Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-20

knight partly through policy and becaus
It WAS the fashion Of the time.
The snow, which still fell without in
terruption, the extreme chill OF the a
and the approach Of night combined I
keep them under shelter. Wine, ale an
| money were all plentiful; many sprawle
gambling in the straw Of the barn, man
were still drunken from the noontid
meal. To the eye Of modern it woul
have looked like the sack Of city; to th
eye OF contemporary it was like an
other rich and noble household at fes
tive season.
Two monks young and an old-ha
arrived late, and were now warmin
themselves at bonfire In corner Of tn
shed. mixed crowd surrounded then
-jugglers, mountebanks and soldiers
and with these The elder Of the two ha
soon engaged 30 brisk conversation an
exchanged 80 many loud outlaws an,
country witticisms that the group mo
meptarily Increased in number.
The younger companion, in when tn
reader has already recognized Die
Shelton, sat from the first somewha
backward, and gradually drew himsel
away. He listened, indeed, closely, blu
he opened not his mouth; and by tn,
grave expression of his countenance, h
made but little account of his compan
ions pleassntries.
At last his eye, which travelled contin
sally to and fro,a Kept alguard upon al
the entrances Of the house, lit upon {
little procession entering by the msir
gate and crossing the court in an obliqut
direction. Two ladies, mufisd in thick
furs, led the way, and were followed by .
pair OF waiting women and four stou
men at-arms. The next moment thel
had disappeared within the house; ant
Dick, slipping through the crowd OF lott,
erers in the shed, WAS already giving no
pursuit.
"Ths taller Of these twsin was Lady
Brsckley," he thought; sand where Lad!
Brackley is, Joan will not be far"
At the door of the house the four men
alarms had ceased TO follow, and the
ladies were now mounting the stsirwa,
of polished oak, under NO better escor
than that of the two waiting women
Dick followed close behind. II was al.
ready the dusk of the day; and in tn,
house the darkness Of the night had al
most come. On the stair-landings, torches
fAred In iron holders; down the long
tapestried corridors, lamp burned b,
every door. And where the door stoo(
open, Dick could look in upon erres
covered walls and rush-bescatteret
foors, glowing in the light Of the wooc
fires.
Two floors were passed, and at ever,
landing the younger and shorter of tn,
two lsdies had looked back keenly at the
monk. He, keeping his eyes lowered
and Affecting the demure manners ths'
suited his disguise, had but seen hel
once, and was unaware that he had at.
tfacted her attention. And now, on The
third floor, tue party separated, the
younger lady continuing to ascend alone
the other, followed by the waiting. maids
descending the corridor to the right.
Dick mounted with 9 swift foot, snd
holding to the corner, thrust forth his
head and followed the three women with
his eyes. Without turning or looking
behind them, they continued to descend
the corridor.
"It is right WE'LL" thought Dick. "Le'
me but know my Lady Brackley's cham
Der, and it will go hard an 1 fad moi
Dame Hatch upon an Grand"
And Just then hand was laid upon his
shoulder, and, with bound and q
chOzed cry, he turned to grapple his as
sailsnt.
He WAS somewhat abashed to find, il
the person whom he had so roughly
seizSd, the short young lady IN the furs
She, on her part, was shocked snd terri
fed beyond expression, AID hung trem-
bling in his grasp.
"Madam," said Dick, releasing her, 81
cry you thousand pardons; but l have
no eyes behind, and, by the mass, could
rot tell ye were maid"
The girl continued to look at him, but,
by this time, terror began to be succeeded
by surprise, and surprise by suspicion.
Dick, who could read these changes on
her face, became alarmed for his own
safety in that hostile house.
"Fair maid,ii said he, affecting essi.
ness, "sufer me to kiss your hand, in
token ye forgive my roughness, and Will
even CO."
"Y' are q strange monk, young SIR
returned the young lady, looking him
both boldly and shrewdly in the face
"and now thst my first astonishmen,
hsth somewhat passed away, can spy
the layman in each word you utter
What do ye here? Why are ye thus sac
religiously trlcked out? Come ye in peact
or war? And why spy ye after Lady
Brackley like theft"
"Madnm," quoth Dick, "of one thing
pray you to be very sure: an no thief
And even II I come here in war, as il
some degree do, I make no war upoy
fair maids, and hereby entrest them tc
copy me so far, and to leave me be. For
indeed, fair mistress, cry out-if such bs
your pleasure-cry but once, and sal
what ye have seen, and the poor gentle
man before you is merely dead man.
cannot think ye would be cruel" addet
Dick; and taking the girls pand gently
in both of his, he looked at her Will
courteous admiration.
"Are ye, then, spy-a Yorkist?'
asked the maid.
"Madam," he replied, "I am indeed .
Iorkist, and, in some sort, /: spy. Blu
that which bringeth me into this house
the same which will win for me the pitt
and interest Of your kind heart, is neithel
of York nor Lancaster. I will wholly
put my life in your discretion. I am /;
lover, and my name"
But here the young lady clspped he
hand suddenly upon Dicks mouth, looked
hastily up snd down and east and west
and, seeing the coast clear, began to dras
the young man, with great strength anc
vehemence, upstairs.
"Hush!" she said sand comet Shall
talk hereafter"
Somewhat bewildered, Dick suffered
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