Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-12-21

"The lady is my WIFE" he said bold
ly, then added in whisper heard only
by herself, chat is to be-
CHAPTER XXI.
|"HE one on foot and the two OH
horseback entered the fortress
E which had hitherto proved inn
pregnable and traverscd its
streets until they came to the Crown
inn. Oxford was no longer the home of
learning for any art save that of war.
A few students still strolled its thor
oughfares, but the military man was
everywhere. The colleges had been
turned into barracks and arsenals; the
king himself lived in Christchurch,
over the towers of which 1oated the
royal standard, now almost the only
red spot in all England.
AS the party came to halt the Off
Ger turned to Armstrong. ga propitious
meeting" he said. Here comes the
| lord great chamberlain himself"
Armstrong noted the approach Of
man with countenance SO remarkable
that it might have been taken as typ
ical of war. From brow to chin was
drawn a long red scar, while another
ran transversely across the forehead
just over the eyes, so that there famed
from his face an angry cross that gave
most sinister expression to visage
which, lacking these time healed
wounds, ,l.uld have been handsome
The chamberlain stopped abruptly in
his advance, his gaze riveted upon the
girl, and there came into his eyes n
| look of such malignity that Armstrong
instantly turned his glance upon his
travelling companion.
The girls checks had gone deathly
white, and she swayed blindly in her
saddle, perilously near to falling. The
young man sprang from his horse and
caught her just in time. Bitterly he
blamed himself for this unexpected
collapse, cursing his persistence on the
road when he had plainly seen that
some strong emotion tormented her.
This mental perturbation, combined
with the physical strain she had under
gone during their long journey, fully
accounted for the prostration of the
moment at the end.
"My poor lass" he said regretfully,
II am to blame. l am thoughtless,
selfish hound to have SO sorely troubled
you with my insistence."
at is not that" she whispered faint
ly, leaning heavily on him with the pa
thetic helplessncss of tired child, a
dependence which sent a thrill of pity
and loye for her tingling to his finger
ends. Take me in; take me in quickly.
am ILL.,"
Now the lord great chamberlain, all
smiles and courtesy, stepped forward
and said with authority to the inn
keeper:
THE chief rooms in the house for the
lady. Turn out whoever occupies them,
whatever their quality"
The landlord called his wife, and
Frances was given into her care.
The officer introduced the traveller to
the high official:
"My lord chamberlain, this gentle
man says he has come from the Scot
fish mobiles with message for his
majesty. Sir, NJ. de Courcy, lord great
chamberlain to the king"
Frenchman and Scot bowed to each
other, the grace of the gesture being
almost entirely in favor Of the former
despite his marred face.
"Sir," said Armstrong to the officer,
II thank you for your guidance, and
you, my lord" to De Courcy, "for your
kind and prompt command with re-
spect to the lady. She has had long
and firing journey through a danger
Gus country, under continual fear of
arrest, and SO it is not to be wondered
that woman should succumb to the
strain at the last"
1.-THE officer who has left us did not
give me your name, SIR" said De
Courcy.
II am William Armstrong, somewhat
known on the border, Scottish gen.
tleman and loyal subject Of his maj
esty the king"
''Then you are very welcome in Ok
ford, and l am sure his majesty wishes
| there We're more like you in the en-
virons thereof and the regions beyond.
1t is now too late to see the king today,
and probably you are not loath to meet
a nights rest after hard days riding
will arrange conference for you
with his majesty Us soon as possible"
'Thank you. If l may hint that
every day is of value you will perhaps
urge upon the king the danger of de-
lay
81 shall not fail to do SO. Good
night"
For the first time in his life Arm
strong left his horse to the care of
others and entered the inn to inquire
after the welfare Of the lady who nb-
sorbed his thoughts She sent word
that she was quite recovered, but
would see no one until the morrow.
| With this he was fain to be content,
and he wandered about the town in the
gathering dusk, hoping to do her
service by discovering the whereabouts
| of Lord Rudby's son, to whom lie sup
posed she carried some message from
her brother.
He learned that this young man, who
was captain In the kings army, had
been sent, it was supposed, to London,
but nothing had been heard of him for
a month or MORE and whether he was
prisoner or not none could say. This
Intelligence depressed Armstrong, who
feared that the girl had taken her long
journey for nothing and that the fail
ing to find the one she sought might
entail serious consequences upon her
brother or herself, for each in turn had
manifested great concern touching the
mission she had undertaken.
Next morning his first visitor was
the lord chamberlain, who expressed
deep regret that the king was indis-
posed and could not see any emissary
from the Scots that day. The high
official spoke feelingly of the disap-
pointment the monarch had been call