The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-01-14


"Str anthony shO,D them tlatr'
great red seal hanging from it by n green
ribbon-just such packet as that which
l had stolen from the bishops appartor
nearly four years back. "a lantern herer'
/ cried. Hold it steady, Martin, that Sir
Anthony may read. Master Sheriff wants
his rere supper"
1 gave the packet into the knights
hand, my own shaking. Aye, shaking, for
was not this the fulfllment of that boyish
vow l had made in my little room In the
gable yonder, so many years agoH A full
fillment strange and timely, such as none
but boy in his teens could have hoped for,
nor any but man who had tried the
chances and mishaps of the world could
fully enjoy as was enjoying 1t. l tingled
with the rush through my veins of tri.
umph and gratitude Up to the last mo-
ment had feared lest anything should go
wrong, lest this browning happiness
should be withheld from me. Now l stood
there smiling, watching Sir Anthony, as
with trembling fingers he fumbled with
the paper. And there was only one thing,
only one person, wanting to my joy.
looked and looked again. but could not
anywhere see Petronilla.
turning the packet over and over. ut is
for the sheriff-for the sheriff, is 1t mott"
"He had better open it then, sir, an
swered gayly.
Sir Philip took the packet, and after q
glance at the address tore it open. 1t is
an order from Sir william Cecil" he NUT
tered. Then he ran his eye down the brief
contents, while all save myself pricked
their ears and pressed closer, and l looked
swiftly from face to face as the wavering
light lit up now one and now another
old familiar faces for the most part
well, Sir Philip, will you stop to sup
PERI" cried, with laugh, when he had
had time, as judged, to reach the sigma
ture.
go toll" ne grunted, looking at me-
Mice fools you have made of us, young
MANI He passed the letter to Greville
Sir Anthony" he continued, a mixture
of pleasure and chagrin in his voice, you
are freel l congratulate you on your luck.
Your nephew has brought an amnesty for
all things done up to the present time save
for any life taken, in which case the mat
ter is to be referred to the secretary. For
tunately my dead horse is the worst of the
mischief, SO free you are and amnestied.
though nicely Master Cecil has befooled
usl'
1--WE will give you another horse, Sir
Philip" l answered.
But the words were wasted on the air
They were drowned in a great shout Of
| JOY and triumph which rang from score
of Cludde throats the moment the purport
of the paper was understood shout
which made the old house shake again
and scared the dogs SO that they fled away
into corners and gazed askance at us, their
tails between their legs, shout that was
plainly heard a mile away in half dozen
homesteads where Cludde men lay gloomy
in their beds.
BY this time my uncle's hand was in
mine. With his other he took off his hat
| Lads" he cried huskily, rearing his tall
| form in our midst, "a cheer for the queenl
God keep her safe, and long may she
| reignl'
This was universally regarded as the
end of what they still proudly call in those
parts "the Cotton Instruction. When
| silence came again, every dog, even the
/ Oldest and wisest, had bayed himself
hoarse and fed to kennel, thinking the
end of the world was come. My heart, as
| Joined roundly in, swelled high with
pride, and there were tears in my eyes as
well as in my uncle's. But there is no tri-
umph, after all, without its drawback, no
fruition equal to the anticipation. Where
was PetronillaP ! could SEQ her nowhere
looked from window to window, but she
was at none scanned the knot of maids,
| but could not find her Even the cheering
had not brought her out.
1t was wonderful, though, how the
| cheers cleared the air. Even Sir Thomas
Greville regained good humor and deigned
to shake me by the hand and express him
| self pleased that the matter had ended so
happily. Then the sheriff drew him and
Bridgewater away to look to their men 8
arrangements, seeing, / think, that my
uncle and would fain be alone awhile,
and at last l asked with a trembling voice
after Petronilla.
ITO be sure" Sir Anthony answered,
furtiyely wiping his eyes, II had forgot
ten her, dear lad. wish now that she
had staid. But tell me- Francis, how
came you back tonight, and how did you
manage this9'
Something of what he asked told him
hurriedly, but then-be sure / took ad-
vantage Of the first opening-I asked again
after Petronilla. Where has she gone
sirP" l said, trying to conceal my impa-
thence 81 thought that Martin told me
she was bere-indeed that he had seen her
after arrived.
II am not sure. do you know" Sir An.
tony answered, eying mo absently that
! was wise, but l considered she was safer
away, Francis And she can be fetched
back in the morning l feared there mipht
be some disturbance in the house, as in
deed there well might have been, and
though she begged very hard to stay with
me sent her off "
"This evening, siri" stammered, sud.
denly chilled.
Yes an hour ago.
But an hour ago every approach was
guarded, Sir Anthony" cried In sur.
prise II had the greatest difficulty In slip.
ping through from the outside myself.
well as / know every field and tree. To
escape from within, even for man, much
less "A woman, would have been impossible
She will have been stopped.
II think not" he said. with smile at
once sage and indulgent, which seemed to
add, You think yourself clever lad, but
you do not know everything yet"
II sent her out by the secret passage to
the millhousei you sec, " he explained, las
soon as heard the sheriff's party outside.
] could have given them the slip myself
had pleased"
1.-The millhouses" answered The mill
stood nearly quarter Of mile from Co.
ton End, beyond the gardens and In the
direction of the village. l remembered
vaguely that had heard from the sery.
ants In old days some talk of secret out.
lot leading from the house to It, but they
knew no particulars, and its existence was
only darkly rumored among them,
. You did not know of the r""H- 80
A anthony said, chuckling at my astonish
nent
mo; remember, but the girl did.
Your father and his wife went with her.
He quite agreed in the wisdom Of sending |
ier away, and indeed advised 1t, On
'eaching the mill, II they found all quiet,
hey were to walk across to Watney's