, 1886-03-26

my side appears TO bear with exemplary
patience. Perhaps his time Is not 80
valuable IA mine-ha, hal-but as for my
self, DIR. Finch, you will oblige me by tax
ing a penknife out OF my right-hand whist
cont pocket, and setting me at liberty. Do
ybu know who this silent gentleman at
my side may be-
DR.. finch's brow darkened, his eyes
flashed, and he answered me in angry
tones. DO ron basely pretend not to reeog.
nize your old comrade, YOU fellow-con-
spirntori scorn you"
DIR. Finch. what do you meant"
~What need 10 ask what ] mean am
bound to carry ont the sentence imposed
upon o both by his most sacred ma
! jesty.T
At these words | began TO grow exceed
ingly uncomfortable. Either DIR. Finch
was an admirable hand at a practical
joke, or else he was-something that in
my captive and defenseless position |
shuddered to think of. However, !
determined not to appear frightened, 20
addressed him with assumed calmness.
~To what sentence do you refer. DIR.
Finch Who Is his most sacred majesty
~The sentence OF death for high treason,
by warrant OF his majesty King James
the First
looked hard at the doctor as he uttered
these words, hoping to detect some ap-
p%earnnce OF suppressed merriment about
his c-ountenance, but / could trace nothing
Of the kind. On the contrary, his eyes
sparkled with a look of savage triumph,
and he waved the lantern about his head
with wild energy.
BY this time | was convinced that l had
fallen into the clutches of a mailman.
What was to be dones II would be Of no
use to shout for assistance. Discretion, =
thought /, lis the better part of valor, es-
p~ecially in dealing with a ~.lunatic. In
stead Of opposing the doctor, l will try
question him about this mysterious per.
son who is seated at my side"
We'll, doctor" said, show soon is the
sentence to be carried outf'
AIN about ten minutes" he replied with
infinite calmness, a. he looked at hia
watch.
@rhen will you allow me to spend a por
ton of my time in conversation with my
fellow prisoner"
Certainly. There's no objections to
that But you will find him a very obsti-
nate fellow said DR.. Finch, pettishly. u
can get a word out OF him"
"Perhaps. II you, doctor, was TO exert
your authority, and ask him to speak to
mt ut NOuiu lSNtn W YOU.
ala Il capital idea" quoth the doctor
eagerly. Pm much oblige to you. III
try at once"
He accordingly set down his lantern on
the ground, and STOPPING till his face was
on IA level with my companions hat,
shouted thus into his ear;
"Fawkesl Guido Fawkes, don't be OBJ
stinate any longer. You've only got eight
minutes left, and your friend Mr.. Catesby
wants to speak to you"
My blood ran chill at these words,
which unfolded the singular delusion I'M
Ter which DIR. Finch was laboring. l
iould understand now why l was tied,
and why I was knee-deep In straw, and
Why my gaoler carried a lantern. As for
ny mysterious companion, he made nc
'eply, Notwithstanding the doctors earn
st request that he would speak.
He's a sulky brute, this Fawkes, isn't
'e, Mr.. Catesbyf" quoth the doctor con-
identially s..
He drew near, and fastened a good-sized
nag, containing some tolerably weighty
INSTANCE. round my neck, There, Mr..
'atesby, - he said, @now / think you will
Ne thoroughly comfortable. This bag con-
.iins three pounds weight Of excellent
gunpowder, As o as the fire reaches
9. you will go up like a rocket, without
any further annoyance"
Il am much Obliged for u civility,
l%octor," murmured family.
We'll, Mr.. Catesby, the time Is up; |
must wish you good night. You bear no
malice against me, of coursei / aln
merely the agent Of the law. / will light
our fire AT once"
Ny Ian ilady. when talking Of a domes-
ic fire, could not speak more coolly or
more civilly than did this maniac with
hese words DIR. Finch drew a box OF
matches from his pocket, and presently l
card the sound OF scratch, scratch,
rratch!r
My position resembled that of a wretch
angling over a precipice, who feels that
ne plants to which he is clinging are
.radually being uprooted by the weight
This body. Here | was, in a lonely wood
midnight, fettered TO my seat, a heap
straw piled round me, a bag OF gun
owder al my neck, ard a mailman stand
" over me with y box OF lucifer matches
his haad, firmly impressed with the
slief thai he was destined to be my ex.
'utioner.
Scratch. scratch, scratchi7
The first match had missed fred, and
nctor had giken ont the second.
scratch. Scratch, scratch"
Again there was no inhammatory re
ut.
scratch. scratch. scratch
-C1nfonnd itr exclaimed DR.. Finch an.
,rily. "rl 'se matches are damp. Very
moving nal lnconvenient, isn't II, Mr.,
'atesbyf"
For genuine. unadulterated i~mpudence
-pnimend me TO that Of a lunatic,
Pardon me, DIR. Finch | said gravely,
The matches are not damp"
~Not damp" am sure they are
Setting aside the question whether
hey are damp or not, no lucifer matches
m be expected to go OF at the present
poch.r
~Why nots-
Because they are not yet Invented. How
an they be invented in the year 1905"
@Ahi bless my heart; you're right, Mr.
'atesby, " exclaimed DIR. Finch, as II a sud
ien light hid broker In upon him. "You
re perfectly right. Now, what's to be-
lone. or / shall never get FOUR fire lighted
to-night, to say nothing OF that sullen
brufe there
you must use flint, steel and a finder.
box"
-But where am I to get them FRONT
"Your housekeeper is an old-fashioned
person; l dare say she keeps them out OF
Aud lang syne.'H
IN wake her up at once
With these words the doctor started on
with vigorous strides towards his house.
As soon as he was out Of hearing ! be
a to try md wriggie out OF my bonds
but | had not done much to extricste my
self, when | Jaw several lights twinkling
In the darkness, and heard the sound OF
approaching voices.
Il say, Joles, we shall catch IL for being
out at this time OF night" said a boyish
voice.
-Oh. no. we shan't," answered another
boyish voice "Oll Roddall win forgive
mt ng m B d ah Of November"