The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 163: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. 157 eee en res Se ee “ Often late at night, in yon shattered tower, his lonely lamp shone still o’er the mighty stream, and his only relief to loneliness was the presence and - song of Leoline. “He recounted to her his trials and troubles during the war. _ “ And she listened to him like a child, still think- ing of her absent lover, who, at that moment, had entirely forgotten her. “Paler and paler she grew day by day. “And the more affiicted she was, the more the gallant young lord comforted her, “ His amusements were varied. “He did all he possibly could to dispel the terrible gloom which possessed her ; but all to no purpose. “¢ Her heart was gradually becoming petrified. “From her lonely window she gazed for hours and hours at night. “ The song of nightingale borne upon the breeze, soothed her troubled soul, and tears flowed down her pallid cheek. “Yet no murmur came from her. “She believed that Charles—now Sir Charles— would prove faithful to her as she had been to him. “Her hopes were doomed to be blasted, “ Months rolled by, and still Charles did not return. “ Indeed, no tidings of any kind had been received from him for a long time. “He seemed to have forgotten poor Leoline, and. she pined alone in deep sorrow. ‘Tt was whispered abroad that, with the money which old Lord Warbeck had lett him, Ctarley intended to buy up the estates of a neighbouring castle. “ This rumour proved to be true, and Edward theught that hia brother intended it as the future residence of Leoline—his bride. “ The estates which Charles had purchased was in full view of Warbeck Castle, and the whole country around were astonished at the magnificence with which it had been furnished. “Everything that money could do was done to render this new residence worthy of those who were to occupy it. “Six months rolled on, and Charles returned not, nor did any one hear a single word of his doings, or whereabouts. “ At the end of a twelvemonth, and when the new castle was fit for habitation, a startling rumour reached the ears of Edward (now Lord) Warbeck, and the fair orphan, Leoline. “Charles had returned, and brought back with him a French bride, of amazing beauty, and fabulous wealth ! ‘“‘ Leoline was the first to disbelieve tle rumour, but the only one. “ Bright, in the summer noon, flashed the array of horsemen: for up the steep hill wound the gorgeous cavalcade towards the grand residence of Charles Warbeck. “The bells rung loudly, and the French bride, with her husband, entered their princely abode. “That same night there was a grand banquet given by Charles Warbeck to his friends; but Edward and Leoline were forgotten. “The lights shone from every casement, and music swelled loud and ceaselessly within. “ By the side of her husband sat the fair French bride, glittering in jewels. “ Her dark locks, her flashiug eye, the false colour of her complexion dazzled the eyes of all his guests. “In the banqnet hall, among the guests, sat Phillip Redgill. CUT Oh OO ne ee ee eee “ Not dressed as a minstrel on this occasion ; but in the uniform of an English officer. “For he had played his part so well that even Charles did not suspect him to be one and the same _person, for when Redgill left Warbeck Castle so suddenly, he went to Calais, and then under an assumed name, made the acquaintance of Charles Warbeck, and led him on to ruin. “As he was such a gay fellow, then, and had become so much linked in with young Warbeck, he was looked upon by all almost as one of the family. ‘“* By the fates,’ said he, as he whispered to the bride and bridegroom, ‘ we shall scare the owls ‘to-night in the grim towers of Warbeck Castle. Thy grave brother, Sir Charles, will have much to do to comfort thy old flame, Leoline, when she learns what a gallant life you are leading here with your fair French bride.’ “‘* Poor damsel,’ said the bride, with a light laugh of scorn, ‘poor damsel ; doubtless she will now be reconciled to the pale-faced rejected one; for I understand that my Lord Warbeck, your brother, Sir Charles, is a gentleman, handsome, and of gal- lant mien,’ ““* Peace !’ said Sir Charles, sternly, and quaffiing a large goblet of wine. “The bride bit her lip, and glanced meaningly at Redgill, who returned the glance. ““*Nought but a beauty such as thine can win my pardon,’ said Sir Charles, turning to his bride, and gaziog passionately in her face. “The bride smiled. ‘* Well sped the feast, the laugh deepened, the wine circled, when Sir Charles’s eye rested on a guest at the bottom of the board, whose figure was mantled from head to foot, and whose face was covered by a dark veil. ‘** Beshrew me,’ said he, aloud, ‘ but this is scarce courteous at oar revel; will the stranger vouchsafe to unmask ?’ “These words turned all eyes to tle figure. It rose and walked slowly, but with grace, to the fair bride, and laid beside her a wreath of flowers. “¢Tt is a simple gift, lady,’ said the stranger, in a voice of much sweetness ; ‘but it is all I can offer, and the bride of Sir Charles should not be without a gift at my hands. May you both be happy “ With these words the stranger left the hall like a shadow. “¢ Bring her back — bring her. back,’ said the French bride, hastily. “No, no! said Sir Charles, waving his hand impatiently ; ‘touch her not, heed her not, at your eril.’ ae The bride bent her head over the flowers to conceal her anger, and from amongst them dropped the broken half of a ring. “ Sir Charles recognised it at once. “Tt was the half of that ring which he had broken with his betrothed Leoline, ‘‘He required not such a sign to convince him that the figure so full of ineffable grace, that touch- ing voice, that simple action, so tender in its senti- ment, that gift, that blessing, came only from the heart-broken and forgiving Leoline. “ But Lord Warbeck, alone in his solitary tower, passed to and fro with agitated steps. “Deep, undying wrath at his brother’s baseness mingled with one burning, delicious hope. ‘ He confessed now that he had deceived himself when he thought his passion was no more; was there any longer a bar to his union with Leoline ? “In that delicacy which was breathed into him by his love, he had forborne to seek, or to offer her the insult of, consolation, Ghaoo