Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-03-22

| you urlNlnR utt InasIeFs ne hSkcu lnllulyt while tho others looked at mo in silence and waited for moro.
 | What If there be ono across tho road nowP" sRid, giving way to tho tcmptA- tion and speaking falscly-for which 1 paid dearly aftcrward. A purveyor, | mean, unless am mistaken in him, or he tells lies. He has come straight from the | chancellor, white wand, warrant and all. Ho is taking his dinner now, but ho has sent for the hundredman, so guess he means business. "
 For the hundrodman?" repeated the | landlord, his bruws meeting.
 Yes unless am mistaken"
 There was silence for n moment. Then the man they called Tom Miller dashed his cap on the floor, and folding his arms | dcGantly looked round on his neighbors. | He has come, has he!' he roared, his face swollen, his eyes bloodshot. Then I will be as good as my word! Who will help? Shall WIG sit down and be-shorn like sheep, as we were before, SD that our children lay on tho barG stones, and we pulled the 1 blow ourselves? Or shall we show that we | arc frcu knglishmcn and not slaves of l Frenchmen? Shall we teach Master Pur- | vcyor not to trouble us again? Now, what say you, ncighbors?"
 So fierce u growl of impatience and an l ger rCsts round mo IS at UuCO answered the | question. A dozen rcd faces glarcd at me | and at one another, and from the very mo- 1 tion and passion of the men as they snarled | and threatened the room seemed twice as full as it was. Their oathS and cries of | encouragcment, not loud, but the moro dangerous for that, the fresh burst of fury which rose ns the village smith and an other came in and learned tho news, tho menacin2 gestures of a score of brandishCd l fists-thcse sights, though they told of the i very effect at which l had aimed, scared | as well ns pleased me. l turned rcd and white ard hcsitatrd, l1.ring that I had gone too far.
 | The thing was done, however, and, what | was moro, 1 had soon to take Carc of my self. At the very moment whom the hub bub was at its loudCst l felt chill run | down my back as I met the monks eye, and. reading in it whimsical admiration, read in it something besides, and that was an unmistakable menace. "Clevcr lad!' the eye said T will expose you, |" | 1t threatened
 had forgotten him-or, nt any rate, that my acting would bo transparent l enough to him holding tho clew in his | hand-and his look was like the shock of cold water to mo. But 1t is wonderful 1 how keen the wits grow on the Grindstone of necessity. With scarcely second S | hesitation l drew out my only piece of gold, and unnoticcd by tho other men, who wcro busy swearing at and cncuurag ing ono another, I disclosed n morscl of it. | Tho monks crafty eyes glistcncd. laid my finger on my lips.
 He held up two flngcrs
 shook my head and showed nm empty palm. had no mOrC. IIo nodded, and the relief that nod gave mo was great Before had time, however. to consider the narrOwnCSs of my escape movement | of tho crowd-fur the news had spread with strange swiftnCSs, and thcrc was now n | crowd assembled which moro than filled tho room-pruclaimcd that the purvcyor had como out and was in the strrct Tho room was nearly Cmpticd at rush | Though l prudcntly rcmainCd behind, l | could, through tho open window, hear us | well as sec what passed. Tho leading ] spirits had naturally struggled out first and were Gathrryd, sullcn and full of dan gcrous possibilities, about the porch. | suppose the bishops messenger saw in them nothing but n crowd of country clowns, for he came hcCtoring toward the | door, smiting his boot with his whip and | pulling out his rcd cheeks nightly. He felt bravo enough, now that he had dined and had at his hack three stout constablcs sworn to keep tho queens peace.
 Mako way! Mako way there! Do you hearf' he cried in husky. pompous voice Make way!' he repeated. lightly touching the nrarrst man with his switch. II am on the queens service boubiCs and | must not be hindrrCd."
 Tho man swurr at him, but did not budgc, and tho bully, brought up thus sharply, awoko to the lowering faces and threatening looks which confronted him. He changed color little. But tho ale was still in him, and forgetting his nat l ural discrrtiOn ho thought to carry mat | ters with high hand. Come come. " he exclaimed angrily. II havo n warrant, 1 and you resist mo at your peril. havo tO enter this house. Clear the way, Master Hundrdman, and break thcso fellows | hcads if they withstand you"
 A gruwl nS of a dozen bulldogs answer ! ed him, and he drew back as child mi ght who has trUddcn on an adder. You fools h" spluItcrrd, glaring nt them | Hiciously. Are you mud2 Do you know what you Arr doing: Do you sco this?'' | He whipped out from some pocket short | white staff and brandiShCd it. Il come Ci- rect from the lord chancellor and upon his | business. Do you hear? And if you resist mo it is trraSun Treason, you dugs!" hC | cried, his rage getting the better of him, and like dogs you will hang for it. Mas ter HundrCdman, order you to take ir your constables and arrest that man."
 What man?" quoth Tom Miller, ry- ing him fixcdly.
 The stranger who came in an hour age and Is inside the house"
 Him, hc means, who told about the purvoyor across tho road" explained thl ! monk, with a wink.
 That wink sutlicrd Thvru was a rual of generation, and in the twinkling of au eye the Jack in office, ripped up this way and showed that, was struggling helpless ly in the grasp of half dozen men, who fought savngcly for his body with the hundrcdman and tho constablcs.
 To tn" river! To tho Ouso with himH yelled the mob. ''In tho queens namrr 1 shouted tho officers But thcSo wrrc tC those Us three tn a score and taken by sur prise besides and doubtful of the rights o the matter. Yet, for an instant, as tn, crowd went rCrling and lighting down tn, road, they prevailed the constablCs man aged to drag their leader free, and caught glimpse of him, wild eyed and frantic with fear, his clothes torn from his back standing at bay lik, some animal anu brandishing his staff in one hand, a pack c of letters in the other
 II have letters, letters of state!" ht screamed shrilly. Let mo alone, tel you! Letmo go, you cursI"
 But in vain. The next instant tho mol were upon him again. Tho packet of let ters went one way, the staff was dashed ! another. He was thrown down and pluckeC ! up again and hurried, bruised and strug gling, toward tho river, his screams fo mercy and furious threats rising shrilly above the oaths and laughter.
 felt myself growing pale as scream followed scream. They will kill him! exclaimed, trembling, and prepared t,
 follow. Il cannot sec this done" But the monk, who had returned to m, side, graspcd my arm. Don't be a fool, he said sharply. II will answer for it they will not kill him. Tom Miller is no fool, though he is angry. He will duel him and let him go. But will troubl