Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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14 THE MISSILE. ceived. But Kenneth was wise beyond his years. He knew he could do nothing there; so instead he turned and rushed back into the castle and quickly reached the chamber in which the Lady Marjorie lay sleeping. He caught her hand and pulled her up crying: “Lady Mar- jorie, awake, quickly or all is lost. They would steal thee, Marjorie, but they shall not, they shall kill me first. 0, come quickly ere it be too late.” The child sprang to the floor with terror-strickened eyes. “Fear not, my lady, Kenneth will save thee. Come, get thy cloak and hood, whilst I fetch food, for we must eat ere we leave.” Kenneth descended quickly to the kitchen, and found old Nan asleep by the fire. The child stealthily fetched food and drink and returned to his charge. They both ate a little, and Kenneth packed some tood in a basket while Marjorie put on her cloak. Kenneth then put on his plumed velvet cap and hurried the heightened child through the dark rooms and corridors to the room of the picture. He told her of the picture, which made her laugh so that she forgot her fear and insisted on pressing the nose. The next instant they stood without in the dark, damp air; and Kenneth, catching her hand, hurried to the forest. “Thy noble father, the Duke, did show me this path and told me of a hut some distance off. Let us hasten there and sleep till morn. None knew of it save he and 1, so we shall be safe therefor the night,” whispered Ken- neth. Marjorie agreed and, quickening their pace, they soon reached the hut. A pile of leaves made a couch for Marjorie, and Kenneth stretched himself on the floor beside her.

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THE MISSILE. 13 cushions, her red lips slightly open and long lashes sweep- ing her rose tinted cheeks. Kenneth standing by the casement, gazing admiringly at her, heard the faint gal- loping of a horse. He turned around and looked out the window. There stood Jeoffry and Old Gasper talk- ing to a stranger on horseback The room was too high for Kenneth to hear what they said; so he shut the win- dow, threw a scarf over the sleeping child, and ran hur- riedly down the dark, wide staircase. Turning to the left, he pushed open a door, and ran down a short hall. At the end was another door which he opened, and slip- ping through this, found himself in a hedged walk near that in which the three men were. Instinct told the child not to warn them of his presence, as he stepped out and made his way cautiously over the grass. He had scarcely gained the cover of the shrubbery when another man rode into view. Kenneth could now hear and s ee plainly; and what he heard drove all the usual color out of his face. “The Duke is gone these two weeks and will not re- turn for two more, I wot. He left her ladyship in charge of little Lord Kenneth, the page, and left with us old Nan, to keep them. There lieth the lady’s sleeping chamber. To-night will I and thou, Jeoffry, feign sleep and thou mayest take her with thee. The Duke little thought to lose his child by my hand, but I have not forgot the beat- ing I received for killing his hunting hound.” Then all the receding blood rushed angrily back to Kenneth’s face. His one desire was to run Old Gasper through the body with his sword. He knew how angry and hurt the Duke would be; he who had trusted them with the thing he held most dear to be so basefully de-

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THE MISSILE. 15 In the morning they set forth again. About noon they stopped to rest and eat lunch. Marjorie, frightened, be- gan to talk. Whither art thou bound, Kenneth?” she asked. “We go to meet thy father, Lady Marjorie. He — ” Call me not Lady Marjorie,” flashed she, stamping her foot; I am Marjorie to thee.” “Thy pardon, 1 will call thee Marjorie right willingly. Thy father hath gone to see thy aunt. ’Tis thither we are bound. Many a weary day will be spent ere we reach that place. Thy father did bid me escape this way in case of danger.” The meal was finished in silence, and then the two set forth once more. A week passed, and still they had not reached their destination. The food gave out long since, and they were forced to live, like Babes in the Woods, on berries and nuts. Their clothes became torn and soiled, and their cheeks grew thin and pale. Marjorie’s thin slippers had long since worn out and Kenneth made her wear his; he him- .self went barefooted. At last Marjorie grew too weak to walk, and Kenneth made a sledge of small trees and bushes and dragged her along. One day, as night drew near, the children stopped to rest under a tree, and Kenneth climbed up to see if he could find a light. He strained his eyes in every direc- tion, and just as he was beginning to lose hope, a light flashed out very near. Kenneth slid to the ground. “Marjorie, dear, I see a light. ’Tis near, and soon we shall reach shelter and food. Bear up, I will pull thee quickly.” “Were it not best to leave me and hasten on alone ? Thou hast not strength for both.”