Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-25

my man." he spoke brusquely. care you ready
for it?"
cay, Colonel As well this as aught else"
Shuckburgh let his rigid spine press never so
slightly against his chair-back and for moment
gazed at the lead-colored sky that showed
through the high, muloned windows. Below he
could hear the cobbles of the gateway the
clatter of horses passing through. Master Fen
wicke have you ever heard speak of one Peter
Scalby?"
81 could not dwell in Feversham without hear
ing of him, sir. He was sergeant in your troop
who last winter went over to the rebels with
certain informations Of value. For that they
gave him commission, and the last month he
hath held command of little garrison at Emes
th1ope, eight leagues north of here
"The brazen knave!" Shuckburgh growled
"'Right in the face and eyes of us, perpetual
incitement to others of our rascals who may
yesrn to do the like 1t were for the public good
that he became perpetual warming to trait
ors. But we have not the men to detach force
tc go punish him. So you shall go alone"
"I shall go alone to Elmesthrope to punish
Captain Scalby," Fenwicke repeated sobery
every well. Colonel"
"You'll know him by mis- swarthy complexion
and by the two fingers that are missing from his
bridlehand. You were best to bring us some
token of his death"
81 shall bring it, when I come back" Fenwicke
answered dryly. "God be WI you, Colonel"
So when the bells of Feversham changed noon,
Kellam Fenwicke, on sorry, lean horse, with
brace of pistols in his holsters and his sword
slapping against his thigh, logged forth at the
north gate. Out on the kings highway he saw
no more than the mudded weeds that couched
by the roadside and the yellow pools of rain
water that rippled and broke beneath his horses
he offs, for he rode with head dropping. Not till
the sun was smearing reddish blur low on the
clouds at his left did he raise his chin deter
minedly and, jerking the stolid horse to the
west, headed towards the walled town of Rad
bury. Troops were mastering there. and well
built fellow as he could not fail Of his two and
thrippence day as private carabineer
dragon. But in Germany he had been a man
set over men, Invountarily he drew the rein
taut so the horse ambled at the veriest walk.
Yonder in the darkening twilight an owl vent
ed a complaining note, and, as Fenwicke paced
down into the next shaw, bat startled by his
head. Night was shutting in upon him; the sky
save for watery star or two, was black, and
the boslSy cumps of bushes either hand hud-
died in muffed outlines. One struggling branch
from an aldercopse swayed out and grazed wetly
across his cheek.
Even as he struck the branch cracking aside
he heard before him the pad of hoofs upon the
wet road and, before he could swing his laggard
horse into the bushes, little squad of cavalry
trotting out of the dark, closed in upon him. A
hand on his bridle-rein, another on his sword
arm, while horses shoulder crowded against
his knee, and then voice out of the hlackness
beside him: "Who passes here? For whom are
you?"
'Struth might ask you the same" Fenwcke
retorted ''Im riding about my business, and
since you seem in greater numbers, serve the
same side You serve"
''Whv, that's well said, my bully" spoke
iovial voice at his other elbow. Give your
ristols All gently else you may come by a
crack O. the head. Your sword too. Now you're
safe, I'm thinking, to jog cross country with us
to Elmesthrope'
"Elmesthrope?" Fenwicke repeated. and burst
out laughing. "Why, so he it," he cried. "Pll
come with you gladly, a Gods name!"
Eight or ten men there were, he judged,
mounted troopers from Peter scaiby's garrison,
and choice, plundering ruffans, he made no
doubt. Yet for the present they did him no
harm. only rode close to his stiTrups, while the
man with the iovial voice babbled CT the excel
lent booty they had taken that day. seven good
neat cattle not to mention the silver candlestick
he had flched from the farmstead they visited,
and ended, as they paced over the black heath,
by singing Justify
'"When King and Church have all gone down,
Then hey. boys, up go wei"
Kellam Fenwicke hearkened to him yet scarcely
heard, and watched the stars prick out IN the
murlly sky till all the Great Bear blazed before
him.
They travelled slowly, because of the clumsy,
terrified cattle they urged before them, so the
Great Bear had faded out and iivid streak bar
red the east when, beyond lonely huddle of
cottages they came to gate in high wall
There was challenge back and forth, the creak
of the opening gate, and then, above a stagnant
moat, they clattered hollowly across the bridge
of planks into the inclosure of what was once
a considerable country house. A swift imprcs-
sion of squalor and neglect Fenwicke gathered
from the Scared bald turf of what had been
lawn, the broken windows and dangling shutters
of the housefront, and then, with heed for no
more than his own affairs, he found himself pac-
ing into the inner courtyard. Upon the side
porch of the house, he noted, stood a thck,set
man with blacl, brows who wore an officers sash
of conspicuous orange. AS he rode by him Fen
wicke glanced down. and without surprise saw