The Argosy — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

How Lord Roland Met lis W7rfe. SI not without a flush of modest pleasure, the tribute of a poet to her charms? Not that Roland was a poet; but, like most men of the -age in which he lived, he could embalm a strain of high-flown com- pliment in rhymes, or turn out a set of album verses on occasion. He resumed his walk along the shore, absorbed in meditation. Gradually, as he proceeded, the scenery became still wilder. ‘The cliffs grew loftier and more rugged, and approached more nearly to the sea. The waves were rolling in against the wind, which carried off their crests in clouds as fine as mist ; and within the misty clouds, as the sunset glowed upon them, started forth at times the elfin like- ness of a rainbow, trembling on the gust. It was the wild sea-iris, beautiful exceedingly, dancing, many-coloured, in the whiteness of the spray. But as far as Roland was concerned, she danced in vain. He walked on, heedless of external objects, his eyes fixed upon the sand. He had proceeded thus for more than half-an-hour, and had left the tower two miles behind him, when the smoothness of the shore was broken by a space of rocks, or giant boulders, which extended from the cliffs into the water. At this spot, he took his seat upon a mass of rock, and drawing forth a note-book from his pocket, began to write as follows :— Fair Lady of the lonely Tower, Our wrongs are equal in degree— You stole my heart the very hour I took your bird away with me. This very night again will see Your bird returning to her bower, But not my heart return to me, O Lady of the lonely Tower! Koland regarded this production with a contemplative eye. He was still considering in what manner it might be improved, when he gave a violent start, and thrust the book into his pocket. A hand was laid upon his shoulder. He turned, and saw beside him a man of very short, but broad and powerful figure. His dress was that of a sailor; his face, naturally a grim one, had been rendered of most evil aspect by the loss of one eye, and three or four front teeth. As Roland turned his head, the stranger fixed his solitary eye upon his features with an eager and inquiring gaze. The result of his inspection was most startling. He broke into a kind of snarl of rage and triumph, and seizing the young aie by the collar, dragged him from the boulder down upon the sand. Roland strove with all his might to free himself, but in vain. The struggle was a brief one. Under that deadly clutch the young man gasped for breath; ‘his strength began to fail him, his head swam, he felt that his senses were departing. He seemed to be just conscious of two other men who came running down the rocks COnnicloooks (CO) im