The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-09-13
CHAPTER XVI.
HTo+T-iunouu

u
a night. and a day and night, re-
juVeuated the tired man and his horse.
Clothed and i'm his right mind ne was
once more the gallant borderer, ready
20 face whatever fortune had in store
for him. on this occasion. so Traquair
said, more superbly attiTed than ever
had been the case before, but Arm
strong held that this was merely in
terested praise of the Castle tailor.
Traquair endeavored to persuade him
not to trust himself again on English
SOIL but his advice was unheeded, as
rs usually the fate of unasked counsel
TraQuair wished him TO take a body
guard of a score or more, but Arm
strong pointed out that unless he had
an army at his back able to defeat
CrOmWeITs forces. all other assistance
was useless. He risked everything
upon his belief in CrOmwelIs common
sense. and from this position nothing
TraQuair could say would turn him.
The earl rode with him as far as the
Esk and there bade him EOOd luck and
godspeed.
When Armstrong had gone once over
a road. he needed no other guide than
his own memory and instinct of direc-
ton He made directly for the farm
stealing where first he had been ar
rested. and found it deserted; then he
had conducted him. expecting to reach
Corbiton manor before darkness set in.
This plan was frustrated by the fact
that he had allowed too sCant time for
the Gordon across the country to be
Withdrawn Cromwell was. indeed.
calling i'm him men. and massing them
az Carlisle. Newcastle and HeXham,
which latter town Armstrong; own
ancestors had frequently pillaged. He
.
Wayfarers. and was on the alert not
Co fan within the scope of any march
ing company. There was evidently no
secret about CrOmwelIs intentions and
the Scot surmised that the general
wished his plans TO be we'll spread over
the land. and thus OVcrawe the north
aruerS i'm any hostile projects they
might think of undertaking, showing
his readiness to crush them If they
ventured to set foot arcOss the Dor
der
About midday Armstrong caught
sight of the first large body of men,
and he was compelled to hide for sew
oral hours i'm a depression on the moor.
until they aud the danger was past.
This delay retarded his arrival at
Corbiton manor until after niShtfalI,
when the fun moon shoue uDon the
ancient mansion. i'm place of the silver
crescent which hung I'm the western
sky when last ne visited the place.
IT seemed incredible that the space Of
time could have been So short. for the
events of "a life were crowded I'm the
interval. AS he approached the an
@ient house the challenge of a sentinel
brought him to stand and called
from the haH several officers.
rs Cromwell here?" asked the new
conner.
This is the headquarters of his ex-
Cellency General Cromwell" said one
Of the officers. with some severity i'm
his tone. "a rebuke TO the questioner's
Off-hand method of designation
That's the man I mean" replied
Armstrong. 81 never heard there were
two of The name or the kind. Well
tell him that William Armstrong. who
carried the commission from the king
To- Scotland. is here. and requires n
private conference with him.
The strong moonlight was shining on
the hack Of the horSemsn and i'm the
faces Of the officers. The latter did not
obey the injunction laid upon them
but their leader gave, instead. a brief
command, and in a moment two dozen
pikemen surrounded the rider. who
laughed heartily and said:
My lads. YOU are too late. YOU
should have done that trick several
days since. oliver viii give YOU NJ
thanks for it now. Go i'm and tell him
7 am here and send someone to take
charge Of my horse while I talk with
BIN
The chief officer hesitated for mo-
ment then turned and disappeared
within the mansion. while Armstrong
dismOunted and gave 20 the soldier who
took his horse minute instructions
touching the treatment of the animal
You are all good horsemen." said
the visitor. 80 his most. genial accents.
"and win doubtless respect Bruce here.
whatever you think of his master. for
this is the charger that louped over the
Darapet OF Carlisle bridge. and. after
that. beat the best You had i'm your
cavalry in a race FOR the Border IL
your chief should come TO a disagree
ment with me. take care Of the horse,
nj least. for you haven't another like
him."
The horse was led away. paipably
admired by all the men. for some Of
them stroled and pattcd his Hank
speaking sOothingly to him. William
stood with his hands in his pockets
the center Of a ring OF armed men,
his gay dress I'm striking contrast "a
the more sober unifOrrI Of his guards
Cromwell was taking his time making