The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-03-16

But asked no questions, and my COM
panion vouchsafed no talk, though twice
l caught him regarding NE curiously as
L unbridled the mare in the only vacant
stall. Not a word passd as he took the
lantern off the peg again, and led the
way up a ramshackle ladder to the loft
above. He was a fat, numbering fellow,
and made the old timbers creak. At the
top he set down the light, and pointed
| to heap Of straw in the corner.
"Yon's your bed," he growled; and be-
fore / could answer, was picking his way
down the ladder again.
l look'd about, and shiver'd. The caves
of my bedchamber were scarce on speak
| ing terms with the walls, and through a
score of crannies at least the wind pour
| ed and whistled, so that after shifting
| my truss Of straw a dozen times 1 found
myself still the center Of whirl OF
draught. The candle fame, too, was
pulled this way and that inside the horn
sheath. l was losing patience when l
heard footsteps below; the ladder creak d.
and the red hair and broad shoulders of
a chambermaid rose into view. She
carried a salver with food, and mutter'd
| all the while. The wench had kind
face, tho; and pair Of eyes that did
her more credit than her tongue.
And what's to, be my reward for this.
l want to known" she painted out, rest
ing her left palm on her hip.
why, groat or two" said /. II beg
your pardon. but my wits are frozen up,
/ think. There's two, for interest; and
another if you tell me whom your master
entertains tonight, that l must be con-
| tent with this crib"
"Well-to begin, there's the gentle
| folk that came this afternoon with their
own carriage am heathenish French ser
want; a cranky old grsndee. and daugh-
| ter with more airs than a peacock; Sir
Something brother Kill,grew-bless the
boy"
For had dropp'd the mug and split
the hot coffee al about the straw, where
| il .trickled away with a fragrance re-
proachfully delicious.
| Now l beg your pardon a hundred
times; but the chill Is In my bones worse
than the 'ague:" and budding my Shout
ders up, i counterfeited a shivering fit
with a -truthfulness that surpris'd my
self.
"Poor lad."
And tbs first hot and then cold all
down my spine, and goose flesh and
Pushes all over my body; and by morn
ing / shall be in a high fever; and oh
l feel l shall die of ity'
| 'Don't-don'tr The honest girls eyes
were full Of tears. 81 wonder, now
she began; and waited, eager for her
next words. "Sure, masters at cards in
the parlor. Shalt pass the night by the
kitchen fire, If only thou make no noise. "
But your mistress-what will she
say?"
rs in heaven these two years; and
out of masters speaking distance forever
So blow out the light and follow me
gently"
| Still feigning to SILVER, 1 follow'd her
down the ladder. and through the stable
into the open. The girl took me by the
hand to guide me; for, save from the
one bright window in the upper floor,
there was no light at all in the yard.
| Clearly, she was in dread Of her masters
anger. for we stole across like ghosts, and
once or twice she WHISPERED a warning
when my toe kick'd against a loose cob
ble But just as / seem'd to be walk
ing into a stone wall. she put out her
hand. 1 heard the click Of a latch, and
stood in a dark, narrow passage.
The passage led to a second floor that
open'd on a wide, stone-pav'd kitchen.
| Lit by a cheerful fire, wherein a kettle
Kissed and dubbed. Close by the Chin
ney corner was sort Of buttery hatch,
for pushing the hot dishes conveniently
| into the parlor on the other side of the
wall.
"Sit," WHISPERED the girl, land make
A.
in the parlor." She jerked her thumb
toward the buttery hatch, where 1 had
already caught the murmur Of voices.
1 took up chair softly, and set il
down between the hatch and the FIRE
place, so that while warming my knees l
could catch any word spoken more than
ordinarily loud on the other side Of the
wall. The chambermaid stirr'd the fire
briskly.
There was the sound of the voices sing
ing in the room upstairs.
That's the foreigners" said the cham
bermaid.
A volley of shouts sounded through
the buttery hatch.
And that's the true-born English
men. as you may tell by their speech.
IT'S pretty company the master keeps
these days."
1 held up finger for silence. In fact,
through the hatch my ear had caught a
sentence that set me listening for more
with still heart
"Confound the Captain" the landlord s
| gruf voice was saying; 81 warn'd m
agen this fancy business when sober,
cool-handed work was toward"
. IL -,
another; "and times enough I've told n:
'Cap'n.' says /, there's no sense o. pro-
portions about ye' A master mind, sirs,
but a II be hang'd for hen-roost, so
sure as my names Bill Widdicomb."
ugly wordsEwhat a creeping inf1u-
cree has that same mention o. hangingr'
piped a thinner voice.
Hold thy complains, Old Mortifca-
tion," put in a speaker that recognize
for Black Dick; "sure the crowd upstairs
is tender game. Hark how they sing"
And indeed the threaten'd folk upstairs
re singing a catch very choicely, with
girls clear voice to lead them.
Heather language, to be sure. said
the Thin voice again, as the French cho-
ras ceased; thinks to myself, they
ta but Papisters,' an my doubling mind
" nightly reconciId to manslaughter. -
81 don't like beginning 'ithout the
C,ap'n." observed Black Dick; though
Ii doubt something has miscarried. Else.
how did that young spark ride in upon
| the mareT
YAn' that's why thy question should