Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-02
cpOYH,e4r sss sv cAssELpusLsANc RIGHTS nsseED
AurAoR OF THE. NAN IN BLACK,
N GENTLEMAN OF FfleNcE - ETC Ere.

AUIAOR OF, THE3NhNi II
N GENTLEMAN Of
COPYRIGHT 1886 svs cAssEtLPuBLi
SYNOPSIS.
Chap. I. Mary is queen of England.
Francis Cludde is living with his uncle,
Sir Anthony, and his Cousin Petronilla,
Sir Anthonys daughter. Gardiner. bis
hop of Winchester. pays visit to Sir
Anthony. and being a Catholic is dis
liked by Francis, who is at heart q
Protestant.
Chapter H.-Gardiner tells Francis
who his father is, that he is traitor
and informer, and offers to make the
young mans fortune If he Will enter
his service as a spy.
s Chapter nI-F'rancis asks for time
to reply and runs away, intending to
carve out his own future.
Chapter Iv.-He is overtnken by
Clarence. an agent of Gardeners,
against whom he incites the mob, by
telling them the man is a press gang
leader and escapes on Clarence's horse
and with his dispatches.
Chapter y.-Francis goes to an inn
at st. Adams, and showing the dis
patches is thought to be queens
courier.
CHAPTER vi
I waited to hear no more. lwas out of
bed and budding ON my clothes and
my feet into my boots like one
possessed. My heart was beating as fast
us IL had been running in rnce, nnd
my hands were shaking with the shock OF
tho alarm. The Impatient voice without
was Master Pritcharl's, and It rang with
all the venRoful passion which should
have expected that gentleman, duped,
ducked and robbed, to BIO feeling. There
would be littie mercy to be had at his
hands. Moreover, my cars, grown as keen
for tho moment rs the hunted, hare's dis
tinguishod the tramping OF at least half .
dozen horses, soFthat itjwas clear that he
had como with force at his back. Re-
sistance would be useless. Ny sole chance
lay in flight, II flight should still be possi-
BILE
Even in my hnsto I did not forsake the
italisman which had served me SO well,
but staid OF, Instant to thrust It into my
pocket The Guides have, fancy, a knack
of keeping cool In emergencies, getting
indeed tho cooler the greater the stress.
By this limo tho inn was thoroughly
aroused. Doors were opening and shut
ting on all sides. OF mo, and questions
were being shouted In dt ferent tones from
room to roon,. In the midst Of tho hub
hub heard the landlord come out, mutt
tering, and 90 down stnirs to open the
door. Instantly unattached mine, slipped
through it stealthily, sneaked q step or
two down the passage and then came
plump In the dirk against some ono who
was moving as softly as myself The
surprise was complete, and I should have
cried ont at the unexpected collision had
not tho unknown laid n cold hand on my
mouth and gently pushed mo back into
my room.
Here there was now faint glimmer OF
sdnwn. and by this l saw that my compa1-
Ion, was the serving maid. Hist she
said speaking under her breath. Is u
you they wnntf.
nodded.
Z g thought 70, she muttered. Then
you must got out through your window.
You cannot; pass them They are dozen
or more and armed. Quickl Knot this
about the. bars. 1t Isl no great depth to the
bottom, and the ground Is soft from the
rain. y
She tore as she spoke the coyerlet from
the bed, and twisting ID into kind OF
rope helped me, to secure one corner Of IL
about the window bar. When you. are
down, III she whispered, keep nlong the
walls to. the right until you como to a hoy
stack, Turn to the left there you will
have to ford tho water--and. you Will soon
be clean Of tho, town. Look about you
then, and you will see 3 horse track
which leads to Elstree, running In limo
with the London road, but q milo from IT
and through the woods At Elstree any
path to the left will take you to Baspet
and not two miles lost
Heaven bless. you'll" I said, turning
from tho gloom, tho dark sky and driving
scud Without 10, peer gratefully at her.
6 Heaven bless you for O. good womanl'
And God keep you for q bonny boyr'
she whispered.
kissed her, forcing into her hands-a
thing tho remembrance OF which Is very
pleasant to me to this day-my last piece
of gold.
A moment moro, and I stood unhurt
but almost up to my knees In mud, In an
alley bounded on both sides as far as
could see by blind walls. Stopping only
to indicate byn low whistle that 1 was
safe, I turned and sped away as fast as
could run In tho direction which she had
pointed out, There WINS no one abroad,
and in shorter time than had expected
found myself outside tho town, travel
ing over q kind Of moo9land tract bounded
III the distance by woods.
Here picked up the horse track easily
enough, and without stopping, save for a
short breathing space, hurried along 1t to
gnin the shelter of the trees. So far SO
good. had reason to be thankful But
my case was still an Indifferent ono More
than once in getting out Of tho town !
had slipped and fnlleu. Twas wet through
and plastered with dirt owing to. these
mishaps, and my clothes were In q woeful
plight. For time excitement kept me
up however, and made good way, warm
cd by the thought that hnd again baffled
the great bishop. 1t was only when the
day had come and grown on to noon, and
! saw no sign of any pursuers, that
thought got the upper hand.
Then began to compare, with some
bitterness Of feeling, my present condition
wet dirty and homeless-with that
which had enjoyed only week before,
and it needed all my courage to support
me. Skulking, half famished, between
Barnet and Tottenham, often compelled
to crouch In bitches or behind walls while
travellers went by. and liable each instant
to have to leave the highway and take to
my heels, had leisure to feel, and did
feel, more keenly, / think, that afternoon
than at any later time, the bitterness OF
fortune. I cursed Stephen Gardiner q
1loznr, tinea and flared not LEFT my thQu9hts