The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-06
Ouer the Border
4
Il Stirring Story efthe English Parliamentary Wyay
the English Parliamentary War
copyrighted. 1908. by Robert Barr.1
CHAPTER xIII-contInued.
By ROBERT BARR

Is
CHAPTER xiiI-contInued.
Expedience.
However, less risk lay in succoring
steel cap than feathered hat, SO the mo-
ment the dripping horseman showed In the
door, the old woman rose and began to
set out meal of dark bread and swine's
flesh, boiled and cold.
"Ah, here you are at last, cried the
girl. II was beginning to fear should
have to go back to the camp for you. DID
you find my token?"
Yes"
Give it to me-"
mot SO. Findings are keepings. You
cannot prove your right to the property"
Alas, honest travellers are few, as
these good people seem to think Throw
off your cloak Here Is a wooden hook by
the fire that have kept for it. Draw up
your stool and eat. was so hungry that
didn't wait for you. You see what 1T Is
to possess good conscience once more.
i possess good appetite, anyway
Then sit down, and / shall be your
waiting maid"
What news have your
Hush! Great news. for / am the very
princess Of scouts. One thing at time.
however and the one thing now is this
black bread, which is like the old woman
here, better than it looks. We can get
nothing for our horses at this place, so
in spite Of the RAIN "
When he had finished his meal and
stood again with her before the fire, she
whispered to him:
"You must not pay these people too law
1shly. They are somewhat near the camp,
and, altho they do not seem over-talka-
tive 1t is better to run no risks. Bargain
with them; be a very Jew in computa-
ton ''' ..-
'I'll do better than that. I'll be a very
Scot and so save money"
Once on the road again she gave him
her budget of news.
You are a hero, William Armstrong
England is ringing with your exploits
and never dreamed with what Valorous
knight Of old travelled. It seems you
stormed Warwick Castle and took 1t. You
passed unseen thru cordons Of troops, and
| it Is suspected you have dealings with the
| devil, who travels beside you in the guise
| of female, as is right and proper, and
| who appears and disappears at her will.
Single-handed you scattered two armies
at Lichf1eld-"
"Oh, give the devil her duel
with her aid, of course; that Is always
| understood. You attacked Lichfield cath
| edral and captured 1t, and there is much
disapproval among the peasantry that
Cromwell had formerly dismantled 1t, FOR
| they think that If this had not been done
| the holy belongings Of the place would
| have baffled you. The cathedral now reeks
of sulphur. and you escaped in whirl Of
flame, amidst a storm of bullets.
| They know that nothing will prevail
against you but a silver pellet, and even
| that must be we'll aimed. So I am not
| sure but have been mistaken In disguis-
| Ing you, for If any cavalier shows himself
in the north the inhabitants are like to
take him for Satan and fly from him."
Then they are good Christians, for they
fN c5cft Io1yl \ H. a.
| from them. You think, then, that my
fiendish character will protect me?''
Not so, but you have nothing to fear
| between here and Carlisle. I thought you
said De Courcy had been killed."
He went down. and supposed him
shot, but was in too much of hurry to
| inquire" > b. ~.>-i ss:}
| night. and they are now between us and
| Carlisle" m :. y ST. r
| He has as many lives as a cat II
that Is the case, why do you say the road
| to Carlisle Is clear?"
Because from Carlisle to Newcastle
right across England, the Gordon is to be
stretched, and from Carlisle west to the
coast. Before we can reach there, a line
Of men, almost within touching distance
OF each other, will extend from sea to sea
and all traffic north will be stopped. A
thousand pounds is on your head, and
Cromwell thinks to stop you, not with sill
yer, but with gold. The general himself
is on his way north to see that you are
trapped, or to be ready for any outbreak
Of the Scots, should you win thru
! Il fear I have been unable to convinc,
Oliver that I am the devil, since he take.
such excellent human means of frustratins
me. A thousand pounds! And yet 70,
held that first day I was Of slight value!'
Il have confessed my error since. Tn,
camp visited Is breaking up to-day, ant
moving on to Carlisle. Twenty-thre
thousand men, was told. but being mostl,
foot, there is no chance Of their over
t taking u.s.
''Well, the north looks black with NOR
: than rain. tho goodnes knows there /
enough Of that. I wish were In Glas
cow"
What do you propose to do?'
i You are the planrnaker of this foray
What do you propose to do; or have 70,
thought Of that YETI"
y Il have not only thought of it. but hav
T received instructions on it. I have hear
d the officers discuss what should be done
: but | want to hear your conclusion
first" ..
9 Very well. The line runs from tn
i west coast to Newcastle. At Newcastle
= am more than forty miles from Scotlan
: at the nearest point, while at Carlisle ar
d less than ten. Every step east go I ar
u placing myself more and more at q, disad
vantage, yet I might go east simply be
cause Of this, and because they know tina
know that they know 1 am on the roa
to Carlisle. Having fallen into one am
bush, they will imagine me on the con
o slant outlook for another Going free fc
I so long, they might even count on my in
: creasing ycarelessness. but shrewd. me
> would not lippen to that. Knowing Al
;: single handed and can make no stand, the
II will expect me to creep thru at nigh
either east or west, Of Carlisle, and 6
near as may be to that place. Trusting
80 the short distance and the feetness of m
- horse In a race for the Scottish border
am htllsman, accustomed to threadir
my way thru a wild country, with a kee
- eye for an enemy. I have avoided g
the big towns-Bir1ningham Manchest
and the like-so they will not expect N
to risk either Newcastle or Carlisle. Nigl
will be the time when they are great
on the alert, especially If this storm col
tinues Very well again. Who am T.
questioned? am trooper Of Cromwell
own horse Sent north from Warwick. ha,
ing seen this escaped devil of Scot, al
therefore the more likely to Identify hir
I have become detached from my con
! IN ctor r xY,11I "a