Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-03-19
THE CAPTAIN FROM BATH.
Extract from the Memoirs Of Ga
briel Foote, Highwayman.
BY A. T. QUILLER-CoUCH.

Sir Harry's great-grcat-grandfa
es the unhappy alternative of melting
1t down for King Charles, had taker
arms against his majesty and come out
of the troubles of those times with
wealth and credit.
The house, too, was Elizabethan
shaped like the letter L, and, like that
letter, facing eastward. The longer
nrm, which looked down the steep slope
of the park, contained the entrance
hall, chapel, dining-hall, principal liv'
ing rooms and kitchens.
The ground floor of the other land to
us more importantly arm was taken up
by the housekeeper's rooms, audit.
loom and various offices, the buffers
bedroom and the strong-room, where
the plate lay. On the upper floor Il
long gallery full of pictures ran from
end to end, with a line of doors on the
southern side, all opening into bed
rooms, except one which led to the
back stairs. buta. D..
Now, properly speaking, the strong
room was no strong-room at all. 1t had
an ordinary deal door and an ordinary
country made lock. But in some ways
1t was very strong, indeed. The only
approach to it on the ground floor lLy
through the buffers bedroom, of which
you might call it but cupboard. 1t
had no window, and could not therefore
be attacked from outside. The very
email amount of light that entered it
filtered through a pane of glass in the
xuon IF ha l,oclE mi which ro n
up close behind.
I have said enough, hope, for any
reflective man to draw the conclusion
that, since we desired no unpleasant
ness with the butler "a man between
90 and 60, and VIGOROUSLY incorrupti-
ble), our only plan was to make an en-
trance upstairs by the long window a.
the end of the picture gallery, or CORR
dor-whichsver you choose to call it
descend the back stairs, remove the
pane of glass from the wall and gain
the strong-room through the opening.
The house was dark from end to end,
md the stable clock had just chimed
the quarter after midnight, when |
went up the ladder. / never looked for
much carefulness in this honest coun-
try household, but l did expect to spend
20 minutes on the heavy lead-work OF
the loYer panes, and it seemed as good
as miracle to find the lattice unattached
and opening to the first gentle pull.
] pressed it back, hitched it under a
stem of ivy that the wind might not
slam it after me, and, signalling down
to Jimmy at the foot of the ladder to
wait for my report, pulled myself over
the sill and dropped softly into the gal
lery.
And then somebody stepped quickly
from behind the heavy window curtain,
reached out and shut the lattice smart.
ly behind me, and said;
'Show a light, Jenkins, and let US
have look at the gentleman"
Though it concerned my neck, was
taken too quickly aback to stir, but
stood like a stuck pig, while the butler
Eumbled with his Undertook.
Light all the candles"
eff it please you, Sir Harry" Jenkins
answered, putting at the finder.
The first thing l saw by the blue
light of the birthstone match was the
barrel of old Sir Harry's pistol glim-
mering about six inches from my nose.
On my left stood a long-legged foot
man, also with pistol. But all this,
though discomposing, was no more
than l had begun to expect. Wha%
really startled me, as old Jenkins lit
the candles, was the sight of two wom-
en- standing few PAGES off, beneath
@on rf with n
big lace collar. One of them, short
woman with a bunchy shape, recog-
nized for the housekeeper. The other
] guessed as quickly 10 be Sir Harry's
daughter, Mistress Kate-a tall and
slender young lady, dark-haired, and
handsome as any man could wish. She
was wrapped in long travelling cloak,
the hood of which fell little off her
shoulders, allowing a glimpse of white
satin. A train of white satin reached
below the cloak and coiled about her
pretty feet.
Now, the change from darkness to
very bright ight-for Jenkins went
down the gallery, lighting candle after
candle, as if for big reception-made
us all wink Il bit. And excitement would
account for the white OF the young
lady's cheeks-I dare say had turned
pretty pale myself. But it did not seen
70 me to account for her look of sheer
blank astonishment-no, 1T was more
than this; wild kind of wonder would
be nearer the mark-that came to bel
eyes and stayed there. And l didn''
quite see why she should put hand sud
denly against the wainscot and from
sickly white go red as fire, and theI
back to white again. If they were sit
ting up for housebreakers, l was de
cidedly a better-looking one than they
had any right to expect The eyes o.
the Others were fastened Pm me. / wa,
the only one to take note of the girl.
behavior, and declare / spared sec
ond from the consideration of my owl
case TO wonder what the deuce was tn,
matter with her.
''Well, upon my SOUL" cried Sir Har
~, with something between laugh
and a sniff OF disgust; and the footmal
on the other side of me echoed it witt