The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-07-11

shutter that had been left ajar. The girl
started violeutly ami withdrew from
her lovers embrace.
! What was thaty' she whispered fear.
| fully.
Nothing. my qheen, he said reas-
suringly.
''Nay, nay, Jack. Some one passed. Z
Twas old Diggon, mayhap. or thy
brother Toby. =
.sNo, no, Z she said In terror. dig.
| gon Is in the field, and Toby watches the
road This is some one who has alight.
ed at the postern gate. and who comes
through the garden. =
Then it is some one who knows the
house well, dear love--a friend, belize. =
Nay. There is no one. Young Mas.
ter Dowdeswell alone hath come hither,
over and again. But he is traitor and
hath come here spying the land And,
Jack, Ii he should come again he comes
as thy enemy. Was he at Naseby?''
HE was. Nan. I saw the prick cared
rogue. =
| ''It may be he. Oh, Jack, Jacki''
In another moment the sound was
heard of q handle being turned, and
| then the heavy tread of one who crossed
the outer vestibnle and drew near to the
door Of the great hall. Anne clasped her
| lovers arm.
My own. love, thou must escape, =
she sobbed Through the window? No,
mol He will have placed watch. In
the gallery Alas, no shelter thereis
She looked around wildly. The foot
steps drew yet nearer. Suddenly her
eyes lighted ON the clocks face.
1.-THE clockl" she cried i'm q stifled
voice
Throwing open the case and holding
aside the pendulum, she motioned IA
Quivil 20 get within. He obeyed her in
stantly and without q word She closed
the case upon him, and az she turned
away the door of the apartment opened,
and q loud and stern voice demanded
admittance.
Before she had time either for well
come or denial the speaker entered He
was D tall and soldierly man, wanting
yet several years OF 8O--a man whose
countenance had acquired the sour ex-
preston cultivated by the Roundheads,
but who was not naturally i'll favored
He looked snspiciously round the room
as he came i'm and finally dotted his
beaver 10 the lady.
Good day, Mistress Anne, |" he said.
"Good day, Master Dowdeswell, she
| returned.
II come upon business, he. an
nounced 81 have q search warrant to
ransack thy house. seek the body of
Master John Quivil. He is supposed to
be In hiding here or hereabouts. and
Tn-
| He paused, but she did not speak.
''Icame this way, !" he went ON after
a moment. II thought, madam, ii
might be more agreeable that n friend
should search thy house than stran-
ger. =
Twas kindly done, Master Dowdes-
well. .
NAY, madam. Duty is rarely kind,
and ! have strictly fulfilled my duty
and have cut on every avenue Of escape
from this house by entering myself
through the postern gate while directing
my men to follow the public path. ] am
| not kind But have been minded &c
make the search as little painful to thee
as possible. Is the traitor John Quivil
hidden here?'' he demanded.
'sThere is no traitor here, z returned
Anne quickly.
Dowdeswell smiled grimly.
Mistress Anne, thou knowest what
mean, = he said. Thine is q willful
misapprehension. ] ask again, Doth the
traitor John Quivil lie here concealed?''
'.I conceal no traitors, Master Dowdes.
| well. =
'sBut dost thou conceal the body d
John Quivil2'
For moment she could not answer,
and Dowdeswell smiled again. II per.
ceive that thou hast lately eaten, he
said, then glancing at the clock: Hall
past All 'Tis marvellous strange that thor
shouldst dine or sup at such am hour.
1.-THE times are strange, Master
Dowdeswell. and we do strange things
i'm strange times. =
! AYE, mistress, even 10 the harbor
ing OF traitors Who, desire thee tel
me, who hath broken bread i'm thii
place? But nay. Answer me not. Cove1
not thy malignancy with falsehood
Thou hast traitor here, and ! will drat
him forth. y
Then, striding TO tho door. he shout
ed to his underlings, who had JUS
reached the front entrance of the house
/ Bidding them search the mansion ant
the outhouses, he seated himself at th'
table. laying pair Of pistols upon il
Anne still stood In front Of the grea
clock, whose hands pointed to 4:38.
]. wilt thou not be seated, mistress?'
asked Dowdeswell presently in o gen
tier tone.
4 II do not SIT with the kings enc
mics, = she replied.
| "Ah, mistress. reproach me not, b
! protested. thine was when Henr.
Dowdeswell could win q smile iron
fair Mistress Anne Fame =
.sThat, sir, was when Master HenI.
Dowdeswell's heart beat true.
1T hath beat ever true, Mistrea
Anne, and never truer than now. Dids
= 49,