---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Done, Willard
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 7
number: 4
published: 1904-02
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Willard Done, "The Celtic Maiden: A Story of Ancient Britain," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 4 (February 1904): 254–262.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0704unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera0704unse
start_page: 254
end_page: 262
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-02)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0704unse
  publication_year: 1904
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Celtic Maiden: A Story of Ancient Britain

<!-- page:254 -->

THE  
        CELTIC  
        MAIDEN.
A   
        STORY   
        OF    
        ANCIENT    
        BRITAIN.
BY  
        PROFESSOR  
        WILLARD 
        DONE.
CHAPTER 
        III.
As 
        Claudius 
        stood 
        absorbed 
        in 
        silent 
        reverie, 
        he 
        saw 
        the 
        wor-
shipers disperse. 
        He 
        was 
        astonished 
        at 
        the 
        varied 
        conditions 
        of
life 
        represented 
        in 
        the 
        little 
        group. 
        Though 
        they 
        were 
        scarcely
more 
        than 
        a 
        score 
        in 
        number, 
        there 
        were 
        among 
        them 
        patrician
officers, 
        plebeian 
        soldiers, 
        Roman 
        attendants 
        and 
        alien 
        slaves. 
        He
observed, 
        also, 
        that 
        both 
        sexes 
        mingled 
        together 
        on 
        terms 
        of 
        per-
fect equality, 
        and 
        with 
        the 
        greatest 
        respect. 
        He 
        saw 
        the 
        slave
maiden, 
        whom 
        he 
        had 
        purchased 
        five 
        years 
        before 
        as 
        a 
        soulless
chattel, 
        treated 
        with 
        respect
        —
        almost 
        with 
        veneration
        —
        by 
        Roman
officers 
        of 
        higher 
        rank 
        than 
        himself. 
        Then 
        a 
        great 
        light 
        burst
upon 
        the 
        soul 
        of 
        Claudius, 
        and 
        he 
        began 
        to 
        see 
        that 
        there 
        was
something 
        in 
        the 
        new 
        creed, 
        the 
        religion 
        of 
        Christ
        —
        which 
        gave
to 
        this 
        maiden 
        sanctity 
        in 
        his 
        own 
        eyes, 
        and 
        caused 
        her 
        to 
        be 
        re-
garded not 
        only 
        as 
        an 
        equal, 
        but 
        with 
        reverence 
        by 
        those 
        whom
paganism 
        made 
        her 
        superiors. 
        And 
        now 
        he 
        understood 
        why, 
        in
her 
        presence, 
        he 
        himself 
        had 
        been 
        subdued, 
        and 
        his 
        tumultuous
thoughts 
        and 
        feelings 
        quelled. 
        It 
        was 
        the 
        soul 
        of 
        sanctity 
        and
,purity, 
        manifested 
        in 
        one 
        of 
        the 
        kind 
        that 
        he 
        had 
        been 
        taught 
        to
regard 
        as 
        soulless.
As 
        the 
        young 
        man 
        stood 
        in 
        the 
        moonlight, 
        racked 
        with 
        con-
flicting thoughts, 
        the 
        last 
        of 
        the 
        worshipers 
        dispersed, 
        and 
        the"
only 
        sound 
        he 
        heard 
        was 
        the 
        shout 
        of 
        revelry 
        and 
        the 
        drunken 
        jest
from 
        the 
        group 
        he 
        had 
        left 
        an 
        hour 
        before.     
        Under 
        the 
        influence

<!-- page:255 -->

• 
        THE 
        CELTIC 
        MAIDEN. 
        255
of 
        the 
        ribald 
        noise, 
        he 
        experienced 
        a 
        revulsion 
        of 
        feeling, 
        and 
        was
tempted 
        to 
        rush 
        in 
        among 
        the 
        revelers 
        and 
        drown 
        his 
        thoughts.
He 
        had 
        commenced 
        a 
        rapid 
        walk 
        toward 
        the 
        festive 
        house, 
        when 
        a
startling 
        thing 
        happened 
        and 
        arrested 
        his 
        steps. 
        The 
        light 
        of 
        the
moon 
        fell 
        full 
        on 
        the 
        path 
        which 
        led 
        into 
        the 
        dense 
        wood. 
        Across
this 
        interval 
        of 
        space 
        and 
        light, 
        dark-robed, 
        sombre 
        figures 
        were
passing.
Claudius 
        was 
        both 
        startled 
        and 
        interested 
        by 
        the 
        incident.
He 
        walked 
        rapidly 
        toward 
        the 
        spot, 
        and 
        peered 
        anxiously 
        into 
        the
dense 
        undergrowth 
        of 
        timber 
        whither 
        the 
        mysterious 
        figures 
        had
gone.   
        He 
        could 
        not 
        see 
        them.
He 
        had 
        no 
        idea 
        how 
        to 
        account 
        for 
        the 
        strange 
        occurrence,
and 
        yet 
        he 
        felt 
        that 
        it 
        possessed 
        some 
        significance. 
        Recklessly
he 
        plunged 
        into 
        the 
        wood, 
        guided 
        by 
        the 
        sound 
        of 
        footsteps.
In 
        the 
        meantime, 
        the 
        group 
        which 
        Claudius 
        had 
        left 
        an 
        hour
before, 
        was 
        indulging 
        deeply 
        in 
        the 
        pleasures 
        of 
        wine. 
        Under
its 
        influence 
        they 
        were 
        fast 
        becoming 
        ripe 
        for 
        any 
        adventure, 
        inno-
cent or 
        criminal. 
        Naturally, 
        their 
        thoughts 
        and 
        conversation
turned 
        on 
        the 
        quarrel 
        between 
        Claudius 
        and 
        Decius. 
        Words 
        rose
higher 
        and 
        higher, 
        his 
        friends 
        chafiing 
        Decius, 
        and 
        bantering 
        him
to 
        a 
        deeper 
        animosity 
        toward 
        Claudius.
"A 
        quarrel," 
        said 
        one, 
        "over 
        a 
        mere 
        piece 
        of 
        property, 
        and
its 
        imaginary 
        feelings 
        and 
        honor, 
        is 
        beneath 
        you, 
        my 
        Decius."
"But 
        the 
        quarrel 
        did 
        not 
        begin 
        there," 
        said 
        Decius. 
        "He 
        was
ready 
        to 
        twit 
        me 
        with 
        indulgence 
        in 
        wine; 
        why 
        not 
        I 
        him 
        with 
        the
amours 
        with 
        women?"
"And 
        what 
        women! 
        What 
        a 
        range 
        of 
        choice, 
        from 
        the 
        patri-
cian to 
        the 
        slave!    
        But 
        why 
        was 
        the 
        slave 
        alone 
        defended?"
Decius' 
        answer 
        was 
        accompanied 
        by 
        a 
        flippant 
        shrug. 
        "She
is 
        the 
        newest
        —
        the 
        present 
        one
        ! 
        The 
        others 
        are 
        discarded 
        for 
        the
time. 
        Let 
        him 
        tire 
        of 
        her, 
        and 
        her 
        safety 
        or 
        danger 
        will 
        be 
        of 
        no
concern 
        to 
        him."
He 
        cares 
        not 
        for 
        her 
        safety 
        now," 
        said 
        one 
        of 
        the 
        group. 
        "A
test 
        is 
        easy, 
        my 
        comrades." 
        As 
        he 
        spoke, 
        he 
        took 
        from 
        a 
        closet 
        a
collection 
        of 
        masks. 
        A 
        shout 
        of 
        applause 
        greeted 
        the 
        suggestive
action. 
        He 
        threw 
        the 
        door 
        open 
        and 
        peered 
        out. 
        Just 
        at 
        that
moment, 
        the 
        singing 
        which 
        had 
        attracted 
        the 
        attention 
        of 
        Claudius
sounded 
        sacredly 
        through 
        the 
        still 
        air.   
        But 
        it 
        had 
        no 
        softening

<!-- page:256 -->

256 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
effect 
        on 
        the 
        debauchees. 
        The 
        door 
        was 
        closed 
        amid 
        a 
        roar 
        of 
        de-
risive laughter.
But 
        the 
        leader 
        of 
        the 
        carousers 
        had 
        caught 
        sight 
        of 
        the 
        awe-
struck figure 
        of 
        Claudius 
        standing 
        at 
        his 
        tent 
        door, 
        and 
        drinking
the 
        music 
        into 
        his 
        soul. 
        Turning 
        to 
        one 
        of 
        his 
        slaves, 
        he 
        gave 
        the
command, 
        "Keep 
        Claudius 
        in 
        sight, 
        but 
        let 
        him 
        not 
        know 
        that 
        he
is 
        watched." 
        Then 
        turning 
        to 
        his 
        companions, 
        "We 
        separate 
        into
two 
        parties; 
        I 
        lead 
        one, 
        you, 
        Julius, 
        the 
        other. 
        Decius 
        comes 
        with
me. 
        We 
        sieze 
        Claudius, 
        you 
        the 
        girl. 
        When 
        the 
        two 
        are 
        brought
together 
        in 
        a 
        remote 
        portion 
        of 
        the 
        wood, 
        our 
        course 
        will 
        be 
        de-
cided on. 
        Remember, 
        silence 
        and 
        caution. 
        The 
        prize 
        is 
        worth
the 
        game."
Lest 
        the 
        silence 
        should 
        prove 
        a 
        warning 
        to 
        the 
        intended 
        vic-
tims, the 
        speaker 
        broke 
        into 
        a 
        roystering, 
        boisterous 
        song, 
        in
which 
        the 
        others 
        joined 
        with 
        gusto. 
        In 
        the 
        meanwhile 
        the 
        slave's
vigilance 
        was 
        undiminished. 
        At 
        length 
        he 
        reported 
        the 
        dispers-
ing of 
        the 
        group 
        of 
        worshipers, 
        and, 
        a 
        few 
        moments 
        -later, 
        the
hurried 
        departure 
        of 
        Claudius 
        toward 
        the 
        dark 
        wood.
Immediately 
        the 
        men 
        separated 
        into 
        two 
        parties, 
        and 
        each
started 
        on 
        its 
        errand. 
        As 
        Claudius 
        plunged 
        from 
        the 
        lighted 
        path
into 
        the 
        dense 
        darkness 
        of 
        the 
        wood, 
        the 
        group 
        of 
        masked 
        men
followed 
        at 
        such 
        an 
        angle 
        as 
        to 
        intercept 
        him. 
        Before 
        he 
        knew 
        of
their 
        approach, 
        they 
        were 
        almost 
        upon 
        him. 
        He 
        had 
        time 
        only 
        to
draw 
        his 
        sword 
        and 
        make 
        one 
        blind 
        thrust 
        into 
        darkness, 
        but 
        that
thrust 
        disabled 
        the 
        leader 
        of 
        the 
        attacking 
        party. 
        Decius 
        sprang
over 
        the 
        prostrate 
        form 
        of 
        his 
        leader, 
        in 
        whose 
        fall 
        Claudius'
sword 
        was 
        entangled, 
        and 
        seconded 
        by 
        his 
        companions, 
        disarmed
Claudius 
        and 
        held 
        him 
        prisoner.
"I 
        know 
        your 
        touch 
        and 
        your 
        presence," 
        exclaimed 
        Claudius,
"you 
        are 
        Decius
        !    
        You 
        answer 
        for 
        this 
        to 
        the 
        imperator."
No 
        reply 
        was 
        made; 
        and 
        soon, 
        bound, 
        blind-folded, 
        and
gagged, 
        he 
        was 
        carried 
        to 
        the 
        meeting 
        place 
        agreed 
        upon.
In 
        the 
        meantime, 
        the 
        other 
        party 
        had 
        been 
        intent 
        upon 
        its
task. 
        They 
        were 
        guided 
        by 
        the 
        slave, 
        who 
        had 
        followed 
        the 
        girl
in 
        her 
        meditative 
        walk 
        after 
        the 
        service. 
        Her 
        head 
        was 
        bowed 
        in
grief, 
        as 
        she 
        thought 
        of 
        her 
        forlorn 
        condition, 
        as 
        the 
        slave 
        of 
        a
man 
        who, 
        though 
        noble 
        in 
        feeling 
        and 
        sentiment, 
        was 
        the 
        victim
of 
        base 
        companionship.    
        She  
        had 
        - 
        heard 
        the 
        sounds 
        of  
        revelry

<!-- page:257 -->

THE 
        CELTIC 
        MAIDEN. 
        257
which 
        profaned 
        the 
        moonlit 
        air; 
        and 
        she 
        knew 
        that 
        such 
        carousing
was 
        only 
        one 
        phase 
        of 
        the 
        life 
        of 
        baseness 
        into 
        which 
        a 
        man 
        of
great 
        native 
        force 
        and 
        purity 
        had 
        been 
        betrayed 
        by 
        the 
        profligacy
of 
        the 
        times. 
        For 
        must 
        not 
        the 
        snow 
        be 
        tinged 
        with 
        stain 
        when
it 
        falls 
        through 
        the 
        blackened, 
        smoke-laden 
        air 
        of 
        a 
        city, 
        though
it 
        lies 
        white 
        and 
        pure 
        as 
        cleansed 
        wool 
        on 
        country 
        lanes 
        and 
        desert
wastes? 
        So 
        had 
        the 
        life 
        of 
        this 
        young 
        man 
        fallen, 
        amid 
        blacken-
ing, sin-stained 
        customs 
        of 
        a 
        decaying, 
        profligate 
        civilization; 
        so
had 
        his 
        soul 
        partaken 
        of 
        that 
        darkness. 
        Even 
        so, 
        was 
        it 
        in 
        need
of 
        the 
        cleansing. 
        Yet 
        she 
        remembered 
        with 
        pleasure, 
        that 
        in 
        her
ministering 
        to 
        him, 
        she 
        had 
        seen 
        the 
        purest, 
        brightest 
        side 
        of 
        his
character; 
        and 
        with 
        a 
        feeling 
        of 
        pardonable 
        pride, 
        she 
        acknowl-
edged to 
        herself 
        that, 
        infinitely 
        below 
        him 
        though 
        she 
        was 
        in 
        the
artificial 
        scale 
        of 
        social 
        life, 
        she 
        was 
        able 
        at 
        intervals 
        to 
        lift 
        him
up 
        to 
        higher 
        ideals 
        and 
        to 
        better 
        thoughts.
Suddenly 
        her 
        thoughts 
        were 
        interrupted 
        by 
        hurried 
        footsteps,
approaching 
        from 
        two 
        directions. 
        From 
        the 
        left, 
        there 
        suddenly
loomed 
        up 
        before 
        her, 
        large, 
        uncouth, 
        black-robed 
        figures,
        —
        men
with 
        long, 
        white 
        beards, 
        and 
        aspect 
        at 
        once 
        fierce 
        and 
        venerable.
Behind 
        her 
        were 
        six 
        young, 
        lithe, 
        active 
        men, 
        with 
        faces 
        whose
masked 
        portions 
        gleamed 
        with 
        reckless 
        dissipation. 
        Rooted 
        to 
        the
spot 
        with 
        fear, 
        she 
        uttered 
        a 
        silent 
        prayer. 
        One 
        of 
        the 
        strange
group 
        seized 
        her, 
        and 
        as 
        the 
        young 
        men 
        rushed 
        toward 
        him 
        with
drawn 
        swords, 
        the 
        others 
        flourishing 
        swords 
        and 
        axes, 
        formed 
        a
line 
        of 
        defense. 
        The 
        conflict 
        was 
        short, 
        but 
        fierce. 
        Seven 
        men
fell 
        beneath 
        the 
        blows 
        of 
        the 
        suddenly 
        sobered 
        young 
        Romans; 
        but
in 
        compensation, 
        all 
        of 
        these 
        had 
        been 
        slain. 
        And 
        the 
        helpless,
shrieking 
        girl 
        was 
        borne 
        by 
        the 
        weird 
        figures 
        into 
        the 
        wood.
Calmly, 
        the 
        moon 
        shone 
        down 
        upon 
        the 
        stiflPening 
        corpses
        —
mute 
        witnesses 
        to 
        the 
        fate 
        of 
        the 
        hapless 
        maiden
        —
        but 
        she 
        herself
was 
        as 
        if 
        the 
        earth 
        had 
        swallowed 
        her.
Long 
        the 
        men 
        who 
        held 
        Claudius 
        prisoner, 
        waited 
        in 
        silence
for 
        their 
        confederates. 
        Then 
        their 
        complacency 
        gave 
        way 
        to 
        anx-
iety, and 
        this 
        to 
        a 
        nameless 
        dread. 
        Three 
        of 
        the 
        men 
        were
silently 
        despatched 
        to 
        discover 
        the 
        cause 
        of 
        the 
        delay. 
        Half 
        an
hour 
        later, 
        they 
        returned 
        with 
        blanched 
        faces, 
        and 
        beckoned 
        the
others 
        to 
        follow. 
        The 
        moon 
        was 
        approaching 
        the 
        horizon, 
        and
only 
        slanting 
        rays 
        shone 
        on 
        the  
        ghastly 
        scene.     
        Anxiously  
        and

<!-- page:258 -->

258 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
hastily, 
        the 
        leaders 
        turned 
        the 
        weird 
        figures 
        and 
        faces 
        to 
        the 
        moon-
light.    "Ye 
        Gods! 
        the 
        Druids!"*
The 
        words 
        were 
        full 
        of 
        undefinable 
        terror. 
        Claudius, 
        though
sightless 
        and 
        voiceless, 
        had 
        heard. 
        With 
        the 
        subtile 
        sense 
        which
deep 
        anxiety 
        often 
        develops, 
        he 
        associated 
        his 
        Christian 
        slave 
        witk
the 
        name 
        of 
        dread. 
        He 
        turned 
        toward 
        Decius, 
        whose 
        undisguised
voice, 
        in 
        the 
        involuntary 
        exclamation, 
        he 
        had 
        just 
        heard. 
        His
attitude 
        was 
        one 
        of 
        intense 
        questioning, 
        Decius 
        felt 
        the 
        force 
        of
the 
        blind 
        and 
        dumb 
        appeal 
        and 
        rebuke, 
        but 
        he 
        made 
        no 
        sign. 
        De-
tailing two 
        of 
        the 
        men 
        to 
        carry 
        the 
        prisoner 
        to 
        the 
        scene 
        of 
        the
night's 
        revelry, 
        he 
        instructed 
        the 
        others 
        to 
        dispose 
        of 
        the 
        dead
bodies. 
        As 
        the 
        last 
        ghastly 
        form 
        disappeared 
        beneath 
        the 
        newly
turned 
        sod, 
        Decius 
        turned 
        away 
        and 
        sought 
        his 
        tent.
The 
        moon 
        sank 
        behind 
        the 
        forest 
        trees, 
        her 
        light 
        struggling
fitfully 
        through 
        their 
        majestic 
        ranks, 
        and 
        the 
        darkness 
        and 
        chill 
        of
the 
        hour, 
        before 
        the 
        dawn 
        fell 
        upon 
        the 
        camp. 
        And 
        chill, 
        and 
        dark,
and 
        gloomy 
        were 
        the 
        spirits 
        of 
        the 
        men 
        who, 
        a 
        few 
        brief 
        hours
before, 
        caroused 
        and 
        sang 
        and 
        shouted.
CHAPTER 
        IV.
The 
        camp 
        had 
        become 
        thoroughly 
        alarmed 
        over 
        the 
        events
of 
        the 
        night, 
        and 
        an 
        investigation 
        was 
        set 
        on 
        foot 
        by 
        the
imperator. 
        When 
        Claudius 
        was 
        carried 
        back, 
        and 
        Decius 
        had
returned, 
        the 
        former 
        was 
        at 
        once 
        released 
        from 
        his 
        bonds, 
        and
both 
        were 
        placed 
        under 
        arrest 
        and 
        carried 
        before 
        their 
        commander.
Claudius 
        was 
        wild 
        with 
        impatience. 
        He 
        knew 
        that 
        his 
        slave 
        was
in 
        danger, 
        but 
        he 
        did 
        not 
        fully 
        know 
        its 
        nature 
        or 
        extent. 
        He 
        was
not 
        allowed 
        to 
        question 
        Decius 
        regarding 
        the 
        events 
        of 
        the 
        night.
* 
        The 
        Druids 
        were 
        heathen 
        priests 
        in 
        ancient 
        Gaul 
        and 
        Britain. 
        They
were 
        regarded 
        with 
        great 
        reverence 
        by 
        the 
        Celtic 
        races. 
        The 
        great
stone 
        altars 
        and 
        circles 
        at 
        Stonehenge, 
        and 
        other 
        places 
        in 
        England 
        and
France, 
        are 
        supposed 
        to 
        have 
        been 
        temples 
        of 
        worship 
        and 
        sacrifice,
erected 
        by 
        the 
        Druids. 
        The 
        best 
        authorities 
        on 
        the 
        worship 
        of 
        this
priestly 
        class 
        are 
        of 
        opinion 
        that 
        human 
        sacrifice 
        formed 
        a 
        part 
        of 
        their
religious 
        observances. 
        The 
        victims 
        chosen 
        for 
        sacrifice 
        were 
        often 
        the
purest, 
        noblest 
        and 
        most 
        beautiful 
        of 
        their 
        people.

<!-- page:259 -->

THE 
        CELTIC 
        MAIDEN. 
        259
and 
        his 
        impatience   
        was   
        increased   
        by   
        the   
        vagueness   
        of   
        his
knowledge.
At 
        length 
        he 
        and 
        Decius 
        stood 
        before 
        the 
        imperator. 
        Thither
also, 
        witnesses 
        of 
        the 
        night's 
        events 
        had 
        been 
        summoned. 
        The
questioning 
        was 
        brief, 
        but 
        the 
        facts 
        brought 
        out 
        were 
        like 
        hot
irons 
        to 
        the 
        soul 
        of 
        Claudius. 
        When 
        the 
        discovery 
        of 
        the 
        bodies
of 
        the 
        Druids 
        was 
        mentioned, 
        Claudius 
        started 
        to 
        his 
        feet, 
        and 
        con-
fronted Decius. 
        "And 
        you 
        kept 
        me 
        blind 
        and 
        dumb 
        and 
        helpless
when 
        you 
        knew 
        that 
        my 
        slave 
        was 
        exposed 
        to 
        nameless 
        danger?"
Decius' 
        sole 
        answer 
        was 
        a 
        supercilious, 
        indifferent 
        smile.
Mastering 
        his 
        anger, 
        and 
        turning 
        respectfully 
        to 
        the 
        imper-
ator, Claudius 
        said, 
        "I 
        crave 
        but 
        one 
        favor, 
        I 
        care 
        not 
        what 
        is
decided 
        against 
        me, 
        nor 
        against 
        him 
        who 
        has 
        so 
        wronged 
        me. 
        I
ask 
        only 
        permission 
        to 
        take 
        a 
        small 
        command 
        and 
        rescue 
        the
maiden. 
        When 
        I 
        return, 
        the 
        question 
        of 
        this 
        man's 
        punishment,
or 
        mine, 
        can 
        be 
        decided. 
        I 
        ask 
        that 
        she 
        be 
        saved 
        from 
        her 
        peril
first-, 
        and 
        without 
        delay."
The 
        imperator 
        had 
        seen 
        and 
        heard 
        enough 
        to 
        determine 
        his
decision. 
        He 
        turned 
        to 
        Claudius 
        and 
        told 
        him 
        he 
        was 
        exonerated,
and 
        at 
        liberty 
        to 
        attempt 
        the 
        rescue 
        of 
        the 
        girl. 
        "But," 
        he 
        said,
in 
        a 
        deprecating 
        tone, 
        "do 
        you 
        think 
        it 
        worth 
        the 
        effort? 
        She 
        is
but 
        a 
        slave, 
        and 
        surely 
        she 
        can 
        be 
        replaced 
        with 
        no 
        danger 
        and 
        but
little 
        cost—
        "
"She 
        can 
        never 
        be 
        replaced," 
        Claudius 
        interrupted 
        almost
angrily.
"Eheu!" 
        drawled 
        Decius,  
        in 
        a  
        mocking 
        voice.     
        "My 
        poor
Claudius 
        is 
        no  
        longer 
        master  
        even  
        of 
        himself.    
        This 
        beautifu
slave 
        is 
        his 
        owner, 
        not 
        he 
        hers."
"Enough!" 
        said 
        the 
        im.perator, 
        sternly 
        interrupting 
        Claudius'
angry 
        rejoinder. 
        Still 
        more 
        sternly 
        he 
        continued: 
        "Decius, 
        you
have 
        inspired 
        rebellion 
        in 
        the 
        camp. 
        For 
        the 
        sake 
        of 
        a 
        personal
quarrel, 
        you 
        have 
        endangered 
        the 
        lives 
        of 
        my 
        soldiers. 
        You 
        have
broken 
        your 
        oath, 
        as 
        an 
        officer, 
        to 
        preserve 
        discipline 
        and 
        respect
order! 
        You 
        are 
        placed 
        under 
        arrest, 
        so 
        to 
        remain 
        during 
        my
pleasure.    
        Guards, 
        secure 
        him 
        !"
No 
        one 
        knew 
        just 
        how 
        it 
        happened, 
        the 
        thing 
        was 
        so 
        quickly
done. 
        Decius 
        sprang 
        to 
        his 
        feet 
        and 
        felled 
        with 
        his 
        fist 
        the 
        fore-
most guard.    
        The  
        advance 
        of 
        the 
        others 
        was 
        checked 
        for  
        one

<!-- page:260 -->

250 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
instant, 
        and 
        that 
        delay 
        gave 
        Decius 
        his 
        freedom. 
        Darting 
        like
lightning 
        to 
        the 
        door, 
        he 
        reached 
        the 
        open 
        space 
        without. 
        Seizing
sword 
        and 
        shield 
        from 
        a 
        startled 
        soldier, 
        he 
        rushed 
        into 
        the 
        forests
near 
        the 
        camp. 
        As 
        he 
        disappeared 
        from 
        view, 
        these 
        words 
        were
flung 
        back 
        to 
        the 
        imperator's 
        tent: 
        "Let 
        Claudius 
        seek 
        his 
        slave-
mistress, 
        and 
        his 
        friend 
        Decius
        ; 
        for, 
        by 
        Jupiter, 
        he 
        will 
        find 
        us 
        close
together!"
They 
        knew 
        that 
        immediate 
        pursuit 
        was 
        useless, 
        for 
        the 
        forests
were 
        full 
        of 
        malcontents 
        who 
        had 
        long 
        since 
        deserted 
        from 
        the
Roman 
        standard, 
        and 
        would 
        gladly 
        welcome 
        and 
        protect 
        such 
        a
leader 
        as 
        Decius.
Claudius 
        at 
        once 
        left 
        the 
        imperator's 
        tent, 
        and 
        organized 
        his
party 
        of 
        rescu«rs; 
        and 
        before 
        the 
        sun 
        had 
        risen, 
        weary 
        though 
        he
was, 
        he 
        had 
        commenced 
        the 
        march.
In 
        the 
        meantime, 
        the 
        captors 
        of 
        the 
        unfortunate 
        girl 
        were
making 
        a 
        hurried 
        march 
        toward 
        their 
        forest 
        fastnesses. 
        They
offered 
        her 
        no 
        violence. 
        Indeed, 
        their 
        manner 
        toward 
        her 
        was
most 
        respectful
        —
        almost 
        reverential. 
        They 
        apparently 
        knew 
        that
she 
        was 
        of 
        the 
        same 
        race 
        with 
        themselves. 
        They 
        would 
        as 
        soon
think 
        of 
        defiling 
        one 
        of 
        their 
        sanctuaries 
        in 
        the 
        ancient 
        woods, 
        as
of 
        offering 
        insult 
        to 
        such 
        a 
        one. 
        And 
        yet 
        the 
        girl's 
        soul 
        was 
        possessed
by 
        a 
        sickening 
        dread. 
        She 
        knew 
        something 
        of 
        the 
        mystic 
        rituals
the 
        Druids 
        performed 
        i» 
        secret 
        places, 
        and 
        the 
        very 
        reverence
shown 
        her 
        was 
        a 
        confirmation 
        of 
        her 
        fears. 
        She 
        walked 
        with
bowed 
        head, 
        but 
        occasionally 
        she 
        raised 
        her 
        eyes 
        toward 
        heaven,
in 
        mute 
        appeal 
        for 
        succor.
As 
        they 
        plunged 
        farther 
        and 
        farther 
        into 
        the 
        woods, 
        they
slackened 
        their 
        speed, 
        and 
        occasionally 
        stopped 
        to 
        rest. 
        By 
        a
process 
        known 
        only 
        to 
        men 
        accustomed 
        to 
        life 
        in 
        the 
        forest, 
        they
carefully 
        obliterated 
        their 
        trail, 
        thus 
        securing 
        themselves 
        from
danger 
        of 
        immediate 
        pursuit. 
        To 
        the 
        girl, 
        the 
        sight 
        of 
        the 
        stately
forests 
        from 
        which 
        she 
        had 
        been 
        carried 
        to 
        Rome 
        six 
        years 
        before,
brought 
        back 
        vivid 
        memories. 
        She 
        recalled 
        her 
        father; 
        she 
        thought
of 
        the 
        anguish 
        it 
        caused 
        him 
        when 
        wife 
        and 
        children 
        were 
        torn
from 
        him 
        by 
        the 
        ruthless 
        hand 
        of 
        Rome. 
        She 
        thought 
        of 
        the
mother 
        and 
        brother 
        from 
        whom 
        she 
        had 
        been 
        dragged 
        by 
        her
Roman 
        owner. 
        Then 
        she 
        thought 
        of 
        the 
        playmate 
        who 
        had 
        wan-
dered  with  
        her 
        through 
        those 
        woods, 
        his 
        springtime 
        heart 
        over-

<!-- page:261 -->

THE 
        CELTIC 
        MAIDEN. 
        *    
        261
flowing 
        with 
        devotion, 
        his 
        boyish 
        hands 
        always 
        ready 
        to 
        help 
        her.
She 
        was 
        surprised 
        at 
        the 
        clearness 
        with 
        which 
        these 
        memories
came 
        back 
        to 
        her, 
        and 
        the 
        feelings 
        they 
        inspired. 
        She 
        was 
        pos-
sessed with 
        a 
        sense 
        almost 
        of 
        serene 
        content, 
        like 
        the 
        feeling 
        of 
        a
long 
        absent 
        traveler 
        returning 
        to 
        his 
        native 
        woods.
After 
        several 
        days 
        of 
        journeying, 
        during 
        which 
        time 
        they
stopped 
        for 
        occasional 
        rest 
        and 
        refreshment 
        in 
        British 
        villages, 
        they
reached 
        a 
        plain. 
        Here 
        were 
        strange 
        stone 
        structures, 
        hidden 
        from
the 
        outer 
        world 
        by 
        a 
        circular 
        wall 
        formed 
        of 
        immense 
        stones 
        set
on 
        one 
        end 
        and 
        surmounted 
        by 
        stone 
        caps. 
        Within 
        this 
        outer 
        cir-
cle was 
        a 
        smaller 
        one, 
        surrounding 
        two 
        ovals 
        and 
        a 
        large, 
        flat
stone.
The 
        solemnity 
        of 
        the 
        demeanor 
        of 
        the 
        m.aiden's 
        venerable 
        con-
ductors was 
        intensified, 
        as 
        they 
        came 
        in 
        view 
        of 
        the 
        cairn, 
        and
joined 
        a 
        concourse 
        which 
        had 
        already 
        assembled 
        there. 
        They 
        were
performing 
        mystic 
        rites, 
        which 
        were 
        awe-inspiring 
        in 
        their 
        weird-
ness. 
        Stately 
        figures, 
        robed 
        in 
        white, 
        formed 
        in 
        procession, 
        and
marched 
        around 
        the 
        outer 
        circle, 
        chanting 
        solemnly 
        and 
        burning
incense. 
        The 
        reverent 
        figures, 
        the 
        solemn 
        incantations, 
        the 
        light 
        of
torches, 
        and 
        the 
        smoke 
        of 
        the 
        incense, 
        added 
        to 
        the 
        stateliness 
        of
the 
        stone 
        structure, 
        produced 
        a 
        feeling 
        of 
        profound 
        awe 
        in 
        the
hearts 
        of 
        spectators.
These 
        things 
        the 
        maiden 
        saw 
        as 
        she 
        was 
        led 
        toward 
        the 
        chant-
ing priests. 
        The 
        secret 
        rites 
        were 
        new 
        and 
        strange 
        to 
        her. 
        Al-
though they 
        produced 
        in 
        her 
        a 
        feeling 
        of 
        awe, 
        appealing 
        to 
        her
sense 
        of 
        the 
        mystical 
        and 
        sublime, 
        yet 
        to 
        her 
        Christian 
        soul 
        they
were 
        revolting, 
        pagan 
        mummery. 
        She 
        stood 
        there 
        drinking 
        in 
        all
the 
        beauty 
        of 
        the 
        scene, 
        and 
        trying 
        to 
        fathom 
        its 
        meaning. 
        Soon
the 
        ceremonies 
        were 
        concluded, 
        and 
        the 
        participants 
        approached
the 
        girl's 
        escorts 
        and 
        held 
        an 
        earnest 
        consultation 
        with 
        them. 
        Then
they 
        retired 
        to 
        their 
        tents 
        for 
        the 
        night. 
        The 
        maiden 
        was 
        given
some 
        female 
        attendants, 
        who 
        led 
        her 
        to 
        one 
        of 
        the 
        most 
        luxurious
tents, 
        bathed 
        and 
        anointed 
        her, 
        gave 
        her 
        of 
        their 
        choicest 
        food,
and 
        bade 
        her 
        go 
        to 
        rest. 
        Lying 
        on 
        the 
        downy 
        couch 
        provided 
        for
her, 
        she 
        thought 
        of 
        the 
        strange 
        events 
        of 
        the 
        preceding 
        days, 
        unt 
        i
lulled 
        by 
        the 
        slow 
        singing 
        of 
        her 
        attendants, 
        she 
        fell 
        into 
        a 
        dream-
less sleep.
Long 
        before 
        dawn, 
        she 
        was 
        awakened  
        by 
        the 
        bustling 
        move-

<!-- page:262 -->

i462 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
ments 
        of 
        her 
        attendants. 
        From 
        the 
        scraps 
        of 
        conversation, 
        she
was 
        able 
        to 
        understand, 
        she 
        learned 
        that 
        they 
        were 
        at 
        a 
        general 
        ren-
dezvous of 
        the 
        Dniidical 
        priests, 
        where 
        they 
        had 
        gathered 
        to 
        par-
ticipate in 
        mystic 
        rites. 
        Those 
        who 
        had 
        captured 
        her 
        were 
        from 
        a
distant 
        part 
        of 
        the 
        island. 
        They 
        had 
        found 
        her 
        while 
        on 
        their 
        way
to 
        the 
        gathering 
        place. 
        Why 
        they 
        had 
        brought 
        her
        —
        what 
        part
they 
        expected 
        her 
        to 
        take 
        in 
        the 
        mysterious 
        ceremonies
        —
        her 
        at-
tendants did 
        not 
        say.
When 
        they 
        saw 
        that 
        she 
        was 
        avv'ake, 
        they 
        approached 
        her 
        with
the 
        greatest 
        deference, 
        and 
        anticipated 
        her 
        every 
        wish. 
        As 
        the
day 
        broke, 
        she 
        heard 
        joyous 
        chantings 
        from 
        the 
        wood 
        which
bordered 
        the 
        plain. 
        Looking 
        in 
        that 
        direction, 
        she 
        saw 
        a 
        proces-
sion of 
        white-robed 
        priests, 
        emerging 
        from 
        the 
        wood. 
        They 
        bore
branches 
        of 
        mistletoe 
        which 
        they 
        had 
        cut 
        from 
        oaks 
        with 
        golden
. 
        sickles 
        at 
        midnight. 
        With 
        reverent, 
        joyous 
        songs, 
        they 
        bore 
        the
sacred 
        plant 
        toward 
        the 
        cairn.
The 
        girl 
        was 
        quickly 
        dressed, 
        and 
        again 
        choice 
        food 
        was 
        pro-
vided for 
        her 
        repast. 
        Then 
        a 
        white 
        robe 
        was 
        placed 
        on 
        her, 
        and
she 
        was 
        escorted 
        without 
        the 
        tent, 
        where 
        the 
        priests 
        bearing 
        the
mistletoe 
        received 
        her. 
        Bowing 
        before 
        her 
        repeatedly, 
        they
crowned 
        her 
        with 
        wreaths 
        of 
        mistletoe, 
        and 
        led 
        her 
        toward 
        the
cairn. 
        Wonderingly 
        she 
        followed. 
        The 
        outer 
        and 
        the 
        inner 
        circle
were 
        passed, 
        and 
        they 
        stopped 
        before 
        a 
        large, 
        flat 
        stone.
(to 
        be 
        continued).
A 
        MISSIONARY'S 
        FAREWELL 
        TO 
        MARGUERITE.
{Por 
        the 
        Improvement 
        Era.)
Farewell, 
        ray 
        Marguerite, 
        for 
        I 
        must 
        leave 
        thee 
        now
        —
A 
        last 
        fond 
        look 
        within 
        thy 
        sad, 
        dark 
        eyes,
Reflecting 
        glories 
        rare 
        of 
        Paradise
        —
Then 
        love's 
        soft, 
        clinging 
        kisses 
        on 
        thy 
        fair, 
        white 
        brow.
It 
        is 
        so 
        hard 
        to 
        part, 
        my 
        own, 
        my 
        Marguerite
        —
There, 
        lay 
        thy 
        head 
        once 
        more 
        upon 
        my 
        breast.
That 
        e'er 
        shall 
        be 
        thine 
        own 
        safe 
        place 
        of 
        rest,
When, 
        after 
        years 
        of 
        parting, 
        we 
        shall 
        meet.