Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-27

Then the landlord showed he understood.
"Ayc, so shy Il'' no cried, with an oath.
"Purveyors indeed 1t is such as they
give the queen n bad name"
"God bless herl" quoth tho monk loyal
"And drown the purveyors!' farmer
exclaimed.
"They were here year ago and left US
as bare as a shorn sheep, struck in q
STRIPPING villagcr, speaking ut white
heat, but telling mo no news for this was
what had heard ct Towcester the night
before. 'tThc queen should lie warm II
she uses oil tho wool they took! And the
pack horses they purveyed to carry of the
plunder-why, the packmen avoid STRAIT
ford ever since as though we had the black
DEATH Oh, down with the purveyors, say
/! The first that comes this way will
show the bottom of the Ohse. Aye, that I
will, though hing for it"
Easy, easy, Tom Millerl" the host In
lterposed, affecting an air Of assurance,
even while he cast an eye Of trouble at his
/ flitches. 1t will BIO another ten ycars be-
L fore they harry US again. Thore is Pot
ter's Pury They never took a testers
worth from Potter's Puryl No, nor from
Preston Gobionl But they will go to them
next, depend upon itl'
81 hope they will, 1" I snid, with a world
Of gloomy insinuation in my words. But
] doubt itl''
And this time my hint was not wasted.
The landlord changed color what are
you driving at, masterf" he asked mildly,
while the others looked at mo In silence
and waited for more.
"What ii there be one across the road
now?" I snid, giving way to tho tempta-
ton and speaking falscly-for which /
paid dearly afterward "A puryeyor, I
mean, unless / am mistaken in him, or he
| tells lies. 10 has come straight from, the
chancellor, white wand, warrant and all.
He is taking his dinner now, but he has
sent for the hundredman, SO I guess he
means business.
.'For tho hundredman'" repeated the
landlord, his brows meeting.
Eyes unless am mistaken"
There was silence for q moment. Then
the man they called Tom Miller dashed
Ibis cap on the floor, and folding his arms
defantly looked round on his neighbors.
q He has come, has he'll ho reared, his face
swollen, his eyes bloodshot Then / will
BIO as good as my word! Who will helpf
Shallwo sit down and be shorn like sheep,
Is we were before, so that our children lay
ION the bare stones, and we pulled the
pillow ourselvesi Or shall we show that we
arc free Englishmen and not slaves OF
Frenchmen? Shall We teach Master Pur-
yeyor not to trouble us ngainf Now. what
say you, neighborsi"
| So fierce q growl OF impatience and an
| ger roso round me as at once answered tho
question. A dozen red faces glarcd ut me
| and at ono another, and from the very mo-
! ton and passion Of tho men as they snarlcd
and threatened the room seemed twice as
/ full as It was. Their oaths and cries OF
| encouragement, not loud, but the moro
dangerous for that, the fresh burst of fury
which rose as the village smith and an
other came in and learned the nCws the
menacing gestures Of q score OF brdndished
fists-theso sights, though they told of the
| very effect at which had aimed, scared
| as we'll as pleased me. turned red and
| white and hesitated, fearing that 1had
gone too far.
The thing was done, however, and, what
/ was more, I had soon to take care OF my
self. At the very moment when the hub
! bub was at Its loudest / felt o chill run
down my back as met the monks eye,
and, reading in it whimsical admiration,
| read in it something besides, and that
| was an unmistakable menace Clever
1 ladp' the eye snid. II will expose you, "
1T threatened.
I had forgotten him-or, at any rate,
that my acting would DO transparent
enough to him holding the clew in bis
1 hnnd-and his look was like the shock Of
cold water to me. But it is wonderful
how keen the wits grow on the grindstone
| of necessity With scarcely second g
/ hesitation drew out my only piece OF
gold, and unnoticed by the other mon,
who were busy swearing ut and encourag-
ing one another, l disclosed a morsel OF 1t.
4 The monks crafty eyes glistencd. laid
my finger on my lips.
He held up two fingers.
I shook my head and showed on empty
4 palm. had no more He nodded, and
the relief that nod gave mo was great.
4 Before had time, however, to consider
the narrowness Of my escape movement
OF the crowd-for the news had spread with
strange swiftness, and there was, now q
4 crowd assembled which more than filed
the room--proclaimed that the purveyol
had come out and was in the street.
The room was nearly emptied at rush.
Though l prudently remained behind,
could, through the open window, hear Of
well as see what passed. The leading
spirits had naturally struggled out first
and were gathered, sullen and full OF dan
gerous possibilities, about the porch.
! 1suppose the bishops messenger saw II
them nothing but crowd OF country
clowns, for he came hectoring toward the
4 door, shifting his boot with his whip ant
putting out his red checks nightly. HI
felt brave enough, now that he had dinee
and had at his back three stout constablei
sworn to keep the queens pence.
Make wayl Make way therel Do yor
heart" he cried in husky, pompou!
voice. mako wayl" he repeated, lightly
touching tho nearest man with his switch
II am on the queen Is service, boobies, anc
must not be hindered.
The man swore at him. but did not
bulge. and the bully, brought up thu
sharply, awoke to the lowering faces ant
threatening looks which confronted him
He changed color little. But the all
was still in him, and forgetting his nat
ural discretion he thought to carry mat
tiers with high hand. "Come, come, y HI
exclaimed angrily. 81 have a warrant
and you resist me at your peril i have t.
enter this house. Clear the way, Master
Hundredman, and break these fellows
heads II they withstand you.
A growl MS of n dozen bulldogs answer
ed him, and he drew buck as child NIGH
who has trodden ON an adder. Yor
foolsl" he spluttered, glazing at then
viciously. Are you mad9 Do you know
what you arc doingg Do you see thiss'
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