appeared the gray walls of a low but wide-spread church, which seemed to lie reposing in a churchyard, under the shade of enormous trees. Pretty little gravel paths led from the different gates, winding this way and that among the graves, to the church doors. "That is St. Saviour's Church, mother," said John. After going on for about twenty minutes farther the carriage came in sight of a high tower built in the midst of a grove of trees, upon the top of a remarkable green mound, which rose to the height of forty or fifty feet in the midst of a field back a little way from the road. "That is Prince's Tower," said John, turning round. "You remember, Grimkie, that we saw it in our walk, and wished that we could get to the top of it. The coachman says that we can go up to the top of it just as well as not. There is sixpence a-piece to pay." After some little inquiry and consultation it was determined to stop the carriage and ascend to the tower. The coachman said that there was an inn there. Accordingly, when the carriage drew near to the tower the inn came in sight, though it was almost hidden by the enormous trees which grew all over the ground. The party left the carriage and went in across the lawn in front of the inn. There were chairs and tables outside the doors, and circular seats around some of the largest trees, for the use and entertainment of the company coming to see the tower. The innkeeper gave Grimkie a key, and they all ascended the mound. The path was formed, in some places, of rude stone steps, covered with moss and ivy, and in others by a gradual ascent, turning in many zigzags and windings. By going round and round a good deal it was possible to ascend without going up the stone steps at all. When they reached the top of the mound they found that the tower was, at the base of it, quite a large building; and besides the ground which the tower occupied, there was considerable more space there, with little terraces at the margin of it in different places, where you could stand and look down through the trees to the inn and to the grounds below. There was also a large summer-house on the mound, behind the tower, with a table and benches in it for pic-nics. Grimkie unlocked the door of the tower and they all went in. The room which they en tered first, proved, to their surprise, to be a chapel. It had a painted window, a baptismal font, other such things. and "Oh, what a little church," said Florence. The room did, in fact, present the appearance of an ancient Gothic church in miniature. While the party were looking about in this room and wondering what such a little church could have been built for in so lonely a place, and on the top of such a high mound, a man, who had in some respects the appearance of a mechanic, came in. He had a measure in his hand. “Do not let me disturb you," he said to Mrs. Morelle, "I have only come to make some measurements. Mrs. Morelle fell into a conversation with this man, and asked him if he could tell her the origin of the tower and of the chapel. “I can tell you what the story is about it," replied the man, "though I cannot say whether it is true or not. The story is that, ages ago, when this island belonged to Normandy, there was a serpent upon it-a sort of dragon-that did a vast amount of mischief and kept the inhabitants in a state of continual terror. At last a knight came over from Normandy, with his squire, and killed the dragon; but soon afterward the knight was killed himself by the squire, who was in love with the knight's wife, and who, being now alone with his master, so far away from home, thought that he could kill him without leaving any trace by which the murder could be discovered. "The squire buried the body in this spot and built up a great mound over the grave. Then he went home and told the wife that her husband, in his fight with the dragon, had breathed his breath, and had been poisoned by it and had died. And moreover, that on his deathbed he had sent word to his wife that it was his dying request that she should marry the squire. "His wife complied with this request, and she and the squire were married. But the squire, after a little time, began to feel the pangs of remorse, and he suffered so acutely that in the end he confessed his crime and was put to death. His wife came over to the island then, to find the mound where her husband was buried. When she found the place she enlarged the mound and raised it higher, and then built this chapel and tower upon it." "That is a strange story," said Mrs. Morelle. "It is indeed, madam," said the man. "There are a great many strange stories among the legends and tales of these islands." From the chapel Grimkie led the way up a winding stair to the upper stories of the tower, Mrs. Morelle and the children following him. There was a very pretty room on each story, with a fireplace, and windows in deep embrasures, looking in various directions over the surrounding country. What these rooms were originally made for did not appear; but they now looked forsaken and desolate. The doors, and even the glass of the windows, were covered with inscriptions of names and dates, marked upon them by different visitors. On the top of the tower was an open roof, with a parapet wall around it, low enough for John to rest his arms upon it and look over. The view was very extensive and extremely beautiful. The sea was in sight in three directions, with the coast of France toward the eastern horizon, extending from north to south for many leagues. In the foreground of the view, in every direction around, were to be seen the green fields, the gardens, the cottages, the pretty lanes, and all the other features combined in the scenery of the island. About one-half of the whole territory was embraced in the view, and the spires of almost all the churches were seen. After remaining on the tower for a few minutes, the party came down again. Grimkie gave the innkeeper the key, and two shillings to pay for the admission. Then they all entered the carriage and rode on. |