Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-07
AJrAoR or THE Mari IN sLAerl',,
A. GENTLEMAN OF FiQANcE' =, ErsEt

INC co. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
she tnanKed me prettily. 1t was almost
with good cheer in my voice and a rebound
Of spirits that explained as / hurried my
companions across tho raft what my plan
was.
The moment VIC were ashore felt safer
The fog swallowed us up quick, us the
Bible says. The very hull of the ship van
ishcd from sight before we had gone half
u dozen paces had never seen London
Jog before, and to me it seemed portentous
and providential-a marvel as great as
the crimson hail which fell in tho London
gardens to mark her majesty's accession.
Yet after all, without my happy thought,
tho fog would have ayailed us little. We
had scarcely Como score of yards before
tho cautious tread of several people has
tening down tho strend toward the wharf
struck my car. They were proceeding in
silence, and we might not have noticed
their approach If the foremost had not by
chance trlpped and fallen, whereupon one
laughed and another swore With warn
ing hand grasped my companions arms
and hurried them forward some PAGES I'M
til I felt sure that our figures could not be
buell. VuEOuSll GLC iiSu 4Ad1SCSAS AAlSA
we stood listening gazing into one an
others strained eyes, while the step cnme
nearer and nearer, crossed our track and
then with noisy rush thundered on the
wooden raft My ear caught tho jingle of
harness and clank of weapons
1T is tho watch, muttered. Come,
and make no noise. What I want is lit
tie this way. fancy saw it as We passed
down tho wharf. I"
They turned with me, but we had not
taken many steps before Mistress Anne.
who was walking on my left side, Stun
bled oyer something She tried to save
herself, but failed and fell heavily, utter
ing as she did so loud cry. sprang to
her assistance, and even before raised
her laid my hand lightly on her mouth.
!. Hushh said softly. For safety's
sake, make no noise. What is the mat
ter?''
"Oh!" she moaned, making no effort to
rise, my ankle, my anklel I nm sure I
have broken it.
Imuttcred my dismay, while Mistress
Bcrtranl, STOPPING nnxiously, examined
the injured limb. s'Can you stand?" she
asked.
But it was no time for questioning, and
/ put her aside Tho troop which had
passed were within easy hearing, and IL
there should be one among them familiar
with the girls voice We might be bounced
upon, fog or no fog. felt that it was no
time for ceremony and picked Mistress
Ammo up in my arms, whispering to the
elder woman: Go on ahead! think /
SEQ tho boat. 1t is straight before you. .
Luckily / was right 1t was the boat,
and SO far we'll. But at the moment /
spoke I heard . sudden outcry behind us
and knew the hunt was up. I plunged
forward with my burden, recklessly and
blindly, through mud and over obstacles.
Tho wherry for which was making was
moored in the water q few feet from tho
edge / had remarked it idly and without
purpose as We came down to the wharf
and had oven noticed that the oars werc
lying in It, Now, II we could reach 1t and
start down tho river for Leigh, wc might
by possibility gain that place and meet
Mistress Bertram's husband.
At any rate, nothing In the world
seemed SO desirable to mo at the moment
as the shelter OF that boat. plunged
through tho mud and waded desperately
through tho water to It, Mistress Bertram
scarce a whit behind me. reached 1t,
+ but reached 1t only as the foremost pursuer
caught siaht OF us. heard his shout OF
triumph, and somehow I bundled my bur-
den into the boat remember that she
chung about my neck In fear, and ! had to
loosen her hands roughly. But did loosen
then-in time With ono stroke OF my
hunting knife severed the rope, and
pushing Oh the boat with all my strength
sprang into It as 1t doatcd away and was
in time But one seconds delay would
have undone us. Two men were already
in the water up to their knees, and their
very breath was hot on my face as we
swung out into the stream.
Fortunately i had had experience of
boats on the Avon, at Bidford and STRAIT
ford, and could pull good oar. For a
moment indeed the wherry rolled and Dip
ped as I snatohed up the SOULS, but
quickly got her IL hand, and bending to
my work sent her spinning through tho
mist, every stroke pulled increasing the
distance between US and our now unseen
foes. Happily We were below London
bridge and had not that dangerous pos
sage to make. The river, too, was nearly
clear Of craft, and though once and again
In the pool a hugo hulk doomed suddenly
across our bows and then faded behind us
into the mist like some monstrous phan-
tom, and SO told of danger narrowly
escaped, thought IL best to run all risks
and 90 ahead as long as the tide should
ebb.
1t was strange how suddenly we had
passed from storm into calm. Mistress
Anne had bound her ankle with hand
kerchisf and bravely made light OF the
Al A~x,<. cof
ing in the stern watching me, their heads
together, their faces pale. Themist had
closed round us, and we were alone again,
gliding over the bosnm OF the great river
shat runs down to tho sea. was oddly
struck by the strange current OF life which
for /, week had tossed me from one adven-
ture to another, only to bring me into
contact at length with these two and
sweep me into the unknown whirlpool OF
their fortunes.
Who were they, A merchants wife and
her sister flying from Bishop Bonner's In
ouisitions thought 1t likely. Their
cloaks and hoods indeed, and NIL that
could see of their clothes, fell below such
condition, but probably they were worn
as a disguise Their speech rose as much
above it, hut knew that OF late many
merchants wives had become scholars
and might pass in noblemen's houses.
Even as in those day whom London waxed
fat and set up and throw down govern
ments, every alderman had come to ride in
mail.
No doubt the women, watching me In
anxious silence, were as curious about me.
/ still bore stains Of couatry travel. was
unwashed, unkempt; my doublet was torn;