The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-07-30
CHAPTER xxx

long struggle with rain and
mud the day before If the
situation was to be saved by a race
there seemed little chance of success
with animals so tired and discouraged.
With the exception of the departure
from oxford, the riders were more
silent and melancholy than at any
other time during their journey to-
gether. They had discussed the case
in all its bearings the previous night,
before the blazing fire, and had come
to the conclusion that it would be
safer to part.
Armstrong was now in country
that he knew reasonably well, and he
had no need to ask his direction from
any chance conner, which was an adj
vantage TO fugitive. They had agreed
to defect toward the east and bid
goodby to each other at Kirby Stephen,
he striking northwest to Penrith, and
she taking the main road east, enter.
ing Durham at Barnard castle. There
was no blinking the fact that while a
parl:amentarian trooper might pass
through this land unQuestioned, espe-
cially as so many soldiers We're max
ing their way north, a trooper with a
beautiful young woman of aristocratic
appearance would certainly cause COM
ment and excite curiosity.
The nearer they came to Carlisle the
greater would be the danger of en-
barrassing questions. They had wild
country to traverse, bleak hills and
moorland, and the roads as bad as
they could be; but, although they left
Clitheroe at o'clock it was past noon
tide before they reached Kirby Ste
phen, distance of less than forty
miles. They had met no one. and so
far as the morning section Of the jour
ney was concerned, the road to Scot
land was clear enough. At the squalid
inn of Kirby stephen they partook of
what each thought was their last meal
together for a long time to come, and
then, in spite of her protests, he ac-
companied her east out of the town
and into the lonely hill country. At
last she pulled up her horse and i'm
petuously thrust out her right hand,
dashing away some tear drops from
her long lashes with her left.
"Goodby," she cried, the broken voice
belieing the assumed cheerfulness of
the tone. Il cannot allow you to come
farther. You must now bid farewell
to your scout"
Dear lass, it breaks my heart to
part with you in this way" stammered
William. engulting her small Sand in
both of his, then drawing her to him.
1T shames my manhood to let you go
this wild road alone. l must see you
to your own door, in spite of all the
Cromwells that ever broke their coun-
try's laws"
mo, no. she pleaded. 1--WE went
over all that last night and settled it.
am safe enough 1t is you who are
in danger You will come to me when
this trouble is passed and done with
by st. Andrew, I'll come to you as
soon as this letter is in Traquair's
hands,"
Again, no, no! Cromwell is n hard
man, and if you steal through his cor
don you must not come within his pow
er in a hurry"
For answer he kissed her protesting
lips again and again, then she hid her
face in his somber cloak and sobbed
quietly. The patient horses, now ac-
customed to any vagaries on the part
of their owners, stood quietly close to-
gether.
"Goodby, goodby, goodby," she cried
breathlessly, then whisked herself from
him and was gone, never looking back,
hlrt har no Sha To
sat motionless as she had left him. At
the top of the distant HILL outlined
against the dark sky, she drew in and
stood. Dimly he saw the flutter of
something white in her waving hand
and he drew from his breast her own
handkerchief and waved in return.
He pressed his hand across his eyes
and, when he saw more clearly, only
the blank sky and the bare hilltop con-
fronted him.
The rain began to fall once more as
he passed again through Kirby Ste
phen. but he paid slight heed to it and
pushed on to Penrith, where be bought
a days provender, so that he would
have no need to make request for food
as he neared the danger spot. Just be-
fore darkness set in the sky cleared
somewhat, and he saw ahead of him
the gloomy bulk of Carlisle castle. He
turned aside from the main road, and
before the night became black found
quarters for himself in a barn that con-
tanned some fodder for his horse. He
threw himself down on the fragrant
hay and slept peacefully.
In the morning the rain was again
falling steadily. He reconnoitered his
position. There was no dwelling near,
and he determined to let his horse rest
all that day and the next night, so that