Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-27

| lng! ne said 9rulny.
| / stood staring ut him, wondering IL
had made a mistake
what arc you doing here, my manp
said sharply when had made certain
knew him. and that he was really the
surly hostler from the Gatehouse tavern
at Hiehgate. why did you come heres
Why have you followed us'"
Come about your business" he an
swered. To give you that.
| l took the note he held out to me
From whom2" said. WHO sent it by
youi''
Cannot tell, he replied, shaking his
head.
Cannot or will nots" I retorted.
| Both, =" he said doggedly. But there's
II you want to know what sort of q kernel
is in nut, you don shake the tree, mas
| ter-you crack the nut. -
looked at the note he had given me
1t was but slip Of paper folded thrice
| The sender had not addressed or scaled or
fastened it In any way, had taken no care
either to insure its reaching its destination
or to prevent prying eyes seeing the con
tents. II ono of our associates had sent It,
no had been guilty OF the grossest careless
ness. '.You are sure 1t is for me?" said
.As sure rs mortal can be, no an
swsred "Only that it was given mo for a
man, and not mousei You are not
afraid, mhsterf"
| was not, but he edged away as he
spoke and looked with SO much alarm at
the scrap Of paper that 1t was nbundantly
clear he was very much afraid himself,
even while he derided mo. l saw that If /
had offered to return the note he would
have backed out of the stable and gone off
there and then az fast as his lame foot
would let him. This puzzled me. How
ever, read the note. There was nothing
in it to brighten me. Yet, as / read, the
one name to which l had long been stran-
ger.
ITO Francis Cludde," 1t ran. "H you
would not do thing Of which you will
miserably repent all your life, and which
will stain you in the eyes OF all Christian
men, meet me two hours before noon at
the cross street BY St. Botolph' 8, where
you first saw Mistress Bertram. And tell
no one. Fail not to come. In heavens
name, fail not!''
The noto had nothing to do with tho
conspiracy, then, on the face of it, mys-
terious as it was and mysteriously as it
came. Look hcre!'' said to the man.
"Tell me who sent II, and will give you
CROWN"
II would not tell you," he answered
stuSbornly, .if you could make mo king
Of England! No, nor king Of Spain tool
You might rack me, and you would not
get 1t from me!'
His one eye glowed with SO obstinate n
resolve that gave up the attempt to per
suade and turned to examine the message
itself. But here Jared no better. did
not know the handwriting, and there was
no popularity in the paper. / was no wis
er than before. Arc you to take back
any answer" / said.
"No, - he replied 1.-The saints be thanked
for the same! But you will boar me wit
ness !" he went on anxiously, that gave
you the letter. You will not forget that
or say that you have not had ~ But
therel' he added to himself Us hs turned
away. speaking in low voice, so that /
barely caught the sense Of the words,
what is the usei She will know'
She will knowl It had something to
do with woman, then, even II a woman
were not the writer. Invent in to break
fast in two minds about going. longed
to tell Master Bertio and take his advice,
though the unknown had enjoinsd me not
to do 20. But for the time l refrained,
and explaining my absence OF mind as
we'll as could presently stole away on
some excuse or other and started IN good
time and on foot into the city. reached
the rendezvous quarter Of an hour before
the time named, and strolling between the
church and tho bakers shop tried to look
as much like chance passerby as could,
keeping the while wary lookout for any
who might turn out to be my correspond
emit.
Tho morning was cold and gray. A
DRILLING rain was falling. The passers
were few, and the appearance of the streets
dirty and, with Uttered kennels, was
dreary indeed. found it hard at once to
keen myself warm and to avoid observa-
ton as I hung about. Ten o'clock had
rung from moro than one steeple, and l
was beginning to think myself a fool for
nv pains when woman of middle
height, slender and young in figure, but
wearing q shabby brown cloak, and with
her head 1nuf1isd in hood, as though she
had the toothaohe or dreaded the weather
more than ordinary, turned the corner OF
the belfry ard made straight toward me-
She drew near and seemed about to pass
me without notice. But when abreast OF
me she glanced up suddenly, her eyes the
only features could see.
Follow me to the churchill she muir
INJURED gently, and she swept on to the
porch.
obeyed reluctantly-yery reluctantly,
f. fr,s1 ero vr h
she was. Though had only seen her eyes,
had recognized them and guessed already
what her business with rae was She led
the way resolutely to quiet corner. The
church was empty and still, with only the
scent Of incense in the air to toll OF re-
cent service. 1t was no surprise to me
when she turned abruptly, and removing
her hood locked me in the face.
"What have you done with hims" she
painted, laying her hand on my arm.
"SpeakI Tell mo what you have done
with him?"
The question, the very question I had
foreseen! Yet tried to fence with her.
said, With whom!"
with whoms" she repeated bitterly.
"You know mel am not SO changed in
three years that you do not recognize mee'
No. know you" said.
There was q hectic flush on her cheeks,
and 1t seemed to me that the dark hair
was thinner on her thin temples than
whom had seen her last, but her eyes
were the same
.Then why ask with whom'" she cried
passionately. What have you done with
the man you called Clarsncef"
s.Dons with him?'' said feebly.
AYE, done with hiinp Come, speak and
tell mel" she repeated in fierce accents,