A ROMANCE.---ROGER DUTTON; OR


THE TRUE PROPHECY.
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l AA ANOG ASSA AAhSA'
| (BY C. P. R. JAMEs,)


.a,lthor Of "Dmnley,'' 'Richelieu," "Ihe Rob
ber," "JNa1y Of Burgundy" &c.


"You have not sent yet 20 said Roger
Dutton. "Let me go and stop the messen-
ger"


"Nay, but I have," replied the lady.
Stop him if you can Roger Dutton-there
he goes


Roger Dutton started to the window, and,
sure enough, there he saw man on horse
back riding away from the gates at full
speed.


"This is unkind, Mary" he said-athis
is most unkind, when came hither on pur-
pose from Dutton, to spend but three short
days with you, to turn it all to bitterness in
this Manner


"Nay, it is you that are unkind, Roger"
said the lady, who, to say sooth, now that
the act was done, was somewhat sorry for
her rashness-" it's you that are unkind
Why did you do this, then ?"


ssWhy did do it? said Roger, re-
proachfully. Because / am gentleman
and knight, lady-because am bound by
my knightly oath to aid woman when
see her injured and oppressed-that' why
| did it. Where is the gentleman who
would not do the same? found poor
girl dragged along by two rufian tipstaves
of the Pied-poudre Court; learned that she
was not a dancing girl, but an innocent
maiden, upon whom wanton John Glanville
had cast his foul eyes; saw that her lover
was good young soldier, whom | had
known in-''


"Her lover ~ said the lady, in changed
tone. NHad she lover with her ~


cay, LADY," replied Roger Dutton, ga
lover as true as your own"


"No great reputation, Roger" replied
Mary de Lacy, half laughing, half crying !;
i" but knew not she had lover at all"
"And if she had not" answered Roger
Dutton, who was in truth somewhat an
cry, 81 would have done just the same.
Do you think, Mary, that | would see a
woman-an innocent, inofensive woman
dragged on by the arm, through crowd
of people, with pain, and shame, and igno-
miny, to be delivered up in the end to a
wanton judge like that, and then cast in
the common prison, to be treated at his
will, and not step forward, to defend and
protect her? 7"


Mary cast down her eyes, and Roger
Dutton continued. Do you think that
would see her condemned, against all
justice and honestly Do you think that
| would leave her in the power of that
wicked man? Do you think | would my
self remain insulted and ill-treated-bail
refused-my honesty assailed-myself COM
mitted to prison, and not make way for
her and myself too with my right hand ="


"God forbid Roger" cried Mary, frank
ly, while the tears poured from her eyes.
81 have been wrong, have been hasty-
but you should have told me-that is to
say, did not know all this 20


"That is my own Mary, now," said
Roger Dutton, casting his arms round her
"always frank and generous, though some-
what rash and jealous"


81 But where is that lover 7" said Mary
de Lacy, with little drop of the poison
still lingering in the cup.


{" He is here in the castle," replied Dut-
ton /" come and see them both, dear girl
you must befriend them. Twas but that
they were separated by the people of the
court, and then hard pressed, that caused
me to catch her up and bear her hither.
We had no time for much arrangement,
sweet one! But thou art naughty girl,
Mary. What's to be done about this mes
senger to Rothelani You have punished
me for nothing, Mary.


81 have punished myself too, Roger"
said the lady, looking in his face, with her
bright blue eyes still fearful. "Margaret,"
you are wicked woman to name such a
scheme %


'sLord, ladyp' replied the waiting wo-
man, " It's easily amended. Mother Of the
angels tits much ado about nothing Why
not send another messenger tomorrow, and
say you cannot come 7"


"Edith will think me mad," replied her
lady, "and my good uncle Ranulph will
say there is no end to my caprices. Well,
be it so!-it matters not. They shall say
what they will, and that shall be my pun
ishment. will send, and tell Edith the
truth, Roger. will say that it was fit
of rash and needless jealousy. My good
father will be pleased to see me humbled !;
for he said would repent when ! asked
him 10 send the messenger so quickly.o