The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-07-14

the troopers. J. he general SaZeu ABOUT
the ample apartment for a moment, as
one who had never seen it before, esti-
mating his bearings with the shrewd
eye of practiced soldier; then he
pushed the table until it stood length
wise with the room, instead of across,
as before; glanced at the gallery and
table, as If making some computation
regarding their relative positions, drew
up the chair and seated himself, setting
the two candles by the edge farthest
from him.
Has Captain Bent arrived with his
prisoner
Yes, excellency. He came at sun
set"
us he sure Of his man?
"He appears to be so, sir.''
Were any papers found on him"
Eyes, excellency."
'"The other prisoner, Wentworth, is
little more than youth. 1 am told"
HE is very young, excellency."
How came he to be set on an i'm
portant outward post that night?'
There was danger of attack, and I
placed him there Of deliberate purpose.
He was most reluctant to 60, making
one excuse and then another, saying
he was ill, and what not. For more
than a month he has been under sus-
picion OF communicating with malig-
nants, although we had no direct proof.
He had been seen stealing away from
the domain of Lord Rudby, the chief of
the disaffected in this district On the
night in question he was watched, and
he deserted his post, put spurs to his
horse and rode straight across country
to Ruby Hall"
"And was arrested there?'
mo, excellency. An unlocked for
event happened. He rode out from the
grounds Of the hall. fighting his way,
as it appeared, against a band of Rud-
by's followers. who were attacking him,
and ran into the arms of our men, who
were watching for him. The attacking
party, seeing, as they supposed, an un-
known force Of rescuers, turned and
fed. The night was dark, and the ac-
count Of what took place is confused,
but Wentworth was carried back to
Corbiton, tried and condemned for de-
sorting while on duty and holding COM
MERGE with the enemy"
''Umph. What version did Went
worth give Of the AFFAIR.""
HE maintained he was no traitor,
but did not give any explanation of his
absence from duty"
II thought Rudby had surrendered all
arms and had taken the oath to re-
main neutral"
His men were armed with slaves
only, and so Wentworth, better equip
ped, held his own against them"
What view did the court take of
this affray?"
"They thought it merely a feint to
cover the retreat of a discovered trail
tor. The night. as 1 said. was dark,
and our men, being mounted, could not
move silently. Knowing the house
would be searched if Wentworth was
hidden, this plan Of seeming enmity
against him was prepared beforehand
in case of discovery"
How old a man is RudbyT"
Nearing fifty"
"What family has he?"
His two sons are supposed to be
with the king at Oxford. There is one
daughter at Rudby Hall"
"Humph! Is this the young man
scoundrel, STAFFORD"
Yes, excellency."
Gin that very blood is hatred of the
people, contumely and all arrogance.
At heart he must be a royalist And
yet-and yet Where was he brought
up?"
ION the estate of Sir John Warbur-
ton. dead these some years back. War
burton was his grandfather"
Where is the Warburton estate?"
at adjoins the lands of Rudby''
"A-h! Is the boys mother livingw
mo. His only relative is a sister
who seems to be the most bitter king
hater in all the land"
rs there not chance the boy was
on his way to see his sister,
1T was thought not She has been
at liberty to visit him here and has
done so on various occasions
Has Wentworth ever been in ac-
tion:"
"Oh, yes, excellency, and he acquit-
ted himself bravely enough"
NO hanging back, no wavering in
the face of the foe?'
No, excellency.'
"Humph. Send Captain Bent to me
with the papers. When he is gone I
wish you to bring me a trooper, some
silent man who can be depended upon.
an unerring marksman."
When Captain Bent arrived, he hand
ed to the general the papers he had
taken from Armstrong. Cromwell ex.
smfned them with great min1teness b.
the light Of the candles, then set then
IN bunch on the table without com
ment of any kind
Ibid your prisoner. resist at all al
make any attempt at escager