Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-08-03

! was the Hrst TO recover himself. bah,
he exclaimed, "a fig for rumor! Sho is
ever lying jadel Twill bet a noble Rich
ard Bray is supping il his own house at
! this minute
Then you would lose,' Master BERTHE
rejo!ned sadly and with no show Of tri-
umph. 'On hearing the report 1 sent q
messenger to Sir Richards house He
| brought word back that Sir Richard BRAY
had been fetched away unexpectedly by
! four men, ard that the house was in con-
ision.''
A murnur Of dismay broke ont at the
sfNcr end Of the table. But the Cornish
| o,an rose t. the situation. w hat mat
ter:' lie cried boistcrous!y. What we
have lost in Bray we have gained in Mas
| ter Berthe. He will raise Lincolnshire for
us and the duchess tenants. There should
| DO 500 stout men Of the latter and two
thirds Of them P,otes,ants at heart. II
| Gray has been seized, there is the mora
call for haste that we may release him
| This appeal was answered by an out
| burst of cries. Ono or two even rose. and
waving their weapons sworo a speedy
| vengeance But Master BERTHE sat silent till
| the noise had subsidized. Then he spoke.
| You must not coun. on them either Sir
| Thomas he said firmly. Il cannot find
1t III my conscience to bring my wifcs
| tenants into plan 30 desperate as this ap-
| pears to be. To appeal to the people gem
| e,ally is ono thing; to call on those who
are bound to us, and who cannot in honor
refuse, is another. And will not risk in
a hopeless struggle the lives of men whose
| fathers looked for guidance TO me and
! mine
\ silence, the silence of utter astonish-
! ncnt, fell upon the plcttcrs round the .a-
| BE. In every face-and they were all
| turned upon my companion-I read rage
! and distrust and distaay. They had cEafcd
| under his cold criticisms and his calm rca-
! sonines. But this went beyond ALL and
| there were hands which stole instinctiyciy
| to daggers and eyes which waited scowl-
| ing fer n signal. But Ponruddockc, san
guinc by nature and rendered reckless BIZ
| circumstances, had still the feelings Of a
| gentleman, and something in him respond
| ell to the appeal which undcrlay Master
BertU's words He remained silent, gag
ing gloomily at the table, his eyes perhaps
, opened ct this late hour to the hopeless.
ness of the attempt he mcditatcd.
1t was Walter Kingston who came to
the fore and put into words the thoughts
of tho co2rsCr and more selfish spirits
round him. Lcaping from his seat, he
What does this mean!'' he snecrrd, a
dangerous light in HIS darl. eyes Those
only are here or should be here who arc
willing to stake all-all, mind you-on
the cause. Let Us have 10 sncaks! Let
Us have no men with foot on either
Oanki Let Us have no Courtenays nor
towards! Such men ruined Wyatt and
hanged my brother! y curse on thcmr'
he cried, his voice rising almost to a
scream.
Master Kingston, do you refer to mcf"
Bcrtie rcioined in naughty surprise.
Aye, dol cried the young man holly
Then l must beg leave Of these gentle
men to explain my position
Your position? SO! More words!"
quoth the other mockingly.
Aye, as many words as ! please re-
torted Master Berthe, his color rising
'Afterward l will be as ready with deeds,
dare swear, as any other! Ny tenants
and NY wiie's 1 will nos draw into an al
most hopeless struggle. But my own life
and my friends, since We have obtained
your secrets. must risk, and l will do SO ;
in honor to the death. For tho rest, wha
doubts my courage may test il below
ground or above
Tho young man laughed ruGcly. "You
will risk your life, but not Your lands,
Master Bcrtie? That is tho position, is it:''
My companion was about to utter a re-
joinder, fierce for him, when l, who had
hitherto sat silent, interposcd. Tho old
witch told the truth" cried bitterly
''She said if We came hither we should
perish, and perish We shall, through be-
ing linked to "a dozen men as brave as /
could wish, but the biggest fools under
heaven
"Fools:" shouted Kingston.
AYE, fools, 1 repeated. For who but
fools, boin:; at sea in a boat in which all
must sinl. or swim, would fall a-quarrcl-
ing! Eel Inc that!' / cried, Shaping tho
table
You are about right" Penruddocks
said, and half n dozen voices muttered as
sent.
About right, is hes" shciekcd King
ston. But who knows we are in n boat
together? Who knows that, I'd like to
hear
II do" said, standing up and over
topping him by eight inches, land if any
man hints that Master Bcrtie is hero for
any other purpose or with any other in
tent than to honestly risk his life in this
enu1aVor as becomes a gentleman let him
stand out, let him stand out and l VIII
break his neck! Eic, gentleman, fic,"
continued, after short pause, which l
did not make too long lest Master King
ston's passion should get the better of his
prudence. Though am young, / have
seen service. Bat never SAW battle won
yet with dissension in the camp. For
shame! Let US to business and make the
best dispositions VIC may
You talk sense, Master Ccrey!'' Pen
ruddocko cried, with n great oath. Give
nio your hand, and do you. Kingston, hold
your peace. If Master BERTHE will not
raise his men to save his own skin, he will
hardly 49, for ours. Now, Sir Richard
Bray beg taken, what is to be done, my
lad5s Come. let us lock to that
80 the storm blew over But it was
with heavy hearts that two of us fell to
the discussion which followed. counting
over weapons and assigning posts and de-
batting this ones fidelity and that ones
Uncertainties. Our first Impressions had
not deceived Us. The plot was desperate,
and those engaged in it were wanting in
every clement which should command
success-in information, foTethouglt, ar
rangemcnt-evcrythin save sheer audac-