The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-31

Il
/ ing open eyes of a blind man. The house
seemed high and somber. with no sign OF
| light within. The sentinel beat against
1 the door, and it was opened at once. Muf-
fled as had been the knocking on the oak,
1t aWoke the alert general, for when Fran
ces had dismounted and followed her guide
| into the ample hall, Cromwell stood at
| the head Of the stair, a candle in his hand.
4 Less mindful of his comfort than Arm
strong, he had evidently slept in his boots,
and as Frances looked UP at him. his :
strong face seemed older than when she
last saw him. altho but few days had
4 passed. The swaying flame of the candle,
shadows come and go on his rugged fea-
lures and emphasized the deep burrows
4 in his face. His hair was towsled, and he
had the upkempt appearance Of man I:
who had slept in his clothes. But his eyes .
burned down upon her, as If their fire had
never been extinguished even for a mo-
ment.
"Come up" he commanded, and as she
well 'e 1' = 80 i'i'z''s'A'is'
There is the kings commission" she
said quietly, presenting the document to
) him. He took it without a word, turned
and entered the room; she followed him.
He placed the candle a table, did not
: take the time to unite the silken cord
that bound the royal communication, but
, ripped it asunder and spread open the
crinklng parchment, holding it up to the
L light He read it thru to the end then
cast it contemptuously on the table, NUT
} tering;
f '.Charles Rex. A wreck you have made
t Of life and opportunity and country" Then
to the girl: ''Wench, you have done WELL
! THE pardon for my brother, sir, if it
: please you."
'It is ready, and the commission as
E captain also. You see trusted you.''
+ $50 did another, and thru his faith he
s now lies undone in Banbury.'
3 ''You have not killed hin? cried Crom-
S well sharply, looking with something al
e most like alarm at the uncanny apparition.
v All beauty had deserted her, and her face
: seemed pinched and small, white as the
parchment ON the table, and rendered
d earthly in its hue by the mass Of cavern
Il black hair that surrounded it.
!. ''Killed him, no. But have killed his
y faith in woman, cozened him, lied to him,
robbed him, to buy from you, with the
e name OF your Maker on your lips a, life
d that you snow was not forfeited, but
which you had the power to Destroy
\ "Ah, yes, yes, yes. I remember your
IN tongue of old, but it may wag harmless
" now for all of me. His life WAS for
tie feited; aye, and this Scots as WELL But
matter now
ID He threw before her the pardon for her
s. brother and his commission as captain.
then strobe out of the room to the head
20 of the stair again, and she heard his
II str !4qu6uan voice:
'.Here, Excellency.''
"Ride at once to the commandant at
~ Banbury. Tell him the Scot goes free.
1t Tell him to send word north and see that
re he is not rnolested, but should he turn
in his tracks and attempt to reach Ok
ford again, hold him and send word to
me-
j. Eyes, Excellency"
lgI "Send up stoup of wine-'
le He waited at the stair-head until the
wine was brought, then took it into the
IS room and placed it on the table beside her.
I'll Drink he said.
e. ST cannot" she cried. -
lg Drink drink he shouted in a voice
c. so harsh that it made her tremble. She
g lifted the fagon to her lips, and barely
Drink" he roared, bringing his
clenched fist down on the oaken table
- with a force that made the very room
= culver. The word had all the brutal
coarseness of an oath, and it beat down
her weak resolution as the storm levels
the sapling. She drank deep, then let the
/ fagon drop, raised hands to face and
burst into a helpless wall Of weeping.
Cromwelrs face softened, now that he was
obeyed, and he looked at the passion
swayed human flower with the air of a
puzzled man. Then the huge hand patted
her heaving shoulders with some attempt
at gentleness.
'"There, there" he said, in tones not
unkindly, edo not distress yourself You
are a brave wench, and the wine will do
you good, tho you take 1t as it were a
st chemists draught meant no harsh
. ness toward you; indeed, you remind me
he of my own daughter, who thinks her
ne father criminal and will shout for this
lis foolish king in my very ears. Aye, and is
k as ready with the tears as any one of you,
to the beWilderment of straight-going
r. folk. have a young daughter who is
W. your namesake, and / love her well. You
n ! will rest here in Broughton.1 5<5-S@%
ot mo- no. sobbed the girl. II must at
once to Banbury. Give me, beg of you,
ed q pass for my servant to the county of
Durham. I would send him on to my
ell brother without delay, 50 that your re,
~ But you? You do not purpose traV-
cling further with this Scott"
81 have done the crime; I must not
shirk the punshm ent:
Tut. tut, that is woman's talk. There
is no punishment. He dare not place a
a hand on you. You may have an escort OF
it'll twenty men, who will see you safe for all
ST. the Scots that ever deprecated their
Sc. The girl dolefully shook her head.
his my punishment. will take the shape OF
ed no harshness from him. It will come to
me when I see his face, knowing me a
If thief in the night. This punishment Is
with now and will be with me al
>" ways. IT, 60
+ho 'Woman, I do not like your bearing
We touching what you have DONE You die
Two your duty by your country, God aiding
49, YOU. Neither do I like your attitude
NV, towards this medder in affairs of state
,u, What is your relationship to himr
81, Merely that Of q the highwaymar
. of towards his victim"
,od Sharp words again; hollow sounding
. OF brass, and the tinkling Of cymbals. / asl
~ YOU if there has been any foolish tall
tha between your
'If 'twere so, tits not an affair of state
;a and shall follow the example of Genera
yad Cromwell and allow no meddlers In IT.
t1o A wry smile came to the lips OF ne
~, ~, ouestioner, and he remarked dryly:
- told you the wine would do you good
o,' He sat down by the table and wrot
49, the pass for John, the servant, tying tn
Iat three papers together with the dlscarde'
10 +Io silk cord that had wrapped the parch
- | ment of the king. Giving her the pack
~ age, he accompanied her to the head Q
- the stair, and stood there while she de
w seconded. He did not offer her his hand
~ nor say any word of farewell. The
e anu needed now no candle, for the early day
~ light was coming thru the broad easter
81 window. Half way down the stair sh
hel =. turned and looked up at him. =
; % e 'The innkeeper at Banbury did every
!, 20 20 thing that was possible for a man to d
- ~ n aiding me-
!, Cromwell made no comment on thi
, VI ~i,oo nf i,,fo tinp IA fhoro q