Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-15
Copyright, 1908. by Robert Barr)

land this very day for no other purpose"
You are out of employment perhaps,
and are looking for a re-engagement?"
Well general, If / was, you are the man
l should come to for recommendation. In
a manner of speaking, you are in the right.
have been riding hard this while back for
other folk, and now l have taken a bit OF
journey on my own account. You see my
case is = ="
Il will state the case,v interrupted Crom-
we'll menacingly. You stood here and lied
to me-
You sat there and did the same by me"
You stood here and lied to me. You
came as spy, mixing with affairs that did
not concern you.
Pardon me- general. I took service for
| my king, and you will be good enough to
remember that Charles is King of Scotland,
even If 1t pleases you to forget that he is
King of England, and that he will'b till he
dies. your king we'll as mime
HE is King of Oxford solely"
Very well. Let me tell you, you'll find
that same Oxford very hard nut to crack,
if you attempt to take it by assault.
went carefully round the fortified tons, and
would seek no better job then to hold it
against you and your whole army. There
would be many cropped head low before
you got mine in your clutches" and Will
liam passed his hand sympathetically over
his denuded crown, as had become Gus
tom with him. His questioner bent forward
with more of eagerneSS than he had hither-
to shown, all thought of the indictment he
was heaping up seeming to pass from his
mind.
Where is the weakest spot?" he said, as
one expert might seek counsel from another
who had personal experience of the subject.
THAT IS the beauty of it. There is no
weakest spot
rs there not? We shall never need to
take 1t by assault, but if that We're thought
best it might be attacked from the south -
Armstrong raised his eyes to the ceiling
and meditated for moment.
Il think you re right, he said, but 1t
would cost a wheen O men,"
Yes; better men than are within its
! walls and they shall not be sacrificed.
can wait, and the king cannot. You deliv-
cred the kings message to Traquair?'
Yes. That's what l came for
And you have the impudence to come
to me- thinking l will allow you to re-
turn?'
Say confidence, rather. / am very sure
you will allow me to return
Yes, confidence is the word, but with a
mixture of impotence WE'LL the malt
and the hops. 1t never crossed your mind
that it was a dungeon you were approach
ing?"
Il thought if you did anything it would
be hanging"
And why not?"
Because my death by rope would be just
the little flip that Scotland needs at the
present moment. You thraw my neck and
the Scots are at yours before / am fairly
happit in the ground"
You look upon yourself as important to
your countrymen, then?"
Il do nothing of the kind. Man. I won
der at both you and the king. Neither of
you understand the Scottish nature in the
least. If the king had any comprehension
he would have had the heather afire years
since A man may dawner about Scotland
all his life, hungry and athirst, cold and in
rags, getting fewer kckshaws than kicks
none paying heed or anything else to him.
but let him die the death of a martyr and
ms tired bones are more potent than ten
thousand live men. Ma sang I'd like to
see We hang me, There's poor Traouair #
his wits end for encouragement. through
dissension among the people and their
leaders. You hang me and you've done
the trick for him."
Cromwell leaned back in his chair. his
lids partially closed, but they could not
veil the look of admiration he cast upon
the man standing before him, who spoke
enthusiastically of his own execution, as
If it were rather a good joke on his op-
ponent For some moments the general
kept silence, then he said abruptly:
viii you take a commission in my
army?''
Il will not"
Il thought you were a fighter"
Il am. but l prefer to engage under
Traquair's banner If he raises it,
Against me?'
Just that"
And you think 1 will let you go?"
TN take my oath on it,
You are right. The way is clear to
Scotland, to Oxford or where you please.
What have you come to me for?'
For Frances Wentworth"
Il thought as much. In this I cannot
oblige you. With you l have nothing to
do. and you are at liberty. The wench of
WentworthS stands on dinerent footing
inasmuch as she has proved traitor to her
own. | shall do nothing to injure her but
she shall taste captivity until she confesses
her error.
She is no traitor, but did well the work
you set for her"
Il set no work for her. Twas given to
her brother. and his folly brought her into
the business"
You gave your consent at NORTHAMPTON
thus l say you set her to the task, and
well she performed it. If your men had
done your bidding as faithfully, 1 had
never crossed the Esk."
she connived at your escape from Lich-
field. and elsewhere
True, but she was a free woman then
having fulfilled her duty to you"
You are quibbling. She is a traitor. and
more honest than you, she admits it,
Il say she is true woman" cried Arm
strong, red anger flushing his brow The
hot border blood sprang into mastery for
the first time during their controversy
and he failed to note that Cromwell re-
manned cold as at the beginning and might
be negotiated with, if he had remembered
the commanders resolve to enlist the Scot
in his service. But before the general
could give out bargain the impetuosity
of the younger man left him only the
choice of killing the Scot where he stood
or apparently succumbing to him, a most
deal with one less schooled in the repres-
sion of his feelings than Cromwell The
ill-advised borderer dropped his hat silently
to the floor, flashed forth his sword and
presented It at his opponents throat
They tell me you wear concealed ar