class="c9">From such, Sir Harold swore he would her save,
Whate'er the cost the deed might to himself entail.

The Secret Assassin.

He smuggled her on board one darksome night.
In deepest hold she lay,
Till safe at sea.
And when at last they found the stow-away
The hearts of all rejoiced that she was free
While midst the sick she moved a minist'ring sprite.

When, too, they heard she'd saved Sir Harold's life
And why she wished to fly
Her native land,
They swore, as salt tears filled each manly eye,
To be her knight till safe on England's strand;
And happy would he be who won her then for wife!

On deck, one eve, she told Sir Harold, how,
She'd seen an English knight,
Sir Ralph by name,
Deal him his wound, then-rush into the fight
And fall. He died; so never more could claim
Rowena's hand. Now would her haughty sire relent his vow?

The Light in the Turret Tower.

Rowena sings.
Burn bright, burn bright,
Dear light, sweet light,
To guide him back to me.
My knight, own knight,
Brave knight, true knight,
My love sent o'er the sea.

O light, O light,
Burn bright, burn bright,
And keep strict watch for me;
Some night, some night,
My knight, own knight,
Will come from o'er the sea.

Stars light, stars light,
My knight, brave knight,
Gone from me o'er the sea;
Shine bright, shine bright,
Each night, each night,
Till he come back to me.

Death at Ragnor's Tower.

The flag on Ragnor's tower hung half-mast high
Smote old and young with grief.
A death it told.
They long had watched her wither like a leaf;
Her warm hands too had grown of late so cold.
So young, so fair, so good. Alas! that she should die.

But no! It was her lady mother. She
Full long had seen her child
Slowly decay.
Her father's temper, too, had grown more wild.
She could but pray that ere she passed away,
Rowena's knight would safe return from o'er the sea.

Her mother dead! Her one true guide and friend!
Her heart seemed reft in twain.
Would she had died!
A year at least it meant ere yet again,
She needs must list to suits to be denied.
O death, or Harold, come and let there be an end!

Rowena's Grief.

She straightway sought the dim-lit chamber, where,
Beside her mother's bier,
Her heart might break.
So frail her bark to stem life's sea so drear.
She fain would die, yet live for his dear sake.
But then "He might not live!" she cried in wild despair.

Rowena's Lament.

O mother, mine, no longer minel
My life for thine, yea twice for thine!
O take it Death! Why not, O Death?
Why is our breath, life's fleeting breath,
Not ours to take, to give or take?
Life's cord will break, life's cord must break.
Why may we not, why dare we not,
Clean cut its knot, its painful knot?

The Holy Friar's Consolation.

A voice she hears, a tender voice,
Which says; No choice, my child, no choice
Is left for thee, for me or thee.
There's naught for thee, for thee or me,
But bear the cross, the bitter cross.
The cup of woe you now must drain,
Will bring sweet gain, for you sweet gain.
Pax vobiscum, my child; Pax vobiscum!
Heaven's peace, dear maid, be thine,
For evermore!
Go seek its home at good St. Hilda's shrine;
In holy mother's ears thy sorrows pour;
Within those peaceful gates no earthly ill can come."

Rowena Enters a Convent.

'Twas thus the holy friar of Senlac spoke.
His words the flood gates burst
And tears like rain
On land whose fissures stand agape with thirst,
Now filled her soul with joy intense as pain
Before. At length her whispered thanks the silence broke.

Within Old Ragnor's walls a chapel stood;
And there, in crypt below,
With Warre's proud race,
His gentle wife they laid, while monks with slow
And solemn steps, with incense filled the place.
The stern knight's sob was heard throughout the holy rood.

Next night, while weary warders timely slept,
And snow fell thickly round,
Rowena fled;
Nor stayed till she had peace and safety found,
Where good St. Hilda's lights her footsteps led.
Meanwhile the kindly snow her dreaded secret kept.

St. Hilda's Keep.

Nigh Unto Death.

The lady mother passed the live-long night
Beside her bed whom sleep
Deserted long.
Delirium seized her, when she'd leap
And clutch, as if she'd rend the bars so strong
Which girt the windows round, and cry "More light!"

She wanted not more light herself, but he,
Her knight, so true and brave,
Filled all her soul.
She thought she saw him drown yet