Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-12-10

darkest night
After riding a few miles at slow
pace they came to the end Of a road
with horizontal lane at its head, ex.
tending east and west. AS they turn.
ed to the right some object loomed in
the fog ahead, and there came sharp
cry:
"Who goes there?'
ITO the left" whispered Armstrong.
turning his horse. Frances obeyed
instantly. but the man in front fired
his musket into the air and raised a
shout, whereupon four others sprang
from the dripping bushes, and two of
them seized the reins Of the startled
horses.
Resistance is useless" said the SOL
der, hanging to the rein of the plung-
ing Bruce There are hundred men
along this lane" .@ - -
81 have no need to resist: cried
Armstrong. with affected Indignation,
although none realized so well as he
that the game was up. 1--WE are peace
full travellers under safe conduct from
General Cromwell himself
"The lieutenant will be here direct
ly," said the man. and as he spoke a
party Of horsemen came galloping
down the lane.
"W'ho fired that shot?" cried the Of
| f1cer in charge. Before an answer
could be given, he came upon the two
captives. "Who are you?' he demand
| ed.
travellers to Carlisle, who have lost
their way in the mist and are seeking
the highroad.'
eff you have a pass. let me see it."
"Here it is"
"Your name is Armstrong perhaps?"
"The pass does not say so.''
''Do you deny it?"
mo"
'You are prisoners. Where is the
bugler?
'Here, SIR
"SOund the recall"
The man placed the bugle to his. lips,
and the merry notes rang out into the
obscurity After roll call. every
name being answered, the lieutenant
gave Luc NOIu W ludICll, dllu anu
foot set out for the west, the two pris-
oners in the center of the phalanx.
The head of Frances dropped, and Will
rode close by her side as cheerful as
ever, trying to comfort her.
Clever man, this Cromwell" he
whispered, with admiration in his
tones. you see what he has done?
He has run thin lines across the coun-
try as fast as horses could gallop.
stringing out the local men as they
went along. We have probal D. blum
dered through one or two of these lines,
but were bound to be caught sooner or
later unless we made for the coast on
either side, and that would but have
delayed things a bit, for there was
little chance Of us getting ship with |
all ports in his hands, It serves me |
right should have killed De Courcy
and then g.Lloped for it. However,
the Lord sta ads by us, Frances. Never
forget that"
1T doesn't look mucn like it," said
the girl despondently.
ooh, we'll, nothing looks like itself in
this accused fog. Why couldn't we
have had this mist Oh the road from
York? Still, l don't think it would
nave made any difference once Crom
wells riders got to the north of US
Resourceful man, Oliver l like him."
"And 1 don't. Yet you are supposed
to be against him, and am supposed
to be for him. fear him.
"Oh, there's no danger; not the slight.
ger; neither are you
II trust it will appear So
ut cannot appear otherwise. He wa,
trying to brighten you when he said b.,
would hang me. He is sly, capable
dog, who will be satisfied with having
beaten me and will not court trouble
with my countrymen by hanging even
a borderer. 1t cost one of our kings
his throne to do the like Of that
This conversation. with which there
was no interference on the part of their
captors. was brought to a conclusion
by their arrival at the main road.
Here halt was called. and the bugle
was sounded, again to be answered as
before. from different directions. "Dis-
said the officer to Armstrong,
whereupon the latter without word
sprang to the ground. Against the next
move he protested. but his opposition
was unavailing and indeed unreplied
to. The officer gave the lady and the
two horses in charge Of party Of six
with orders to take them to LichfieId
and install them in the cathedral. A
guard was to be set ut the door, and
no communication was to be allowed
with any one outside Orders from
were to the effect that
the lady was to be treated with every
Difference. and these orders were i'm
pressed upon the six men. The de-
tached squad disappeared down the
road in the fog. and Armstrong stood
1lscoiisolate and angry. but helpless.
by troopers.
Presently Armstrong heard the tram
bling of horse to the south and orps-