Chapter XXXI: The Wizard’s Fate

IN the trial that followed, the lost threads of the great conspiracy were found; and more, it was said that the secret examination of Henge gave Cromwell the first clue to the treason of Exeter and Lady Salisbury, and more noble blood flowed on the scaffold. Sir Barton suffered a traitor’s death, dying as impenitent as he had lived, and cursing his fate that Zachary Sanders did not share it. And he did not, although the case against him was far stronger than against his more violent accomplice. The wizard was tried and condemned to be hanged, but no halter was placed around his neck.

A strange thing happened. The day set for his execution came, and he was led out of the Traitors’ Gate into a barge to take him to the place where he was to suffer for his treason, which had been black enough to hang forty men as well as one. He was bound, at least, so said the Lieutenant of the Tower, and went under strong guard in the king’s boat, yet in mid stream he leaped overboard and disappeared. His keepers swore that it was magic; one smelled sulphur and one swooned with horror at a vision he saw in the water. The truth of the matter no man ever knew, except that six stout yeomen of the Tower suffered for the prisoner’s escape, and the wizard was never seen alive again. But for years afterwards there was a story that he haunted his house upon the Thames, and that at night a red light shone from every window, and his small figure was seen flitting about on the flat roofs of those two upper stories. The shadow of the little man in the russet cloak haunted every old wife’s memory in that neighborhood, and whether he lay dead at the bottom of the river, or lived in some other region, he was still a terror to the imagination of many of his old-time clients, and his name hushed many a crying child with terror when all else had failed. It was even whispered that had he been set free, Queen Jane would not have sickened and died, and Prince Edward would have been a baby of better promise, and not with that look which made the old women shake their heads in grim foreboding.

At Christmas of that year, the bells rang merrily at Mohun’s Ottery, and my lord privy seal came there to grace the wedding of Lord Raby and Mistress Betty Carew; and the bride wore on her neck a splendid jewel, sent by the king’s grace in memory of her petition for her lover. Nor was she portionless, although the child of Sir Thomas, for my Lady Crabtree gave her a dowry, and it was said that in old Madam’s will she was the heiress to the vast fortune that had accumulated and doubled under Lady Crabtree’s shrewd management. Sir William Carew gave away the bride, who looked the great beauty that she was in her white robes and with the light of love and happiness, which is a wondrous beautifier, in her brown eyes. It was said that there had never been a more stately or handsome couple wedded in Devon, or a finer wedding; though some stared at the groom’s strange servant, for Master Cross-Eyes, even in his wedding garments, looked a rough attendant; but to Lady Raby he seemed an angel in disguise.

Standing beside her husband, Betty looked about the great hall thronged with guests in her honor, and in her heart she remembered the sad and penniless orphan who had come there a few years before. In her happiness she did not forget her thanksgiving to Heaven for the wonderful change which had come into her life, which, stretching out before her in a golden vista, seemed to hold only love and hope.

THE END.

ON THE RED STAIRCASE.

BY M. IMLAY TAYLOR.

With Frontispiece, 12mo, 352 pages. Price, $1.25.

The scene of this thrilling story is Moscow, and the time, the boyhood of Peter the Great. Much of the action takes place “On The Red Staircase” in the palace of the Kremlin.

It is a thrilling tale of intrigue and barbaric plot. A French viscount visiting Moscow on a diplomatic service is the hero; and his adventures while trying to rescue the beautiful Zenaide from a cruel uncle, who is bent upon marrying her to a profligate, are constant and of an intense order of interest.... The scenes are exciting. Escapes follow escapes. Secret missions with packets (stolen by hidden pursuers) are incidents of the plot; while sword-cuts, pinionings, attacks of all kinds, kidnapping, and desperate acts fill the pages.... The book is exciting, well sustained and excellently written.... Another “Zenda” story.--_Chicago Times-Herald._

A most vivid and absorbing tale of love and adventure.... Miss Taylor has certainly an unusual gift of vivid word painting; and as we read, we can almost see the savage mob, and feel ourselves to be in danger. “On the Red Staircase” will give a far truer, because more striking and life-like, picture of early Russian history than a multitude of laboriously written and ponderous histories of the time, and the authoress has apparently a most promising future before her.--_The Churchman, New York._

After the many problem-novels and the myriad psychological disquisitions disguised as fiction, a wholesome, breezy tale like this, honestly and brilliantly told for its own sake, is a real treat to be enjoyed without thought or criticism.--_The Bookman, New York._

A strong, bracing story it is, and one which gives us a clear view of an exceptionally interesting epoch in Russian history.--_New York Herald._

_Sold by all booksellers, or mailed, on receipt of price, by_

A. C. McCLURG & CO., PUBLISHERS.

An Imperial Lover

By M. IMLAY TAYLOR

With Frontispiece. 12mo. 377 pages. Price, $1.25

Miss M. Imlay Taylor will be remembered as the author of a spirited Russian historical novel called “On the Red Staircase,” which has attained a wide reading the past year. She has now written a second novel of the same general description, called “An Imperial Lover.” Again the scene is the Russian court, this time in the reign of Peter the Great, who plays a very important part in the plot. The tale is one of love, of intrigue, and of adventure, and seems to us even better than its predecessor.--_The Outlook_, New York.

The setting is admirably adapted to development under a skillful hand, and the author has succeeded in this undertaking.--_The Washington Star._

M. Imlay Taylor has the story-teller’s gift in perfection. Every word of her new Russian romance, “An Imperial Lover,” is as captivating as was every word of “On the Red Staircase.”--_The Times-Herald_, Chicago.

The story abounds in exciting incidents and has no dull pages.--_The Inter-Ocean_, Chicago.

M. Imlay Taylor gives us a picturesque and interesting sketch of Moscow society during an eminently interesting period, and tells a capital story.--_The Scotsman_, Edinburgh.

The novel not only shows careful and intelligent study of the period, but it is skilfully constructed, well written, and thoroughly interesting.--_The Spectator_, London.

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A. C. McCLURG & CO., Publishers

Chicago.

A Yankee Volunteer

By M. IMLAY TAYLOR

12mo. 383 pages. Price, $1.25

A painstaking chronicle of the principal incidents in the sanguinary struggle between Great Britain and her North American Colonies.... There is not a dull page in this excellent historical romance.--_Daily Telegraph_, London, Eng.

It is a far cry from Russia to the United States, yet Mary Imlay Taylor, who has written some most interesting stories of intrigue and fighting at St. Petersburg, shows in her latest romance, “A Yankee Volunteer,” that she is quite as much at home in America as in the Czar’s country. Her new book has for historic background the events of the first half of the Revolutionary War, and it tells a love story which is charming and quite a part of the stern adventures that make a hero.--_Evening Bulletin_, Philadelphia.

It is a good story--this of the Yankee rebel--“so gallant in love and so dauntless in war,” and of the sweet Royalist who at last became a “rebel” for love of him.--_Living Church_, Chicago.

“A Yankee Volunteer” is indeed a story fraught with such exquisite beauty as is seldom associated with history.--_Boston Times._

The story is beautifully written, and moves with the dignity and quaintness inseparable from the successful historical novel.--_St. Paul Pioneer Press._

A fascinating picture of the royalist and patriot social elements of revolutionary days.--_Boston Globe._

_Sold by all booksellers, or mailed, on receipt of price, by_

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Chicago.

THE BEVERLEYS.

_A Story of Calcutta._

BY MARY ABBOTT,

Author of “Alexia,” etc.

12mo. 264 pages. Price, $1.00

The uncommonly favorable reception of Mrs. Abbott’s brilliant novelette, “Alexia,” by the public bespeaks in advance a lively interest in her new novel, “The Beverleys.” It is a more extended and ambitious work than the former, but has the same grace of style and liveliness of treatment, together with a much more considerable plot and more subtle delineations of character and life. The action of the story takes place in India, and reveals on the part of the authoress the most intimate knowledge of the official life of the large and aristocratic English colony in Calcutta. The local coloring is strong and unusual.

A more joyous story cannot be imagined.... A harum-scarum good-nature; a frank pursuit of cakes and ale; a heedless, happy-go-lucky spirit, are admirable components in a novel, however trying they may be found in the walks of daily life. Such are the pleasures of “The Beverleys.” To read it is recreation, indeed.--_Public Ledger, Philadelphia._

The author writes throughout with good taste, and with a quick eye for the picturesque.--_Herald, New York._

It is a pretty story, charmingly written, with cleverly sketched pictures of various types of character.... The book abounds in keen, incisive philosophy, wrapped up in characteristic remarks.--_Times, Chicago._

An absorbing story. It is brilliantly and vivaciously written.-- _Literary World, Boston._

The author has until now been known, so far as we are aware, only by her former story, “Alexia.” Unless signs fail which seldom _do_ fail, these two with which her name is now associated are simply the forerunners of works in a like vein of which American literature will have reason to be proud.--_Standard, Chicago._

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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.