Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-20

one abroad to notice Us. pointed to a
dead wall ten PAGES down the street.
Opposite that they stopped, 1 said.
There was Il pile of boards leaning
| against it then. -
You have had many verse bed
chamber since. lad, he said, smiling.
Many" / answered And then by q
common impulse we shook up the horses,
and trotting gently Oh were soon clear of
London and making for Islington. Pass
ing through the latter, we began to breast
| the steep slope which leads to Hlghgate,
and coming, when we had reached the
summit, plump upon the lights of tho vii
! lage pulled up in front OF building
| which doomed darkly across the read.
"This is the Gatehouse tavern Master
| Berthe said in low voice. We shall soon
| know whether we have come on FOOLS
errand-or worse!"
| We rode under the archway into great
courtyard, from which the road issued
again on the other side through another
| gate. In one corner two men wero litter
| ing down line of pack horses by the light
! of the lanterns, which brought their tan
ned and rugged faces into relief In an
other, where the light poured ruddily from
an open doorway, a hostlor was serving out
fodder and doing SO, If we might judge
from the travellers remonstrances, with a
niggardly hand. From the windows of
the house dozen rays of light shot
athwart the darkness and disclosed as
many pigs wallowing asleep in the middle
OF the yard In all we saw coarse COM
fort and welcome Master BERTHE led the
way across the yard and accosted tho
hostler. "Can we have stalls and beds?"
he asked.
The man staid his chaffering and looked
up at us. Every man to his business, =
he replied gruffiy .'Stalls, yes, but Of
beds know nothing For women's work
go to the women"
Right" said l, $50 we will. With
better luck than you would go, expect,
my man."
| Bursting into hoarse laugh at this
he was lame and one eyed and not very
we'll favored-he led us into n long, many
stalled stable, feebly lit by lanterns which
here and there glimmered against the
walls. Suit yourselves" be said. First
come is first served here. /"
He seemed an Ill conditioned fellow,
but the businesslike way in which we
went about our work, watering, feeding
and littering down in old campaigners
| fashion, drew from him grunt of COM
mendation. Have you come from far,
masters'" he asked.
No; from ondon, answered curtly.
1--WE come as linen diapers from Vest
cheap, il you want to know"
Aye, see that" he said, chuckling.
"Never were atop Of horse before nor
handled anything but clothyard. Oh,
| nor
I'VE want merchant reputed to sell
French lace, ]" continued, looking hard
at him. do you happen to know If there
is dealer here with any?"
He nodded rather to himself than to me,
as il he had expected the question. Then
in the same tone, but with quick glance
of intelligence, he answered, II will show
you into the house presently, and you can
see for yourselves. A stable is no place
for French lace. He pointed with wink
over his shoulder toward q stall in which
man, apparently drunk, lay snoring.
"That is fine toy, I" he ran on carelessly
as l removed my dagger from the holster
and concealed it under my cloak-"a fine
plaything-for linen drapor!n
Peace, peace. man, and show us in,
said Master Berthe impatiently.
With shrug of his shoulders the man
obeyed. Crossing the courtyard behind
him, we entered the great kitchen, which,
full of light and warmth and noise, pre-
sented just such scene of comfort and
hustle, Of loud talking, red faced guests
and hurrying bare armed serving maids as
remembered lighting upon at ST. Adams
three years back. But had changed much
since then and seen much. The bailif
himself would hardly have recognized his
old antagonist in the tall, heavily cloaked
stranger. whose assured air, acquired amid
wild surroundings in foreign land, gave
him look Of age to which could not
fairly lay claim. Master BERTHE had as
signed tho lead to mo as being in less dan
ger Of recognition, and followed the hos
tier toward tho hearth without hesitation.
Master Jenkin, - the man cried, with the
same rough bluntncss he had shown with
out here are two travellers want the lace
seller who was here today. Has he gomez"
who gomez" retorted tho host as loud
ly.
1.-The lace merchant who came this
morning
NO; he IL in No. 3a,'' returned the
landlord. .Wili you sup first, gentlemen"
We declined and followed the hostler,
who made no secret of our destination,
telling those in our road to make way as
the gentlemen were for No SO. One of the
crowd, however, who seemed to be cross
ing from the lower end of the room, failed
apparently to understand, and interposing
between us and our guido brought me per-
force to a halt
BY your leave, good womanP' said
and turned to pass round her.
But she foiled me with unexpected nim-
bleness and could not push her aside,
she was SO very old. Her gums were tooth
less, and her forehead was lined and wrin
killed. About her eyes, which under hid
sous red lids still shone with an evil
CLEAN, a kind of reflection of wicked
past, thousand crows feet had gathered.
A few wisps of gray hair struggled from
under the handkerchief which covered her
head. She was humphacked and stopped
over stick, and whether she saw or not
my movement Of repugnance, her voice
vas harsh when she spoke.
''Young gentleman, she croaked, let
me tell your fortune by the stars. A for
tune for groat, young gentlcman!' she
continued, pcering up into my face and
frustrating my attempts to pass.
Hero is a great, ! answered peevish-
w. ssanf for the fortune I will hear it an