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.
_Sold by all booksellers, or mailed, on receipt of price, by_
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_
A. C. McCLURG & CO., Publishers
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._
_Sold by all booksellers, or mailed, on receipt of price, by_
A. C. McCLURG & CO., PUBLISHERS.
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.