Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-03-22
CHAPTER III

| lCopyriaht lH@l. by Cafeell Publishing Co. All rights reEserved. CHAPTER III | Tho first streak of daylight found mcal ready footing it through tho forest by paths known to few savc the woodcuttcrs but with which many boyish exploration had madc mo familiar. From Cotton End | the London ruad lies plain and fair through l Stratforl -On-AvOn and Oxford. But my | plan, the better to Cvado pursuit, was, in stead, 10 cross tho forest ill n northCastCrly direction, and passing by Warwick to | strike tho great north road between Gov | entry and Davcntry, which, running | thence suuthrastward, would tako mo as straight as bird might fly through Dun | stable, St. AlhanS and Barnet to London My baggage consisted only of my cloak, sword and daggcr, and for money I had | but gold angel and few silver bits of doubtful value, But I trusted that this store, slender ns it was, would meet my charges as far as London. Once thero must depend on my wits either for provi- | denCC at home or a passage abroad.
 Striding steadily up and down hill, for l Ardon forest is made up of hills and dclls | which follow one another aS do tho wave and trough of the sea, only less regularly, l mado my way toward Wootton Wawcn. | As soon as cspird it's battlcmcntcd church | lying in wooded bottom below mo l kept a more castCrly course, and leaving l Henley Arden far to tho left passed | down toward Lcrk Wootton. The damp, dead hrackon undrrfoot, tho lcatlcSs oaks and gray sky uvcrhead-nay, the very cry | of the hittVrn fishing in the bottoms l seemed to be at ono with my thoughts, for 1 these were drCary and sad enough. I But hupo and n fixed aim form no bad 1 makcshifts for happincss.> Striking the | broad London road as 1 had purposcd, slept that night at Ryton Dunsmoor and the next at TOwccStcr, and the third day, | which rose bright and frosty, found me | stepping gayly sOuthward, travel stained | indeed. but dry and whole. My spirits roSr with the temperature. For time | put the past behind me and found amuse- 1 mcnt in tho sights of the road-in the | heavy wagons and long trains of pack horses and tho Chcery grretinGs which met me with each milo. After all, had l youth and strength, and tho world before me, Aud particularly stony Stratford, | where l meant Ia dino.
 Thyrr WAS one trouble common among way f,Lr, r> which did not touch mo, and that w,IS thv fear uf robbers, for he would 1 br sturdy brggar who would rob an
 
 | angel, and the S,ruIts wrro gone. So felt l uu tvrrurs on that account, and even when | about noon hrarl a hursrman trot up l behind Inc and rein in his horse SD as to 1 keep pace with me at a walk, step for step | -a thing which might have seemed sus- | picious To sumv-I took no heed of him. | was engaged with my first view of Strat- ford and did not turn my head. We had 1 walked Un su for ju pacCs or moro before l il struck Inc as uld that the man did not | pASs me.
 Then l turned, and shading my eyes | from the sun, which stood just over his shoulder, said, "tiuud day, frirnd.' "Guud day, master" ho answered. | He Was q stout fellow, looking like a .iti1tn, although he had sword by his side and Wore il win an air uf importance which the sunshine Uf opportunity might | have riPrn,d into d SwaGgrr. His dress l was plain. ard he sat d good hackney as a millcr's strk might have sat it. His faco was the last thing l looked at. When | raised my eyes Ia il. got an unpleasant l start, The man Was nu stranger. l knew | him i'll q memCnt for the messenger who had summoned inc to the chanccllor's | presence.
 The rrmembranco did not please me, l and rrading in the fellows sly look that he rrruEnilcd me and thought he had | madr Il happy discovery on finding me halted abruptly. He did the samc.
 1t iS fine morning." he said, taken ahack ly my sudden movement but affect ing an indifference which tho sparkle in his eye Lelicd. "A rare day for the time of year"
 It is, " 1 answered, gazing steadily at him.
 Going To London? Or may be only to ! Stra,tord:" he hnzardcd, He fidgcted un- comfortably under my eye, but still pre- tended ignorance of me.
 | That is may Ec," 1 answered.
 No "tTen>c, l aIp sure, he said.
 cast quick glance up and down the i r'cId. There happrnvd to hc one in | sight. ''I.uuk hrrr," l replied, stepping | forward to lay my hand on the horse sh"lll'!Cr. hut the man reincd back and | prevented me. thereby giving mo a clew tu lis character. 'yuu arr in the service of Ih,' hi>hul If WiuChcStcr:" His fHr, fell, and he could not conceal his disappointment at being recognized. "Wvll, maotrr," hr answered reluctantly. "prrhaIrs l aIn and perhaps l am not"
 That is enough, " said shortly. And you know lu", You med not lie about it, ! man, fur can S, you do. Now, look here, MA>irr steward, or whatever your namC may hv''-
 1t is Master pritrhard," he put in sulkily. and am not ashamed uf it.
 "Nyry we'll Then let Us understand one an.thrr D" you mean 10 intcrlrr, with ii,t
 It. suuuyd "WyII. tu hr plain, do, ' lv rrllI,,!. rciuiu-: hI> horse back another step | luNv rrG,I~ |" l,rrk out fur you and have !,u stopped If find you. Anc must do my duty, sir. an sworn to it Master CluLdr."
 "Right, " said l calmly, "and must dc mine. which is t0 take CarC of my skin. . And drew my sword and advanced up"r him with q flourish. We will soon de eide this little matter' l added grimly one eye on him and one on the empty road if you will be good enough to dc fend yourself" "
 But there was no fight in the fellow By good luck, too, ho was SD startled tha be did not io what he might have dont with safCty-namCly, retreat and keep m' in sight until some passersby came up He did givo back indeed, but it wa against the bank. 'Havc a carc!' he criet in "A fUmc, his eyo following my swort nervously. He did not try to draw hi own. There is no call for fighting, say"
 But say thcro is, I replied blnntly. Gall and cause! Either you fight mo or go where l please
 You may go to Bath for mel'' h. spluttcrcd, his facc the color of a turke, cock 's wattlcs with rage.
 Do you mean it, my fricnd?" said and played my point about his leg hal minded to give him little prod by way o earnest. Make up your mind" "Ycs!" hc shricked out, suspecting m, purpose and bouncing about in his saddl
 like a parched pea. Yes, say!' h roarcd. Do you hear mel You go you way, and will go mine.'' That is a bargain," said quietly l ..nr,l rnir,h ,,,n I.,.,r, fn if ,,