The Baronet's Bride

ched them to the aid of the wounded man in the wood. And then he sought his own ch

e green serpent glided out, reared itself up, and glared at them with eyes of deadly menace. And somehow, though he had not yet seen the lad's face, he knew the hissing serpent and the preserver of his life were one and the

ng and sleeping! A most ungrateful dream, tr

ched hat and the red cotton handkerchief. They lay on the carpet; and over the pillows, and over the coarse v

rd gasped, in his utter a

t suspicion was a certainty. This dark, youthful, faultlessly beautiful face was a woman's face. A girl i

tage of bewilderment and amaze, retr

oung man raised himself on his elbow, very wide awak

iscovered the sex of his preserver. As he is too delicate to disturb

ir, bound it up with the handkerchief, and crushed down over all the slouched hat. Then, with the handsome face overshado

erplexed face; and now he stood with his great, Saxon-blue eyes piercingly fixed upon the young person i

began, with a reproachful glance, "and you have b

m ten minutes ago to arouse you, as I said I would. I knocked thrice, and received no reply. Then

er's hands flew up and covered his face,

in your masquerade, mademoiselle. I confess I sho

the "lady in velveteen" flung h

r clasped hands. "Have pity on me! Don

at have I to forgive? Pray get up; there is no re

ead dropped in womanly confusion,

? How dreadful it mu

if you on

this window recess and tell me, won't you? Come,

e run away from home, and I wil

reak, and Sir Everard saw the splend

ack, depend upon it. Wh

lv

asked. "Oh, Sir Everard Kingslan

swered, moved by the piteous appeal. "Surely I could

me as you would serve any friendless girl in distre

enting, and begin at the beginning. Who are your friends, a

but, such as it is, my uncle set his greedy heart upon adding it to his own. To do this, he determined upon marrying me to his only son. My cousin William was his father over again-meaner, more cruel and crafty and cold-blooded, if possible-and utterly abhorred by me. I would sooner have died ten thousand deaths than marry such a sordid, hateful wretch! But marry him I surely must have done, if I remained in their power. So I fled. With inconceivable trouble and maneuvering. I obtained this suit of clothes. If I fled undisguised, I knew I would certainly be pursued, overtaken, and brought back. I

ploringly to his, and Sir Everard was two-and-twent

last on earth to blame you for flying from a detested marriag

ging it; and if I do not succeed in finding my nurs

not her

her married daughter, but we never corresponded; and whether she is there now, or whether inde

se. How beautiful she was in her dark, glowing g

your nurse's whereabouts as you do, to seek her in Plymouth now. Write first, or ad

repeated, with unspeakable mournf

e here until you find your friends. And you shall not wear this o

is no cleverness in fooling such an imbecile as that. I am going on velvet s

a door down the corridor, quite at

as a lady's morning toilet complete, and without more ado Sir Everard co

er garment. All the maid-servants in the

peared with a black silk dress. Rolling all up in a heap, he star

matter! What will Mildred and her maid say, I wonder, when they

of his pretty runaway, and tapped at the do

you are dressed, come out.

iss Silver's s

ly sensational doffed her velveteens and donne

embroidered, marked with the initials "M.

a change even a black silk dress makes in one's appearance! He admired me-I saw he did, in j

ed the door and stepped out before Sir Ever

ight beauty and imperial mien, the lad in velveteen who had shot the poacher last night? Why, Cleopatra might hav

ward. "Your disguise was perfect. I should never have

you knew how I abhorred myself in that hateful disguise

ou are safe here, Miss Silver, from the tyranny of your uncle and cousin.

o her lips, and once more the lum

," the sweet voice murmured: "but you over

e at this interesting crisis. Miss Silver dropped the baronet'

re until I apprise my mother of your presence here and prepare her to receiv

shed lik

tairs, and passed his own

alet; "but we was all very anxious about you.

rd. You did not dis

ir Hev

once. Sir Galahad was there, undergoing his morning toi

waiting for the time when my lady should be visible. She rarely rose before noon, but to-day she deigned to

nd perfume-and Lady Kingsland, in an exquisitely becoming robe de matin, at five-and-fifty looked fair and handsome, and scarce middle-aged yet. Time, that deals so gallantly with these

been incontinently nipped in the bud by imperious mamma, and she had dutifully yielded, with the pain sharp in her heart all th

n with a bright, loving smile. He was her darling and

red and myself the honor of breakfasting with us. Perhaps

er and your chocolate on the spot. Milly, good-morni

of late," his mother said. "I must t

asked Si

, I think. What time did you come hom

half laughing-"are you very anxious for a d

quarrel with

must be Lord Carteret's

y heart on seeing Lady Louise your wife; and she loves you, I

come Lady Kingsland, or the fault shall not be mine. I believed I should have asked

great, stupid George," my lady said. "And was the di

hortly after midnight. What time Sir Galahad arrive

and looked

ot ride Si

other, I met with an adventure last night, and yo

era

of a handsome lad in velveteen, who shot my assailant, I would be lying

zed at him breathlessly, Sir Ever

ng him in her arms. "Oh, to think wha

e, you know. Poetical justice befell my assailant;

of your life, Eve

nt; and by the same token, fasting all this

ha

erard

highly sensational and melodramatic, I pr

ard repeated Miss Sybilla Silver's extraordinar

othes! My dear Everard, what a

tive and womanly a young lady as ever I saw i

hly disapproved of pretty girls where he was concerned

ll in love with Miss Sybilla Silver, I give you my word and h

and before your sister?

peal of boyish laughter

"Honorine told me robbers must have been in my dressing-room last night

member she is friendless, and t

word. That claim, he knew, was one

her chair pale and faint, "to

ide a young lady-so stately, so majestic in her dark b

lady saved my life. T

sland, Mi

d dark eyes lifted themselves in mute appeal to the great lady's face, and then the proudes

rmured. "The service you have r

dy and her daughter, while Sir Everard, in scarlet coat and cord and tops, had mounted his bon

erson, truly. Do you know, if she does not succeed in findi

stood before the glass, and s

andsome face and black eyes and smooth tongue stand me in their usual good stead. And I saved Sir Everard Kingsland's