Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01
CHAPTER XIX.
A Night on the Road,

| CHAPTER XIX.
Night on the Road.
In man of green age and inexperience
a hasty judgment may gain pardon, and
| none reed wonder that his hopes carry
him on straightway to conclusions born OF
desire rather than of reason. The meet
ing 1 feared had passed OF so softly that
| forgot how strange and delicate it was,
| and what were the barriers which a gust
| OF sympathy had for the moment levelesl.
IL oic not enter my mind that they must
! raise their heads again, and that friend
snip, or even companionship, must be i'm
| possible between the two whom !, Gesper-
ately seeking some refuge, had thrown
| together. Yet an endeavor was made, and
| that on both sides Obligation blunted the
| cage OF Mistress Barbara's scorn, free
| ooms respect for virtues chain schooled
Nell to an unwonted staidness of derlean-
or or Inc fires of war but s:nouldcred. the
| iaintcst pun of smoke showing only here
| ana there 1 was on the alert to avoid an
| outbreak: for awhile no outbreak came,
! ana my hopes grew to confidence. But
then-l can write the thing no OF her way
| mat ancient devil of hers made re entry
! into the heart of Mistress Gwyn l was a
man, ana man who had loved her, 1t
| was, then, twice intoIerable that l. should
oiScialm her dominion, that l should be
| Tree, nay, that l should serve ano, her
with a scdulous care which might well
seem devotion; for the offensc touching the
guinea was forgotten, my mock drowning
| Wen nigh forgiven, and although Barbara
! had lew words for me, they We're such
| that gratitude and friendship shone in
| them through the veil of embarra ssmcnt.
| Mistress Nell's shrewd eyes were on us
and she watched while she aided Ii vas
| III truth her interest as she conceived. TO
carry Barabara safe out of Dover. but
there was kindness also in her ample sue
cor, although ever slave to the sparkle of
a gem, she seized with eager gratitude on
Louis jeweled dagger when 1 offered it as
my snare OF our journeys chargcs) size
gave full return. Barbara was seated in
her coech, "A good horse was provided for
me, her servant found me a sober suit of
clothes and sword. Thus cur strange
party stole from Dover before the town
was awake. Nell, obeying the kings COM
| mand, which sent her back to london. ard
dctghting that she could punish him for it
by going in our company. l ode behind
the coach. bearing myself lik. a serving
! man until we reached open country, when
quckened pace and stationed myself by
the window.
Up to this time matters hal gone well;
| If they spoke 1t was of service given and
kindness shown. But as the day wore on
and we came near Canterbury the devil
| began to busy himself. Perhaps l showed
some ACKNOWLEDGEMENT at the growing cold
ness of Barbara's manner, and my anxiety
to warm her to greater cordiality acted
as n spur on our companlon. First Nell
laughed that my sailies gained small at
| tention and my compliments no return, that
Barbara would not talk of our adventures
of the day before, but harped always On
coming speedily where her father was and
so dischargng me from my forced service.
a merry look declared that if Mistress
Qulnton would not play the game another
would: fusiilade of chances opened Bar
hara sceirg and feig:nng not TO see, /
embarrassed yet chagrined into some re-
turn; there followed words, half whispered
half aloud, not sparing in "Reminiscences of
other days and mischievously pointed with
tender sentiment The challenge to my
manhood was too tempting, the joy of en-
counter sweet. Barbara grew utterly 81
lent, sitting with eyes doWncast and .ips
set in disapproval that needed no speech
for its expression. Bolder and holder came
NellS advances; when l sought to drop be-
hind she called me up; If l rode ahead
she swore she would bid the driver gallon
his horses till she came to me again. Il
can't be without you. Simon. All, It's so
long since we were together" she whis-
pered, and turned naughty ewes on BAR
bara.
Yet we might have come through without
declared conflict had not q thing befaller, us
at Canterbury that brought Neil into fresh
tempt alton. and thereby broke The strained
cords OF amity. The doings of the king at
Dover had set the country in some stir,
there was no love of the French and less of
the pope: men were asking, and pretty
loudly, why madame came; she had been
seen in Canterbury: the Duke of York had
made a great entertainment there for her.
They did not know what | knew, but they
were uneasy concerning the kings religion
and their own. Yet Nell must needs nut
her head well out of window as we drove
in. l know not whether the sequel were
what she desired: ii was at least what she
seemed not to fear-a fellow caught sight of
her and raised a cheer The news spread
quick among the idle folk in the street and
the busy. hearing 1t. came out of their
faNy nknI
tector. but the larger part, setting their
Professionalism above their scruples greeted
her gladly, and made a procession for her.
cheering and encouraging her with cries
which had more friendlinesS than delicacy
in them. Now, indeed, | dropped behind
and rode beside the mounted servant. The
fellow was all a-grin, triumph!ng in his
mistress's popularity Even so she herself
eXult~d in it, and threw all around noes
and smiles, aye, and alas. repartees con-
ceived much in the same spirit as The jests
that called them forth. l could have cried
on the earth to swallow me, not FOR my
own sake lin Itself the scene was enter
tanning enough, however little il might tend
to edication), but on account of Mistress
Barbara. Fairly | WAS afraid to ride for
ward and see her face, and dreaded to re-
member that | had brought her TO this
situation. But Nell laughed and jested.
fiinging back at me now and again a look
that Knocked my gium face. and declared
her keen pleasure in my perplexity and her
scorn of Barbaras shame. Where now
were the tenderness and sympathy that
had made their meeting beautiful? The
truce was ended, and war wagel relent-
lessly
(To be continued)
No Boards Allowed.