The Lost Treasure of Trevlyn | Page 9

her hands, leaving her ruffled curly hair to be
the sport of the light night breeze. She had very delicate features and an
oval face, and from the likeness that existed between them the pair
were plainly brother and sister.
Just within the open window were two more girls, dressed in the same
fashion as the first, and plainly her sisters, though they were more
blonde in type, and whilst very pretty, lacked the piquant originality
that was the great characteristic of the dark girl's beauty. They were not
quite so tall, and the elder of the blonde pair was not nearly so slim, but
had something of womanly deliberation and dignity about her. She was
plainly the eldest of the three sisters, as the little maid beside her was
the youngest. All three were engrossed in some sort of talk that
appeared full of interest for them.
"I wish he would not do it," said Philip, turning his eyes in an easterly
direction, towards a hollow in the falling ground, where the ruins of the

ancient wall could still be dimly traced. The old Gate House itself
could not be seen from this side of the house, but it was plain that the
thoughts of all had turned in that direction. "It is brave of him to obey
his conscience rather than his father; but yon man is such a veritable
tiger, that I fear me there will be dark work there betwixt them if the
lad provoke him too far. Nicholas Trevlyn is not one to be defied with
impunity. I would that Cuthbert had as much prudence as he has
courage."
"So do not I," answered Kate quickly, turning her flashing eyes full
upon her brother. "I hate prudence--the prudence of cowardice! I am
right glad that Cuthbert thinks first of his conscience and second of his
father's wrath. What man who ever lived to do good in the world was
deterred from the right by craven fears? I honour him for his single
mindedness. He is a bold youth, and I would fain help him an I could
see the way."
"We would all gladly do that," answered Philip; "the hard thing being
to find the way."
"We shall find it anon, I doubt not," answered Kate. "Things cannot go
on ever as they are now."
"No; methinks one day we may chance to hear that the old Papist has
done his son to death in a fit of blind fury. Then perhaps, my sister,
thou wilt join with me in wishing that the lad had shown more regard
for his stern sire's word."
"Nay, Philip, sure thou fearest too much," spoke Cecilia from her
station beside the window. "Nicholas Trevlyn may be a dark and sour
man, but he scarce would lift a hand against his own flesh and blood! I
cannot believe it of any father."
"Fathers of his type have done as bad ere now," answered Philip, with
gravity, "and there is no bigot like the Papist bigot, who is soured and
embittered by persecution himself. Cuthbert has told me things ere this
which show what an iron soul his father's is. He believes that he would
wring the neck of little Petronella sooner than see her turn out of the

path of unreasoning Papistry in which he has brought her up," and
Philip's face darkened suddenly as he turned it towards his sisters.
"But sure the King would protect them if he knew," said Bessie, the
youngest of the sisters. "Why, the law bids all loyal subjects go to
church, and punishes those who stay away. The King would be sorely
angry, would he not, were he to hear that any man dared use force to
hinder his children from going."
Kate's delicate lips curved into a smile of derision, and Philip shrugged
his broad shoulders.
"The King, my dear Bessie, is naught but a miserable pedant, who
loves nothing so well as hearing himself talk, and prating by the hour
together on matters of law and religion, and on the divine right of kings.
He is not the King such as England has been wont to know--a King to
whom his subjects might gain access to plead his protection and ask his
aid. I trow none but a fool would strive to win a smile from the Scottish
James. He is scarce a man, by all we hear, let alone a King. I sometimes
think scorn of us as a nation that we so gladly and peaceably put our
necks beneath the sceptre of such an atomy. Sure had the Lady Arabella
but been a man, we should scarce have welcomed so gladly this son of
Mary Stuart as our monarch."
"Have a care, my children, and talk not rank treason in such