The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-01-14
"Geoffrey Heathcote, Esq"
BY JOHN FINNIaoaE~ Copyright 1899. by S. 8. Mcclure Coz
BY JOHN FINNEheRE.
rHAprER xxyyI.-continued.


CHAPTER xxxvL-continued.
Here is my PLAN said l. These
people want me and VIII trouble little
about you. II I bolt from his houss
like g. rabbit from It's hole. they will
follow me up. and you can strike off
into the moor and get away"
yes" said Ieuan. land Will you
rum"
II WILL" I replied, and slipped off my
clumsy shoes. Ieuan understood and
nodded.
"on the grass and along the sof,
roads you will go twice as fast" he
remarked. "VVill you carry the sword ~
mo" said /. Il must not cu1nber my
self"
This ISIS better than nothing at ALL
went on Ieuan. drawing a knife from
beneath his coat and pressing 1t on me.
It was, and / accepted 1t.
Now a little money" eaid he,
thrusting his hand into his breast.
Not a penny" I replied: II shall
make straight for home II 1 clear their
~outposts."
"Oh, WELL" agreed Ieuan. and with
, drew h~is<hand.
All this passed very swiftly. as need
waa 1t should, and / marched at once
for The back OF the house. which was
not In sight of the main guard.
The sentinel posted here was walk
Ing a beat Of some twenty yards very
slowly. | watched him take a couple
OF turns n saw what I must do. Ten
yards of the twenty he marched WITH,
his eyes off the door, his head rigid
as the musset poised on his shoulder.
He wheeled and moved back, and I
squared my shoulders and nodded to
leuan. He drew the bolt noiselessIy,
lifted the latch, and opened the door
half an inch.
You feel weil," he whispered. his
eyes shining.
Never better" I replied. I had had
a good sleep and a hearty meal. Ev-
cry muscle in my body tingled for ac-
ton.
was to run not only for my own
afe. but Tor those OF the Red Men Of
he Dusk, and I felt fit for It. Not an
other word y7tas exchanged. Ieuan and
pafydd thrust out their hands and /
shook them. then peered through a
CRACK In the door. The sentinel was
Just passing a stone I had marked and
| stepped back n made q sign. Ieuan
drew the door open and / darted out,
running noisalessly and laying my
course full for the slowly moving fg-
ure.
! ran with my hand on the haft OF
the kstfe, but there was no cal for It,
came UP with the man Just as he was
about to turn. | placed my hand mid
way of his shoulders, and, collecting
I'll my strength and with the impetus
OF my rush, hurled him down head
long. His musket vent off as he rolled
on the ground. and I had secured my
aim; ne could no longer cripple me
With a bullet as l ran. The whole place
iputtered fire as / few over the moor,
but l had made nm excellent start OF
IT, n had silenced the only gun dan
Eerously near I bounded northward,
the short, thick turf springing like vel
vet beneath my feet, not over hurrying,
but running easily within my strength,
over the country behind me.
Halt a mile from the inn I ran over
e swelling rise in the moor. From the
top | locked back, such time as / drew
three or four long breaths. and saw
how matters stood. Two hundred
yards behind, and my nearest pursuer,
rode Sir John Postgate on a strong
hackney. Two men were close behind
him, and scattered figures were dotted
here and there on my track. The sol
dfers must be yet at some distance
from the a~le-house. and a clear field
left for the Red Men OF the Dusk. j
turned and ran steadily on, bearing to
the right to gain the road for Butley
and when I reached 1t, Sir John Post
fhNSaoioitC fSCpI III III SiGW.Hp ouE. JIliAGS
Of b twelve was soon covered and the
distance between US had scarcely va
RED by n yarEI.
His horse ~ a stout galloper, but
not very fast, and / held my own cas-
lily.
/ was now well into ButIey Heath,
and the road home ran straight before
f1le. crossing the heath as directly az
IL II had been drawn with q great ruler.
w. n VIZ a. Tfyf fiffia read "a ma w,
blcd for the most part a grassy ride
patched with yellow sand. It was per-
fection for my feet, clothed MY with
STOCKINGS. end so far I had had luck
to match. having met with neither
thorna nor fints.
steapish rise. At the top + turned and
saw Sir John walking his horse.
Flown" I said to myself and
laughed, for / felt as full Of running as
when / burst from the house. So ac-
customed had : grown to the thought
OF Sir John as my only puFsuer, that
1t was a mere glance OF carelessness
which / cast along the track we had
come, before I set off again.
I sharpened my gaze and looked
closer. Two riders. mounted In far
other fashion to the old Independent,
and as yet far behind, were coming
on at great speed. One of them shone
and ashed as If he bore a mirror on.
his breast, a dazzling point CT light IN
the sunshine. / wheeled and flew
down the hill, tearing off my coat as /
ran and flinging it aside to tighten me
and tree me for the task before me.
! had read the riddle easy enough.
The mirror was a polished breastplate,
worn by the mounted officer in COM
lnand of the detachment; his mpan
ion was Jack Postgate. who had been
to fetch the soldiers, and they were
well nounted and galloping furiously.
MY heels must save me now or all was
lost.
refined myself tightly ana fought
back the panic fear which babe me run
myself blind and exhausted in ten min
ntes, and, instead weighed every stride
and held myself rigidly to the pace
which / calculated would leave ne sur
fic!ent strength to swarm over tho park
palings Il / had the luck to finish the
race a little ahead OF those swift horse
men.
The thought crossed my MIND 10
swerve aside and hide In h heath. but
| dismissed the idea as useless, II.