The Buccaneer - A Tale

"Such a tomb as this I should have liked for Barbara," she said aloud,

sighing heavily as the words escaped her lips.

"She will not need it," replied a voice from under an old archway, close

beside where she sat.

Lady Frances started.

"Will you tell your friend, Mistress Cecil," continued the same

voice--Lady Frances could not see the speaker, although, as may be

readily believed, she looked around her with an anxiety not divested of

terror--"Will you tell your friend, Mistress Cecil, that old Mother

Hays, of the Gull's Nest Crag, is dying, and that she has something to

communicate which it concerns her to know, and that the sooner she comes

to the Gull's Nest the better; for the woman's spirit is only waiting to

tell her secret, and go forth."

"Methinks," replied Lady Frances, "that her own child--I know she has

one--would be a fitter depositary for her secret than a lady of gentle

blood. But why come ye not forth? I hate all jugglery."

"Her own child, Robin, is away, the Lord knows where; and those who are

not of gentle blood are as eager after secrets as other folk. Your

father has had rare hunting after the Cavaliers and their secrets,

though his blood has more beer than Rhenish in it, to my thinking."

Lady Frances stamped her little foot with rage at the insult, and

called, in no gentle tone, "Maud! Maud!" then raising her voice, which

she imagined could be heard below, as the garden of Cecil Place joined

the ruins of Minster, she shouted, in a way that would have done no

discredit to any officer in the Commonwealth service, "Below

there!--turn out the guard, and encircle the ruins!"

"Turn out the guard, and encircle the ruins!" mimicked the voice, which

was evidently receding; "the little Roundhead's in a passion!--'Turn out

the guard!' ah! ah! ah!" and the laugh appeared to die away beneath her

feet.

Maud had hastened down right joyfully at the summons, and stood beside

her mistress, whose temper had by no means cooled at the term

"Roundhead," as applied to herself; and broke forth in good earnest,

when noting a smile that elongated her woman's lip, as she said,-"Law! daisy me, my lady! I thought you were run away with, seeing I have

just seen two ravens come out o' the glen--the Fox-glen, as we call it."

"Run away with!" repeated Lady Frances, bridling; "have the goodness to

remember to whom it is you speak--woman--Here has been a--a--voice--Why

turns not out that coward guard? we are too long peaceful, methinks, and

need a stir to keep our soldiers to their duty."