THE LADY'S "The dove-the dove," suddenly exclaimed Alice, her face lighting up with hope, "I remember that RoLand once told me his pet belonged to the carrier species, ofwhose wonderful sagacity and swiftness we have read such marvellous accounts."
"Oh ! what a happy thought," said Eveline, springing up and clapping her hands with delight, " we will tie a billet to the bird and let him fly, when he will make for his old home in London. Long before night Roland will be on his way hither. I will run and bring the precious messenger."
All was now delight, for the revulsion from despair to hope is ever extatic. The carrier dove was soon freighted with his precious billet, in which Alice and Eveline narrated, in as few words as possible, the extent of the danger which surrounded the heiress, and conjured Roland to come to their aid, and if possible to save her. When the bird was loosed, he paused an instant and looked back on his late friends, as if conscious of his important mission, and anxious to assure them, and then wheeling in the direction of the capital, shot off like an arrow from the bow.
But though, during the rest of that day, the cousins were full of hope, night brought with it doubts and fears which until then had been overlooked. The bird might deceive them after all, or Roland might not be in London, or he might be unable to reach them in time, and, even if he did arrive before the ceremony, could he prevent the sacrifice ? Such questions they asked each other until finally, long after midnight, exhausted nature asserted her claim, and they fell asleep in each others arms. With morning hope assumed its sway, but long ere evening they began to despond ; and when the fatal day arrived, bringing no intelligence of Roland, even Eveline was in despair.
Meanwhile the preparations for the ceremony were in progress, and the company had met in the great parlor. Alice had suffered herself to be attired in a rich dress, Eveline assisting her with trembling hands. At first they had thought of flight, but when Eveline would have reconnoitred, she saw that they were watched by confidential servants at every avenue. In despair she returned to Alice, admitting that there was no hope ; for escape was impossible, and the hour had long passed when Roland, by riding night and day, would have arrived. More like a victim therefore than a bride, the almost fainting Alice, attended by Eveline, descended to the parlor. A cold shudder seized the bride when her intended husband approached her ; and she would have again besought her uncle's mercy had not his stern frown at her imploring look forbidden all hope. Nor did the company afford one to whom she could turn for aid except only Eveline.
The bridegroom assumed his place, the ceremony began, and the priest had asked if any one there forbade the marriage, when a rush was heard at the door, and three individuals entered, one of whom exclaimed in answer to the question,
"I do- I, Roland De Villiers, as holding the maiden's plight, and in the name of these two companions, trustees of the will of the late Sir Edward Lennox, father of the bride."
All started, and the priest paused ; while Lord Balmerine moved closer to the bride, but Alice, evading him, flew to her lover, shrieking,
" Save me- save me!"
"I will, dearest," said De Villiers, tenderly pressing her to his bosom, " Lord Stanhope will you be so good as to read the certified copy of the will."
One of his companions, an elderly gentleman, stepped forth, and read aloud from a parchment which he held in his hand, to the effect that Sir James Morton was to have the guardianship of the heiress until her eighteenth year, and the right until that age of controlling her choice in marriage; but when her eighteenth year had been reached his right was to cease, and the penalty of losing her estates if she married against his will was to be thereafter of no effect. " And now," continued the reader, " I hold in my hand the certified register of her birth, by which it appears that the Lady Alice Lennox is eighteen to-day, and consequently your right, Sir James, has passed away," he continued, turning to where the baronet had stood. But Sir James had slipped off unobserved while the will was reading.
The discomforture of Lord Balmerine can be better understood than described. He saw that his scheme had failed and did not pause long before he followed his confederate. It was subsequently learned that Sir James was deeply in his debt for sums lost at the gaming table, and that the marriage of the niece to the nobleman was to have been in discharge of these claims. The baronet hoped, by deceiving Alice as to her right to choose her husband, and by overawing her timid nature, to force her into a union with Lord Balmerine before she should become aware of her rights.
"But how came you to arrive so opportunely?" exclaimed Eveline.
"The dove, faithful to his errand, reached me on Monday evening, flying in at the window of his old chamber. I saw the billet at once and learned all. Happily I bethought me of Lord Stanhope, whom I knew to be one of the trustees, and who could not, I felt assured, see you thus sacrificed . To him I hastened, and then, for the first time, learned your rights. Before midnight we had procured the necessary documents, and have posted hither day and night.”
Our story is done. There was a marriage, but it was that of the Lady Alice and her lover, for now that she was her own mistress, on whom else could she bestow her hand?
