Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1906-01-11

from the holsters. flung the hesitaiinc
hostler upon the animals back aud
leapcl up in front of him.
(which way which way, which
way:
straight down the street, sir" gasp
ed the terrified man. clasping the rider
round the waist. Now to the right
sir. and next to the left. That's 1t,
sir. Up the hill All there's your man,
| jogging 90 ahead lci>urcly enough. If
its l,'Ni ynil SCR
Il. $50 I: can't stop.
DE Courcy. riding easily. as the man
had said, wholly unsuspicious Of pur-
suit or any reason for 1t. had disap-
peared into Il hollow when Bruce. like
a thundcrcloud. came over the crest
and charged down upon him with the
Irresistible force of troop OF dra-
goons. The Frenchmnn, hearing too
late the rumble of the hoofs. partly
| turned his horse across the road, the
| worst movement he could have made,
| for Bruce, with Il war neigh, came
breast ON. maddened with the delight
and rider over and over like cart
wheel flung along the road from the
hand of smith
| lie N"nrcy lay partly stunned at the
roadside. while his frightened steed
staggered to its feet leapcd the hedge,
with a scream of fear, and scampcred
across the field TO its farthest ex-
tremity Armstrong swung himself to
the ground with Il quieting word to
Bruce who stood still. painting and
watching every movement Of his mas
ter \ pistol in each hand. Armstrong
strobe over to his victim
You halter dog, traitor and scullion.
give me tho kings commission
Sir, you have killed me-" moaned De
Courcy family
You bribc,l thief the rope is your
end. You'll take no scath through
honorable warfare. Disgorge.'
DE Ccurcy, vaguely wondering how
the other knew he carried it. drew from
within his torn doublet the second COM
mission signed by the king and handed
| 1t up, with !, groan. to the cOnuueror.
| AS it was an exact duplicate of the
| one he had lost. even to the silken cord.
| the honest Scot had not the slightest
| doubt he had come by his own again,
and the prone man was equally con-
| WINGED that some one had betrayed to
| Armstrong his secret mission. yet for
| the life of him could not guess how
| this We're possible. The young man
placed the document where its pred
eccsSor had been. then said to his
victim:
Had rope anu! n hangMan with
me- YOU would end your life OH yonder
tree. When first learned your char
! actcr YOU Mere in some danger from
my SWORD: 81 moment since you stood
| in jeopardy from my pistols. Beware
our third meeting. for if you cross my
| path again ! will strangle you with
my mak.,l hands III need he"
he ,'onrcy made no reply. lie real
ized That this was moi !. time for con-
has manifest advantages over an en-
EN-. bruised and on the ground. and
some thought of this came tn the mind
of the generous victor now that his
anger WAS cooling So. whistlimg to
| his horse lie Spr;tng on his back and
rode TO Hanhury ut u slower pace than
he had tr;lvcrsed the same highway
| some minutes before
''Rub down my horse we'll while
am nj breakfast. said Armstrong to
the hostlcr. and. receiving every as
| surancc that the beast should get ear
nest attention. he went tn the inn and
there found Frances awaiting him.
''Ah. my girl. he cried YOU have
not slept Well | can see that at once
This will not do. never do at all. But
you are certainly looking better this
morning than YOU did last night. Is
that not SO:
You arc looking very WE'LL she said,
avoiding his question.
"Oh. I've had morning gallop al
ready
What With the ride to Scotland
Still before you. Is not Il mcrcifnl man
mcrciful to his horse"
"Hc should be. but may say this
for Bruce he enjoyed the ride quite
as much as l did. And now ] am raw
eno,,s for breakfast and eager for the
road again lie tinkled a little hand
bell that rested OIL the table.
The servant answered the tinkling
bell. and Frances busted herself acting
the housewife. She was convinced
that he had as vet no knowledge OF his
loss and wondered when and where
such knowledge would come to him.
She hoped the enlightenment would be
delayed until they We're near the Scot
fish line or across 1t. Then she must
tell him the truth ut whatever cost to
herself and persuade him. il She could.
not to return. When she made her
confession she would he in n position
to relate all Cromwell had said to her;
show him that the general had given
orders which would block amy back
| ward move and reveal his determine
ton to hang the Scot should he entan-
gle himself further with English poll
tics. Yet she had the gravest doubts
that these dangers would influence him.
These reflections troubled her until
the time they We're oil their horses once
more. when Armstrong interrupted
them by crying out;
"Whcrc's old john
II sent him OH ahead long since, re-
piled Frances
"t;ood. we shall soon overtake him.
Goodby' lie cried to the hostler' lhe
one who had set him on the WAY in the