Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-12-17
CHAPTER xxx.

high courage, to face the outcome OF
another long ride. They had Travelled
farther than their estimate Of the night
before and so found themselves but
little more than twenty miles south OF
Manchester. In the night the weather
had undergone another change, and
the sun was hidden, while now and
then a scurry of rain passed over
them
81 have made up my mind" said
Frances. that we must part"
II have been thinking myself that 1t
is wrong you should share my danger
when there is nothing to hinder you
from going across country to your own
home"
Il shall not go across my country
until 1 have seen you safely into your
own. But, as you know, the swearing
colonel and his men are not looking for
me. Perhaps they think l took the
opportunity left open to get away from
the cathedral; but, on the other hand,
if wise. they must have looked for our
horses tracks, and then they learned
we left Lichfeld together. l propose
to act as your scout. l shall ride a
mile or two ahead, and If 1 am stop
ped you will strike to the right or tc
the left and avoid the danger if you
can. On every elevation l reach l will
stand for few moments. If my horse
faces west the way between us is safe.
If it faces east there is danger"
''Franccs. I would rather run the
risk and have your company"
my plan is good one, unless you
have better to propose. We must
quit the main road now and avoid
Manchester as we avoided Birming
ham, but we should have a care that
we do not ride into another ambuscade,
and if I go first that may be prevent
ed"
"When l see you interfered with,
will just gallop to your assistance"
''You shall do nothing so foolish. No
one in England is going to injure me,
but you are not safe until you are
over the Scottish line. We shall be
north Of Manchester in three or four
hours, and then you have your own
pass. You are really a most credit
able Roundhead. After Manchester
we can travel in company again, if
you wish. Have you anything better
to propose?'
"Yes I propose we stay together
and take our chances"
"tGoodby," she cried gayly, touching
mp her horse, then, over her shoulder
as she galloped off, "Remember-west,
safety; east, danger"
Armstrong had not only to curb his
who viewed with evident disapproval
the departure of his mate. At the
summit of the first hill the girl turn
ed her horse across the road facing
west, waved her hand to him and dis
appeared over the crest. And thus the
Journey went on; sometimes two miles
between then, sometimes less. Man
chester was seen and left in the rear
He now tried to catch up with her.
but she kept vigorously ahead, as if
she were some tabled siren Turing the
poor man on. For time he lost sight
of her. then. as he mounted hill, saw
her standing on crest a mile away.
like an equestrian statue against an
inky sky, but this time her horse faced |
the east, and he thought she was mo- |
tloning with her handkerchief in that |
direction.
She stood there until he sent his |
horse over the hedge and made in the |
oea %hon orIypo
seemed to swallow her up. He skirted |
the edge of the wood. Rain was now |
coming down heavily, but before it
blotted out the landscape he passed the
head of valley and saw dimly |
through the downpour large encamp- |
ment of white tents. A man In drab |
on a black charger stood little chance
OF being seen against the dark forest |
from the encampment, but he moved |
on as rapidly as he could, knowing ;
that if a lul came in the deluge he !
ran great risk Of detection by the out !
posts. Some distance on he stood for :
a time under the trees, blessing the .
dong cloak, which formerly he had a.
maligned for it's ugliness, for now it
proved of good material and water
proof The girl had evidently gone
down into the camp, and he was at
a loss what to do.
He resolved to turn north, 60 on un-
I'll he reached some place Of shelter
and there wait for Frances. Progress
was slow, for the lane had become
Quagmire. The forest which he had
skirted extended now to the west, and
4fae road became a woodland track.
but just where it began to penetrate
into the wilderness there shone upon
him a ray Of hope. From an over
hanging branch Of the first tree hung
n limp and dripping white rag, tied by
one on horseback in such a position
that it might brush the face of rider
passing that way. He took it down.
and it proved to be lady's handker-
chief He thrust this token under his
cloak and chirruped to his discouraged
horse When something like mile had
been cast behind him, his horse neigh
I'd and was answered by another far.