The Glenwood post., 1905-03-04

All this the landlord told me with
great deal of gusto. assure you IT
left vague unrest in my mind that
perhaps the old dame of Castle Drout
had not tried to deceive Gil: that Mis-
tress Rosemary Allyns maid had gone
by the river road; and that we were
pursuing the wrong coach.
II was pitch-black about, though il
was yet morning. 1t was no unusual
thing for people travelling from one
shire to another. to be lost in the bog.
Such an occurrence would not pleas
ure us, for We might wander about
for days until discovered. Our only
safety, therefore (for it was next to
impossible between the darkness and
the slough to keep our way), was In
giving the horses their heads, trust
ing to their instinct. Now they swan,
now .heir feet touched bottom, and
so on, we went but with slow progress.
We entered a space where the for
est r.bounded upon both sides of us
and the top branches of the trees meet
over our heads while the low ones
swept the ground in places. 1t was a
narrow path way and secretive enough
Tor lovers trysts. Beautiful too no
doubt on summers day, but riding
through it in the dark was quite an
other thing.
My hat was swept off by one of the
spreading branches, and | might have
been left hanging there second Abb
.n1nn had nI "
read.
We could not even look to the prim-
.ng of our pistols, damp no doubt, in
heir hostlers. The powder. however,
was safe for the TASKS were in the
'addle bags hanging at the sides o.
he horses.
What place for gentlemen who
axe to the road, and have neither re.
ipect for time or persons, Fortu.
lately they like Tasty weather no
better than the rest of us, and on such
| day unless in a deucedly tight box
| we're mostly likely to be found snug
md warm, drinking and carousing
| Gghting and gambling, in some haunt
| of their own.
Gifs head careencd first to one side
md then to the other. He gave :
sigh of relief. | looked up to ash
why. He pointed ahead. | saw moth
ing. but as we had come out into the
open, | supposed tnat that was the
reason. We had travelled at least 6
| quarter of an hour ere read that sigf
| rightly. 1t meant that the flesh pots
| of Egypt were near to hand.
In front OF us there glimmered {
light. 1t was like a lone star hal
way down theS horizon. As we drew
nearer it proved to be a candle burn
ing a clumsy lanthorn, set at the
| end of long pole curving over the
road.
"Ah. It's the White Swami" ex
claimed Gil. Il had not thought it wa:
so near
Another sigh escaped him.
The White Swan it proved to be
and the heavens tightening a trifie
showed us many things. One was Joel
Swan, the landlord, coming as quick
ly as his fourteen stone would permi
him TO welcome us. Another was til,
magenta colored coach standing in th
court yard and the rain restoring i
to its former pristine freshness.
Here is the coach" | said, pointing
to it, as we entered the inn yard an
| Jumped off our horses. And as the
say in hunt the slipper we are gettin
| hotter Shall We ever reach tina
stage in the game known as tn
burning up one, | wonder?"
With a laugh | was about to pus
open the inn door and enter, whe
words uttered by mine host stoppe
me.
"Tis not the old comfort. sir" h
was saving. your father was used t
that you'll find. with the house file
with those damnable hordes of Je1
frey's."
"Jeffre-',," ! exclaimed. my min
harping to one tune only. Did Je1
l. frey's men come in that?"
| pointed to the coach.
l. ITO be continued