Morris tribune., 1904-12-24


out ON q table before him.
Eyer lordship, there's soldier in the
uniform of the English rebels at til
gates wha says he's freen O. Crom.
niles and begs word wi ye."
"Ahw said the earl, frowning
'"They've caught poor Armstrong, then
and now. in addition to our troubles
We'll need to bargain with that fiend
Noll to save his neck. Everything Is
against u.s."
"He may be an Englisher, but he's
got a Scotch accent as broad as tn
Tweed"
Hes one Of our countrymen fighting
for Crom we'll. and therefore thought by
that shrewd villain the better emissary.
Bring him in"
When William and the warder came
In together, a moment or two passed
before the earl recognized his visitor.
Then he sprang forward and held out
both his hands.
"In heavens name, Armstrong, is
this your he cried. what have they
done to you? Save us all! Who has
accoutered you like this?"
1.-THE necessities Of the chase, Ira
qI;,ir. This is disguise, and, al
though you saw through it, I'm happy
to think deluded Jock Tamson
there" .-
"Lostw cried Tamson, peering for
ward "Ye'll never threep doom ma
throat that this is Wull Armstrong"
'Sir William, if you please, Tam
son." corrected the new knight ''The
title was bestowed upon me by his
majesty himself, and I shall expect
that Difference from the lower orders,
Tamson, which the designation calls
for. Is the castle tailor out of work
Traquair?'
"My whole wardrobe is at your dis
posal, WILL
Nothing in it would fit me. and l
am a thought particular about new
dress, as have lost all self respect in
this one. l may borrow a hat from
you, If you have one Of the latest
fashion, with a fine feather on it.
Still, it isn't buds, but food, that is
the first necessity. I've had nothing
all day but a hurried drink out of the
Eden.'
''They're preparing supper for you
now, and I'll bear you company when
it's ready. I'm eager to hear what
befell. So the king knighted you.
Deed, he might have gone farther than
that and made you a marquis or
duke at the same COST
''Oh, he offered me anything in his
gift If 1 brought the commission safe
~ through to you-a promise that I'm
thinking I'll never trouble him to re-
deem. Nevertheless here's the pack
ct. little damp, but none the worse
for that"
He placed the cause Of all the trou-
lie on the table, and Traquair turned
it over and over in his hands. with no
great delight in it's possession, as the
messenger thought. The earl sighed
as he opened it at last and slowly |
perused it's contents in silence, laying |
it on / the table again when he had |
finished
you're a wonderful man, William"
he said. eff every one in Scotland did
his duty as thoroughly as you do it, we
would soon place the king on his throne
again."
"Is there more trouble brewing?'
"More trouble and the old trouble
and the new trouble. Every one pull
ing his own way and in all directions,
thinking only of himself and never by
~
whole.;'
MAY l tell Cromwell that? He
seemed at some pains to intercept bill.
let that you receive but lightly"
"TeH. Cromwell! You're never going
to write to that scoundrelw
81 intend to see him before the week
as past"
what! You're not such a fool as to
put yourself in Cromwelrs clutch
again?s
"CromWell's not such fool as to
hang me. If he did, it would but unite
your wavering hosts like an invasion
of Scotland"
"Have you actually seen him?" f.
II met him the first day l crossed
the border. I saw him once again, and
1 Travelled over most of England on a
pass from his own hand. Cromwell and
I have mutual respect for each other
by this time, but there are some mat
ters Of difference between us that I ! .
think will best be settled by word Of
mouth, so Pm off day after tomorrow
DO foregather with him. cannot go ,
sooner because my new gear will not .
be ready, and want to give the gen. :
eral time to withdraw his troops from .
across the country so that may come
On him in other fettle than as a pris-
oner"
''Who is the woman, Will? I knew :
you would go clean daft when you met .
her." -
''Never you mind. AS the border is
land Of mobility and romance, we will
all her an earls daughter to please
,ou." G
''More like some peasant girl who as n
listed you to escape from your enc