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

Looked .t it The light was fading into
the c;.-ly dusk Of n November evening,
but the pain features of four cross streets,
the angc between two of them filled by
the taY bclfry OF church, were still TO be
nadgOut. The cast wind had driven loi-
tere5 Indoors, and there was scarcely any
or abroad to notice Us. pointed to a
pad wall ten PAGES down the street.
Opposite that they stopped" 1 said.
There was pile Of boards leaning
against it then
You have had many a worse bed
chamhcr since. lad he said, smiling.
Many" answered. And then by
common impulse we shool. up tho horses
and trottiEg gently on were soon clear of
London and making for Islington. Pass
ing through the later, we began to breast
tie steep slope which leads to Highgatc
AID coming, when wc had reached tho
summit, plump upon the lights of the viii
lag, puD,d up in front of building
which loomcd darkly across the read.
This is the GateAonso tavern" Master
Bcrto said in Il low voice we shall soon
know whether We have come Oil FOOLS
orraad-or wor5c!'
We rode under tho archway into a great
courtyard, FROM which the road issued
gate. In one conner two men were litter
ing down a line Of pack horses by the light
Of the lanterns, which Brought their tan
ned an,, ragged faces into relief In an.
other, where tie light poured rud,iily from
an open doorway, "A hCstlcr was serving out
louder ard doing so, ii we might Judge
from the travellers circumstances, with a
nigGGrdly hand. From tho windows of
the hoEsc IA dozen rays Of light shot
athwart the darkness and disclosed as
many pigs "ai.owins asleep III the middle
Of the yard. In all we saw a coarse COM
fort and welcome. Master Bcrtie led tho
way across the yard ard aocosted tho
hOst!,r. Can W. have stalls and bcds:"
he asked.
Tho man staid his cl'affcring and looked
up AZ Us. Livery man TO his business
he repliNI grufly. stalls, yes, but OF
beds know nothing. For women's work
20 II thr women"
Light" said /, 80 wo will. With
better luck than You would go, expect,
my man.
Eursting into hoarzc laugh at this
no was lame and ono Dyed and not very
well favorable led us into long, many
stalled stable, fccbly lit by lanterns which
here and there g!immcrcd against tho
walls. 'siuiG yourselves" he said ''Firs0
come is first served here
He seemed an i'll conditioned follow,
but the busincssiil,c way in which We
went about our work, Watering, feeding
and littoTinS down in old campaigncrs'
fashion, drew from him grunt of com
incubation. Have you come from far,
masters ho asked.
No; fEora / ondon," answered curtiy.
Two como rs linen diapers from West.
cheap, il you want tn know
Aye, l see that he said, chuckling.
"NcvCr were atop of horse before nor
handled anything but u olothyard. Oh,
nou'
Two want Il merchant rcrutcd to sell
French lace" continued, looking hard
mt him. 10 You happen u know If there
is IL dealer here with any?''
He nodded rather to himself than to me.
as II Inc had expected the question. Then
in the same tone, but with quick glance
of intelligence he answered, Il will show
You into the house presently, and you can
SEQ for yourselves. \ stable is no place
for French lace He pointed with wink
over his shoulder toward "a stall in which
II man, apparently drunk, lay snoring.
That is Il fine toy, lc ran on carclcsSly
rs removed my dagger from the holster
and concealed il under my cloak-"a fine
plaything-iur u linen drapCr.''
Peace, peace, man, and show us in
said Master ECrtio imraticntly.
With u shrug of his shoulders the man
obcycd. Crossing the courtyard behind
him, we entered the great kitchen, which,
full of light and warmth and noise, pre-
scented just s.Ich /. scene of comTeru and
hustle, OF loud TALKING rcd faced guests
and liUrrying bare armed serving maids Us
l remembered lighting upon ut 81. Adams
three years back. But had changed much
since then and seen much. The bailiff
himself would hardly have recognized his
old antagonist in the tall, heavily clCakcd
stranger, whose assured air, acquired amid
Wild surroundings III u foreign land. gave
Hiih y look of age to which l could not
fairly lay claim. Master BeTtic had as
signed the lead to INC as being in less dan
ger OF recognition. anu followed the hos
Ter toward The hearth without hesitation.
Master Jcnkin," the man cried, with the
same rough hlurtnc-s lie lad shown with
ou', hero are two travellers want the lacc
scII.r who was hero today. Has he gomez
VINO gomez rCtUrtSd the hest rs loud
~.
ne Itco merchant who eaElc this
morning"
~ - All NO. -, returned tho
landlord. 'Nill you sup first, ccntlomcn:r
We declined ana followed the bostler.
who madc no secret OF our destination,
telIlEE those IN cur road 10 make way as
th' gentlemen were for No. -. Ono Of the
crowd, however, who seemed to H., cross.
ing !ru'l the lower eaG II the loom. failed
apparently 10 understand. ana infcr,o.iug
between US and our guide Brought mo uer.
force u a halt.
by You: leave. good womanl' 1 said
and turned to pass ruund her
But She foilcd me with uncxpcc;rtl MINI
blcnoss, and l could not push her aside
she was 81 very old. Her gums Were tooth.
less, and her forehead was lined ana wrir.
Killed. About her eyes, which under hid.
rous red lids still shonc with an evil
siealn, - Kind os reflection Of 4 wicked
past, a thousand crows feet had gathered
- iew wi>.s Of gray hair struggled from
uh"er tn !.IuGkorchic; which covered Lc-
head. She was hlmrtaek,d and stored
Over stick. and whether she saw c. 10.
my movement of ryyag ...:ucl, Lsc yc..o
Wa "-'f'h Wien she spoke
Young gentleman - she croaked. "iet
nc toll your fcrtCa1 by tho stars. y for
tune Tor "a grNI L yOpup -yutl,r..o-,ir e.,