Morris tribune., 1904-12-03

| Wzn3EOu HIS way ~ 5ci LIS SCCECI dhs
get the troops on the track Of the mes
senger. He must be off at once ant
outride ,the traitor. Before De Courc.
had gone his three miles he woult
have Eraversed dozen, and from thel
on 1t would be race to the Scottish
border.
els my horse fed?
eyes, SIR"
AtGet ham out at once will arouse
the others"
He took three steps toward the inn
then stepped. as If shot, his hand clutch
ing his breast.
ABy heavens, he's got the thing it.
| self! Robbed, as I'm sinnerw
Now the disturbance in the night
stood out clear lin his memory, but he
wasted not a Ahought over it. In upon
the astonished hostler he swept
Never mind the saddle. fellow.
Spring up behind me and show me the
road to Broughtan. Up, say. The
horse can carry dozen like us. Here
are two gold pieces for you. Guidance
and a still tongue in your head are
, what I want
Armstrong grasped the two pistols
from the holsters. Aung the hesitating
hostler upon the animals back and
leaped up in front Of him.
(Which way, which way, which
way?"
straight down the street. sir" gasp
ed the terrified man, clasping the rider
round the waist. "Now to the right
sir, and next to the left. That's 1t,
sir. Up the hill. All, there's your man,
jogging on ahead, leisurely enough, If
it's him you seek"
Fright! Slip Off; can't stopw
De Courcy, riding easily, as the man
had said, wholly unsuspicious Of pur-
suit or any reason for it, had disap-
peared into q hollow when Bruce, like
a thundercloud, came over the crest
and charged down upon him with the
irresistible force Of a troop Of dra-
goons. The Frenchman, hearing too
late the rumble Of the hoofs, partly
turned his horse across the road, the
worst movement he could have made,
for Bruce, with war neigh, came
breast on, maddened with the delight
Of battle, and whirled opposing horse
and rider over and over like cart
wheel flung along the road from the
hand Of q smith.
De Courcy lay partly stunned at the
roadside, while his frightened steed
staggered to its feet, leaped the hedge,
with scream Of fear, and scampered
across the field to it's farthest ex-
tremity. Armstrong swung himself to
the ground with a quieting word to
Bruce, who stood still, painting and
watching every movement Of his mas
ter. A pistol in each hand, Armstrong
strobe over to his victim.
"You halter dog, traitor and scullion.
give me the kings commission
"Sir, you have killed me-" moaned De :
Courcy family. {
''You bribed thief, the rope is your
end. You'll take no scath through
honorable warfare. Disgorger' {
De Courcy, vaguely wondering how
the other knew he carried it, drew from
within his torn doublet the second COM
mission signed by the king and handed
1t up, with groan, to the conqueror.
AS it was an exact duplicate of the
one he had lost, even to the silken cord,
the honest Scot had not the slightest
doubt he had come by his own again,
and the prone man was equally con-
vinced that some one had betrayed to
Armstrong his secret mission, yet for
the life Of him could not guess how +
this were possible. The young man
placed the document where its pred
ecessor had been, then said to his
victim:
Had I rope and hangman with
me you would end your life on yohder
tree, When first learned your char
acter you were in some danger from
ny sword; moment since you stood
n jeopardy from my pistols. Beware
our third meeting, for if you cross my i
path again I will strangle you with
ny naked hands If need be-"
De Courcy made no reply. He real
zed that this was not time for con-
:roversy. A standing man. we'll armed
las manifest advantages over an en-
my bruised and on the ground, and
ONE thought Of this came to the mind
f the generous victor now that his
niger was cooling. &c. whistling to
lis horse. he sprang on his back and
ode to Banbury at slower pace than
le had traversed the same highway
ONE minutes before.
Rub down my horse we'll willie |
NJ at breakfast" said Armstrong to
he hostler. and. receiving every. as 4
urance that the beast should get ear
est, attention. he went to the inn and
here found Frances awaiting him.
"Ah. my girl. he cried. you have !
ot slept well. l can see that. at once.
his will not do. never do at all. But {
GU are certainly looking better this
corning than you did last night Is
hat not SOP
You are looking very WELL" she said. ]
voiding his question.