Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-13

Cannot tell, '' ho replied, shaking his head
 "Cannot or will not?" rctortcd.
 Both, he said dogGcdly. But there! If you want to knOw what sort of n kernel is in nut, you don't shako the tree, mas tcr-you crack the nut.
 looked at the nuto ho had given mo. It Was hut a slip uf paper folded thrice. Tho sCndrr had not addressed or sealed or fastened it in any way, had talSon ne care either to insure its reaching its destination or to prevent prying eyes seeing the con tents. If ono of our associates had sent it, he had been guilty of tho yrosscst careless ness. "Iou arc sure it is for mc?'' said.
 As Suru :S mortal can be-" ho an swercd Only that it was given mo for n man, and not mouse! You are not afraid, mastCr?'
 was not, but he edged away as ho spoke and looked with sO much alarm at the scrap of paper that it was abundantly clear he Was very much afraid himself, even while he drridrd me 1 saw that if 1 had offered tn return the note h" would have backed out 0f the stable and gono off there and then fast us his lamr foot would let him. This puzzled mo. How ever, 1 read the note Thcro was nothing in it to frightrn me. Yet, as I read, tho color came into my face, for it contained one namo to which had long been a stran- ger.
 ITO Francis Cluddr," it ran. If you l would not do a thing of which you will | miserably repent all your life, and which | will stain you in the eyes of all Christian men, meet mo two hours before noon nt l the cross street by St. Botolph's, where | you first saw Mistress }rrtram. And tell l no one. Fail not to come. In heavens s | name, fail nut!''
 The note had nothing to do with tho conspiracy, then, on the face of it, mys tcrinus as it was and mystcriuIIsly as it | came "Lonk hrrr!" l said Ia the man. ! Tell me who sent it, and l will givu you | a crown."
 l II would hot tell you, hv answered stuhbornly, if you could make mo king l of England! Nu nor king of spain too! | You might rack mo, and you would not | get it from mel
 His one eye Sl"wcd with so obstinate a resolve that gavo up the attempt to per | suado and turned to examine the message
 itself But hero farrd no better. I did
 not know the handwriting, and thoro was
 no peculiarity in the paper I was no wis | CT than before Are you to take back
 any answCr?" l said,
 No, " he replied. the saints hc thanked | IDT Ilt Sultlt! llut SNNl "Ill iNhI lllt W IL
 ness, 7" Inc went on anxiuusly, that gave
 you tho letter You will not forget that
 or say that you havo not had it' But
 therc!' Inc added to himself as he turned
 away, speaking in low voice, so that
 barely caught the sense uf the words I what is the use? She will know!'
 She will know! It had something tc | do with Il woman, then, even if woman
 were not tho writer. l went in to break
 fast in two minds about going. lOnGet
 to tell Master Bertic and tako his advice
 though the unknown had enj joined mo moi
 to do so. But for tho time l rcfraincd
 and explaining my absence of mind a!
 well as could I presently stolo away or
 some excuse or other and started in gooC
 time and on foot into tho city. I reached tho rendezvous quarter of an hour befor I the time named, and strolling between tn church and the bakers shop tried to lool as much like a chance passerby as I could keeping the while a wary lookout for an,
 who might turn out to be my correspond ent.
 The morning was cold and gray. :
 drizzling rain was falling. Tho passer I were few, and the appearance of the street dirty and, with filtered kennels, wa , dreary indeed. I found it hard at once t , keep myself warm and to avoid observa , | ton as l hung about. Ten 0 clock ha
 rung from moro than ono steeple, and
 was beginning to think myself fool fo | my pains when woman of middl [, height, slender and young in figure, bu 2 wearing n shabby brown cloak, and wit
 her head untitled in a hood, as though sh
 had the toOthaohe or dreaded the weathe
 moro than ordinary, turned the corner ( 1 tho belfry and made straight toward m, She drew near and seemed about to pas . mo without notice. But when abreast \ me she glanced up suddenly, her eyes tn t only features 1 could sec.
 ~ "Follow me to tho church!' she mu, r mured gently, and she swept on to tt I. porch.
 n obeyed reluctantly-veryr reluctant, , my feet seeming like lead, for knew wh IA she was. Though had only seen her eye " had recognized them and guessed alread ,s what her business with me was. She It d the way resolutely to a quiet corner. IT l. church was empty and still, with only u
 scent of incense in the air to tell of a r I cent service. It was no surprise to II
 when she turned abruptly, and removir I her hood looked me in the face. What have you done with himg" sl ,o pantcd, laying her hand on my arr m Speak Tell me what you have dol s1 with him?'
 Tho question, the very question I hI |. forcseenl Yet tried to fence with he
 I said, With whomf"
 a With whom2" she repeated bittorl " "You know mol am not so changed
 three ysars that you do not recognize mel