The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-08-25
SOMERSET, PA. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST % 1897

his attention, and he stood still, col
sideriDg whether 'twere best TO go @
stay.
at is my father" said the girl
aware that he alone knew the score
passage.
Then Master Humphrey saw loo
of joyful relief rise to her pretty face
and he remembered how brave she ha'
been, how good and noble and fair sh
was and how miserable a worm was he
and so lifted his head in the pride O
humiliation, as humble minded foil
are wont TO do, i'm such manner tha
the Lady Gertrude found him as beau
tifuI and arrogant as king, for all hi
shabby clothes and slight stature.
81 may not see you again. He will
cross to-day-I tomorrow" she sal,
in sudden haste.
God be with you," answered th'
tutor, and he bowed low.
The fugitive noble stood in the shad
ow Of the open paneling. and th'
Lady Gertrude, full of apprehension
that he should stay too long, strained
an ear TO catch any ominous sounds
from without and drank in eagerly th,
detailed plans he slowly explained o
his own escape to Holland and hel
journey thither on the morrow by
another route.
When he ended, there was silencs
between them, as with those who's,
hearts are too full TO speak. 1t was
speedily broken, however, by loud
ringing of the great bell, which rever.
berated from the deserted courtyard
below through the house. The girl
hastened to the easement of the win
dow and looked quickly out.
"There are armed men," she said.
'"fhey have traced you here"
WARY hounds" he murmured, with
a look of grim hunIor. ITO the hole,
but not within. Twenty minutes and
/ shall be beyond the most cunning
ferret's scent. God be with you, little
daughter. Keep them dallying there
awhile. Remember tomorrow at Bal
lam bridge, by nightfall."
The pannel fell back, and the Lady
Gertrude sat down to her books and
made much pretense of numbIing to
herself as the old doorkeeper, scare
stricken and painting, tumbled into the
room with an officer of the kings SER
vice at his heels. ''Soldiersr' said he
"Ah, good Oliver, what is their
will?' said she, not deigning TO raise
her eyes from her book.
"No harm TO so fair a hostess" /" ex-
claimed the intruder.
Whereupon the Lady Gertrude slow
ly lifted her pretty head and scanned
the uncomely countenance and fat
proportions of the officer with much
deliberation.
SHOULD fairness diminish harm, sir,
'twere pity there We're no more of the
quality among his majesty's servants"
"a truce, fair one, 10 war of
words. / am here TO crave your hos
pitality while waiting for the presence
of one who, / ann informed, purposes to
visit his daughter between the time of
noon and midnight. You start. 'Tis
now hardly noon. We demand to
know in the kings name at what pre-
else hour that interview is to take place.
"'Twere well, madam, to save that
pretty head, for those who wilfully har-
Dor the treacherous MOnmouth's follow
ers can receive no clemency from his
most gracious majesty, King James.
Their life is the forfeit, man or wo-
man."
Sir" said Lady Gertrude after some
moments of seeming fearful delibera-
ton, al await my lord, my father,
here within an hour from now, and
may God curse you for a cowardn'
The fat soldier grinned. The lady's
bark was not loud enough, but her bite
was, indeed, most easily averted with a
whip, as was the way with
women. So he sat his broad person
down and did all that which he
thought would beguile so pretty II
shrew from her fretful humor.
Full three-quarters Of an hour thus
passed, when news was brought by u
breathless soldier that the Earl OF
W had boarded frigate not ID
minutes since and, as was related in
all seriousness. had DOTTED his hat in
acknowledgment of the fiery salute
from shore.
Whereupon the fat soldier got up in
a fearful rage and kicked and swore as
only a gentleman soldier knows well
how 10 do, and snarled aloud that
should save the cunning jade
from the lively fate of Mistress Gaunt,
who, indeed, was burned TO death for a
lesser misdemeanor.
But the Lady Gertrude lifted up her
proud head and said:
even 50 [ shall deem my fathers
life most cheaply bought, sir"
And she walked out between the file
of armed men, who, indeed, were sorry
for so brave and fair creature, taken
thus roughly prisoner.
The poor tutor sat over his books in
the upper room of a small dwelling
house and wrestled with his thoughts
till he knew not which was conscience
and which the devil most plaguing
him, for the Lady Gertrude had said
that love was wealth; yet his rooms
betrayed no signs thereof.
He had a little piece of land not far
away, from which he acquired small
income, yet with all these things he
could in nowise be counted rich.
Indeed, no, thought he, when hur-
ried footsteps upon the stair became
confused with his wandering fancies,
and ere he had time to weigh the
matter Lady Gertrude stood before
him.
And then something of sweet shy
ness came over her, so that all in a
great hurry she set to explaining how
she had been taken prisoner by the
irate colonel and how, indeed, she had
escaped through the help of a cousin