Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-12-14
In. Ny brother would not defend

nllsei1, anu 81 WAS thrust through tue
body. Armstrong brought him to our
house, and the doctor says he cannot
be moved for month ut leastn
why was not informed of this?"
II did not know where to find you"
"You, wench, surely did not know
where to find me. but your brother
knew that n message to his nearest
superior would find me-"
my brother, 1 have told you, was
dangerously wounded and had but one
thing in his mind-to have done with
the task you had set upon him."
HE committed 1t to your hands
them"
He did,"
'What was the task set him?"
ut was to steal from Armstrong the
kings commission and to deliver the
result Of that theft to General Crom-
well, the receiver"
"Wench, your tongue is oversharp-
q grievous fault. pray you amend
it."
"Not until 1 have told you am no
wench, but lady"
1--WE have had too much Of lady's
meddling in England and will have
less Of 1t in days to come. A wench,
II she be honest, is better than lady,
who is seldom honest. Your meddling
in this matter has come near to caus-
ing serious disarrangement of great
affairs. How was to know who you
were or why you traveled2 Has that
foolish head of yours 30 little under
standing that, though you stopped ut
York, at Newark, Mt Grantham, you
gave no officer of mine clue to your
vagabondage?"
"a woman can fulfil her duty with
out 80 much babbling of 1t. My fool
ish head never thought a great general
wished his designs published from one
end of England to the other"
IF your brother had your brain with
out your tongue he would advance
faster than he does"
Gam l, then, to go on with this nd
ventureT'
Eyes. You will reach Oxford tomor-
row. The king will delay and shuttle
and suspect until our Scot is in fine
fume Of impatience. For three days
more shall be in Northampton. After
that for week shall be at Brough-
ton castle, some few miles west Of
Banbury. II you should be delayed
longer tn Oxford. shall let you know
where am by means OF De Courcy,
who
de CourcyW exclaimed the girl.
EYES; what do you know Of himp'
IF he Is the same man who was in
the encourage Of the king In London
la Frenchman of that name-I know
nothing good Of him"
"You cannot look for every virtue in
the character of a spy, and we who
are doing the Lords work must use
the tools the Lord places in our hands,"
"The Lord has naught to do with
De Courcy. He is a DEVILS man, body
and SOUL"
Cromwell scowled at her. "What
mean you by that, hussy7" he asked
shortly.
81 mean that De Courcy would sell
you us readily as he would the king,
IL there was gold to be made OF the
bargaining. The PMlistines come with
money in their hands. and they always
find De Courcy, male OF female"
de Courcy tolls for gold, and let
him that is without sin cast the first
stone. give the wage demanded and
care nothing SO that Gods work be
done. Gods work is the one thing
important, 80 scorn not De Courcy or
any other, but seek his aid in Oxford
II 1t be necessary to communicate with
me-"
THAT shall never do" muttered the
girl under her breath, and II Crom-
well heard he paid no heed.
Have you given thought to your
purposeY' he asked.
II have thought Of nothing else; 1t
has never been absent from my mind"
How do you hope to accomplish
possesdonY'
II expect to enact the Scrptural part
Of the thief In the night somewhere
between Oxford and Carlisle"
Between Oxford and Carlisle Il
vague. l cannot trust to a scheme so
lacking in denniteness. shall have
Armstrong laid by the heels long be-
fore he reaches Cariisle II the veneh's
hand fail. then comes the rough paw
Of the trooper Immediately after. Your
chance will be in Banbury, where you
must contrtve to have him stop for the
night"
III we leave Oxford early in the
morning he will not be content to stop
In Banbury, which b less than twenty
I've miles away. and even on the COM
Ing hitler we have covered more than
double that distance each day. He via
be urgent on his return"
true. but there lies your task In
management. You may fall III, and
question II he will leave you. I can
order your pass taken from you at
Banbury, and nights delay caused.
You will go to the inn called the Ban
bury Arms, at the sign Of the blazoned
sun. The innkeeper will ask for your
pass, and when he sees 1t he will place
you in adjoining rooms which are fitted
for your purpose. There is communi-
eating door. boiling on your side, in
visible, except by, CLOSE scrutiny, on the
other. What follows will depend on
your skill and quietness Has the man
any suspicion of your intention toward
him"
None in the least. He is honest and
kind"
''Ah! Do not dwell too much on his
kindness. Make 1t your business to
know where he keeps the kings letter,
and when it is once in your possession
speed at once to Broughton castle and
deliver 1t into my hands. will ex-
change for 1t full pardon and a cap
tains commission for your brother, and
II you have further to ask my ear will
be inclined"
II shall have nothing to ask except
that this Scot be allowed to pass un-
scathed to his home"
Cromwell gazed intently at her for a
moment, and she returned his look
clear eyed and unabashed. He replied
1 Il