Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-06-24

coach starts on as if the evil one him
self were in its wake.
Percy does not draw Peggy to him;
he lays her back among the pillows; he
battles her head and lips and hands
with liquor from his flask; he holds the
slender fingers in his palm, as. amid
awful terror lest his lady die, he Is
racked with CONSERVATION and wonder
Mt the present outcome, and in his dis
traught mind endeavors to patch and
piece out the strange network of the
mystery now beginning to solve itself
before his eyes.
AS he prays God to spare her, II not
for him for some better man, a shrill,
weird sound smites his ear.
Percy throws back his head and lis
tens. IT'S the long roam neighing for
the last time back on Farnham heath,
where Sir Robin, picking up his money,
detected, shivering like an aspen (since
he would rake hades with a nail to Sc
cure a ha'penny and fairly weeps at
the slxpences he can't recovery, present
ly and ruefully, one Of his men behind
him, pillion fashion. tother running at
his side, turns back to footing on top
of Grigsons black, his fox teeth chat
tering in his wide mouth as he con-
graduates himself ON his second and
miraculous escape from the famous Sir
Percy de Bohun.
Twas. in sooth, for this latter bit
terly sad hour which was spent in
covering the distance between the heath
and the castle. Revived a bit, no doubt
by the fumes Of the liquor, her lady
ships lids quivered, contracted and
finally opened, but it was with a dis
traught and unrecognizlng stare that
she surveyed her companion.
"'Sdeathw cries she aloud, her feeble
right hand seeking her sword side. II
tell you. ChOck. your mistress is now
full fledged a man! Hist, girl, an you
love me. keep 1t close. Sir Percy's wed
to Lady Diana! Aver Peggy laughs
with such a heartbreak in her voice
and such tears in her winkers as causes
Percy pang of cruelest misery.
''Tut. tut. Chock! What's his mar
Rage to me? Fetch the pack, Mr..
Brummel; aye. I'm at your service. loo.
crimp or whist! l, Sir Robin McTart.
III lay You a thousand to nothing!
POUNDS. sir, fetch coffee to stain my
face with, and where, oh, where's my
precious bundle with my woman's buds
int, my patch box that I burned and
the long tail Of my hair I cut of when
you, Chock. bought me the counterfeit
OF Sir Robins own wig at the PERU
Quier's in Lark lane? Aye! So-no.
no, mol! And now a SILVER and q
lower tone, rs Lady Peggy. with her
wide, wild eyes. shrank back in the far
corner Of the jolting coach.
MY lady mother-I command you.
ChOck. tell her not Of my escapades. and
when Percy comes home with his bride
swear him. as will 1, was of pleasur-
Ing In Kent at my godmother's. Moth
er! Mother" cries she. piteously now.
as Percy's arms enfold her and thou
sand fond words jostle each other on
his lips.
Then she sinks into the stupor again
and remains SO until the great coach
rolls through the park and up to the
entrance of her home: until Percy. with
few words, lays her in the stout arms
Of the faithful Chockey and sees her
mother bending above her. her father
distract in his nightraii and cap. cook
wailing. being from Kerry and prompt
at any sort Of hubbub, Bickers' tooth
less mouth agape with groans; sees his
lady carried up, limp. little hands
down hanging, to her chamber out OF
his sight
Sir Percy leaves Peggy's bundle.
which he had gathered up as best he
could and slung about his shoulders.
on the table in the hall. The little
scrap Of paper he carries away with
him and reads when he reaches home
that night. IT'S her ladyship's note to
him. written on the fly leaf Of the
prayer book OF the young curate OF
Brook-Armsleigh village. As he scans
1t. presses 1t to his lips, sits until
dawn. remembering many things since
he parted from his lady long ago in
the parl0r at Kennaston, the most OF
the mystery is unraveled by light of
the scrawl. and the delirium of his
, Joy at knowing himself to have been
In her heart almost equals the mad
anxiety that consumes him now az to
her life and well being.
lTO BE Continued