The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-17


stopping dead in the middle of the road,
and regarding his conirade with horror
What's wrong with your" asked the
big man, stopping also.
Has It never occurred to YOU that the
king may be away from the nalsce ana ia
one IN the place able to find hinl?"
no one able to find the king of Scot
ldho! that's an unheard of thing
Listen to me, Hutchinson. lei ne
avoid st. Nlnians and go direct "a Stirl-
ing. IT. only mile or two further ON.
l1et US see the cobtier before running
your neck into a noose''
But man, the cobbler will be at St
Nlhlans, either with a nordon or tn. COO
me hanged, like the good friend that he he
There will be no pardon at st. Ninians
Let us to Stirling; let us to Stirling.
fa mat the King has not been at home
Tor week past i9-'''
How can you know that?"
DO what 1 tell your" 'oU
mot L. I'm a lad n NV r,o,7 >,
men you are a doomed man. telI
You the king has not been in StirIino sinca
you IeIt Ct Ninians.'' Then with a burst
OF Hnpatience James cried. lyon sinh
born fool l am the kinet''
~ nist the big man seemed inclined to
laush' ana he looked over the begcar from
r9p 70 TOE put presently an expression of
ply oNelSpread his countenance, and he
spoke soothingly to his comrade.
yes yes my man." he said, II knew
you Were the king from the very first
Just slt down on this. stone for a minute
ana let me examine that clip Won POT
on the top of the head. i fear it's worse
than thought it was"
Nonsense, cried the king my head
is 4I,ot
aglee.' = eoiio
True enough, true enough" continued
Hutchinson mildly, in the tone that he
would nave used toward a fractions child
ana you are not the first that's said it,
But let us get on to St Ninians."
NO, let us make direct for Stirling
III tell you what Well do" continued
hutchinson IN the same tone of exasper-
atlng tolerance. III to St. Ninians and
let them know the kings pardons coming.
1 Gu Ii trot along to Stirling, put on your
kings clothes and then come and set me
free. That's the way Wen arrange it, my
mamie"
The king made a gesture of despair
but remained silent, and they walked APP
Idly down the road together They had
Quilted the forest, and the village of ST
Nlnians was not in view. AS they an
preached the place more nearly, Hutchin-
son was pleased TO see that great crowd
hanging.
seemed to take this as a personal com
pllment to himself; as an evidence of his
popularity.
The two made their way to the back
of the great assemblage, where few
soldiers guarded an Enclosure. within
which was the anxious sheriff and his
minor officials
BLESS me, Baldyi" cried the sheriff
in tone of relief, Il thought you had
given me the Slip"
1e thought naething O. the kind sher-
lff, rejoined Badly compIacently II said
l would be here, and here 1 am
You are just late enough" grumbled
the sheriff. The people have been
watching this two hours .
They'll think it all the better when
they see it, commented Badly. Il was
held back bit on the road. Has there
no message come from the king?''
Gould. you expect it, when the crimes
treason?' asked the sheriff impa tiently.
but there's been a cobbIer here that's
given me more bother than twenty kings
and cannot be pacified. He SAYS the
kings away from Stirling and this exc
cution must be put by for another ten
days, which is impossible.
ALLOW me word in your ear private-
Iy said the beggar to the sheriff.
III see you after the jobs done" re-
Piled the badgered man. Il have no more
places to give away; you must stand
your chances with the mob.
Badly put his open hand to the side of
his mouth and whispered to the sheriff
This beggar man. he said, has been
m1sused by a gang of thieves in Tor
wood Forest
L cannot attend to that now re-
Joined the Sheriff, with increasing irri-
tation.
mo, no." continued Badly suavely. cts
no that, but he's got frightfuI dunner
on the top O the head, and he thinks he's
the king
II am the king" cried the beggar. over
hearing the last word of caution. land I
warn you, sir, that you proceed with this
execution at your peril. 1 am James of
Scotland, and 1 forbid the hanging"
AT this moment there broke through the
insufficient military guard wild, I'm
kempt figure, whose appearance caused
sheriff
There's the crazy cobbler again. he
moaned dejectedly. Now the fats all in
the fire. think I'll hang the three of
them, trial or no trial.
oh your majesty" cried the cobbler-
and it was hard to say which of the two
was the more disreputable in appearance
this man Hutchinson is innocent. You
will surely not allow the hanging to take
place, now you are here
"Fn not allow it, if can prevent it,
and can get this fool of a sheriff to lis
ten.
Fool of a sheriff, say you!'' suffered
that official in rising anger. Here, guard
take these two ragamuffins into custody
and see that they are kept quiet till this
hanging's done with. Hutchinson, get up
on the scaffold; this is all your fault.
Hangman, do your duty
Badly Hutchison begging the cobbler to
make no further trouble, mounted the
steps leading to the platform the hang
man close behind him. Before the guard
could lay hands on the king, he sprang
also up the steps, and took place on the
outward edge of the scaffold. Raising his
hand, he demanded silence.
ct am James, king of Scotland" he
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at work on a boat of good capacity. She
had been stripped to the level of the