or wounded in +the least degree.</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">He who ascends to mountain tops, shall find<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The loftiest peak most wrapped in clouds and snow;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He who surpasses or subdues mankind,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Must look down on the hate of those below.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Though high above the sun of glory glow,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And far beneath the earth and ocean spread,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Round him are icy rocks, and loudly blow<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Contending tempests on his naked head,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And thus reward the toils which to those summits led.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>They had been domiciled in the castle for +several days when Miss Vyvyan said,</p> + +<p>"As I am to take care of the commissariat +department out of doors, Ada, I +think it would be well for me to go down to the +beach and bring up all the provisions I can, while +we have such fine weather, as we think the winter +may be very long here, so if you consider it a good +plan I will fill another storeroom."</p> + +<p>"We will all go down, Anna," replied Mrs. +Carleton. "We have been here five days now, and +I hope the tide may have removed much that +was distressing to see there."</p> + +<p>When the ladies reached the beach it was as Mrs. +Carleton had supposed, all the corpses had floated +away, but the whole beach and the shore far up +from the sea was still strewn with wreckage. They +worked very diligently, making piles of many +things that might be useful, little Cora trotting +about as busily as her companions, and helping as +far as she knew how. It was scarcely ten o'clock, +but the ladies had been out in the sun for some +time lifting and carrying heavy burdens, an occupation +which was as fatiguing to them as it was +novel. So that they might rest a little while, and +get all the sea breeze that there was on that still +day, they went out on to a mass of high rocks, +which projected into the ocean and formed a cove +on each side.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had they seated themselves, when they +saw a gentleman climbing up from one of the +coves below and coming toward them. He was a +young man perhaps twenty-seven years of age. +As he approached them, they noticed that his +appearance was that of a gentleman of rank, his +every movement was full of grace and high breeding, +his figure was slender and under the middle +size, and his face exceedingly handsome and refined. +His bright chestnut colored hair was long +and fell in waving masses on his shoulders. He +wore a small beard of the same hue, his dress was +very rich and elaborate, after the fashion of the +time, and when he spoke, his voice and courtly +manner, told that he was what his appearance +indicated. As soon as he came near to them, he +bowed low, and made a gesture with one hand, as +if raising his hat, but he was bareheaded.</p> + +<p>"Ladies," he began, "pardon me for intruding +upon you, but for the love of heaven give me a +cup of water, it is many days since I moistened +my lips, I have been shipwrecked on your coast."</p> + +<p>The ladies were on their feet in an instant. Mrs. +Carleton running to a birch tree a few yards back +from the beach, and breaking off a piece of bark, +deftly bent it into a cup, which she handed to Miss +Vyvyan to fill from the same pond that had supplied +them with water the first day they were +thrown upon the island. Refreshed by the draught +the stranger tried to thank them, but speech and +strength failed him, and tottering a few paces +toward the land, he fell down insensible beside a +fissure in one of the rocks. The ladies went to +him.</p> + +<p>"His hands are as cold as if he were dead, +Ada," said Miss Vyvyan. "What will it be best +to do?"</p> + +<p>"What did you do for me, when you first tried +to help me?" replied Mrs. Carleton.</p> + +<p>"I tried to get you warm."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we must do that."</p> + +<p>At these words, they simultaneously took off the +outside wraps they wore, and laid them over him, +and hastened about among the wreckage, until +they had a good supply of warm rugs and coverings.</p> + +<p>"Where did you get those hot stones that you +placed at my feet," said Mrs. Carleton?</p> + +<p>"I made a fire and heated them."</p> + +<p>Then we will make a fire and do the same thing.</p> + +<p>They covered the poor fellow over, and put hot +stones to his feet, and he seemed to be sleeping. +In the meantime they prepared some light food +for him. They sat in silence near by, waiting to +see what they could do, should he return to consciousness. +They observed the color coming back +to his face, and a bright pink spot burned on each +cheek.</p> + +<p>"I fear," said Mrs. Carleton, "fever is setting in. +I will make something with the fruit we brought +down, that will quench his thirst."</p> + +<p>The child seemed to echo the thoughts of her +companions, seeing them anxiously engaged in +ministering to the sufferer. She began gathering +up anything that she thought pretty, and laid it by +his side. Presently she went to him with a few +wild flowers, which she had picked from the crevices +of the rocks and among the shore grass close +by. She observed the ladies spoke in low tones to +each other and moved about very quietly. She knew +there was some cause for this, for, young as she +was, she had already an idea of illness and suffering, +and her little heart was full of pity for others. +She stood looking at him as he lay asleep before +her, waiting with her wild flowers, until the time +should come for her to give them to him. "Poorest, +poorest," she repeated, at the same time +stroking his hair with her baby hand. That was +her own word, and her own way of showing sympathy +and pity. The little one's vocabulary was, +at this period of her life, very limited, but equally +significant of all that she saw and felt. She +possessed no extraneous babble. The only words +she was capable of uttering came from her heart; +hence they fell upon her hearers with all the beauty +and strength of truth. "Poorest, poorest," she +again repeated; "dorn seep; papa dorn seep, too."</p> + +<p>At the child's last sentence, a shudder quivered +through Mrs. Carleton's frame, and a still whiter +shade passed over the already pale face. She +clasped her little one close to her and bowed down +upon its head. She did not utter a sound. Her +silence said more than any words could have done, +for hers was a sorrow that had no speech.</p> + +<p>After a restful sleep, the young man awoke, and +sitting up among the many rugs and coverings by +which he was surrounded, he looked about in every +direction, and appeared to be endeavoring to realize +his true position. He saw the high tower of +the castle rising so near to him among the trees; +he saw the ladies and the child, but he did not feel +quite sure of the truth of all he saw until Mrs. +Carleton put a cup into his hand and said,</p> + +<p>"This is a fever drink; will you take some? I +have just made it from fruit, the same as we make +it in Virginia."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," he said. "I know what it is. I +am a Virginian. I sailed from that colony in the +ship Sir Walter Raleigh. Who has been so kind +as to bring me all these rugs," he continued.</p> + +<p>"We did," replied Mrs. Carleton, looking in the +direction of Miss Vyvyan, who with the child +stood near them.</p> + +<p>"What, with your own hands? I regret to +have caused you so much trouble; although I am +grateful to you in the extreme, I would have preferred +you to have given orders to some of your +servants. It is not seemly that ladies such you are +should wait upon me; it is not consistent with the +chivalry of a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"I understand your feelings on this subject," +said Mrs. Carleton, "for I, too, am a Virginian; but +we have no servants now, and my friend and I are +glad that we can be useful. It is five days since +your ship was wrecked, therefore we know that +you must have suffered greatly. Pray do not be +disturbed by seeing us doing what little we can to +save you from perishing; let me assure you that +we are very happy to do our utmost."</p> + +<p>The young man bowed, his cheeks still wore the +bright flush of fever which heightened the intensity +of his soft brown eyes, that beamed with gratitude.</p> + +<p>"Do you say that you are a Virginian?" he inquired, +addressing Mrs. Carleton.</p> + +<p>"Yes," she answered; "we were in the Sir +Walter Raleigh, too; that is to say, my husband +and child with myself, but I never saw any of the +passengers. I remained in my cabin all the time +we were at sea."</p> + +<p>"I recollect you, now," he said. "I saw Colonel +Carleton lift you and your child into a boat when +our ship went ashore."</p> + +<p>"Were you acquainted with Colonel Carleton?" +she inquired. "He was my husband."</p> + +<p>"We were not acquainted until we met on board, +but during the several weeks we were at sea we +passed all the time together. You say he <i>was</i> your +husband. Is it possible that generous-hearted man +is lost?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton made an inclination with her +head.</p> + +<p>"Forgive me," he said, "my conversation has +caused you pain."</p> + +<p>"Please continue," she replied, "tell me all you +know about him."</p> + +<p>"I witnessed many of his acts of kindness during +our voyage, and received kindness from him at +what I suppose was the last moment of his life. +The boat you were in was full and I urged him to +get into another one, but he refused, saying, 'I +can swim and you cannot.' At the same moment +he took hold of me and dropped me into the boat +as easily as if I were a child. You know how +tall and powerful he was. The next instant your +boat was capsized and I saw Colonel Carleton leap +into the sea and swim toward you. His hand +was almost upon your arm, when an enormous +wave swept him out of sight. The same wave +capsized our boat, and the next one threw me into +the cove below. I might have got away before, +but part of a broken mast lay across my chest and +I was entangled hand and foot by the rigging. I +could neither move nor call aloud. I heard voices +more than once, the voices of ladies. I believe it +was your voice and that of your friend, for I never +knew my ear to deceive me. I saw corpses lying +all around me. The tide took them away and +brought them back again many times while I was +there. All one night a dead hand lay across my +throat, but I could not disengage my hands to remove +it. I had no fever; I was conscious of everything. +The tide was higher than usual this morning. +It lifted the mast and I crawled from under it."</p> + +<p>He appeared to suffer much from exhaustion +and lay down again upon the rugs, and closing his +eyes remained silent. After a little rest, he again +sat up and resumed his conversation with Mrs. +Carleton.</p> + +<p>"I have a great love of music," he began. "I +left the colony of Virginia with the intention of +going to London, to perfect my study of that +divine art, under the direction of Orlando Gibbons. +He is very young to be a composer, but he is +already of much renown."</p> + +<p>For some time he continued to speak fluently on +the subject of music, a subject of which the ladies +perceived he was a complete master. As he talked, +he became full of enthusiasm, and that wondrous +light which belongs to genius alone illumined his +beautiful, eyes and his whole soul spoke through +them.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my madrigals," said he, "they will yet be +sung to His Majesty, King James. My symphonies +I shall submit to Orlando Gibbons, then I shall +hear them played by a full orchestra, the world will +hear, then justice will be accorded to me, the great +masters will be my judges, genius such as theirs +allows them to be generous and true in their +opinions of other men. They will see me as I am. +They will not condemn what they cannot understand. +They will not call my life useless, because +my tastes, my talents and my whole being compel +me to be different from those among whom I live. +I cannot help it, and I would not if I could."</p> + +<p>An expression of mental pain passed over his +face as he thus proceeded. "Why did my uncle +call my life and my work useless? It is hard to +be misunderstood. If I can create out of my own +brain something that is pure and beautiful, that +gives happiness, that draws coarse natures away +from their coarseness, to feelings more elevated, +that can bring to some an ecstasy of delight, to +others a sweet calm. If I follow a pursuit which +injures no human being, no living creature, why +am I to endure displeasure? Is it more manly, +more noble to hunt the poor, panting deer till it +falls gasping on the ground, and then to save its +life for the purpose of chasing it again for sport? +Is it more noble to ride races till the horses drop +down dead? Tell me, do such pursuits elevate or +brutalize?"</p> + +<p>Taking a roll of paper from his breast, he handed +it to Mrs. Carleton, saying, "I have a symphony +here which I composed since I left my home; +would you like to look at it? I wish my twin +brother Ronald could see this; he understands me, +and he will understand my music, although since +his accident, his hand can no longer obey his will; +yet he will read my symphony, aye, more, he will +play it in his soul. With it you will find a song +also, the words and music are both mine; when +you have read it, will you hand it to your friend?"</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton took the roll of music into her +hand, but observing that the writing was almost +obliterated from having been so long wet with sea +water, she passed it to Miss Vyvyan, who sat a +little farther off, desiring to spare him the pain of +seeing that his composition was destroyed. The +many pages of music were entirely illegible, with +the exception of part of the refrain of the song, +the words of which ran thus:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Bury me deep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where the surges sweep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the heaving billows moan.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>At the bottom was the name "Ralph." The following +part of the signature was destroyed.</p> + +<p>As Anna read over the words of the song, she +could not help feeling that they might be prophetic +of what was very near. She folded the paper +together and returned it to him.</p> + +<p>"Is that your signature?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is my name," he replied. "Do you +like music," he continued.</p> + +<p>"I do," she said.</p> + +<p>"How much do you like it?"</p> + +<p>"I like it to such a degree," she replied, "that I +think life is not life without music."</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is what I think," he said. "But I am +exhausted. Ladies, will you pardon me if I sleep +a little while? I want to get back my strength, +that I may be able to wait upon you both, and +make all the return in my power for your great +kindness to me."</p> + +<p>He soon fell into a restless, broken sleep, constantly +murmuring to himself incoherently.</p> + +<p>"Anna," said Mrs. Carleton, "he is very ill, +and it is almost sunset, and quite impossible for us +to take him up to the castle. We must make some +shelter here for him; the breeze already comes in +from the sea much cooler, and the night will be +cold." The ladies picked up loose stones and +planks and everything they could move, and formed +a low wall around him, making a place of shelter +as large as a small room. They then drew up a +portion of a sail and laid it partially across for a +roof. He still slept, but as they looked at him, +they saw the fever was rapidly increasing; a still +brighter flush was on his cheeks; his lips were +parched, and his breathing distressingly short and +oppressed.</p> + +<p>"What can we do?" said Mrs. Carleton. "See +there, Anna! The sun has gone behind the hill +to the west of the castle; it will soon be dark. It +would be terrible to leave him here to perish, for +he needs great care, beside the wolves may come, +and he is too ill to defend himself. Do tell me +what you think it best to do?"</p> + +<p>"One of us must watch by him to-night, Ada," +replied Miss Vyvyan, "and if he should be better +to-morrow, we may be able to get him up to the +castle. I must be the one to watch. Little Cora +could not pass the night without you, and even if she +could, you are not well enough yet to be out in the +night air. Let me go up and get a few things such +as he may require. I will be back very quickly."</p> + +<p>When Miss Vyvyan entered the castle, the sun +had set, and a dull gray hue had settled upon +every room. How dreary for poor Ada, she +thought to herself, here almost alone, with the +death of her husband so recent, and so vividly +brought before her to-day. She at once thought +of kindling a fire as the only means she had of +taking away some of the gloominess of the place. +She did so, and then spread a supper table as temptingly +as she could with the only food they had at +command, and hastened back again to the beach.</p> + +<p>"He still sleeps," said Mrs. Carleton, "but his +fever is very high. It distresses me to leave you +here, Anna, and I would not, but for little Cora's +sake."</p> + +<p>"I understand you," replied Anna; "I shall always +understand you. We are not mistresses of +our own destiny; we have to do what we can, not +what we wish. I know all that you would do if +you could."</p> + +<p>As Mrs. Carleton took the child in her arms and +turned her steps toward the castle, the moon rose +slowly from the sea and made a long, golden, glimmering +path from the horizon to the shore. It was +the harvest moon, which was almost at the full. +The night was light and still, with the exception of +the sound of the waves, which broke upon the +beach below in one long, continuous moan.</p> + +<p>Anna watched beside her charge, sometimes +moistening his parched lips, sometimes arranging +his improvised pillow, and listening to every sound +both near and distant, with that quick, discriminating +sense of hearing which we acquire from +watching over those we love, and which she had +learned during the last illness of her mother. The +night was now far advanced. Close beside her +came the quick, hard breathing, and the indistinct +murmuring of the sufferer.</p> + +<p>From down below, still arose the mournful tones +of the heavily rolling waves, and from the forest +came the howling of the wolves, but she could hear +they were not near; and resolved if they should +approach to scare them away, by setting light to +a pile of wood which Mrs. Carleton had laid together +for that purpose.</p> + +<p>As she sat there on the ground and realized her +situation, a feeling almost of terror came over her. +During the past few years, she had gone through +the discipline of a long lifetime. This night, the +past and present seemed to combine to crush out +the remnant of courage that had been left to her. +She buried her face in her hands and rocked to and +fro, struggling with her feeling, struggling with destiny, +and struggling to call back some of her former +self; that as her day, so her strength might be.</p> + +<p>At that moment, Ralph awoke; he turned his +face on his pillow, and regarding her with great +earnestness, he said, "Where is Ronald, my brother? +I want him here now."</p> + +<p>Anna went nearer to him and, looking at the +flushed face and the brilliant, restless eyes, saw +that he was delirious.</p> + +<p>"Ronald," he repeated. "Are you there?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps he is near you," said Anna, wishing +to solace him.</p> + +<p>"That is well," he answered. "I will play my +new composition to him."</p> + +<p>He immediately began to move his hands over +the rugs which covered him, as if he were playing +the organ.</p> + +<p>"Ah," said he, "that is the chord I sought,—thank +heaven.—Listen to this.—Hark, hear this +resolution. Now do you see what that chord leads +up to?—How is that harmonic progression?—How +does this sound?—I shall have a double suspension +there.—Ah, that is good.—Hark; now can +you hear the melody running through the minor?—Yes, +the violoncellos come in there,—so it must +be.—More ink; quick, quick,—there is so much +to write and so little time."</p> + +<p>He sank down again, exhausted, and fell into a +deep sleep. After an hour he again awoke, the +flush had left his cheek; he was very calm, and +had perfectly regained his senses.</p> + +<p>"I have been dreaming of my brother Ronald," +he said. "I thought he was here. Can you tell +me what time it is?"</p> + +<p>"I think," replied Anna, "by the position of +the moon, it must be an hour past midnight."</p> + +<p>"I have been ill," he said, "but I feel better, +much better; almost well again. I want to thank +you ladies for so much kind care of me; both Mrs. +Carleton and you, but I do not know what to call +you. I did not hear your name."</p> + +<p>"I do not wish you to thank me now," said +Anna, "because you are too weak to talk at present, +but I will tell you my name. It is Anna +Vyvyan."</p> + +<p>"Vyvyan," he repeated. "I know that name; +I will tell you all about it to-morrow—I feel faint.—There +is a great oppression at my heart.—Those +timbers crushed my chest.—I cannot breathe.—Raise +me up."</p> + +<p>Anna knelt on the ground beside him and raised +him up as he desired.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said, "tired, tired."</p> + +<p>The next moment a wonderful far-away look of +rapture came over his beautiful face, and then a +pale shadow such as might be caused by the passing +flight of a bird;—his head fell upon her shoulder;—he +was dead. Anna laid his lifeless body +gently down and watched beside it through the +silent hours of the night, gazing from time to time +at the finely-formed features. They had a fascination +for her, and she could not dispossess her mind +of the thought that she had seen them before.</p> + +<p>The first few streaks of dawn came creeping +over land and sea, and the sun arose and shed a +shimmering light on the surrounding islands, the +forest and the misty mountain tops. With daylight, +the howling of the wolves ceased, and the +only signs of life were the sea gulls that floated +about near the shore or ran screaming along the +beach devouring their prey, and a pair of eagles +which constantly hovered near and swooped down +close to where the dead man was lying. Anna +covered the cold, pale face and went nearer to +protect it from any attack.</p> + +<p>The sun had not long risen when Mrs. Carleton +with little Cora left the castle.</p> + +<p>Anna heard their voices, and went to meet them. +"I must be careful how I speak," she said, addressing +Mrs. Carleton, "for I feel sure Cora understands +much more than she can find language to +express, but I have to tell you that ever since +about an hour after midnight I have been all alone. +He sleeps."</p> + +<p>The ladies gave the child some shells to play +with, and went to where his body lay. They drew +the sail over the low wall which they had made +around him and completely covered in the little +room.</p> + +<p>"That will keep any eagles or wolves away while +daylight lasts," said Mrs. Carleton, "but we must +bury the poor fellow's body before night. The +thought of having it devoured or mutilated when +it is in our power to prevent it, is more than either +of us could bear, for in addition to the forlorn +state that we found him in, his genius and his gentle +breeding made both of us take an interest in +him. Beside, his being a Virginian, and the last +person to speak with Dudley, gave him a claim on +my friendship."</p> + +<p>They went up to the castle and did not return +until just before sunset, when they brought with +them many beautiful wild flowers, which, as we +have said, abounded on the island. They also +gathered branches of the fragrant fir balsam, with +which they lined the fissure in the rock on which +Ralph's body was lying. Folding around the +latter a robe of rich brocade, they lowered it tenderly +into the tomb that nature had wrought. As +Anna laid the face cloth over the marble features, +she started back. The resemblance which had attracted +and held her attention during the night, +had come out vividly since the morning. The +likeness was to her own mother, and was as marked +as if Ralph had been her son. They covered his +silken winding-sheet with flowers until the sepulchre +was filled, then they laid flat stones across +his resting place, and began to build a cairn over +all. They continued building until the sun went +down, little Cora bringing stones in her baby +hands and placing them with the same precision +that she saw her mother and Miss Vyvyan were +doing.</p> + +<p>"We have made everything secure now, Anna," +said Mrs. Carleton, "but we will come again to-morrow +and add more stones to the cairn, and +every time we come to the beach we will do the +same. Will you take charge of the manuscript? +We do not know what the future may bring. He +wished his brother Ronald to see it, and we may, +perhaps, some day have it in our power to carry +out his wish. Now we will go back to the castle, +for I see you are in great need of rest."</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Misprising what they look on<br /></span> +<span class="i0">. . . . . to her<br /></span> +<span class="i0">All matter else seems weak; she cannot love,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Nor take no shape nor project of affection,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">She is so self-endeared.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>The maple leaves had turned from rose and +crimson to orange, then to pale yellow and +to brown, and had fallen to the earth, for +it was now almost Christmas, but no snow +was as yet on the ground. The ladies had made +all the rooms which they occupied in the tower +very comfortable and homelike, although they could +neither of them bring themselves to speak of the +place by the name of home, for that was a sacred +word to both of them. They always spoke of +their dwelling-place as the castle. We have +already said that the views from every room in the +tower were of exceeding loveliness. Most of the +windows overlooked the islands, many of which +were far away, others perhaps only two or three +miles off. At one time, their beauty would be +softened and half obscured by mist, at another +they would appear to be lifted up into the sky by +the effect of the mirage. At times a heavy sea +fog hung over the island and obscured every distant +object, and to the nearer ones gave a weird +and spectral look.</p> + +<p>Just at daylight one morning, when the fog was +coming in from the ocean, the ladies were awakened +by the lowing of cattle. On looking down from +the tower windows, they saw some cows come out +from under the trees and pass along close to the +walls of the building. They scarcely had time to +express their surprise to each other, before it was +much heightened by the appearance of a woman, +who followed the animals out of the forest and +drove them quickly across the grass which had +formerly been the courtyard of the castle, to a +high mound a little way to the north of it, there +both she and the cattle disappeared in the fog and +among a thick growth of spruces. The woman's +movements were quick and firm, and she stepped +as one who not only possessed determination, but +defiance also. She was tall and gaunt and bony, +possibly not fifty years old, but her hair which hung +loose in disheveled entanglement, was as white as +if she were eighty. She had large black eyes +that flashed upon every object that she looked at. +She wore a red dress, which reached only a little +below her knees. On her feet she had a pair of +heavy, high boots, such as are worn by cavalry +soldiers. Her head was partially covered by an +old cotton handkerchief which had once been of +many bright colors.</p> + +<p>"Did you hear what language she spoke," said +Miss Vyvyan?</p> + +<p>"I caught the sound of a few words somewhat +like Italian, but it was not Italian."</p> + +<p>"I heard it," replied Mrs. Carleton. "I believe +it was Spanish, but she passed so quickly I could +not hear distinctly, or I should have understood +her."</p> + +<p>All that day the ladies remained in doors. They +watched in the direction of the mound, but nothing +was to be seen which would lead them to suppose +that any dwelling was near to them; and so the +time passed until night covered the island with +darkness. They had put little Cora to bed, and +were, according to their usual habit, sitting beside +her in Mrs. Carleton's room. The night was unusually +cold. It seemed as if winter had really +sent in its heralds in advance, to announce its near +approach. The wind howled and shrieked through +the rooms which surrounded them up stairs, and +groaned and roared in the many passages and +apartments down below. Their glowing log fire +was so acceptable to them, that they were loath to +leave it, and so they sat talking together until +midnight. They had gained a very good idea of +time by observing the sun and moon, and were +also greatly aided by the ebb and flow of the tide. +They knew exactly the high-water mark, by certain +rocks; they knew that it took so many hours to +ebb and so many to flow, and they had become so +familiar with the sound of the outgoing and incoming +tide, that even in the darkness of night, +they did not feel at a loss.</p> + +<p>"It is past midnight, Anna," said Mrs. Carleton, +going to one of the windows and leaning out to +listen, "The tide has just turned. Come here," +she continued. "What is that rising above the +mound?"</p> + +<p>"Sparks of fire and wood smoke," replied Miss +Vyvyan. "There must be a dwelling of some +kind there. That is probably where the woman +went to with the cows, but it is strange that we +have never seen anything of it before to-night."</p> + +<p>The intense cold of the next day warned the +ladies that they must use dispatch in finishing +their arrangements, in order to be able to meet the +exigencies that a severe winter night might bring +upon them. During the two months they had +been living in the castle, they had employed themselves +continually in bringing in supplies of all +kinds, until they felt they had ample stores to last +them for a very long time, but they were all in the +rooms down stairs; and as the distance from the +tower was so great, and the weather so severe, +they decided to make a storeroom up stairs, on the +same floor as that on which they lived. They had +been busy for some time, packing and carrying up +their requirements, little Cora, as usual, just as +active as themselves, taking up her loads and +returning for more; her tiny feet pattering up and +down the long, stone staircase, flitting back and +forth between her mother and Anna, with her own +peculiar, light, swift, graceful movement, which +was like that of a bird.</p> + +<p>All at once, they each missed the return of the +child; but as the ladies were in separate parts of +the castle, they each of them thought she had remained +with the other. After some time had +elapsed, they began to feel anxious, and each +sought the other.</p> + +<p>Meeting on the stairs, the question "Where is +Cora?" came from the lips of each of them at the +same moment; then a hurried explanation, and a +terrible feeling of horror. They ran in every direction, +calling her name. They separated and +went different ways; they met again and went in +search of her together. Could it be possible that +she had gone up the watch tower, and fallen from +the battlements. They flew up the tower stairs +and looked over. They rushed down again and +out into the court yard; no sound, no sign of the +child. In the agony of their distress, they went +into every room and opened every great chest, +every large piece of furniture.</p> + +<p>"Oh Anna," cried Mrs. Carleton, "that woman +we saw, do you think she has stolen my child; perhaps +put her to death. We must go to the mound +where we saw her go."</p> + +<p>They followed the tracks of the cattle, and +pushed their way through the trees for a short distance, +till they came to the almost bare mound; it +was high and long; near the base was an opening +of irregular shape, which was evidently the entrance, +but it was partly closed by an old, broken +door. They had gone within a few feet of it, +when the door was violently thrown down, and the +gaunt woman in the same strange dress stood in +the doorway, brandishing a rusty sword at them, +and speaking rapidly in a peculiarly harsh and high +pitched voice. She spoke in Spanish, which Mrs. +Carleton perfectly understood, and which she, also, +spoke fluently.</p> + +<p>"Go hence," said the woman. "What seek you +here? I am Louisita, and all that you see here is +mine; my land, my trees, my seashore; hence I +say, away with you, or this sword pierces the heart +of both."</p> + +<p>"Pray, hear me one moment," pleaded Mrs. +Carleton, "I am in the greatest distress."</p> + +<p>"What care I for your distress, have I not enough +of my own without listening to yours? Off with +you."</p> + +<p>"Only a few words," again entreated Mrs. Carleton. +"I want to—"</p> + +<p>"You may want, I heed that not. I want myself; +I have nothing to give you. I would not give +you anything, if I had it. You are intruders on +this island. I saw you arrive, and the men you +brought with you. Ha! ha! You meant them +to land here. Where are they now? I saw it all, +ha! ha! ha! You may wait for their return; they +have made a long voyage, so long that they will +never come back; glad, glad, I hate the accursed +sex, they caused all my suffering; twenty years +entombed here, through their state of mad intoxication. +If only one of that great band of pirates +had remained sober, I might have got away."</p> + +<p>"Do let me ask you, have you seen my child?" +said Mrs. Carleton. "I entreat you to tell me."</p> + +<p>"See your child. I saw you take food to one of +the accursed sex. I saw you try to make him live. +I despise you for it. Why should he live to drink, +drink, and bring misery on me and all women? I +tell you again I hate them for their love of drink. +I hold them in contempt for their weakness. The +ocean did well to swallow them down, just as their +brothers swallowed down the fiery drink on that +fearful night when the great tower fell and crushed a +hundred of them."</p> + +<p>"Do, I implore you, say if my child strayed anywhere +in your sight?" cried Mrs. Carleton, overcome +with anguish. "We have lost her."</p> + +<p>"Lost her; lost her; seen her;" echoed Louisita +very slowly, and making a long pause as if to collect +her thoughts, she added, "The child was +young and the wolf was hungry."</p> + +<p>As Mrs. Carleton translated the last sentence to +Miss Vyvyan, she fell fainting into Anna's arms.</p> + +<p>"Do not heed what she says, dear Ada; let us +believe the best until we know the worst. Cora +may have fallen asleep in some of the nooks in +the building, and so did not hear us call her."</p> + +<p>The ladies returned to the castle. Miss Vyvyan +was also under the most intense apprehension, but +she concealed her feelings from Mrs. Carleton.</p> + +<p>"Which room were you in, Ada, when you +missed Cora? She may, as I said, be asleep, and +perhaps she is among some of the bales in one of +the storerooms."</p> + +<p>"I was down at the end of the passage," replied +Mrs. Carleton, "in the largest room. We will go +there first."</p> + +<p>They went down and searched the room, but +could not find Cora. As they came out of it they +heard a sound which seemed to come from under +ground. They ran to the half-dark stairway which +they had seen when they blocked up the north +door. The sound was more distinct; it was Cora's +voice in conversation. Who could have taken her +down to that subterranean place? They did not +hesitate an instant, but descended the stairs as +quickly as the darkness would admit, and found +themselves in a dungeon where there was just sufficient +light to see that an uncovered well was +close beside the path which they were following. +The talking had ceased. The silence was profound +and added still greater gloom to the place. +They both stood bending over the well and looking +down into the depth of water which was black and +silent. They each looked at the other. They read +the thoughts which passed through each other's +mind. They neither of them spoke. They did +not dare to. While they still stood bending over +the well, straining both eyes and ears to the utmost, +little Cora's voice came again. It seemed +close to them; they could not distinguish any +words, but the tones were those of her usual pretty +baby prattle. Was that voice from the spirit land? +They could see nothing but the gray stone walls +of the dungeon, the dark, open well and some large, +loose stones, which had heavy iron chains with +rings attached to them, and which had in former +years been fastened to the ankles of the prisoners +and worn by them till death relieved them of their +burden. Just in the same way as many of the poor +victims of imperial tyranny are to-day doomed to +drag their chains and weights while they labor in +the mines of Siberia. Again came Cora's voice +as if from the further corner of the dungeon. +The ladies stumbled among the loose stones in the +semi-darkness, Anna, who was more robust and +the taller of the two, folding her arms around Mrs. +Carleton to support her, and both of them feeling +their way lest they should fall into any other well +or excavation. Arrived at the corner they saw a +gleam of light, which came in a slanting direction +through a large hole in the wall. They still heard +the little voice and determined to follow it. The +hole would only admit of their crawling in on their +hands and knees. This they did for several yards, +until everything was in complete darkness, and +they found they were against a wall straight in +front of them, and could go no further. The +passage was too narrow for them to turn round +and come out, the top of it was so low it nearly +touched their heads as they crawled along. The +air was oppressive, and suffocation almost overpowered +them, but they could still hear the voice +which seemed nearer. Feeling the walls carefully +with their hands, they found that a sharp turn to +the right, led along in a direct line toward the +sound. This passage was also dark, and as narrow +almost as a coffin. They continued crawling for +several yards more, sometime cutting their arms +with the broken stones which covered the bottom, +and sometimes placing one of their hands upon +some cold substance which moved and felt as if it +might be a lizard or a sleeping snake. They +neither called nor spoke, for they feared someone +might have the child, who would run away with +her, if warned of their approach, so they determined +to come upon them suddenly. They were +greatly exhausted, but they struggled on.</p> + +<p>At length daylight appeared at the end of the +subterranean passage, and in another moment they +emerged from it and stood in a large stone hall, +amply lighted from above by open iron gratings +and loopholes in the walls; through one of the +latter, a bright gleam of light fell like a halo upon +the sweet, fair face and the golden head of the +child, who was sitting on the floor, with a portion +of her little white dress folded around a kitten, +which she was rocking in her arms and talking to. +Happy as was her wont and all unconscious of the +flight of time and the anxiety that she had caused, +she seemed to have made some little exploration +of her own since she had been there and wanted +to show her discovery, just the same as Mrs. +Carleton and Miss Vyvyan were always doing to +one another.</p> + +<p>"Come," said she, getting up from the floor and +taking her mother's hand, "funny sing down dare; +Anna too," she continued, and stretching out her +other hand, she caught hold of the folds of Miss +Vyvyan's dress, and drew her along also, leading +them both across the hall to a large gate of iron +bars. It was locked, and closed the entrance to a +broad stone passage.</p> + +<p>"Down dare, funny sing," she went on, pointing +to a skeleton, which lay just inside, and so near to +the gate that one hand had been thrust out between +the bars and the bones of it were lying close to +their feet. A great quantity of long black hair +still remained about the skull, in the midst of +which was a Mexican ear-ring of elaborate workmanship. +Everything told them that the skeleton +was that of a woman. Glancing round the hall, +the ladies could not see any door. How did Cora +get there? Before they had time to inquire, little +Cora saw something inside the gate, and with her +usual quick movement, she swiftly passed her tiny +hand between the closely placed iron bars and from +a small heap of débris of finger bones, drew out a +richly chased gold ring, inscribed with the name +of "Inez;" set in it was a large ruby in the form +of a heart.</p> + +<p>The child who possessed as part of her inheritance +a fine, sensitive instinct, looking at her +mother, observed that her long silken eyelashes +were wet with tears, and that traces of recent +mental agony lingered on her face. In an instant, +the dear little soul strove to comfort and cheer, +after the manner so often employed by each of her +guardians toward herself. Holding up the ring +in one hand, and clinging round her mother with +the other, she said,</p> + +<p>"See, mama, Cora dot pitty sing for mama. +Don't ky, don't ky, Cora loves mama."</p> + +<p>"Sweet child," exclaimed Anna, taking her up +into her arms and holding her to her heart. "Sweet +child, more precious to us every day, for each one +reveals some new beauty of character, some still +more lovable trait. Come, dear Ada, come away," +she continued. "I will carry Cora. How did my +little godchild come here?" she said, addressing +the little one in her arms.</p> + +<p>"Kitta doe," answered Cora.</p> + +<p>"Yes darling, where did kitta go?"</p> + +<p>"By dare," said the child, pointing to a massive +column, one side of which was built close to the +wall and had the appearance of being placed there +as a support, but was in reality to conceal a doorway +which led to a flight of stairs between two +walls.</p> + +<p>The ladies went up, Miss Vyvyan carrying Cora. +They soon found themselves in one of the rooms +which was nearly filled with firearms and other +implements of warfare. The entrance to it at the +top of the stairs was concealed in the same manner +as the doorway below, and but for Cora following +the little white kitten, the ladies might have +lived many years in the castle and never have seen +it. The subterranean passage into which they +accidentally crawled, had been made for a place of +concealment in case of a sudden attack upon the +castle.</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That host with their banners at sunset was seen:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And their hearts but once heaved and forever grew still.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the might of the Gentile unsmote by the sword,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>Christmas had come and gone, and the +snow was lying deep on the ground. +They had seen nothing of Louisita since +the day Cora was lost.</p> + +<p>"I wonder," said Mrs. Carleton, "how that poor +woman, Louisita, exists? for I think from what I +saw the day we went to her, that she is all alone, +and if you recollect, she said something to that +effect. I fear she suffers in this cold weather. +You saw, of course, that it was no kind of a house +that she came out of."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Miss Vyvyan, "it appeared to be +only a mound of earth."</p> + +<p>"I want to take her some food," continued Mrs. +Carleton. "Do you think we can get there +through the snow?"</p> + +<p>"I can carry Cora," replied Miss Vyvyan, "if +you can take the food."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton filled a box with both food and +fruit, and the ladies, with little Cora, went forth to +visit Louisita.</p> + +<p>She met them in the same manner as before, +not allowing them to come very near to the opening, +and brandishing the old sword.</p> + +<p>"If that child were one of the accursed sex," +she said, with a malicious look, "I would sever its +head from its body."</p> + +<p>The child could not, of course, understand her +language, but she read the look, and clasping her +arms closely around Anna's neck, she buried her +face on her shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Will you accept of this?" said Mrs. Carleton, +speaking very gently, and at the same time lifting +the lid of the box.</p> + +<p>Louisita sprang at the contents as a famished +tigress might have sprung upon some long-sought +prey. Jerking the box out of Mrs. Carleton's +hands, she put it on the ground, and again raised +her sword. "Hence," she cried, "all of you; no +one enters here. Ha, what do I see; stop, stop," +she screamed. "Donna Inez, my lady, Donna +Inez. Where did you get that ring," she continued, +pointing to Mrs. Carleton's finger, on which +she wore the ring that Cora had found. "That is +the ring Donna Inez wore the night they murdered +her. Yes, the accursed sex murdered her, +the night they drank out of the skulls till they +were all mad, mad, and the great tower fell upon +them; ha, ha, ha. Who will drink out of their +skulls when they find them? More of the accursed +sex, they who make laws to command women, and +who cannot command themselves. Away with +you. I tell you to go, you are intruders."</p> + +<p>"I fear your dress is not warm enough," said +Mrs. Carleton. "You must suffer from the cold."</p> + +<p>"Suffer," shrieked Louisita, "I have known +nothing else than suffering for twenty winters and +summers, and they the accursed sex caused it all +by their passion for the fiery cup; it soddened +their brains; it poisoned every good feeling in +their hearts. It buried my husband under the +ruins of the tower; it bereft me of my home; it +caused my two babes to die of cold and hunger in +this tomb."</p> + +<p>"Poor Louisita," said Mrs. Carleton, "if you +will come back with us to the castle I will find +some warm dresses and other comforts for you."</p> + +<p>"Never," she replied; "it is haunted. I have +not been into it since I came away with my babes +the morning after the tower fell."</p> + +<p>"Why do you think it is haunted?" asked Mrs. +Carleton.</p> + +<p>"I know it is because I hear them shrieking in +the night, and I hear Donna Inez calling, 'Open +the gate.'"</p> + +<p>"I will not ask you to come inside, Louisita, +but if you will only come up the outside steps to +the door I will get you anything you wish for."</p> + +<p>"I want food; I want warm clothes; I want +something to cover my bed."</p> + +<p>"You shall have it," said Mrs. Carleton. "I +feel very sorry for you; I wish to make you +happy."</p> + +<p>"Ha! ha! happy," she repeated. Then looking +toward Miss Vyvyan she continued, "Make her +take that child out of my sight. She brings it +here to mock me. I will run my sword through her +heart if ever she brings that child here again."</p> + +<p>"She does not bring my child here to mock +you, Louisita. She is my friend, and loves my +child, and we could not leave it alone. My friend +always goes where I go, for fear anything might +befall me. She cannot speak Spanish or she +would explain all to you."</p> + +<p>"Go away with you," said Louisita; "go get +the things for me. I will come for them when I +am ready, but I will not put my foot over the door +sill."</p> + +<p>"All things considered, Ada," said Miss Vyvyan, +"I think it is well that Louisita is afraid to go into +the castle, for she appears to be of a spiteful nature, +and might try to do Cora some harm, but we will +never again let the child be out of sight."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton prepared for Louisita's arrival by +placing a number of things of all kinds in the hall +near to the entrance which the ladies used. In +a little while she came, still in the same short red +gown and cavalry boots, bearing the old sword in +her hand.</p> + +<p>"Where are my things?" she demanded of Mrs. +Carleton, speaking in the same defiant tone as +usual. "Bring them here to the door. I told you +I would not enter. That belonged to Donna Inez," +she said, taking up a dress, "and that was Don +Alphonzo's," seizing hold of the red velvet cloak +which the ladies had found in the library.</p> + +<p>"Wrap the cloak about your shoulders, Louisita," +said Mrs. Carleton; "it will keep you warm."</p> + +<p>"I will not," she answered, fiercely; "it belonged +to one of the accursed sex; he died through drinking +of the fiery cup; he caused the death of many +through the same thing."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you will wear this, Louisita," said Mrs. +Carleton, offering her one of the best and warmest +table covers that she and Miss Vyvyan had brought +from the wreck.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said she, "I will; give me another for +my bed."</p> + +<p>"Let me go, Ada," said Miss Vyvyan, who had +hitherto been standing far back in the hall with +Cora. "I know where we put one that will please +her, for I see that she likes red," and taking Cora +up in her arms she disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Why does she take that child everywhere," +asked Louisita.</p> + +<p>"I told you just now," replied Mrs. Carleton, +"that my friend loves my child, and they are +always happy together."</p> + +<p>"Does she think she is happy?" said Louisita, +"what a fool she must be; she is not happy, you +are not happy, I am not happy. Oh, the fool, she +has not sense enough to know that she is not +happy."</p> + +<p>Just at this junction Miss Vyvyan returned with +Cora on one arm, and the other one loaded with +warm, bright-colored articles, such as she felt sure +Louisita would like. As she approached the door, +where the woman stood, and passed the things to +Mrs. Carleton, the child again clung tightly as +before to Anna, who hastily went back to the end +of the hall.</p> + +<p>"Tell the fool to go away out of my sight with +that child," said Louisita, "and I will tell you +about this place. I will not tell her because she +mocks me by bringing the child to remind me of +my dead babes—my babes who were famished to +death."</p> + +<p>Miss Vyvyan went to the green parlor with +little Cora, and Louisita began her narrative.</p> + +<p>"I was born in Spain. When I was a young +woman, Donna Inez was married to Don Alphonzo +in Madrid. She engaged me for her waiting +woman. I was married directly after to one of +Don Alphonzo's sailors. We came to this island +in one of the Don's ships. The castle was most +gorgeously furnished with the spoils of almost +every country in the world. I thought Don +Alphonzo was a great noble, so did my husband, +for he was so called in Spain, but soon my husband +told me that the Don and all his men were buccaneers. +Donna Inez did not know the truth until +after we came here. We tried to get away, but +that was impossible. The Don brought the richest +dresses and jewels to make the Donna like her +home, but he could not succeed. Many wrecks I +have seen in just the same place you were wrecked +in; Don Alphonzo and his crew burned false signals +at night, they hoisted false colors by day, they +drew the unfortunate ships to their doom; the Don +had a hundred men in this castle, ready to obey +his commands at any moment. They had uniforms +and flags of many nations, which they used as +disguises and decoys. They robbed the vessels +which fell into their hands, they killed some of +their crews, some they sold into slavery, and others +who refused to commit murder, they chained to +great stones down in the middle dungeon. That +was called the 'dungeon of death,' for they kept +the men there until they died of starvation, and +when they died, they threw their bodies into the +well. My husband, Juan, was put into that +dungeon, because he would not kill a Spanish boy +who was taken prisoner, but Donna Inez made the +Don release him, for we thought Juan would help +us to get away. The Donna had promised to give +him half of her jewels, if he would find some way +to get us back to Spain, but he made himself powerless, +he soddened his brain, he murdered his +manly feelings; he was once good and brave and I +loved him with all the intensity and devotion of a +true woman, but he learned to value strong drink +more than my affection, he killed my love, he +drowned it in the fiery cup, and I grew to despise +and loath him. Don Alphonzo was worse than +Juan, for he had so much learning and so much +power and he turned it all to a bad use. He +blasted other lives by his own evil example. Out +of his wickedness grew the curse which fell upon +me, but he has met with retribution."</p> + +<p>"Poor Louisita," said Mrs. Carleton, speaking +very gently, "What can I do for you?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing," she replied. "Let me tell you the +rest. One night the Don and his crew came back +with the greatest prize they ever seized. The +men were summoned to unload the ship. They +made immense fires from the castle to the beach, +and by their glare they robbed the merchants of +their valuable cargo. It was near midnight before +their rapacity was satisfied. Don Alphonzo ordered +the vessel to remain where she laid until daybreak, +when he intended to set her adrift, with all her +crew on board, that he might see them dashed on +to those rocks which you see down yonder. The +Don then commanded a feast to be set in the banqueting +hall, in the base of the north tower. He +ordered every man in the castle to attend the revel, +that they might rejoice over their great prize. +They all went; the wine flowed like water; they +went down to the banqueting hall by a secret stairway; +they passed along a stone passage, which +was closed by an iron gate. The banqueting hall +had no windows; they always held their revels +there, that they might not be surprised by any +enemy, for no light could be seen outside, and no +one could tell that they were carousing. I listened +on the secret stairs until their loud shouting had +ceased, and I knew that the strong drink had soddened +their brains, and paralyzed their arms. I +ran to Donna Inez; I dressed her in the richest +brocade; I covered her neck and arms with jewels +of fabulous worth, for I knew the effect of costly +attire upon the accursed sex whose help we needed. +I made ready some caskets of jewels to take with +us. I told the Donna all that I had heard of the +ship lying there till morning, and we resolved to +let the captain know that the Don and all his men +were powerless, and to offer him the Donna's jewels +if he would take us away. We knew he would +be glad to escape; we knew he would be glad of +the jewels, for they would make him very rich. +We were ready to leave the castle. My babes +were very young; they were asleep in a large +basket; I could easily carry them to the beach. +We heard a sound like a moan; it seemed far off, +then a distant rumble, but nearer than the first +sound; next a terrific roar; another and a fearful +crash, crash. For a moment the whole castle +trembled; a flash of light lit up the place; the +north tower was wrecked from top to bottom; +the walls fell inward; they fell as you see them +lying now, for no hand has touched them since. +We knew an earthquake had occurred. My babes +awoke and screamed; I tried to quiet them, and to +hold Donna Inez back, but she tore herself away; +she was panic stricken; she did not know what +she did; she said something to me as she ran out +of her room about seeking protection; she rushed +down the stairs in the direction of the banqueting +hall; she never came up them again. As soon as +I had hushed my babes I followed her. She was +inside the iron gate; it had closed upon her as she +passed through. It could only be opened by those +who understood the secret spring. There was no +one who could come to show us how to open it. +We could not break the gate; that was impossible. +We saw that the further end of the castle was +stopped, all filled up with immense blocks of stone +which had crashed in when the tower fell. Don +Alphonzo and more than a hundred men lay under +the ruins; they shrieked and groaned there all +through the night. Donna Inez became frantic. +She dashed herself against the iron bars like some +newly caged bird. In the morning when the sun +came up from the sea she was dead. I looked for +the ship; it had sailed. I had almost lost the +power of moving, but the cries of my babes called +me back to activity. I gathered some covering +and some other things and took them to the Vikings' +tomb. I tore away the earth to make an +entrance. We lived there till cold and hunger +killed my babes. I have lived there ever since. +Nothing could induce me ever to enter the castle +again."</p> + +<p>"Why do you call it the Vikings' tomb, Louisita?" +asked Mrs. Carleton.</p> + +<p>"That was what Don Alphonzo called it. I +think he knew for he was a man of much learning, +although he had no sense. He said the Vikings +built the castle very long ago, and lived here for +two hundred years till a great pestilence prevailed +among them, and so many died of it that the remaining +ones deserted the place. He said the +Indians cast a spell over the Vikings and bewitched +them, because the Indians used to live here in +wigwams before the Vikings came and drove them +away from their own land, and would not allow +them to bury their dead among their forefathers, +for they have a burial place on this island. It is +down there just below the swamp where I saw you +gathering flowers one day soon after you came +here. There is a large elm tree down there, the +only one near. The Indians are buried there all +round it. They always had an elm tree in that +place. They have a secret charm by which they +keep it there. The Vikings cut down their elm +many times, but it sprung up again in the night, +and was as tall and large as ever the next day. +When we came here Don Alphonzo had their tree +cut down every day, but it always came up again just +the same. At last he was afraid the Indian spirits +would cast a spell over him, too, so he let their elm +alone. The Indians still bury their dead under it, +but no one ever sees them arrive. They come in +the night. An elm will always grow there till the +two thousand years for which they have their +charm has expired. After that time there will +never be another."</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<p class="center">A fool, a fool!—I met a fool i' the forest.</p> + + +<p>The first winter which the ladies and little +Cora passed on the island, was unusually +severe, but they had expected and prepared +for it; and the winter scene was so +novel to them, and fraught with so much beauty, +that they never wearied of it. Besides the constant +occupation in their housekeeping and attending +to Cora, and also caring for Louisita, and +providing her with all the comforts they had in +their power to take to her, for she still insisted in +living in the Vikings' tomb, which she never permitted +them to enter.</p> + +<p>Spring came at last, and with it returned to the +island the robins, the song thrushes, the beautiful +golden orioles, and the humming birds, all of +which had gone southward at the beginning of +winter. The wood violets and the trailing arbutus +blossomed among the grass. The spruces and +pines put forth their young buds, and the whole +island wore a garb of beauty.</p> + +<p>The little family of three, spent much time out +of doors, and visited the beach almost daily, for +they all loved the sea, especially little Cora; and +to enhance her happiness was the first desire +of both of the ladies. They frequently wandered +around Ralph's grave, and never omitted adding a +stone to the cairn, which they had raised to his +memory. Little Cora with her tiny hands, always +placing her own mite to the pile. As the child +grew stronger, they took longer walks, and taught +her from the book of nature as they went along, +for Nature's lessons in geology, and botany, and +natural history, lay all around them.</p> + +<p>They had by this, brought their lives into the +same degree of system and order, as that in which +they had each of them been educated in their respective +homes; the want of which during the +first part of their residence on the island they +greatly missed. They now divided their days, and +had regular hours for certain occupations, and they +made a compact, that they would always be cheerful +in the presence of the child, and meet their +destiny bravely, that they might not give a somber +tinge to her young life. Everything went well +with them as far as might be, excepting that Louisita, +who had the control over three cows, would +never let them have a drop of milk for Cora. The +child had for a long while after their coming, constantly +repeated at every meal "Dinah, bing milk." +She seemed to think her negress nurse was somewhere +near her, and was able to bring anything +she wished for, as formerly.</p> + +<p>Her demands for milk, had ceased for a week or +two, when one morning she again begged for it, +and when told she could not have any, a look of +extreme repression of feeling came over her features. +She did not cry, or in any way show temper. +The food was distasteful to the poor little +thing; and the look of forced endurance, one may +say that forced resignation and endurance combined, +which we sometimes see in older faces +and which is utterly discordant with their reasoning +faculties, was distressing to behold in one so +young. The child could not understand why she +was not to have milk; but the brave spirit of her +mother was her birthright, and like her mother, +she endured disappointment without a murmur.</p> + +<p>"This must not be any longer, Ada," said Miss +Vyvyan. "It is too much for you to witness, and +for Cora to suffer. That dear child shall have +some milk. I will learn how, and I will milk one +of those cows, whether Louisita's sword kills me +or not."</p> + +<p>"Dear Anna," said Mrs. Carleton, "I pray you +do not expose yourself to danger; do not be rash. +Why what has come to you? I never heard you +speak like that before."</p> + +<p>"I know it, Ada, but you never saw me so placed +else you would have. I detest selfishness, and you +have been so kind to Louisita, and she is aware +how precious Cora is to us. You know we shall +not be depriving her of anything, because she told +us she threw most of the milk away; but she encourages +the cows to come here in order to keep +them tame. You recollect that she told you the +rest of the herd which stay on the other side of +the island have become wild."</p> + +<p>"I, of course, know that we should not be depriving +Louisita," said Mrs. Carleton; "but I fear +so much that she may hurt you."</p> + +<p>"Only teach me a few words of Spanish, Ada," +said Miss Vyvyan, "and I will put that out of her +power. Teach me to say I am a spirit, you cannot +harm me."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid, Anna; for your own sake I would +not have you go."</p> + +<p>"I am not in the least afraid of her," replied +Miss Vyvyan. "I have always done my best to +help her, and I certainly intend to continue to be +kind to her, because she needs help; but I never +submit to injustice being done either to my friends +or to myself. I consider it unjust to throw away +the milk which Cora so much requires."</p> + +<p>With those words Miss Vyvyan left the room. +In a few minutes she returned.</p> + +<p>"Ada," said she, addressing Mrs. Carleton, "my +good old guardian, Sir Thomas, used to say 'All is +fair in love and in war.' Now I am going to unite +both love and war, for as I love you and Cora I +must in all honor defend you both, just as some +gallant knight would do if he were here. Put +your hand on my shoulder and feel what is there."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton did so.</p> + +<p>"Why, what have you under your dress?" said +she.</p> + +<p>"A whole suit of chain armor, Ada, that's all, +and a helmet of the same under this lace scarf on +my head. Louisita won't have the pleasure of +piercing my heart this time, and when she finds +that she cannot, she will think the spirits are +round me, or that I am like the Indians and have +a charm. I am going now; the cows are in sight. +I saw how Louisita milked, and I think I can do it. +Look down from the window, Ada, and see the +fun."</p> + +<p>"Anna be back," said the child, looking up with +a face more full of anxious desire than inquiry.</p> + +<p>"Yes, precious one," replied Miss Vyvyan, +"Anna will come back."</p> + +<p>No sooner had Miss Vyvyan approached the +cow and was endeavoring to imitate as well as she +could Louisita's way of milking, than the latter +came striding out of the mound wearing her cavalry +boots and flourishing her sword, exclaiming, +as usual:</p> + +<p>"Hence; away, away; all here is mine. Touch +not that cow. I will pierce your heart."</p> + +<p>Miss Vyvyan who heard it all did not take any +notice of her, but went on with apparent indifference, +pursuing her lacteal occupation. Louisita +stood over her and went through all the sword +exercises that she was mistress of. Still Miss +Vyvyan continued her endeavor to milk, unharmed +either by cut or thrust. Presently, turning to +Louisita, she repeated her Spanish lesson as well +as she could in the midst of her laughter.</p> + +<p>"It is the fool who is laughing," said Louisita, +looking up at Mrs. Carleton, who was leaning out +of one of the tower windows. "It is the fool, who +has not sense enough to know that she is not +happy. I shall never interfere with her again; she +can have all the milk she wishes for; she has a +charmed life."</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The quality of mercy is not strained;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Upon the place beneath. It is twice bless'd.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'Tis mightiest in the mightiest.<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>Summers and winters went by; five years +had passed since the family had been cast +on the island; they had watched from the +tower almost daily for a white sail, but +none had ever appeared, and yet they always continued +to hope that the day would come, and they +struggled within themselves to be patient and +cheerful. Sometimes the thought would take possession +of the mind of each of the ladies, that one +or other of them might die, and how terrible it +would be for the one who was left, and worse still +a thousand times, both of them might die and +leave Cora; but neither of them would ever breathe +a word which could convey such an idea to the +other; and when such thoughts and feelings oppressed +them, they took the best method of dispelling +their anxiety by engaging themselves in some +active occupation. They made a pretty garden +for summer enjoyment out of doors, and another +for winter in one of the large rooms, by filling +boxes and chests with earth. They always had +beautiful flowers in their parlor, which was a +great source of delight to Cora, as well as to +her guardians. The two guitars which they had +found in the castle, they strung with wire, and +managed to have some music every evening in +the twilight; then they had a time set apart, +also in the early part of the evening, which they +called Cora's hour. For that period, they devoted +themselves wholly to the recital of such subjects +as were suitable and pleasant to her, and which +they varied every day in the week, weaving +each recital into a little story, sometimes telling +from history; at another time, Mrs. Carleton +would compose a story about Virginian life, +and Miss Vyvyan would tell one about foreign +countries; but the hour Cora liked best, was the +one devoted to poetry and fairy tales. She was +now in her eighth year, and could read very well; +but there were no fairy tales among the numerous +books in the library, so the ladies repeated them +from memory. When the friends had put Cora to +bed, they always remained together during the +rest of the evening, working, and reading aloud to +each other, making new dresses for Cora, who +grew very fast, or planning some pleasant surprise +for her, and as far as their present position allowed, +always considering the child's future, and in what +manner it was their duty to educate her, so that +she might be best prepared to encounter any of +the reverses or changes of condition, which fate +brings into the lives of so many of us.</p> + +<p>Louisita had taught the ladies how to poison +some of the provisions with a plant which grew in +the woods, and by so doing, and laying the poisoned +food about the ground, they had destroyed +nearly all the wolves, and now wandered about the +island where they desired, making expeditions in +search of flowers, or having little picnics for Cora +in the woods, and visiting Ralph's cairn without +their former fear. They had all been spending a +long summer afternoon on the beach, the ladies +seated on the rocks between Ralph's cairn and the +sea, Mrs. Carleton working on a dress, that she +was making for Louisita, Miss Vyvyan reading +aloud, and Cora filling in the small open spaces in +the cairn, with little stones of her own selecting. +The sun had gone behind the hill on the western +side of the castle, when the little party left +Ralph's cairn and strolled along the shore, as they +returned homeward, gathering the beautiful sea-pea +blossoms on their way.</p> + +<p>"Anna," said Mrs. Carleton, "we have not seen +Louisita to-day; shall we go to the mound and tell +her that her dress will be finished in the morning, +perhaps that would please her?"</p> + +<p>"I am ready," replied Miss Vyvyan, "to go anywhere +you please, Ada; you always know the +right thing to do."</p> + +<p>"May I stay a little way off with Anna," said +Cora, "not far; I am afraid of Louisita, but I want +to be near you mama, to take care of you. +Don't you think, Anna, that Louisita is very cross," +said the child.</p> + +<p>"Not now, dear, she has been very gentle and +quiet for the last year."</p> + +<p>"I remember," the child continued, "a long +time ago when I was little and you were trying to +get some milk for me, and she hit you with her +sword, she frightened me so; I was afraid she +would kill you."</p> + +<p>"She does not carry her sword any longer," said +Miss Vyvyan, "and she does not scold us any more; +she would not hurt any one now, your mama has +been so kind to her, and set her such an example +of goodness that she has made her good, too."</p> + +<p>They had reached the entrance to the mound; +Cora shrank back and clasped Miss Vyvyan's +hand, who led her a few steps on one side.</p> + +<p>"What is this," said the child holding in her +hand a gold ornament set with garnets that she +had just picked up from a heap of rubbish which +appeared to be sweepings from Louisita's abode.</p> + +<p>"That is a fibula, Cora, such as I saw in a +museum in Norway."</p> + +<p>"Look, Anna, look at these," she continued, +gathering up several antique beads of glass mosaic +and a few chess men of amber from the same place. +"Tell me what they are?"</p> + +<p>"They all came from Norway," replied Miss +Vyvyan, explaining their use to her.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton meanwhile knocked on the broken +planks which served for a floor, and as Louisita +did not appear she entered the mound, but soon +came out again, and whispered something to Miss +Vyvyan who passed in, leaving Mrs. Carleton with +Cora. On first entering, it was difficult to distinguish +the interior of the place, or any of the numerous +objects that it contained, as the only light +came in through the shattered door, and a small +hole on one side of the mound, which evidently +served as a chimney and a window also. After a +few seconds, when Miss Vyvyan's eyes became +accustomed to the extremely subdued light, she +saw that she was in a place that was four or five +hundred feet in circumference and about twenty-four +feet high. Advancing toward the side on +which the hole was broken, she observed Louisita. +A gleam of light fell upon her. She was kneeling +in front of a small structure which formed a table. +Her hands were clasped in the attitude of prayer, +and her fixed and glassy eyes seemed to look up in +the direction of a small silver crucifix, which hung on +the wall before her. Her features were set and rigid. +The rich brown Spanish tint had left her face. +When Miss Vyvyan looked upon her she knew +that she was dead, and, on laying her hand upon +her cold brow, she concluded that death had taken +place many hours previously; perhaps the night +before. She summoned Mrs. Carleton, and bidding +Cora sit down where they could see her from the +inside of the mound, the ladies proceeded to lay +Louisita to rest in the same tomb that had so long +been her dwelling. They lifted her on to her bed; +they folded the poor, tired hands of the weary +woman, whose life had lingered on through those +lonely, loveless years. They took the silver crucifix +from the wall and laid it upon her breast; for +although they were not of her creed, they respected +her devotion. They felt thankful that in her lifetime +they had done all they could to lighten her +burden. They felt still more thankful for her own +sake, that her pilgrimage was ended, and that she +had gone to join the babes who were so dear to +her mother's heart.</p> + +<p>Not finding sufficient boards to close up the +entrance securely, the ladies went to the further +end of the place to get some which they saw there. +The pile was very high, and as soon as they took +hold of one, several other boards fell in broken +pieces at their feet, revealing the ribs of an old +Norwegian ship, inside of which lay the skeleton +of a man which had been there so long, that it +began to crumble to ashes the moment it was exposed +to the air. They turned to leave the ship +when another and much larger fall of boards +exposed the skeleton of a horse. They paused a +moment and looked round; they saw that Louisita +was not in error when she had told them that +the Norsemen were at one time on the island, for +there was every evidence of the mound being the +tomb of a Viking. Among the bones of the horse +lay the remains of a bridle and saddle of leather +and wood, the mountings of which were in bronze +and silver. Near that of the man lay some ring-armor, +a shield-buckle, two stones of a hand-mill +for grinding corn, bits for bridles, stirrups, some +gold finger rings and a fibula of the same metal. +The ladies passed quietly out of the tomb, and +built up the entrance as well as they could with +stones and earth, across which they drew the vines +and brambles that grew among the spruces close +by, so that at the end of the following summer +there was not any trace left of an entrance ever +having been there.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton had missed Miss Vyvyan for a +longer period of time than usual one day, and in +going in search of her to a part of the castle which +they rarely went into, she found her engaged in +making a little gift to surprise Cora with, and singing +in a low tone the following song:—</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Why?</span></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Oh weary years why come and go<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With endless sorrow rife;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And hope's dead dreams why come ye back<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To mock my empty life?<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Oh destiny, oh bitter fate,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oh burning tears that start,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Why must the hearts that love the most<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Forever dwell apart?<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton entered the room so gently that +Miss Vyvyan was not aware of her presence until +the former was close beside her.</p> + +<p>"You look sad, dear Anna; what can I do to +cheer you?"</p> + +<p>"This is a sad anniversary for me," replied Miss +Vyvyan; "but I did not intend you to know it."</p> + +<p>"Let us hope, Anna, that time will give us back +some of our former happiness," said Mrs. Carleton.</p> + +<p>"The grave is unrelenting, Ada; it never gives +back what it has taken from us. I will tell you all +some day. I cannot talk about the past now; it +would unfit me for being of use to others who +have suffered; it would make me no companion for +you and dear Cora; it would be selfish to intrude +my life upon you."</p> + +<p>"No, Anna, pray tell me why I sometimes see +so sad an expression on your face which you +change the instant you find I am looking at you. +You know you have never alluded to any event in +your life prior to our being shipwrecked. You +have told me of your childhood, certainly, but that +was so bright and happy that the recollection of it +must be an endless source of thankfulness. Now +I again pray of you, tell me all."</p> + +<p>"As you so much wish it, Ada," replied Miss +Vyvyan, "I will tell you that the sunlight went +out of my life too soon. At the time I first met +you the world was all darkness to me; all my days +and years were winter, and my only wish was to +die."</p> + +<p>"Oh Anna, do not say that," said Mrs. Carleton; +"but go on and tell me why."</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, I fear I was rebellious, but I only +thought of the present. I could not look forward; +it seemed as if there were no future for me here. +I was alone; the only lips which had the right to +breathe my name were sealed in death, and the +stately dignity or cold respect with which I was +always addressed reminded me hourly of my isolated +existence. I have no words that can express +to you the utter desolation I felt in having no one +to call me by name. I often sought the whispering +of the wind through the trees, the leaves and +the long, waving grass in the hope that it might +emit a sound which my fancy could fashion into +the once familiar name, but all in vain; the trees +and the leaves and the grass, even the rocks and +hills, whispered and murmured and talked of many +things, but the sound I most longed to hear came +never."</p> + +<p>Anna noticed that Mrs. Carleton looked sorrowful. +She ceased speaking.</p> + +<p>"Why did you stop, Anna; go on."</p> + +<p>"I am distressing you, I see," answered Miss +Vyvyan; "I ought not to pain you."</p> + +<p>"Please go on, Anna."</p> + +<p>"I cannot expect you to comprehend my exceeding +loneliness at that time, because your life +has never been empty, and you have now your +beautiful child. When first I met you I had nothing. +When I say nothing, I do not mean to infer +that I was destitute of worldly means. I had an +ample fortune which I inherited from my mother, +besides the manor house and the landed estates of +my grandfather; but I was destitute in the deepest +sense; I had nothing of my own to love; I +was alone. Do you know what that word alone +means, 'when hope and the dreams of hope lie +dead?' No, Ada, you cannot, God grant you +never may. At length there dawned that rich, +golden autumn day, when you named Cora, and +gave me the right to say 'My.' The surprise was +so great to me that I scarcely knew whether I was +moving about in a dream, for my existence had +been so long void of interest that I deemed happiness +for me dead. But when I took Cora in my +arms, and looked into the wondrous eyes, and saw +the love, the purity and the delicate sensibility of +the being to whom I could always in the future say +'My,' a new world and a new existence seemed +before me, and I thought angel voices thus whispered +and said, 'We have brought this beautiful +child into your life to dwell forever as a sweet, fair +flower in the garden of your heart.' And as the +child grew and talked and called me by my name, +the music of its voice and footstep gladdened my +soul and sent a thrill of joy through my whole being. +Ever since the day of our shipwreck, when +you were lying on the beach so near death that I +did not dare to allow myself to believe that you +could live, (and may I say it, Ada, without seeming +vain), when I was made the instrument to call you +back to life. Ever since that day until this, you +and Cora have seemed to belong to me; to be +mine to love and live for. So you see you have +brought back the sunshine into my life. I have +finished; I shall never again talk in this way. My +study shall be to brighten, not to sadden, the path +which lies before you in the future."</p> + +<p>Anna Vyvyan kept her promise to the end.</p> + + + + +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The heart that has been mourning<br /></span> +<span class="i0">O'er vanished dreams of love,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shall see them all returning,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Like Noah's faithful dove.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And hope shall launch her blessed bark<br /></span> +<span class="i0">On sorrow's darkening sea.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I have had joy and sorrow; I have proved<br /></span> +<span class="i0">What lips could give; have loved and been beloved;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I am sick and heart-sore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And weary, let me sleep;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But deep, deep,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Never to awaken more!<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<p>It was September again, and the golden rod +and fall asters, that had for seven seasons +been Cora's delight, were once more in +their yellow and purple glory. The day +was sunny, and the rich autumnal glow spread +itself over the walls of the old castle, the forest, +the rocks, and the sea, and the island and its surroundings +seemed to the little family to be more +beautiful than ever.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Carleton was engaged in decorating the +green parlor with flowers and trailing plants, which +Miss Vyvyan and Cora had gathered for that purpose. +The two latter had gone down among the +trees near the beach to get the last basketful of +moss to complete the work of adornment.</p> + +<p>"Quick, Trefethen, quick, hand me my gun; see +those birds, what an immense flight of them," shouted +a strong masculine voice within a few yards of the +trees which concealed them from view, and which +also prevented them from seeing from whom the +voice came.</p> + +<p>"Don't fire," cried Miss Vyvyan, instantly catching +up Cora in her arms as she used to do in the +child's baby days.</p> + +<p>"Don't fire," she repeated, "there are people +here who are coming out of the woods on that +side," at the same time, forcing her way among the +trees, in the direction from which the voice came; +and taking the advantage of making an inspection +without being seen herself.</p> + +<p>Cora caught sight of two figures standing on the +open ground between the forest and the sea.</p> + +<p>She clasped Miss Vyvyan's neck more tightly +and whispered softly, "Look, Anna, there are two +papas."</p> + +<p>Miss Vyvyan paused, and looking between the +branches she saw a tall, finely grown gentleman in +the full military uniform of a colonel of the British +army. By his side stood a man of smaller stature +who wore the blue coat of a sea captain of that +period. As the sunlight fell upon the bright scarlet +uniform, the gold laced hat, the gold epaulets +and the handsome scabbard which contained the +colonel's sword, the child gazed in great amazement, +not unmixed with admiration.</p> + +<p>As we have already said, Cora was born brave, +and like her mother struggled to keep up a calm +courage through any emergency; but the poor little +heart trembled a little when she said,</p> + +<p>"Anna, I think he is a very pretty papa, but why +does he wear that sword? Louisita used to wear a +sword," she added.</p> + +<p>"We are safe, Cora; he will not hurt us. He +wears the uniform of our king. He would help us +if we wanted him to."</p> + +<p>"Shall we go to him?" said the child.</p> + +<p>"Yes; we must so that we can tell your mama +what sort of persons are on the island."</p> + +<p>A few more steps took them out of the wood. +Miss Vyvyan put the child out of her arms and +led her. The gentleman in uniform advanced to +meet them, and raising his hat said,</p> + +<p>"Pray pardon me if I caused you any alarm. I +did not know that this island was inhabited, and I +saw so much wild fowl that the temptation to shoot +was very strong."</p> + +<p>"I can quite understand that," replied Miss +Vyvyan. "We need no apology," she added, "as we +were aware that most gentlemen enjoy sport, and +your bearing and the uniform that you wear assure +us that there is no cause for alarm."</p> + +<p>The officer bowed low, but made no reply.</p> + +<p>Cora, who was still holding Miss Vyvyan's hand, +looked up at her and said again, "What a pretty +papa, and more papas coming from the ship; but I +like this one best."</p> + +<p>The child's excitement was so great that her +whisper was very audible to the officer.</p> + +<p>"What does she mean?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"That is her own way of expressing herself," +Miss Vyvyan answered. "She calls all pictures of +men papas. We think she has some recollection +of her father, although she was little else than a +babe when he was drowned here, which is seven +years ago to-day. She appears in some mysterious +way to realize that there was such a relationship, +for she delights in looking at pictures of papas as +she calls them, more especially such as are represented +as wearing military uniform. And when +she was very young I have often seen her press +her cheek against that of a small statuette which +we have of a soldier and kiss it and call it papa."</p> + +<p>While Miss Vyvyan and the officer were still +speaking Cora was examining the handsome uniform, +and the gentleman was looking intently at +the gold chain that the child wore round her +throat. After a little conversation the officer +addressing Miss Vyvyan said,</p> + +<p>"I hope you will not think me too inquisitive if +I ask whether this fair sea flower has a mother +living."</p> + +<p>"Oh yes," cried the child before Miss Vyvyan +had time to reply, "I have the dearest mama in +the world and we do love her so, don't we Anna?"</p> + +<p>Cora in her enthusiasm let go Miss Vyvyan's +hand, and taking hold of the officer's,</p> + +<p>"Come," she said, "come with us and see her, +and then you will love her, too."</p> + +<p>Miss Vyvyan was about to suggest that probably +the strange gentleman would prefer not to accept +Cora's invitation until he had received one from +her mother, when he interposed by asking Cora +what her mother's name was.</p> + +<p>"Why, it is mama," she replied.</p> + +<p>"Yes, fair one; but she has another name."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you mean Ada, that is what Anna calls +her."</p> + +<p>"She is Mrs. Carleton," said Miss Vyvyan.</p> + +<p>"Great Heaven! my prayer is answered," exclaimed +the officer. Turning quickly away for a +few paces he covered his face with his hands, and +his stalwart frame trembled with emotion.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter," said Cora, "are you unhappy; +never mind, do not be sorry, papa."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my beloved child, I am indeed your own +papa who has come back to you and mama; take +me to her; I must go to her this moment, show me +the nearest way."</p> + +<p>Cora again clasped her hand round one of his +fingers and as she lead him along she said, "Mama +will be so happy for she thought you could never +come back to us, and she often told me that if we +were good we should go to you some day; poorest +mama, big tears come into her eyes when she tells +me about my papa."</p> + +<p>Arriving at the end of the corridor leading to +the green parlor Cora ran swiftly in advance of +Miss Vyvyan and Colonel Carleton calling as she +went,</p> + +<p>"Mama, mama, we have found a real papa, not a +picture, but my own papa."</p> + +<p>Then came the meeting of the long-parted +hearts and the recounting of events, which had +taken place since the day on which destiny had +torn the husband and wife from each other. Cora +full of fresh young life joined in the conversation +every instant, telling her father how they used to +get the eggs of the sea birds and the honey from +the wild bees' nest, and how they caught the sea +perch from off the rocks, and how she found a jar +of gold coins near the Vikings' tomb, which her +mama said were pesos, and all about the fibula +which she found there, also.</p> + +<p>Then Colonel Carleton explained how he tried +to rescue his wife and child, just as Ralph had told +them a few days after they were wrecked; and +how he was picked up by a young man from Wales +who came out in the English ship, and was lashed +to a floating mast by that brave young fellow, and +by him kept from drowning until they fell in with +a slave ship that was bound for the coast of Africa, +but was also out of its course as well as their own +unfortunate vessels; and how they were taken on +board and kept toiling under an African sun for +nearly seven years, when good fortune smiled upon +them and they were sold as slaves and sent to the +colony of Virginia.</p> + +<p>"The same young Welshman," continued Colonel +Carleton, "has always been with me. He has a +very remarkable talent for navigation, and is now +the captain of my ship. If he had not been I do +not think I should ever have been able to find you, +for I did not know that it was an island upon which +we were shipwrecked; but he did, and under Providence, +I have everything to thank him for."</p> + +<p>"Beg pardon," said a voice at this part of Colonel +Carleton's narrative, and turning their eyes +in the direction of the door they saw standing +there the muscular, well-knit figure, the pleasant +face and bright eyes of Captain Trefethen.</p> + +<p>"Beg pardon," he repeated, "but I heard what +the Colonel said about me, and I want to say, that +if he had not cut off the leather belt he wore and +let all his gold fall into the ocean, that I might have +the leather to chew when I was famishing with hunger +on the mast, I must have died; and I feel that +under Providence I have everything to thank him +for. I made up my mind then never to leave the +Colonel till I saw him moored in a safe harbor. +In a few days," Captain Trefethen continued, +"everything will be ready for the good ship 'Ada' +to sail for Virginia, and as I do not suppose the +Colonel will want to take another voyage of discovery, +I will leave you all there, as I intended to +come back to these parts myself and settle on an +island about forty miles down this bay. It has a +queer Indian name, 'Monhegan' they call it. +Captain John Smith, who is now ranging this +coast, told me about it. He seems to have a fancy +for Indian names. I shall never forget how he +sung the praises of an Indian girl the night before +he set out on his present voyage. 'Pocahontas,' +he called her. Here is some fruit and a few little +things for the ladies," he continued, placing a box +upon one of the tables and leaving the room.</p> + +<p>When Colonel Carleton was again left with his +wife and child and Miss Vyvyan, he resumed his +conversation, and answered all the anxious and +rapid inquiries of Mrs. Carleton. "Yes," he said, +"I assure you again that I left all the family in +Virginia perfectly well. Your father attended to +my estates during my absence, and by his wisdom +in managing them, he has increased their value +sevenfold. Your sister Julia was married two +years ago, and she has an excellent husband."</p> + +<p>"Excellent husband," echoed Cora, "What kind +of thing is that? Mama and Anna never told me +about the excellent. Where do you find it, is it a +bird; can it sing; may I have one?"</p> + +<p>Cora was about to propound further questions regarding +an excellent husband when the merry +peals of laughter from the two ladies and the Colonel, +put an end to her interrogations. She did +not understand why they all laughed, and like +many of her elders under similar circumstances +she felt sensitive on that account; but with her +usual quickness of thought, she said, "I know +why you are so merry, papa; it is because you are +so glad to be with us all in this parlor, that mama +has made so pretty with these bouquets and +wreaths of flowers. Mama makes all our rooms +pretty; you ought to see them when the days are +dark and foggy, so that we cannot see anything +outside; then mama gets so many branches of the +fragrant fir and green moss and red berries, and +makes the most beautiful things."</p> + +<p>"Why does mama select the foggy days to +adorn the rooms most, my darling?" said the +Colonel.</p> + +<p>"Why, don't you know? she does it to make +Anna and me happy. Sunshine within, mama +calls it, and Anna made a song about that; shall I +sing it to you?"</p> + +<p>Without waiting for a reply, the child sung the +song all through, keeping time on her father's arm, +which encircled her as she sat on his knee.</p> + +<p>When the refrain "our sunshine is within" +ended, Colonel Carleton bent down and pressed his +lips upon the golden head of his little daughter.</p> + +<p>There was a mist before his eyes as he said, +"Yes, my darling, our sunshine is within our own +hearts, and it is in mine to-day for which I thank +God."</p> + +<p>Cora continued talking, telling her father all +about the beautiful flowers on the island, and the +picnics on the sea beach and in the woods.</p> + +<p>"And one day, papa," said she, "we went for a +long walk to the north end of this island, mama +said it was, and we saw such a pretty little island all +covered with trees, and the eagles were up on the +tall pines. It was so close to our island that we +could almost jump on to it, and mama said I could +think of a name for it, so I named it "Fairy +island." I think our island that we live on is very +pretty, too, but I am glad we are going to Virginia +to live near grandpa and grandma and Aunt Julia +and my uncles, and I want to see grandpa's dog +Franco. Do you know, papa, I never saw a dog. +And Anna must come, too, and live with us."</p> + +<p>"Of course she will," said Colonel and Mrs. +Carleton, both speaking at the same time; "and perhaps," +added Cora, "when it is summer, we will go +to England and visit Anna in her old home at the +manor house."</p> + +<p>"That is right, Cora," said Miss Vyvyan; "the +way in which you have arranged for the happiness +of all of us is admirable."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Colonel Carleton, "Cora has made +a very pleasant sounding plan, but I am not as +sure as my little daughter appears to be, that we +shall be able to carry out the whole of it, for when +we land in Virginia, Miss Vyvyan, your cousin, +Ronald Fairfax, may have something to say in the +matter. From what Ada has already told me, you +seem to have felt great interest in poor Ralph, and +he and Ronald so much resembled each other in +all respects that it was almost impossible to distinguish +them. Pardon me, if I say that I sincerely +hope you may take an interest in Ronald; besides +the affection that existed between these two brothers +was so profound that Ronald will desire to +show his gratitude to you for your kind care of one +so dear to him. How is he to do it? I only see +one way."</p> + +<p>The next few days passed by very quickly, as +every one was busily engaged in making their +preparations for the voyage. Full of autumn +beauty, the last day arrived, and the boat with its +crew waited on the beach for the family from the +castle.</p> + +<p>"Oh dear," said Cora, who was standing in the +green parlor all ready to start, with her arms full +of her favorite golden rod and fall asters, "how +could I forget to pick up some of those shells +which I like so much; I wanted to take some to +give to all of them at home, I am so sorry."</p> + +<p>"There will still be time enough to get some before +we embark, Cora; you shall have some, dear," +said Miss Vyvyan.</p> + +<p>"Why Anna," said Mrs. Carleton, "you are surely +not going down to the breakers to-day; I fear +you will wear your life out for Cora's sake."</p> + +<p>"Never mind me, Ada," replied Miss Vyvyan. +"If I die in a labor of love it will be the death I +most desire."</p> + +<p>So saying she took a little basket and left the +room. As she passed through the door Cora threw +her a kiss and said, "Anna be back."</p> + +<p>As we have said previously, the ladies liked Cora +to keep some of her baby language, and that was +one of her own modes of expression which they +never corrected. It reminded them of her infancy +and of their own mutual attachment, which first +met in the love they each of them bore toward the +child.</p> + +<p>"Are you all ready?" said Colonel Carleton, as +he came along the corridor to the green parlor. +"Where is Miss Vyvyan?" he added, on entering +the room.</p> + +<p>"She has gone down to the breakers to get +some shells that Cora wishes to take to Virginia," +replied Mrs. Carleton.</p> + +<p>"We will all join her there," said the Colonel, +"and then we can walk back along the shore to +our boat."</p> + +<p>On arriving at the long ledge of rocks that ran +straight out into the ocean, and which they called +the "Whale's Back," they entered the little cove +that was situated on the side nearest to the castle. +There was Miss Vyvyan's basket half filled with +the shells that Cora so much desired; but where +was she?</p> + +<p>In another moment, Cora with her quick step was +springing up to the highest part of the rocks. A +shriek of anguish from the child, and the cry in +her former baby language, "Anna be back, Anna +be back," brought her parents instantly to her +side. Looking from the high wall that nature had +formed, and across the larger cove on the other +side, they saw far out toward the open sea Miss +Vyvyan's upturned face. She was floating on an +enormous wave which was bearing her rapidly +toward the shore.</p> + +<p>"Oh Anna, poor Anna; save her Dudley," cried +Mrs. Carleton, believing anything possible to the +brave and kind-hearted man, who had dared and +surmounted all obstacles for her own sake.</p> + +<p>"Yes, dearest; yes, trust me. I will do my +utmost," replied the Colonel, quickly scaling the +outer side of the cliff, and dashing over and among +the broken masses of rock that laid between him +and the sea. Throwing off his hat and heavy uniform +coat, he stood with extended arms at the +water's edge, exactly at the spot where he knew +the wave would strike. Miss Vyvyan was being +swiftly borne toward him and was within a few feet +distance.</p> + +<p>"Keep calm," he called to her, "for heaven's +sake, keep calm, and I can save you."</p> + +<p>The great wave bearing its living burden, broke +upon the beach with unusual violence. Colonel +Carleton was struck and thrown far up toward the +shore by its mighty force. In another instant, he +was on his feet again, rushing forward after the receding +water, which was carrying Miss Vyvyan +out. She still floated on the crest of the wave. +Raising one hand and unclasping it, she threw +upon the beach a small white shell, saying as she +did so, "for dear Cora." She saw the friendly outstretched +arm of the brave man; she looked up to +the rocks; she saw the pure, classic features of +gentle, loving Ada, paralyzed with distress, white +as marble, pallid and death-like, as on the day that +she had kissed them back to life seven years before. +She saw the beautiful child, who was so +precious to her; she noted the terror, pain and +love in its fair, young face. She heard the sweet +voice calling "Anna be back." She saw no more, +the waters covered her; the same ocean which +had brought her to the island, claimed her for its +own and bore her away forever.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Many summers and winters have come and gone, +and long years have passed away since the ladies +and their dear little one lived on the island. The +flowers have faded and the trees of the forest have +died with time, but neither time nor death has +power to kill the love of a true heart; that lives +on forever and ever and, ph[oe]nix-like, exists on its +own ashes. So it is that the solitary student wandering +in the twilight along the shore, and the +young lovers, who are whispering the old, yet +always sweet story in the little cove close by, hear +ever and anon, coming up from the sea, the echo of +Anna Vyvyan's last words, "For dear Cora."</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Peak's Island, by Ford Paul + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PEAK'S ISLAND *** + +***** This file should be named 26410-h.htm or 26410-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/4/1/26410/ + +Produced by Robert Cicconetti, V. L. 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