Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-10-08
CHAPTER x.
wv YULL," cried Traquair. "We
NV have been talking Of you,
wv my man, and we have some
emnlnNmant for Won if Won
CHAPTER x.

are ready for it."
"Wel, my lord, there's no lack o
that in these kittle times, for fight
ing man gets civility and a welcome
whether in England or Scotland, which
ever side he takes"
81 hope you are for law and tn,
king against riot and rebels?'
''Ye see. Traquair, I'm not just fac
ton man, but am standing clear. tt
give both sides fair play"
''The crisis is this, William" sale
Traquair. There are papers that W.
must get through to King Charles al
Oxford. Then, what is much more i'm
portant, we must get his signed war
rant back to us before we can act tt
any real purpose in this ploy. The
sictorious rebels pretend that they are
fighting for certain so called liberties
but we have reason to know that their
designs run much deeper, that they
aim at nothing less than the dethrOne-
ment and possible murder of the king.
l. is necessary to get proof Of this to
the king and to obtain his sanction to
certain action on our part, for if we
move without his written commission
and our plans fail we are like to get
short shrift from Cromwell, who will
deny us the right Of belligerents.
Whether the king believes this or not,
the documents we wish to send him
are less to the purpose than that you
should bring back to us his commits
sion, so you will know that your home
coming is much more vital to us than
your outgoing"
Il see. Still, if they kill me on the
road there, it is not likely l will win
my way back, so both journeys are
aequally vital to me-"
'You will be travelling through a hos
tile country, but nevertheless will find
many to favor you, for though the land
Is under tie iron hand of Cromwell he
Is far from pleasing all the people, al
: though they may make a quiet mouth
save a doubling head. Brave as you
are, Will, it is on the smooth tongue
rather than on the sharp sword that
you must depend, for, however many
silent friends we may have along the
route, there are too many outspoken
tenemies for even you to fight your way
E4hrough. Have you good horse?"
1.-The best in the world"
1.-THE pick of my stables is at your
choice Had you not better take a
spare animal with you?
mo. That would be advertising the
importance of my journey. If 1 can
get through at all, it must be by dawn
ering along as cannie drover body
anxious to buy UP cattle and turn an
honest penny by selling them to those
who want them worse than l do, a per-
t2ectly legitimate trade even during
these exciting times. They all know
Gthe desire Of humble Scotsman to
make little money, though the heav-
ems and kings be falling"
''That's an admirable idea. and you
know the country wellY
"No one better Indeed I'll trade nv
way to the very gates Of Oxford if
time is not too great an object with
you"
''Tfme is an object, Armstrong. but
you will have to do the best you can,
and we shall await your return with
what patience we may. You will tao
kle the job then?'
Its just the kind of job like. Can
you allow me three weeks or month";
<''1f you're back inside of a month,
sWlll, you'll have done what I believe
no other man in all Scotland could Go,
well, that's settled, then" $50 sssss'?s~
, The earl vas Interrupted by roar
from the sentinel outside. which caused
every man in the room to start to his
feet: but before they could move An
gus came bursting In: 2sssss'a'S
Somebody dropped from the hole on
the loft above the stables an wuz aft
aa til wood afore could stop him." i
ITO horser' cried Traquair. Mount
and let's after himv' !
cts useless, my lord" said Arm
strong quietly. the only unexcited man
I'm the group. aye might as we'll look
for some particular flea in all the hie-
aan's. He'll have horse tied to tree.
and thousand cavalry couldn't catch
him if he knows the wilds hereabout."
"Where's the landlord?" Traquair
asked. angus. bring him in here" il
The sentinel left the room and speed
lily reappeared with a covering man,
as panic stricken as any of
his guests.
"Have there been some stragglers
about today?" demanded Traquair.
"'Not soul. my lord. on my oath, not
D soul"
''Is there connection between the
room above and the loft over the I
gtable?"
mo possibility Of it. my lord"
"What did l tell your said Hender-
ION, plucking up courage again. This
turmoil is utterly without foundation"
"Dash it," cried Armstrong, with a
gesture Of Impotence ''Will you take
mans word for thing you can prove
a a moment? Get ladder, Angus,
md speel up through the hole the spy
|ane out at, Take q torch, an II We