The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-05-06

stepped forth from the shelter of the
nearest outbuilding, a drawn sword
in his hand, followed by two others
with primed matchlocks, stolidly ready
for any emergency. Four others closed
up the rear coming down the lane.
There was no mistaking the fact that
the man with the drawn sword was an
officer, even if the object had not ad-
dressed him as captain, a salutation to
which he paid no attention, for, al
though his uniform showed little diff
ference from that Of his men, he had
in his stern face the look of one &C
customed to obedience. The horseman
had drawn up at the word and sat
quite nonchalantly on his steed, as If
this were an affair of no particular con-
Germ to himself.
'Who are you?" asked the captain.
"My name is William Armstrong"
replied the rider simply. In spite of
himself, the stolid face Of the leader
| showed some surprise at this announce
ment, as If he knew the name and had
not expected to hear it so frankly &C
knowledged.
Where are you from?
81 came across the border this morn
ing. l am Scotsman"
why are you hereY
81 am a cattle dealer, and as there is
little doing in my own country l
thought I would just see if business
was better on this side 81 the line.
This amusing lunatic said there was
cattle for sale in the valley and led
me hither, for which service l paid
him trifle''
"And so there is, and so there u.s."
cried the lunatic, "but the price was
for my advice, not for the leading
hither. l must get my pay for that
yet. Aye, there's cattle for sale here.
and I'm the marketman"
peace to your folly" said the cap
tain, scowling, then CURLY to the
horseman, "Dismount."
Armstrong sprang to the ground.
Your sword" demanded the officer.
The weapon was handed to him.
do cattle dealers in your country
sarry arms?'
ITO tell you the truth" said the
.oung man, with a laugh, "if they did
not they would carry little money
home with them. l not only carry
arms, but know how to use them on oc-
casion.'
Il ask to see your papers giving you
permission to travel in England"
81 have none. Scotland is at peace
with England, and a citizen Of my
country should not require papers in
visiting England any more than an
Englishman would need the same to 60
from one end of Scotland to the other"
''Humph," growled the captain, you
are well versed in the law. hope you
are engaged in no enterprise that is
contrary to it."
Il hope not, captain. If you are
kings men you maintain that you are
UNFOLDING the law. If you are parlia-
mentary you swear the same thing"
I'VE swear not at ALL
"Then | surmise you are no kings
men. But in any case, until one or
other of you have declared war against
Scotland or until Scotland has declared
war against either Of you, or both, you
NEEDLE with a free citizen Of Scotland
at your peril"
ut is perhaps wisest to indulge in no
threats
Il am not INDUCING in any. l am
stating a plain, uncOntrOvertlble fact
that would be held by none SO stoutly
as by General Cromwell himself"
''Then keep your dissertations on law
until you see the general, which Is like
to happen before we are done with
you"
Nothing would give me greater
pleasure than to have discourse with
that distinguished man. He is fight
er after my own heart, and I under
stand he is equally powerful in contro-
versy."
Search him.
To this order Armstrong not only
made no objection, but assisted in its
fulfllment. He took off his dOublet and
threw it to one Of the men who ap-
preached him, then held his arms out
stretched that another might with
greater ease conduct his examination.
A third paid minute attention to the
saddle bags, and fourth took the
saddle itself off the horse. The search
I brought to light some papers when
the officer scanned, gaining thereby
much information regarding the price
| of cattle.
| The captain gave the papers to sub
ordinate and directed them to be ued
| together He now took from his Deit
folded sheet, opened it, and read It's
contents with care, glancing now ana
then at the man before him. Appar-
emily the comparison was to his satls-
faction, and he restored the document
to it's place with grunt Of approval.
rs Bates ready? Tell him to come
here" he said to the subordinate, who
instantly disappeared, emerging from
among the outhouses shortly with
young man on a fine horse, evidently
racer before that sport was abollsneo.
The animal was impatient to be on
but the young fellow on his BACK
-l<vs