Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-15

in the confusion. and that was the urgent
necessity | lay under OF hiding my errand,
the disclosure OF which must carry with IL
the disclosure OF the place whence | came and
the company | had been keeping with time
to think. and coolOess to distinguish. should
doubtless have seen the possibility OF an
nouncing my errand to the duke, yet laying
1t on Fergusons shoulders; but pushed for
time and unable at pinch to- weigh all the
issues. l could form no determination, much
less one leading to 30 dariug a step. After
one denial that is.
In the meantime we moved cu: and at first
my companion seemed to be unconscious OF
my sluggish pace and my perturbation But
presently felt rather than saw that from
minute to minute he glanced at me aSkaQCe
and that after each OF these inspections he
laughed silently. The knowledge chat | lay
under this observation immeasurably an
creased my embarrassment | could no longer
put fair face on the matter. but every time
he looked at me looked away guiltily, unable
70 support my eyes, This presently grew so
insupportable that to escape from my embar-
rassment coughed aud affected to choke.
You have cold. am afraid" he said,
scarcely concealing the sneer in his tone.
And yet you look warm. You must have
walked fast my friend?"
| mutteted that had
TO overtake me. perhaps? 1t was good
OF you, he said in the same tone Of secret
badinage. But we are here. What part OF
the helds do you want? Whitecrosa street?'
No | muttered.
Then it must be Baxters rents"
"No"
"Bunhill row."
"No? Well there is not much else here. -
he said, and he shrugged his shoulders.
Except the fields and the burial ground.
Your business does not lie with the latter,
l suppose?"
No" said family. And we stood.
At another time | must have shuddcrcd at
the dreary expanse that on this nethermost
fringe Of the town stretched before us under
waning light, an eXpanse oil waste land
broken only by the wall Of the burial ground
or the chimney of brick kiln, and bordered,
where it's limits were visible, ly half-ouilt
houses and squatters huts and vast piles Of
refuse. Ugly as the prospect was, however,
and far from reassuring to the timorous, |
asked nothing better than to look at It, and
look at II, and continue to look at 1t. But
Mr.. Smith, who did not understand this
mood turned with an impatient laugh.
II suppose that you did not come here 10
look at that" said he.
Like a fool jumped at the absurd, the
fiimsy pretext. 'Yes, l said. I'll merely
came to take the air.
The moment the words were spoken |
trembled at my audaciy. But he took 1t
better than / expected for he merely pausel
to stare at me and then chuckled grimly.
Well" he said, then now that you have
taken the air, let us go back. Have you
anything to object to that, Mr.. Tay.or?"
l could find nothing.
81 will come with you" he continued. u
want to see Ferguson, and we can settle my
| business there"
But this only presented to me dreadful
vision of Ferguson, released from his bonds
and mad with rage aid the desire to aveng'
himself, and stopped short. 81 am not golnE
there" / said.
| NO? Then where, may ask, are you go
ing?" he answered. watching me with {
placid amusement, which made it as clear at
the daylight that he saw through my eva
sions. "Where is 1t my lords pleasure II
go?"
"To Brome's in Fleet street" I said
hoarsely. And If he had his back to me a
that instant and l knife in my hand,
| could have run him through. For as sait
| it and he, with moclSing suavity assented
| and we stepped out together to return thu
| way we had come through Long lane-ove
| which the sky hung low in the dull. yellow
haze, the last of the western light had {
swift and singing recollection of the kinf
| and my lord, and the letter and the passag'
! of time and could have sprung from hh
side and poured out curses on him in th
| impotence of my rage and imCatience. Fo
the hour Of grace which the king had granted
| was gone, and second was passing. an(
| still the letter that should warn the duke o
| Berwick lay in my pocket, and | saw n
| chance of delivering 1t.
| ITO be Continued.)