Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-01-27

GU tili convey IueSSupcS 10 Uer Dy
some fond way she's planned to get
her news Of me, chg"
81 can. Sir Robin"
"Sir, whoever you are, for PHYS sake
tell me where is shc!"
mot far, sir"
cad, sir, to touch her hand, her
check! You're in her sure confidence?
She does favor me? She will not give
me hopes, sir, to turn around and break
my heart by marrying of another?"
LADY Peggy III never marry any
man, Sir Robin, I'm of the opinion, SO
I'd not give that for your chancesw an
swers she
"Ihink you she ever cared for Sir
Percy?" asks he.
"Sir, who can fatbom woman's
heart? 'Tis deeper than the sea-so
deep, methinks, ofttimes she herself
holds not that plummet than can sound
1t. Sir Robin, take my leave of you"
"Hold, hold, sir; not so fast! Where
next may encounter you?"
''That must be as her ladyship says"
answers Peggy. "Your inns in PIN.
lico?"
Yes, the Pulled Hen; not far off
Battersca bridge"
Farewell, SIR and look you keep
close indoors and risk no quarrel with
Sir Percy dc Boliun."
Farewell, SIR watching her lady
ship turn down the street as he turns
up. "Gads life! Twas well he hap.
pened when he did and not earlier to
eavesdrop my bargain with the wharf
rats! 'Sdeath! Risk no quarrel with
Sir Percy! Not so long as there's
guineas left to buy corpses with"
And the little gentleman trots over to
Pimlico, tolcrably well pleased with
his evenings work, there, however, to
be greeted with the reading of more
newspapers, including that one which
had earlier in the day SO entertained
Beau Brummel and his familiars.
Not for a moment did the baronet
mistrust or have suspicion other than
that his fame had caused him to be
made the subject of such n pack of
pretty stories as was then the custom
vi tpC piN'S', iipN, iSSuidillis any
gentleman of position and gallantry.
Sir Robins vanity easily swallowed
the dose, and lie even slapped his thigh
and laughed his little dice-rattle laugh
as he reflected how safe he really was
with never challenge or n brawl to
his cowardly credit since he got his
first flogging at Elton.
T.,
spectivc wooing and assured winning of
Lady Peggy and felt Il calm satisfac-
ton in the knowledge that the one
rival he feared would so soon be be-
yond the reach of ladies' smiles or
tears. No qualms came to disturb his
genial enjoyment of purposed nssas-
sination. In those days to kill was
nearer mems tempers than it is today.
Twas with BLACKBOARD and man of
honor alike the first redress for even
the pettiest sort Of a dispute; with the
difference of method only that the gal
liant blade fought out his quarrel on
the open field, while the craven bought
a hireling's dagger to do it in the dark.
Meantime my lady, by as direct a
route rs she can fathom out of the laby-
rinth of her ignorance and her distract.
ed state of mind, makes back TO Peters
Court with her parcel of buds still un.
der her arm.
She enters, mounts the staircase
seeks her room, closes the door and
sits down.
Ills now not to be doubted" she
] saNs in herself ..but that devils
Mt the helm of my ship and that l am
to be a man for the rest of my life.
'Sdeath! as dad says. I'll stop over till
Sunday nights DER past, and as surely
as my names Peggy Burgoyne I'll foil
that little dastardly groat of a baro-
nets plot to murder him that l once
lloved. Bahy' cries she half aloud.
whats the use of mincing matters
that's true? Him that | love! Even If
he's dying for Lady Diana and going to
be her husband instead of mine! Con
sents." murmurs she, fiinging herself
on the bed in flood of tempestuous
tears.
In vain regretting she now too fully
realized that her own willful words,
her Jealousy, her falsehoods, her de-
ceits, were the sole causes for Sir
Robins terror and therefore for the
abominable scheme which he had lust
concocted.
Presently she arose, tossed the bun
die once more back into its hiding place
and set to pacing up and down the
floor as she'd seen her twin do at home
when he was looking high and low for
a rhyme.
Twas weightier matters kept Peg
moving for an hour or more, and, quick
spinning as We're her heart and temper,
her brain bore Il more even balance.
First she had thought 10 warn Percy
by n letter unsigned, the which she
knew he'd pitch into the fire and think
no more about. Then that she'd write
one to Kennaston imploring him to
keep Percy from the pier Sunday night
or any other. This she soon recognized
would have the fate of t'other. Then
twas to contrive some plan to fetch
him to Richmond, Windsor, any place
else for Sunday; but to this arose the
objection that the blackguards cheated
of one day or place would not fail to
wait upon their prey some other. AT
the last her ladyship's shrewd COM
mon sense and indomitable pluck plain
ly showed her there was but one safe
plan out OF the danger, and this must
be to so herself to the river Sunday
night and there concealed, armed
await the coming of the cutthroats
from their den, and from the rear put u
shot into each at one and the same mo-
ment.
Could she do it?
Her ladysliip had muscles of steel,
no nerves, as the fine ladies of her day
comprchended them; as brave and loyal
heart as ever beat in any breast, good
faith in God, for all her frowardness,
and that species of love burning within
her for Sir Percy de Bohun which has
not Il few times in the worlds history
made frailest woman into mans equal