Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-04


quarter. / plodge you honor1bIe treat
ment." And than I took his offered
sword IN token az surrender. Then n
strobe Major Hepworth-
Hal" he cried, YOU are the first
Captain Wycherleigh. Verify, l chose
we'll" And then he smiled . smooth
smile for which I could have torn his
crafty heart out.
Il thank you, Major Hepworth," |
made reply. They have surrendered.
Here is Lord Chillingford's sword"
With that I offered him the blade.
What is this?" he cried, stepping
back and refusing the sword. Sur
render? You forget, sir that l order
ed no quarter" And behind him the
Londoners took up the words No
quarteri" with a wild f~erocity that
set the and children to ream
ing with terror and made wen Lord
Chillingford's scornful face grow
white.
Il pray you, Major Hepworth," I
said, "countermand your order. Here
be women and children. Else it's MUIR
der"
For a space of a score of seconds
Major Hepworth hesitated, glazing to
right and left. He saw me setting
at naught with his order. He saw on
the proud, calm face of the woman he
had wooed and lost contempt and
loathing un~speakable. Then the devil
in him broke loose.
'Mutiny!" he cried. 'qWycheleigh,
you are under arrest. Drop your
sword and retire to the rear. London
ers, | give the prisoners into you hand
to work your will. To the attack"
"IrOnsides, stand fast!" shouted so
that my voice rose above all the hell
of sound that broke loose upon his
order. And like a living wall of steel
the First Troop OF Cromwen's Own
closed up behind me. Oh, but the
clang of their spurred heels on the
marble floor was a sound to hear and
thank the Lord of Hosts for! So we
faced each other for an instant while
that devil (Hepworth's face went livid
for rage and the Londoners strained
and surged behind him. A devil he
was and with the DEVILS own courage.
For, shouting the Charge, he came on,
sword in hand, and his men behind
him.
Midway l met him. His sword went
whirling half way across the great
hall. MY point stood at his throat.
Perchance the devil glaring out of his
eyes discovered a blacker devil in the
eyes that glared into his.
And Lord Chillingford and his, aye,
10 Tho ,,ao n oc4f cculliOn undar his roof
tree, went out of Grafton House Under
safe conduct.
/ sat in the ~guardhouse, waiting for
the dawn and death. Yet 4 was at
peace with fate. Even to die the death
OF a mutinetr had no sting. For l had
laid down my life to save the woman l
loved, and 7 thought of the morrow'S
dawa with a smile.
Cromwell was in London on pressing
business with the Parliament, and, in
his absence they had given me short
shrift The deadly miscnance of 1t!
For had he known he would ha Ee
saved me; that l felt in my heart.
A key turned in the door; the bolts
were pushed back. The door opened
and shut and a woman's figure stood
dark IN the feeble candle light No
need to ask who 1t was. j ros and
stood staring, 1 could not speak.
':Jonn Wycherleigh," she said, when
we walk in the valley of the shadow OF
death a maid may do that which at
another time she would not. So 1t
is that U have come to you unbidden.
If l ann not welcome l will give you
thanks for the gift of life at your
HANDS Inc get me gone So low and
SID was her vice that l scarce knew
it TO- hers, for Mistress Margaret Full
lcrton was a proud woman, holding
aioof, and not given to a show of feel
ing. she went on:
For 4 would not have you think,
John, that we were thankless or idle
in your behalf. First we sent word to
Cromwell. ] made a way to Lord
Willoughby. l told him all and l
asked for ycur pardon But the most
he would grant was this pass to the
g%uardhouse. And when Cromwell
came half an hour ago / went to
him
Hal" I cried. Cromwell here! And
what said he?"
Little" she answered sadly. He
heard me to the end, then questioned
me close. He sat silent a space and
then strobe out the door without a
word. John, he is a man Of iron-body
and soul and mind of iron-I under
stand him not"
So this was the end-no word of hope
from my colonel!
Margaret" l said, and l knelt down
at her feet, "dost thou know what I
was saying in my heart when you came
in? Twas this: Though she lie in
some other mans arms she can never
forget There was silence between us
for a space and then her little hand
drew me to my feet and | took her in
my arms.
"Jack," she said. ION m knees I
begged of Lord Willoughby the life of
the man I loved. If not you, then none
shall-Hark. What is that?"
Of a sudden the ground shook with
the tread of a horse and the air was
full of the clink and rattle of stirrup
and sword. Then came the stiffness
again.
| dragged the oaken bench to the
window and together we stared out
Into the darkness. Round the guard
house was ranged company upon COM
~ ~--