Evening star., 1903-07-25
Your name is Armstrong. perhapsf'
''The pass does not say So
''Dn Hnu DENY IL p,

no no you deny III!
you are prisoners Where is the buglerf'
Here SIR
Sound the recall"
The man placed the bugle to his lips and
the merry notes rang out into the obScuri-
ty. All remained silent, then like an echo
from east and west almost in unison. came
a similar call; and family in the further
increase mysteriously, as If pikemen were
being distilled out of the fog, and after a
roll call. every name being answered, the
lieutenant gave the word to march. and
horse and foot set out for the west, the
two prisoners in the center of the phalanx.
The head of Frances dropped and VIII rode
close by her side as cheerful as ever. trying
to comfort her. Clever man. that Crom
we'll" he whispered with admiration in his
tones. You see what he has done? He
has run thin lines across the country S"
fast as horses could gallop, stringing out
local men as they went along. We have
probably bundered through one or two of
these lines, but We're bound to be caught
sooner or later, unless made for the
coast on either side and that would have
delayed things a bit, for there was little
chance of us getting ship with all ports In
his hands. 1t serves me right. l should
have killed De Courcy and then galloped
for it. However, the Lord stands by US,
Frances; never forget that
1T doesn't look much like it, said the
girl despondently.
'Oh, well, nothing looks like itself in this
accursed fog. Why couldn't we have had
this mist on the road from York? Still. l
don't think it would have made much DIFF
ference. once Cromwells riders got to the
north of us. Resourceful man. Oliver. l
like him
And l don't. Yet you are supposed to be
against him, and / am supposed to be for
him. fear him; l fear him.
'Oh. there's no danger, not the slightest
for either of us. You have done your task
and have done it well. 1 am the blunderer
But / stand on my status a Scot, and
will argue the matter out with him. The
man tumbled into the ditch was the king s
chamberlain and not parlamentarian, and
a foreigner at that. The document l am
supposed to carry was not-given to me by
the king, but taken by force from minion
of the king and FrenChman. l have as
saulted no Englishman. and Cromwell knew
| was travelling on this pass. He cannot
deny that he wrote 1t, and for exactly II e
purpose it has served. Oh. l shall have a
beautiful legal argument with Old Nol, and
will upset him with his own law. I'm in
no danger: neither are you"
Il trust it will appear So
1T cannot appear otherwise. He was
trying to frighten you when he said h.
would hang me. He is sly, capable dog,
who will he satisfied with having beaten
me. and will not court trouble with my
countrymen by hanging even a borderer. It
cost one of our kings his throne to do the
like of that"
This conversation. with which there was
WAS brought to conclusion by their arrival
at the main road. Here ii halt was called
and the bugle was sounded again to bc
answered. as before, from different dlrec-
tOnS
''DiSmount" said the officer to Arm
strong. whereupon the latter, without Il
word, sprang to the ground. Against the
neXt move he protested. but his opposition
WAS uuaVailing. and. indeed, unrcplied to.
The officer gave the lady and the two
hcrSes in charge of a party of SIX, with
orders to take them to LiChticld and install
them in the cathedral. y guard was to be
set at the door and no communication WAS
to be allowed with any one outside. Orders
from headquarters Were to the effect that
the lady WAS to he treated with every
difference. and these orders were impressed
upon the six men. The detached squad dis
appeared down the road in the fog and
Armstrong stood disconsolate and angry,
but helpless. surrounded by troopers.
The monotony of waiting was relieved by
the frequent arrivals of companies from
the east and from the west, who did not
stay at the cross roads, however. but
marched south toward Sutton Coldfield and
Birmingham. Thus the little company
standing at arms WAS continually augment
ed and continually reduced to its original
size. 1t was waiting for some one higher
in command than the mild lieutenant, and
nearly two hours passed before this man
set in authority arrived. Armstrong heard
the training of the horses to the south, and
presently the sound of voices became quite
audible through the fog. There seemed II
be dispute going forward. which was
something unusual in the parliamentary
forces where, If discipline seemed lax, III
stant obedience was invariably required.
4 tell you, colonel | am to take charge
of the lady and escort her to CROMWELL"
Il have no orders to that effect
Il have come direct from Cromwell, and
these We're his orders
Il do not take orders from you. / hold
written instructions relating both to the
a hoe hal
carry out
You will be wise to hang the man on
the nearest tree and take his papers to
Cromwell
To this there was no reply, and Arm
strong now knew that De cnurcy had not
been so badly hurt as he had pretended.
for he had taken a long ride to the north
since then. The prisoner recognized his voice
long before his cavalier costume emerged
from the mist. De CourcE had not changed
his apparel, and it formed It strange con
u"st to the parlamentaran uniform. as
indeed did Armstrong's own dress.
"Ah. my young friend" cried De COurcy,
the moment he recognized the prisoner.
Won had your laugh in the morning and
l have mine in the evening.
There is a time for everything" re
Piled Armstrong iniiffcrentIy, land my
time for laughing is III the morning. 1t
was brighter then"
Yes. it looks rather dark for you at
the moment. and you seem less merry than
when ! met You earlier
90, there We're more funny things hap
pcning then. that's all How $ your horse?'
I'VE are neither of us the worse for our
encounter. Don't you wish you could say
the same for yoursclf?'
Yes, | do, and thank You for your sym
pathy."
Have you sent the woman to Lichfield?"
asked the officcr-in-chief of his subordin-
ate
Yes. colonel; some two hours ago"
VERY we'll We will relieve you of your
prisoner. Take your men to birmingham.
is there any truth in the royalist rising
there, cOlUnel?"
''None in the least. Have you heard
anything"
Nothing but a rumor that there was an
outbreak of some sort. | heard that a de
tachmcnt from Iichtcd was to leave for
Birmingham. We will turn it back if we
meet it. Good night"
At the word the lieutenant and his men
marched off to the south. and Armstrong
was taken in charge by the squadron of
horse a trooper was dismounted and his
Steed given to Armstrong. of whom no
questions were asked. as he had expected
They seemed very sure of their man. The
cavalry set off to the north. and De COurcy
rode close beside his enemy. taking "A de
light in taunting him. To this enforced
companionship the Scot objected and made
appeal to the colonel
Sir. am | your prisoner. or do belong
to this renegade kings man? Who is in au-
t..t-. ON 10 ,1,