The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-08
A Schilling & Company
San Francisco

Dan FRANCISCO $S3
in the old lane they had crossed on
| their way TO the milk house was quite
soft and liable to leave there the i'm
press of their shoes; but he did not
Immediately reply.
a good many people cross the lane,
said he at last Il don't doubt that
there be footprints in the ground
there"
And one of the prints shows the
elegant foot track of the rebel whom
We broke at Sedgemoor.'
MY son is honest at this iuncture
exclaimed the widow. I know him
to be civil and kind and he went to
the wood today, not to hide Monmouth,
but to get a squirrel with his bow
Yes and he brought down more i'm
portant game" broke in the leader of
the detachment. Here, come up on
the saddle, boy" and the man darted
at Perry, who, before he could get be-
yond his reach, was seized and jerked
off his feet.
In another moment the boy found
himself on the saddle before the
| trooper, who looked him sternly in the
face as he continued:
I'VE want the rebel, boy. Don't de-
ceive Us. Where have you hid Mon
mouth?"
the. widows eyes and she remembered
| the indignities she had suffered at the
/ hands of the troopers Of King James,
for she cried out:
IF you've made promise, Perry,
stick to it. Keep your word, boy, even
! If given to Monmouth
The troopers looked daggers at the
woman and one thrust out his sword.
but she sprang out of the way and
| laughed at him.
wen wiring the little chicks neck
but what we'll make him tell where
the rebel is" said the captain of the
detachment. THE king will have no
who refuses to betray the hiding place
of the arch-rebel, Monmouth, shall feel
his masters displeasure."
With this the little troop wheeled
and Master Preston held firmly to the
saddle, was carried away
4 few yards from the house the men
halted and all crowded round the
man. who held Perry prisoner.
Where is the boy?" they asked.
Perry looked into the rough faces
and saw ne leniency there; then he
! glanced at their broad swords, the
very weapons that had wrought such
ruin at Sedgemoor, and for moment
contemplated the general mien of the
six.
You haven't proved to me that
there are footprints in the mud in the
old lane said the boy.
But we can" was the answer.
You want to be convinced, do you?
To the lane you shall be taken
A TEST OF COURAGE.
In a little while the boy was taken
to the spot and when it was reached
one of the men dismounted and led
! his horse toward 2 certain SpOf
A full moon was in the sky and in
some places the ground was plainly
visible and the very blades of grass
that covered it.
They had entered the lane which
Perry and the duke had crossed on
their way to the old milk-house and
presently all stood on the bare place.
Put the lad down here" said the
man who had gone forward afoot. 4
want to show him what a dainty foot
print the hunted fox makes. Here
| it is, as plain as when we left it. and
! here beside it is the rougher boot-track
/ OF the widow S BARN"
In compliance with the request the
captain of the troop put Perry down,
at the same time telling the trooper on
the ground to take hold of his wrist
and escort him to the proof-spot.
Master Preston felt a hand at his
wrist and he was led forward in
jiffy.
There they are, your tracks and
/ those of the arch-rebersl'' exclaimed
the cavalier. You crossed here
Why, everybody in England knows the
print of Monmouth's foot, no matter
if he wears a shepherds boots
At the same time Perry was pushed
forward and roughly held over the
soft ground.
{ He saw the tracks he and Monmouth
had made; they seemed to accuse him
of treason to the king, but he did not
quail.
You see them. boy: Now, Stree,
where is the fox?'
/. was the captain of the band who
( spoke and Perry Strengthened in the
/ moonlight.
At the same time the man who held
his wrist seemed to give him a little
! freedom. for the grip relaxed as Mas
+ ter Preston looked at the troopers
/ horse.
It was a lithe-limbed chestnut, such
as he once rode among the Mendip
hills when on a visit to his uncle, and
an idea flashed through the boys brain.
Il give you a minute, boy. We can
not wait here all night while you know
where the rebel is. Stand aside,
! Goshen He is safe here"
The trooper who mad dismounted
stood aside, quite releasing Master
/ Preston; but the next moment an
event of startling Importance took
place.
! The Somerset boy sprang toward the
horse and caught the rein as he left
the ground.
His movement was as agile as the
/ leap of a squirrel, and before the aston
J ished cavalrvmen could interfere he
was on the horses back, tearing up the
/ lane like one mad.
/ Through the moonlight, like an arrow
/ from his own cross-bow, went the boy,
and in little while five steeds We're
J tearing after him, amid the clanking
! of heavy sabers and the shouting of
! vile eDithets.
! 1t was a race in favor of the boy
! who knew every foot of the road. and
/ at certain spot he turned aside where
some bars were down and galloped
| across a meadow.
! Fatigued, and in no good humor. the
/ five horSemen came back after long
chase, compelled TO admit that boy
/ had beaten them, while several miles
/ from the spot Master Preston, hidden
in safe retreat, congratulated himself
upon his escape.
All that night did the troopers watch
the widows house in hopes that the
/, boy would ride back and fall into their
clutches, but he did not oblige them
and at daylight they went away.
/ All the next day the hunted man re-
manned under the floor of the old milk
house, and at night he was piloted