The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-12-09

~0~ S~S~ ~A6Ao0O
was clear.
Cromwell himself had gone north.
ward to Perth. and on the second OF
August he took possession of that
city, Blu while entered it. was told
that Charles Stuart, with fourteen
thousand men, had suddenly left
Stirling and was marching towards
England. Charles had taken the west
ern road by Carlisle, and it was
thought he would make for London.
He went at a flying speed past York,
Nottingham, Coventry, until he reached
the borders of Shropshire. At Shrews-
bury he found the gates shut against
him and his men were SO disheartened
that the king turned westward to
Worcester, a city reported to be loyal,
where he was received with every
show of honor and affection.
Meanwhile Cromwell was following
Charles with a steady swiftness that
had something fateful in it. This was
to be the last battle OF the civil war,
and Cromwell knew 1t. There was in
his soul, even at Perth, the assurance
of victory, and as he passed through
the towns and villages of England,
men would not be restrained. They
threw down the sickle and the spade
in the field, the hammer in the forge,
the plane at the bench, and catching
hold OF the stirrups Of the riders, ran
with them to the hating place. So,
with his ten thousand troops aug
mented to thirty thousand, he reached
Warwick, and making his headquar-
ters at the pretty village of keynton
near by, he gave his men time to
draw breath and called a council Of
var.
Cromwell sat at the upper end Of a
long table. A rough map Of the coun-
try around Worcester lay before him,
and Harrison, lambert, Israel Swat
lam and Lord Evesham were his COM
p%aniCns. There were two tallow can
dies on the table, and their light
shone on the face of Cromwell. At
that moment it was full of melan-
choly, but he saw in an instant the
entrance of Neville, and with an al
most imperceptible movement CON-
manded his approach.
Neville laid the letters of which he
was the bearer before Cromwell, and
his large hand Immediately covered
them. is all well?" he asked-and
reading the answer in the youths
face, added, Il thank God! What then
Of the city,"
Its panic is beyond describing" an.
swered Neville. parliament is beside
itself. But London is manifestly with
the Commonwealth, and every man in
1t is looking to you and to the army
for protection. Some, indeed, l met
who had lost heart, and who thought
it better that Charles Stuart should
become a graveyard fighting him."
"Such men are sucked slaves" said
Lambert. Il would hang them with
out word or warrant for it,"
YEA" said Cromwell, for Freedom
is dead in them. From here there are
two courses opan to us, a right one
and a wrong one. What say you.
LAMBERT"
Il say it were well to turn our noses
TO LOnQOn II lC let the foSueS kuOW
we are coming"
What is our thought, Harrison?'
Worcester is we'll defended" he a
swered musinglJ. "It has Wales be.
hind it. We cannot fight Charles
Stuart till we compass the city, and to
do that we must he on both sides OF
The river"
Fight him." sad Lord Evesham,
better now than lxter."
Fight him! That, l tell you, is my
mind Also" said Cromwell striking the
table with his clinched hand. Some
may judge otherwise, but l think while
we hold Charles stuart safe, London
is safe also. God has chosen this
battlefield for us, MS He chose Dunbar.
But there must be no slackness. The
work is to be thorough, and not to
do over again. The nation wishes it
so, I know it. The plain truth is
we will march straight on Worcester;
we will cut off Charles Stuart from
all hope of London: We will fight him
from both sides of the river, and
bring this matter of the Stuarts to an
end"
ITO be c~Ontinued.)