The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-06-02
CHAPTER x.-Continued.

with many Wrappings OF stout cord be
fore they led me down. Nor must you
think me broken-spirited because ! lei
them. In any other cause but this
hope I should have fought to die un.
manacled: but o | suffered gladly
this little. seeing ! had made my dear
lady suffer SO greatly.
When we were com into the room
below they let me stand beside her,
as l had prayed God they might; and
when l stole a glance at her | was fain
to think my coming gave her courage
and support. For you must know the
place was fair alive with men. and
flaring light with torches: and they had
never offered her a chair.
The colonel stood apart, the center OF
a group OF officers. and Falconnet was
with him. lowering on the edges of the
group as II afraid to show themselves
100 boldly in such a coil. were Gilbert
stair and that smooth parchment-vis-
aged knave, his factor. The while they
thrust me forth to take my place at
Margery's side. the good old priest
came and would have Joined us; but
they would not suffer him.
SO we two stood alone together as we
had stood before: but now my lady's
eyes were ~dOwncast. and her lips
and cheeks were pale. Yet she
was more beautiful than l had
ever seen her = so beautiful
that | would swear the sum OF all the
precious gifts IN Gods great universe
might be expressed for me in this, that
l might die to save her from this shame
and agony.
When my guards had thrust me for
ward. the colonel made short work Of
our fresh offense.
Twas q dnstard's trick, my captain
-vthts tangling of a lady in your tren-
son." he began. "How did you get
your speech with herr"
That is none OF your affair. Colonel
Tarleton.' | rctorted boldly, thinking
that with such a man the shortest
word were ever the best. yet l may
say that the lady knew not what she
did. nor why. AS for my getting
speech with her, she was not any way
to blame. l tempered with your SEN
try"
by God, o lie!' was his comment
on this. she might have tempered
with the guard and SO got leave to keep
a midnight tryst with you. but not
YOU" And then to my poor frighted
love: "Have you no shame, Mistress
Margery Starr"
Now | have said that she was change
full as any child or April sky. but never
had l seen her pass from mood to mood
as she did then. One moment she
stood a woman tremulous and fearful
as any woman caught in desperate
deed; the next she became a goddess
villifed, and If her look had been a
lager l think her flashing eyes had
killed him where he stood.
You've found a way to make me
speak, sir, and l wish you JOY OF It..
Twas l who bribed our sentry. and
l did go to Captain Ireton's room"
The colonel laughed and shot a gibe
sharp at my enemy.
How is this. Sir Francis. Did not
tell you o had thrus an incl or so
to high. BY God. sir, l think you will
come over-late. II ever you do come at
all. This captain-emerltus hath fore
stalled o beautifully"
AS more h a once before In this
evartful rt~ht 40 ~" "~e~t a"--t~~ "~a
before my eyes and helpless wrath came
uppefnhost. A Saw no SO, " ,Ie.I 80.
and had there Deer the plainest way.
dumb rage would still have held me
~tongue-tied. So I could only mop and
NOW ard stammer, and. when the
words were found. make shift to blum
der out that such an accusation did the
lady g%rievous wrong: that she had come
attended and at my beseechlng. to take
a message from a dying man to one
who was his friend.
For my pains | had a brutal laugh in
payment: q laugh that, starting with
the colonel. went the rounds in jeering
grins of incredulity. And on The heels
of 1t the colonel swore afresh, cursing
me for a clumsy liar.
"a likely story. that" he scoffed.
Next o will say she knew not what
this message was"
II said 1t once. She knew not what
the message was. nor why I sent It,"
l felt her eyes upon me as l spoke,
and turned to find then full OF fearful
pleading. "oh. tell the TRUTH she
whispered. Don't you see? He has
the letter."
L looked. and sure enough he hello 1t
In his hand: and then l understood the
flash of irony in the sloe-black eyes OF
him.
You lie clumsily, Captain Ircton,
though 1t Is a gentlemanly lie and does
you honor. But we have trapped you
fairly and you a as we'll make q
clean breast of 1t. Your mistress knew
and since she Is your mistress, went
to do IT.
While he was speaking I had a
thought of white-hot from some forge
fire Of inspiration--a thought to tip an
arrow of conviction and set 1t CULVER
Ing in the mark. l would not stop to
1t: to look aside at her or any
other lest one Drlef glance apar should
send the arrow waVering from Its
course. So l looked the colonel boldly
in the eye and drew the bow and sped
the shaft.
You think no other than a mistress
would have dom this. Colonel Tarleton
that II was done for love? Well. so
1t was: but with the love there went a
duty"
"A duty. say you? How is that?"
/ bowed as best I might, being SO
tightly bound: then fixed his eye again.
you had forgot that honor Is not
wholly dead. sir. This lady is my
WIFE"
CHAPTER XII.
HOW A LIE WAS MADE THE VERY
TRUTH.
For some small instant l dared not
loose my eye-grip on the colonel, tc
glance aside at Falconnet, or Gilber,
Stair, or at the woman close beside me
II ! had fiinched or wavered, or let ar
eyelid droop but by the thickness of 8
hair, mis- keen-eyed colonel would have
been upon me to cut the ground be
meath my feet I'M leave me dangline
blythe lie.
But as 1t vas l faced him down; ant
winning him, won all. There was {
muttered oath from Falconnet, a trem
ulous cry OF rage from where he,
father stood; and Their l sought IN,
lady's eyes to read my sentence ii
them.
h gave me but a glance, and thou;.l
I tried as I had nerer tried before II
read her meaning IL was hid from m