The White Gauntlet

If a high-born dame, beautiful,--and, above all, bright-haired,-- curiosity is no longer the word; but admiration, involuntary, unrestrained--bordering upon adoration. It is but...

Had the lady remained a moment longer looking back, she would have seen her glove taken gently from the point of the cavalier's sword, pressed with a wild fervour to his lips, a...

The girl listened awhile to the departing hoof-strokes, as they came back with clear resonance from the hard causeway. Then, dropping her eyes to the ground, she stood silent un...

In her eye there was a cowed look--as if she had committed crime, and feared discovery! But gazing on that face, you could scarce think of crime. It was too fair to be associate...

Autumn was still in the sky; but it had passed its mid time, and the beechen forests of Bucks were enrobed in their livery of yellow green. The cuckoo had forsaken the copse; an...

For the first half-mile after crossing the Colne, the thoughts of the young courtier had been given exclusively to his cousin. He recalled the old time--that scene in the silent...

The silence was unexpectedly broken, by a voice that had not yet mingled in the chorus; and which was now heard in clear, firm tones, pronouncing a phrase of very different sign...

Desirous of escaping from the disagreeable companionship--into which he had been so unceremoniously, as well as unwillingly, drawn--the young courtier had taken advantage of the...

Jarret's Heath--now Gerrard's Cross Common--was at the time of which we write, a tract of considerable extent--occupying an elevated _plateau_ of the Chiltern Hills, and one of...

An incident so ludicrous could not fail to tickle the fancy of the young courtier; and bring his risible faculties into full play. It produced this effect; and to such a degree...

Then, flinging himself upon a bank of earth, and, having assumed a sitting posture--with his elbows resting upon his knees, and his bearded chin reposing between the palms of hi...

The robber had not long to wait for his victim. The necessary preparations for receiving the latter occupied some time--enough for the slow-paced traveller to get forward upon t...

Were the Chiltern Hills stripped of the timber, to this day screening a considerable portion of their surface, they would present a striking resemblance to those portions of the...

The bells of Uxbridge were tolling the hour of noon. Scarthe's Cuirassiers were still by the roadside inn, though in full armour, and each trooper standing by the side of his ho...

Here and there a knot of sturdy yeomen might be seen, standing close together--so that their conversation might not be overheard--discussing among themselves some late edict of...

A glove, a ribbon, a lock of hair, in the hat of a gentleman, was but the common affectation of the cavalier times; and only proclaimed its wearer the recipient of some fair lad...

The incident, thus opportunely interfering, was the arrival upon the ground of a party of _morris dancers_, who, having finished their rehearsal outside the limits of the camp,...

"So, good, people!" said Scarthe, as soon as he and his companion had entered within the enclosure, "holding holiday are you? An admirable idea in such fine weather--with the az...

"Splendid!" exclaimed Dorothy Dayrell, as the sword-blades were seen clashing together. "Beats the morris dancers all to bits! Just what I like! One of those little interludes n...

It was a terrible sight for the soft eye of woman to look upon. The timid Lora Lovelace would not stay; but ran off towards the house, followed by many others. Dorothy Dayrell c...

The traveller, journeying among the Chiltern Hills, will often find himself on the summit of a ridge, that sweeping round upon itself, encloses a deep basin-like valley, of circ...

It was late at night when Henry Holtspur passed between the ivy-mantled piers, that supported the dilapidated wooden gate of Stone Dean Park. The massive door of the old mansion...

"Well, Master Henry, it aint 'zactly 'dressed to you, nor written to ye neyther; but, as far as I'm able to make out the meenin' o' 't, I think as how there be somethin' in't yo...

The purport of the King's missive to Scarthe did not appear to take Henry Holtspur much by surprise. His bearing betokened, that part of what it contained was known to him alrea...

During the interval that had elapsed, the latter had not been idling his opportunity: as was indicated by the condition of the haunch of cold venison of which he had been invite...

On the bold brow of one of the central hills of Bulstrode Park, stood the dwelling--a palatial structure of red brick, with facings of white stone--the latter transported over t...

It was still early in the afternoon; and the window in question, opening from an upper storey, and facing westward, commanded one of the finest views of the park of Bulstrode. T...

Everything was as before: the spotted kine lounging slowly over the lea; the fallow deer browsing upon the sward; and the birds singing their sweet songs, or winging their way f...

If do eye beheld the meeting between Marion Wade and Henry Holtspur, there was one that witnessed their parting with a glance that betokened pain. It was the eye of Richard Scar...

On parting from Marion Wade, Henry Holtspur should have been the happiest of men. The loveliest woman in the _shire_--to his eyes, in the _world_--had declared to him her love,...

The Saracen's Head stood an exact half-mile from the Colne river and the end of Uxbridge town. To reach it from the latter it was necessary to cross over the quaint old bridge--...

The domicile of Dick Dancey could scarce with correctness be called a house. Even cottage would be too dignified a name for the wooden hovel, in which the woodman and his family...

A small table stood within reach of his hand, on which was a decanter containing wine, and a silver goblet. He had thrice filled the latter and thrice drained its contents, to t...

Hers were not the only eyes that were watching Henry Holtspur--nor the only bosom throbbing at his approach. There was one other beating as wildly as hers, though with emotions...

It was Michaelmas night over merry England; but at that late hour when the rustic--weary with the revels incidental to the day--had retired to rest and dream. In other words, it...

The astonishment of the cousins, at seeing two travellers starting forth so late, and upon such a dismal night, might have been increased, could they have extended their vision...

The two spies moved silently away--neither speaking above his breath, till they had regained the road, outside the gates of Stone Dean, then, no longer fearing to be overheard,...

Shortly after the spies had taken their departure from Stone Dean, the conspirators might have been seen, emerging from the house, mounting their horses, and riding off. They we...

The time was spent in the performance of a duty, entrusted to him by his friends, Pym and Hampden; with whom, and a few others, he had held secret conference beyond the hours al...

On perceiving that his presence could no longer be of any service to his patron, and might be detrimental to himself, Gregory Garth had betaken his body to a place of concealmen...

It was not the opprobrious epithet concluding it that had caused the red to forsake her cheeks--leaving them, with her lips, blanched and bloodless. It was not the vilifying phr...

It yet wanted some minutes of midnight, on that same day, when three individuals were seen issuing out through the narrow doorway of Dick Dancey's cottage, and starting off alon...

During all that day had the imprisoned patriot been chafing under his confinement. Since his capture he had been treated like a criminal-- housed and fed, as if he were a crimin...

It has been deemed strange that two individuals should conceive the same thought, at the same instant of time. Those who are skilled in psychology, will not be surprised by such...

While proceeding along the passage, it occurred to Withers that he had left the wicket on the latch. With this unlocked, and the door of the store-room open at the same time, th...

Holtspur's presence at this point requires explanation. Why did he linger upon a spot to him fraught with extreme peril--when almost certain death would be the consequence of hi...

The calm after the tempest--the day after the night--sunshine succeeding shadow--any of these physical transformations may symbolise the change from the passion of jealousy to t...

Bet Dancey it was, whose presence revealed by that ghastly gleam, moving like an ill-omened shadow among the shrubbery, had caused the lovers to bring their interview to such a...

On arriving at the rear of the garden, Holtspur had emerged out of the moat, and struck across the open pasture in a direct line for the timber. The darkness was still sufficien...

They were both men of large stature--one of them almost gigantic. They were on horseback: the younger of the two bestriding a good steed, while his older and more colossal compa...

At that early hour all the world appeared to be asleep--silence and slumber having been seemingly restored to the lately disturbed inmates of Bulstrode mansion; though not all o...

It was approaching the hour of ten, and Uxbridge was in the full tide of active life. More than the usual number of people appeared to be parading its streets; though no one see...

In the days of Charles (the Martyr!) a state prisoner was not such a _rara avis_ as at present. Laud had his list, and Strafford also--that noble but truculent tool of a tyrant-...

The beautiful park of Bulstrode was radiant with the earliest rays of the sun. The dew still glittered upon the grass; and the massive chestnuts threw elongated shadows far down...

The Lake "Fulmere" is no longer in existence; though a village--so picturesque, as to appear the creation of a painter's fancy--still retains the name. The "mere" itself--yieldi...

Of all who enjoyed the sports of the hawking party, no one left it with a heavier heart than Marion Wade. The shadows of night descending over the lake--as the company took thei...

The course which Scarthe was pursuing may seem strange. He now knew that for the hand of Marion Wade, Holtspur could not be his rival. What then could be his motive for sending...

In the circumstances that surrounded him, the noble knight had more than one source of anxiety. But there was one now paramount--an apprehension for his own personal safety--whi...

"_It hath come, to ye knowledge of his Majestie that Sir Marmaduke Wade, Knight, hath been guilty of treasonable practices and designs against his Majestie and ye government. Th...

In less than a week from this time, Sir Marmaduke Wade stood in the presence of the Star Chamber--that Court which for long years had been the dread--less of criminals, than of...

In his own mind he had resolved upon doing this. On certain conditions Marion Wade might expect a prompt answer to the inquiry she was about to make. It was already determined u...

But no. There appeared to be method in the movement she had made. As she glided through the open casement, he had observed, that her eye was fixed upon something outside--someth...

For three years had the trumpet of war been braying loudly over the land: and England's best blood, marshalled into the field, was arrayed on both sides of the fraternal strife....