The Argosy — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

Secret as the Grave. 137 cheerfulness. At the humble marriage he performed the ceremony. The huge timbers of the roof crossed their brawny arms, beholding in admiration, for comelier twain had never passed beneath since they fell to the woodman’s stroke four hundred years before. The minister joined their hands, whilst his own trembled ; and then, in a voice deepened by the struggle within, followed the irrevocable words, ‘Let no man put asunder.” The effort was over. ‘The old church was left to silence. Edward alone remained. A large white owl, startled by the bells, ghost-like, floated up and down the nave. ‘The noon-day sun crimsoned the Norman pier through fragments of ancient glass. What if her white soul should thus be stained ? And then came a cloud and a shadow, and the bright promise of the day was overcast. Three years passed. Old Narna was dead, but, as she lay dying, something she whispered to Edward which wrung his manly heart. Fresh faces appeared in the encampment, whilst James Coney and Lena lived in a solitary cottage, still standing, in the centre of the parish, from which were heard sad sounds at night. Yet no one sought the cause ; for the man had grown morose and surly, and his right arm was strong. To Lena, Edward aes was almost deferential, and never other- wise than as a faithful pastor. ‘There was always a delay in gaining admittance to the cottage, and notwithstanding her engaging welcome, he felt that the stern husband wished him away—although he soon had occasion to wish otherwise. For a succession of bad harvests from 1690 to 1699 had more than trebled the price of bread. Wages had fallen to six shillings a week. The yeomen of S—— were in despair. ‘Their dependants were mixing acorns, bark from the trees, and roots to satisfy their hunger. Discontent was fierce: the prisons were full, and a spirit of mischief was abroad. Again the times were out of joint. Edward B—— had been over to Ashford to take counsel with Mr. Irby and Mr. Randolph about relieving the necessitous, and was returning at night across the Rushy field, when his horse floundered ina dyke. Making for the nearest cottage, which was Coney’s, the darkness increasing and a strong wind blowing in his face, a sudden dip in the land caused him to fall headlong. Before he could get up, several sheep rushed past. ‘There was a scuffle, and a smothered oath ; and he heard Coney exclaim, ‘‘ Hold on, Jack, here’s the knife.” The position of Edward was perilous. ‘To reveal himself would be fatal; for his pistols were in the saddle-bag, and the risk of discovery would make the men desperate. He remembered Narna’s dying words, and for a moment his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth. The next he was creeping stealthily back to the dyke, where, luckily, the horse had extricated itself from the mud ; and he at once rode home, determined to say nothing about the matter. That night he dreamed that he saw Lena, fair and free as in the ECOnnicloooks (CO)