Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-11
inc steward. and he came ,tp.

Wdo elleut.
What do you meant asked Sir An
thony In anger
why, just that cannot do 1t, Bald
win answered, glowering at him, with
flush on his dark cheek. THAT ID what
will not.
.Then you will be hangedl' quoth the
knight warmly. You have been In arms
against the queen, you fool! You will be
hanged as sure as you stay herel'
..Then l shall be hanged" replied the
steward sullenly. There never WAS
Cludde hanged yet without one to keep
him company. To hear Of 1t would mako
my grandsire turn in his grave out there.
/ dare not do it, Sir Anthony, and that II
the fact. But for the rest will do ~ you
bid me"
And he had his way. But never had
evening fallen moro strangely and sadly at
Cotton before The rain battered dteafily
In the courtyard The drswbridGe, by
Baldwin's order, had been pulled up. and
the planks over the moat in the rear -
moved.
s.They shall not steal upon US again.
he muttered. And II we must surrender
they shall see we do It willingly.
The tenants had gone to their homes
and their wives. Only the servants re-
NAMED. They clustered, solemn and sor-
rowful, about the hearth in the great hall,
starting II dog howled without or . coal
Jew from the FIRE within. Cir Anthony
remained brooding in his own room, P9e
tronilla sitting beside him silent and feof-
full, while Ferdinand and his wite 1eNce
rsstlessly about listening to tie wind
But the evening and the night wore psace-
fully away, and %, to the surprise OF 81
erybody, did the next day and the nsxt
Could tho sheriff b going to overlook TIE
natter Alas! on the third day the doubt
was resolved. Two or three boys who
had been sent out a. scouts, came IN With
news that there was strong watch ct ~
tho Ridgeway, that the paths through tn
forest were guarded, that bodies OF AIMED
men were arriving in the neighbcring vii
lagos, and that soldiers had been demand
ed-or SO 1t was said-from Warwick and
Worcester, and even from place a. far
sheriff's prudence which had postponed
the crisis, and now it had come The not
was drawn all round. AS the day closed
In on Cotton and the sun sst ansrily
among the forest trees tho boys tale
which grow no doubt In the telling, parsed
from one to another, and men sworo and
looked out of window, and women Mepts
In corners. In the tower room Sir AN
thony sat awaiting the summons and
wondered what he could do to savo biz
aughtsr from possible rudeness, o. sven
hurt, at the hands Of these stranger,
There was one man missing from hall
and kitchen, but few Ia the suspense mo-
ticed his absence. The fool had heard the
boys story and, unable to remain inactive
under s,lah excitement, he presently stole
off In the dusk to the rear OF the house.
Hero be managed to Gross tho most, ~
means Of plank. which he then drew
over and hid In the grass. This quietly
managed-Baldwin, be 1t said, had strict
" forbidden any one to leave the house
Martin made OF with grim chuckle to-
ward the forest, and following the main
track leading toward Wootton Wawen
presently came among the treee upon 9
couple Of ssntinsls. They heard him, saw
him indistinctly and made . rush for him.
but this was just the sport Martin liked
and tho fun hc had come for. His quick
ear apprised him OF the danger, and II =
second ho was lost In the underwood, his
knocking laugh and shrill taunts keeping
the poor men OH the shudder for the next
ten minutes Then the uncanny aoosnts
diod away, and satisfied with his sport
and the knowledge no had gained tho fool
made for home Az he sped quickly across
the last field, however, he was astonished
by the eight Of dark figure In the very
act Of launching his (Martin's) plank
across the moat
"Ho, ho!" tho fool muttered In q dsrce
undertone. THAT Is 1t, 10 IT. And only
onel II they will come ono by one, Ike
tho plums in the kitchen po1ridge, shall
make fine meall"
He stood back, orouohing down on the
grass and watched tho unknown. bis eyes
giittering. The stranger was tall, big
fellow, formidable antagonist 0us
Martin cared nothing for that Had -
not his long knife, 40 kesn a. his Wit
whom they were at home, which was NOT
always He drew 10 out now, and under
cover Of the darkness crept nearer ara
nearer, his blood glowing pleaaAntlys
though the night was cold. How lucky -
was he had como outl He could hardly n
strain the ..Ho, hon, which rose 70 biz
lips, He meant to lesp upon the man -
this side of the water, that there might
be no telltale traces On the farther bauk.
But the stranger was too quick Ter hin
In this. He got his bridge f1sd and began
to cross before Martin could crawl nsaf
enough. AZ he crossed, however, his fest
made slight noise on tho plank. and uu-
der cover Of it the fool ross and ran for
ward, then followed him over with the
stealthinsss Of cat. And, like cat, too
the moment the strangers foot touched
the bank Martin sprang on him with his
knife raised -sprang on him silently, with
his teeth srinning and his eyes adane
CONTINUED Friday.)