Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-17

He loved order and decent observance, but there are times when a cat, to get to the cream pan, will wet its feet. IIc stood now in the middle of the courtyaTtl, and raising his voice shouted for his daughter. "Ho, Petronilla, do you hear, grill Fla thorl Father Careyi Martin Lutherl Baldwin, and so on until half tho house hold wcro collected. Do you hear. all of you9 Tho queen is deadi God rest her soulr'
 "Amon!' said Father Carey, us became him, putting in his word amid tho won dering silence which followed, while Mar tin Luther and Baldwin, who were wash ing themselves nt tho pump. stood with their heads dripping and their mouths agapo
 "AmenI" echoed the knight And long 1.-Two the Queenl Long live Queen Elizabethi' he continued, having now got his formula by heart And he swung his hat
 Thorc was 0 choor, a fairly loud cheer. but thcre was one who did not join in 1t, and that was Petronilla. She, listening at her lattice up stairs, began at once to think, as was her habit when any matter great or small fell out, whether this would affect tho fortunes of a certain person far away. It might, 1t might not Shc did not know. But tho doubt so far enter tained her that she came down to supper with n heightened color, not thinking in tho least, poor girl, that tho event might havc dirc consequences for others almost as dear to her and nearer homo.
 Every year since his sudden departure n letter from Francis Cludde had como to Coton-a mcagcr letter, which had passed through many hands and reached Sir An thony now through one channel, now Nhn n tfyhf nrtnIN lad and swore over these letters, which never contained an address to which an answer could be forwarded, nor said much, savo that tho writer was well and sent his lovo and duty and looked to return, all being well. But, mCagCT as they were and loud as he sworc over them, he put them rcli giously away in an oak chest in his parlor, and another always put away for hOr share something else, which was invariably in closcd-a tiny swallows feather. Tho knight never said anything about the feather, neither asked the meaning of Its presence nor commented upon its absence when Pctronilla gave him back tho letter. But for days after each of these arrivals he would look much at his daughter, would follow her about with his eyes, bc moro regular in bidding hor attend him in his walk and moro particular in secing that she had the tidbits of tho joint. For Prtronilla, 1t cannot bc said, though l think in after times she would havo liked to mako sOmo ono believe 1t, that she wasted away. But sho did take q moro serious and thoughtful mir in these days, | which sho never, God bless her, lost after ward. Thvrc camc from Wootton Wawcn and from Henley in Arden and from Cookhill gentlemen of excellent estate to | woo her, but they all wont away discun- solatc after drinking very deeply of Sir Anthuny's alc and strong waters. And some wondered that tho good knight did | not ruundly takc tho jado to task and sco her settled.
 But he did not. Su possibly even in | thrsu days hv had other views 1 havc bCcn told that, going up oncc to her little chamber tO seek her, ho found n very sin Gular ornament suspended inside her lat tiCC. It was no other than n common clay house. martins nest, but it was so deftly | hung in d nCtted bag and su daintily swathCd in moss always grcCn and the Christmas ruSUS and SnUwdrups and viOlctS | and datfUdils which deckcd 1t in turn werc | always purr and fresh and bright-as the knight learned by moro than one stUalthy visit Hftcrward-that, coming 1 down the EtCcp steps, hU could not sec l clearly and stumlil,d against n Cookboy | and beat him sUundly for getting In his 1 way.
 Tu return, however Tho news of tho queens death had scarcely been we'll dl- l gcstCd at Cotton. nor the mass for her soul, | which Father Carty celebrated with much l devotion, been properly criticised, before i another surprise fell upon the household. 1 Two strangers arrived. riding, late on" evening, and rang tho great bell while all wcro at supper. Baldwin and the porter went to see what it was and brought back a message which drew the knight from | his chair aS a terrier draws n rat. l You arr drunk" he shouted, purple in l the face and fumhling for the stick which l usually leaned against his seat ready for emergencies How daro you bring cock and bull stories to mc?"
 It is true cnough!" muttered Baldwin sullcnly, a stout, dour man, not much afraid of his master, but loving him OK. ceedingly. II knew him agin myself" | Sir Anthony strode firmly out of the room, and in the courtyard near the great gate found n man and woman standing in the dusk. Ho walked up to the former and looked him in the faco. What dc you hcro1" ho said In strange, hard voice.
 II want shelter for night for myself | you-no more was the answer. 'Giv, me this, " tho stranger continued, ''whicl
 every idle paSserby may claim at CotoI
 End. and you shall sec no moro of me 1 Anthony"
 For a moment tho knight seemed t
 hesitate. Then he answered, pointing
 sternly with his hand: There is the hall
 and supper. Go and eat and drink, O
 stay!" ho resumed. And hO turned ant
 gave some orders to Baldwin, who wen
 swiftly to tho hall, and in a moment cam
 again. Now, go! What you want tn
 servants will prepare for you"
 l II want speech nf you, said tho new
 conner
 Sir Anthony seemed about to refuse
 but thought better of it. You can com
 to my room when you have supped," h
 said in the same ungracious tone, speaking
 with his eyes avertcd
 And yOu-do you not take supper"
 II have finished,' said the knight, al | belt he had eaten little And he turne,
 on his heel
 Very few of those who sat round tn
 table and watched with astonishment tn
 tall strangers entrance know him again
 It was IS years since Ferdinand Cludd
 had last sat there-sitting there of right 1 And the IS years had worked much chang | Tn him. w hen ne IoOnu that Hetronllla
 Obeying her fathers message, had disaI
 peared, he said haughtily that his wifi
 would sup in her own room, and with
 flashing eye and curling lip bade Baldwi
 see to it. Then, seating himself in plaC
 next Sir Anthony's, he looked down tn
 board at which all sat silent. His sarcai
 tic eye, his high bearing, his manner-th
 manner of. one who had gone long wit
 his life in his hand-awed these simpl
 folk. Then too, he was a Cludde. FathG
 Carey was absent that evening. Marti
 Luther had one of those turns, half sicl
 half sullen, which alternated with hi
 moods of merriment and kept his stra' i pallet in some corner or other. There ws
 no one to come between the servants an this dark visaged stranger, who was yt