Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-13
nave some timo to rcpont, and ho shall

one bluntly, and meet tomorrow at some place unknown to him? If we como here again, wo shall, likely enough, walk straight into the trap"
 Well. havo 1t that way, if you please" answered Sir Thomas, struggling his shoulder. But do not blame me after ward If you find we have let slip n golden opportunity. Be fools if you like. darc say it will not mako much difference in tho ond!'
 He spoke at random. but he knew how to deal with his crew, it seemed, for on this those who had objected assentod re luctantly to tho course ho proposed. | Barnes and Walters arc hero in hiding. so they had better be tho two to guard | him, " Inc continued. "There is no fear l that they will be inclined to let him gol' | I looked at the mon whom the glances of their fellows singled out and found them | to belong to tho little knot of fanatics I | had before rcmarkcd-dark, stern men, worth, if the matter ever came to fighting, | all tho rCst of the band put together. At I, tomorrow, then, we meet" Sir Thomas concluded lightly. Then we will | deal with him, never fearl Now it is near midnight, and we must be going, but not | all together, or we shall attract attention. :" Half an hour later Master Bcrtie and | rode softly out of the courtyard and turned our faces toward the city. The night wind camo sweeping across tho valley of the | Thames and met uS full in tho face as we | reached tho brow of the hill. It seemed laden with melancholy whispers. Tho wretchcd enterprise, i'll conceived, ill or dcrrd and in its very nature desperate, to | which we were in honor committed, would | have accounted of itself for any degree of | forcbOding. But the scene through which l we had just passed, and on my part the | knowledge that had given up fellow being to death, had their depressing infiu enccS For some distance we rode in si lcncc. which was tho first to break. Why did you put off his punishment" l asked.
 | Because 1 think he will givc us in formation in the interval" Bertie an l swCrcd briefly. Information which may help Us. X spy is generally ready to be- tray his own side upon occasion" And you will spare him if he dsesf" I asked. It seemed to me neither justice nor mercy.
 No he said, there is no fear of that. | Those who go with ropes round their neCks know no mercy. But drowning mon will catch at strawS, and ten to ono ho will | babblc''
 shivcrcd. It is bad business" said.
 Ho thought referred to the conspiracy, and he inveighcd bitterly against it, re- | pruaching himself for bringing mo into it and for his folly in believing the rosy counts of men who had all to win and nothing save their worthless lives to lose. "Thcrr is only one thing gained" he said. Two are likely tO pay dearly for that, so | wo may think the moro of it. We have been tho means of pnnishing villain" | Yes" 1 said, that is true It was a | strange meeting and a strange recognition. StrangcSt of all that l should be called up tn swear with him"
 | Not strangr," Master Bcrtic answered | gravCly. Il would rather call it pruvi- drntial. I.Ct us think of that and be of better courage, friend. We havo been used; WI shall lot bu cast away before our timu."
 | looked back. For some minutes had thought I heard behind us a light fpotstep l moro like the pattoring of n dog than any l thing else. could S,U nothing, but that was not wonderful, for tho moon was | young and tho sky overcast. "Do you hear soma one following us?' said. | Master Bcrtic drew rein suddenly. and turning in the saddle wv listened. For a second thought I S,IIl heard tho sound. The next it ceased and only the wind toy ing with the November leaves and sigh Ing away III lnC ul~tailtN Clillc lb our ClIs No" " he said. II think it must haVo been your fancy. l hear nothing"
 | But when wo ru'ic on tho sound began again, though at first moro faintly, as il our follower had learned prudence and fallen farther behind. Do not stop. but
 listcn," 1 said softly. Cannot you hear
 the uattrrinG nt a naked foot now"
 II hear -umrthing." he answered. II
 am afraid you are right and that We are
 followed.
 What is to hr donr:'' said, my
 thoughts busy.
 ''Thcrr is Carn wood in front" ho an
 swrrcd, with a little open ground or
 this sdo of it. Wo will rido under tn,
 trees and then stop suddenly. Perhap:
 wo shall be able to distinguish him as h'
 crosses tho open behind us" We mad,
 the experiment, but as if our follower hat
 divincd the plan his footstCp ceased tC
 sound before We had stopped our horses
 Hc had fallen farther behind. We migh
 ride quickly back, ." Suggested, and sur
 prise him.
 Tt would be useless, Bertie answered
 'Thcrc is too much cover close to the road
 Let us rather trut on and Outstrip him. "
 Wo did trot on, and what with tn
 tramp of our horses as they swung aloni
 tho road and tho sharp passage of tn
 
 footet>r hohnd. But when we present..
 pulled up to breathe our horSes-or rathe . | within few minutes uf our doing SO | there it was behind Us noar0r and loude | than bcfurC. 1 shiVered as 1 listened am presently, acting on sudden impulse ! wheeled my horso round and spurre,
 him back dozen paccs along the road. lpullod up.
 There was a movement in the shadoN
 of the trees on my right, and l leaned fol
 ward, pecring in that direction. Gradual | ly 1 made out tho lines of a figure stand U ing still, ns though gazing at me t strange, distorted figure, crooked, shor 0 and in some way, though no lincamont (
 tho face was visible, expressive of 0 strange and weird malevolence. It was tt r witch! The witch whom I had seen 1 . the kitchen at the gatehouse. How, theI O had she come hitherg How had she, olC y lame. decrepit, kept up with usy
 tremblod as she raised her hand, an r standing otherwise motionless pointed :, me out of the gloom. The horse und,
 mo was trembling, too-trembling viOlen l. ly, with its ears laid back, and as sl a moved its terror increased. it plunge
 wildly had to give for a moment a l; my attention to it, and though tried
 mere revolt against the fear which fe T. was overcoming mo to urge 1t nearer II t, efforts were vain. After nearly unseatiT B. me the beast whirled round, and gettir
 the better of mo gallo, ,'ed down the roa B. toward London.
 -e What Is it'" cried Master Bertie as d camc speedily up with him. He had ri 10 den slowly on. What is the matterf' ic Something in the hedgo startled it, '' s. i explained, trying to soothe the horse. 10 | could not clearly see what 1t was.''
 T. II. 10 S deceived by my manner.
 10 Perhaps 1t was, answered. Son C. impulse, not unnatural, led me to S r. nothing about what I had seen. I w I not quite sure that my eyes had not ly ceived me. I feared his ridioule, tC