Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28


you gu! think ink to get off that way. There are
VINO gave up Ashton"
Gag him and leave him here
ana nave nun found by the messengers
tomorrow morning." Cassel answered. LAS
chairmen, ard bid them take him to the
secretary's office with our compliments"
Ven, II not here, in one of the other
pens. Ferguson knows plenty"
The woman who had come in with Smith
laughed. That might answer" she said
II his sweetheart were not here Do you
think she would leave MIN to starve?''
There was a general stir and muttering
as the men turned to the girl. Pooh, :"
said one, 1t is FergCsons girl"
repeated.
The girl lifted her head and showed the
room face pale, weary and dull eyed. He
Is rothing 10 me- she said.
And the men would have believed her, hut
the woman, with a swift, cat-like move
ment, seized her wrist ana held it. Moth
ing TO you, my girl, isn't hep she cried
Then you have the fever or the smallpox
on you. One, two, three
Her face flaming, the girl sprang up and
snatched away her hand.
Inc woman laughed-and how l mated
her! He is nothing to you, isn't hep" she
SAID, In knocking tone. Yet what Will
you not give me 10 save him. my chick?
what VIII You not give me to see MIN safe
out Of this house? What
Peace, peace.' cried Charnock Time
is everything, and We are wasting L. Tn
less we would be taken, every man OF US,
we should be half way to Romney Marsh
by morning,
suddenly
Leave him?" ~
"Ay. Or. better. let me have two min.
utes' talk with him here and if he comes
TO my way of thinking Will answer for
him. - ~
Answer for him. Ferguson cried. with
q sheef. III you answer for him no better
IMAM did, you will give US small surety
Ay, but l am not you, Mr.. Ferguson"
Smith retorted. in a tone of contempt.
whereat the older man writhed impotent-
~. Ihls person-Mr. Taylor. or Mr. Price,
or whatever his name is-knows me and
that what L say do"
Wen, do-what you like with him.
Charnock answered. peevishly. so that
you stop his mouth"
10 my JOY the other men assented in the
same tone, being glad to be rid of the bur
den. 1t may seem strange to some that
thoSe who had prepared an hour before to
r lake my me should now be as ready to let
me CO. but there are few men who are
eager TO take life in cold blood and kin a
man as they would a sheep. Moreover in
favor OF these men-on whose memory the
ASSASSINATION plot has cast obIoquy not al
1oeetEef deserved, SiLce few of them uara
asSassins in the strict sense and Tho vvofst
VI al, ferguson, escaped his Just fate-in
their favor say it Is to be observed tba r
me tne iaet which they designed, however
norrld In the eyes of good citizens and 90.
fanny not to be defended by me was not
IN their sight so much a murder as an act
country. W e'eiiy .
so fully I am persuaded was tbis tho
case, that had it been a question of stah.
nine the king in the back or SHOOTING him
h ioii Wlndow, l believe lot one would
nase Volunteered. Let this stand to their
cred1t; to the credit of men when T sou,
and have described at their worst drnnkan
reckless, lll-combined and worse governed
whose illegal design, had 1t been accom-,
pisneu' must nave postponed the Pro-
testant succession in these realms hut who
MISGUIDED and betrayed as thew were hv
leaders more evil than themselves evfnce1
some spark of chivalry in their iives-for
al oiu II IN measure for a cause-and in
,helr sufferings a fortitude that would
have become better men and a nohler
effort. ''o"'ei
So much of them. One released NV
nands, and another, at Smiths request
t t39a. MIN light, and my new protector
ploalng me follow him and leading the wav
UP stairs to the bare room at the bac.
whence l had broken out, those we had
le1t were deep In nutterad plans and whis-
perings Of the marsh, and Hunts honsa
and Harrison's inn at Dimchurch before
we were out Of hearing
Smitns nrst act, when he reached the
room ABOVE: was to close the door upon us.
This done, he set his candle on tho 49,
whence its flame threw dark wayering ont
lines of our figures on the ceiIing-and
moved to the hearth. Here while / stared
wondering at his silerce. he searched for
some spring or handle and finding n
caused large piece of the vainscot To
fan out and reveal d cavity about three
feet deep and six long. He beckoned me
to bring the candle and look in, and sup
| pc sing it to be secret way out I did 81
However, outlet there was none The nj. -
was nothing more than concealed cum
board w
WELL" he said. when he had moved the
I candle to and fro that might see the bet
ter, face the while wearing smile
| what do you thing of it. Mr.. Taylor?"
l did not understand him, and 1 said so.
| trembling.
1T is a tolerable. hiding place" said he.
l nodded; to please 1 would have said It
was a palace.
And not bad PRISON."
| 1 nodded again, staring at him. fascf-
mated l began to understand.
:. And a grave?"
| shuddered. What do you meana" I
muttered.
Lay a man in there, bound hand md
foot, and gagged; what would you find in
| a years time. Mr.. Price? Not much ("
| stared at him.
| II they knew of that down stairs, he
continued. stopping to snuff the candle
with his fingers. then looking askance at
| me. would they use it, wonder? Would
! Prics,?'' -
Again made no answer.
| Shall tell them?" said he. easily
| hoarsely.
That is better" said he, noddfng. sWar
20 be candid. almost nothing. Two pledges
| First. that you win give NO evidence