Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-08-14
'Storyof Francis C1udde
ARomance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.

same hopes and fears which now
racked his OWL spirit.
~Penruddocke came back, Master
8egtsc f0E0Riag dldt
1T must not be lone tonight" he an
nounced quietly. with a nod which
meant that ne would explain the rea-
o afterward. we will meet again
tomorrow at 4 in the afternoon, In
stead of at 8 In the evening. Until
then two must remain on guard with
him. Ii Is right he should have some
time TO repent, and he shall have it,"
This did o at once find favor.
why not run him through now?'
said one bluntly, and meet tomorrow
at some place unknown to hAn? II we
come here again, we shall. likely
enough. walk straight into the trap"
We'll, have II that way. II you
please answered Sir Thomas. shrug-
ging his shoulder. But do not blame
me afterward IL you find we have let
slip a golden opportunity. BE fools If
you like. / dare say IL will not make
much difference in the end!"
He spoke at random. but he knew
how 10 deal with his crew, Ii seemed.
for on this those who had objected as
seated reluctantly to the course he
proposed. Barnes and Walters are
here in hiding. so they had better be
the two TO guard him" he continued.
There Is no fear that they will be
inclined 10 let him got" I looked at
the men whom the g~lances of their
fellows singled out and found them
TO belong to the little knot OF fanatics
/ had before remarked-dark, stern
men, worth. If the matter aver came
to fighting, all the rest OF the band put
together.
AT 4. tomorrow. then. we meet"
Cir fTbnneag concluded IrAflu t0rhan
we will deal witE him, never fearl Now
is near midnight. and we must be go
ing, but not all together, or we shall
attention.
Half an hour later Master BERTHE
and | rode softly out of the courtyard
and turned our faces toward the city.
The night wind came sweeping across
valley OF the Thames and met us
fun In the face as we reached the
brow OF he hill. 1t seemed laden with
whispers. The wretched
enterprise, Ill conceived. i'll ordered,
and IN rs very rature desperate, to
we were In honor Committed,
would have accounted OF itself for any
degree OF foreboding. But the scene
through which W. had just passed, and
on my part h knowledge that / had
given up a fellow being to death, had
their depressing influences. For some
distance we rode in silence, which |
the first TO break.
why did you put off his punish
/ asked.
Because I think he will give us in
In the interval" BERTHE an
swered briefly. Information which
may help us. A spy is generally ready
to betray his w side upon occasion"
And you will spare him if he does?"
| askeds II seemed to me neither
nor mercy.
No he said, there Is no fear of
that. Those who go with ropes round
necks know no mercy. But
drowning men will catch at straws, and
ten e one he will babbie."
said.
He thought I referred to the con-
and ne inveighed bitterly
IL, reproaching himself for
bringing me into 1t n for his folly
IN believing the rosy accounts OF men
who had all to win and nothing save
their worthless lives to lose. There is
only one thing gained" he said. I'VE
ire likely to pay dearly for that, so
may think the more of it. We have
been the means OF furnishing a villain"
Yes" ! said. that is true. 1t was
l strange meeting and q strange rec
ignition. Strangest of all that l should
called up to swear with him"
Not strange" Master Berthe an
'wered gravely. Il would rather call
I providential. Let us think of that
md be OF better courage. friend. we
nave been used; we shall not be cast
before our time
] looked back. For some minutes I
,ad thought I heard behind us a light
more like the pattering of a
log than anything else. I could see
nothing, but that was not wonderful,
'or the moon was young and the sky
overcast. DO you hear some one fol-
owing us?" I said.
Master BERTHE drew rein suddenly. and
In the saddle we listened. For
! second / thought / still heard the
The next 1t ceased and only
the wind toying with the November
caves and signing away in the distance
TO u ears NO he said. II
think ii must have been your fancy.
hear nothing
But when we rode on the sound be-
gan again. though at first more family
II our follower had learned prudence
and fallen farther behind. do not stop
but listen" I said softly. Cannot YOU
hear the pattering of a naked foot
Il hear something" he answered. II
I'm AFRAID Q are right and hat we
are followed
What is to be done?' I said NV
thoughts busy. -
There is caen wood In front" he nm
swered, with a little open ground IN
this side OF it. We will ride under the
and then stop suddenly. Perhans
shall be able to distinguish him as
he crosses the open behind US" We
the experiment. but as II our fol-
a OWNED the plan his forster
ceased TO sound before we had stonnad
our horses. He had fallen farther h.
hind. w might ride quickly back !,
l suggested. and surprise him..
IT would be useless Berthe an
swered. There is too much cover
close TO the road. Let us rather trot
n outstrip him"
We did trot on, and what with the
or our horses as they swung
along the road and the sharp pa ssare
the wind by our ears we heard no
more OF the footstep behind. hut when
we presently pulled UP to breathe our
horses-or rather within d few minutes
our doing so--there It was behind us
nearer and louder than before. 1 shiv-
cred as l listened. and presently, acting
y sudden impulse, I wheeled my
morse round and spurred him back d
dozen PAGES along the road.
J pulled up.
there was d movement hi the shadow
OF the trees on my right. and / leaned
forward. pcering N that direction.
Gradually I made cut the lines OF q
figure standing stiil. as though gazing
AZ me-a strange. distorted figure.
crooked. short and N some way. though