Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-08-01
CHAPTER XVIII.

after landing.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"one minute!" l said. That is the
place."
Master BERTHE turned in his saddle |
and looked at it. The light was fading |
into the early dusk of a November |
cross streets. the angle between two of |
them filled by the tall belfry of a !
church, were still to be made out. The |
east wind had driven loiterers indoors |
and there was scarcely any one abroad |
to notice us. pointed to a dead wall
that they stopped" said. There was
a pile of boards leaning against it
then"
You have had many worse bed
chamber since, lad" he said, smiling.
Many" I answered. And then by a
common impulse we shook up the
horses, and trotting gently on were
lslington. Passing through the latter,
we began to breast the steep slope
which leads to Highgate, and coming,
when we had reached the summit
plump upon the lights of the village
pulled up in front of a building which
loomed darkly across the road
This is the Gatehouse tavern" Mas
shall soon know whether we have come
on FOOLS errand--or worse!"
We rode under the archway into a
great courtyard, from which the road
issued again on the other side through
another gate. In one corner two men
were littering down a line of pack
horses by the light of the lanterns
which brought their tanned and rugged
faces into relief. In another, where the
light poured ruddily from an open
doorway, hostler was serving out fod-
der and doing so, II we might judge
from the travellers remonstrances, with
niggardly hand. From the windows
of the house a dozen rays of light shot
athwart the darkness and disclosed as
many pigs wallowing asleep in the mid
die of the yard. In all we saw a coarse
comfort and welcome. Master Bertie
led the way across the yard and ac-
costed the hostler. Can we have
stalls and beds?" he asked.
The man stayed his chaffering and
looked up at us. Every man to his
business" he replied gruffiy. stalls
yes, but of beds know nothing. For
| women's work go to the women"
Right" said /, 80 we will. With
| better luck than you would go, ex-
| pect, my man."
Bursting into hoarse laugh at this
he was lame and one eyed and not
very well favored-he led US into q
| long, many stalled stable, feebly lit by
| lanterns which here and there glim-
| mered against the walls. suit your
selves" he said. First come is first
| served here"
He seemed an III conditioned fellow.
but the businesslike way in which we
| went about our work, watering feeding
and littering down in old campaigners'
fashion, drew from him a grunt of COM
mendation. Have you come from afar
masters?" he asked.
mo; from London" / answered curt
| ly. I'VE come as linen drapers from
Westcheap, II you want to know"
AYE, l see that" he said. chuckling
| Never were atop Of a horse before nor
handled anything but clothyard. Oh
no."
I'VE want a merchant reputed to sci
French lace" / continued, looking hard
at him. DO you happen to know II
there is a dealer here with any?"
He nodded rather to himself than tc
me, as If he had expected the question
Then in the same tone, but with 9
quick glance OF intelligence, he an
swered, II will show you into the
house presently, and you can see fol
yourselves. A stable is no place FOL
French lace" He pointed with a winl
over his shoulder toward q stall II
|
snoring THAT is fine toy" he raj
on carelessly as l removed my dagge
from the holster and concealed it un
der my cloak-"a fine plaything--for
linen draper"
Peace, peace, man, and show us in,
said Master BERTHE. impatiently.
With a shrug of his shoulders tn
man obeyed. Crossing the courtyar
behind him. we entered the grea
: kitchen, which, full Of light an
! warmth and noise, presented just sue
scene of comfort and hustle, of lou
talking, red faced guests and hurryin
bare armed serving maids as / remen
I bered lighting upon at St. Adams thre
, years back. But l had changed muc
! since then and seen much. The baili
e himself would hardly have recognize
> his old antagonist in the tall, heavil
4 cloaked stranger, whose assured al
s acquired amid wild surroundings In
foreign land, gave him a look Of ae
e to which / could not fairly lay CLAIM
e Master BERTHE had assigned the lead
: me as being in less danger of recogn
ton, and ! followed the hostler towar
the hearth without hesitation. "Mastt
Jenkin," the man cried. with the san
rough bluntness he had shown withou
0 here are two travellers want the Lac
y seller who was here today. Has
= gomez"
who gomez" retorted the host {
D. loudly.
:, The lace merchant who came tn
r morning."
s mo; he is in No. 49," returned II
= landlord. will you sup first, gentE
a men,"
S We declined and followed the hostile
r who made no secret of our destinatio
r telling those in our road to make Wa
: as the gentlemen were for No. 80. o.
d of the crowd, however. who seemed
: be crossing from the lower end of Il
d room, failed apparently to understan
t ami interposing between us and o.
e guide brought me perforce to halt.
i But she foiled me with unexpectt
: njmbleness, and l could not push h
= aside, she was so very old. Her gun
n were toothless, and her forehead WI
. by your leave, good woman!" sa
and turned to pass round her.
e lined and wrinkled. About her eye
which under hideous red lids still sho
u with an evil CLEAN, kind of refiecti,
!, of a wicked past, a thousand crow
u feet had gathered. A few wisps of gr;
- hair struggled from under the handke
y chief which covered her head. She w
. humpbacked anG stopped over site
70 and whether she saw or not my NOV
2 ment of repugnance, her voice W
II harsh when she spoke.
- young gentleman" she croake
= "let me tell your fortune by the sta,
- A fortune for groat, young gentl
- mani" she continued, peering up in
y my face and frustrating my attemr
to pass.
Here is a groat," answer
|! peevishly, "and for the fortune l W
u hear it another day So let us by"
n But she would not. My companic
: seeing that the attention of the roc
y wa being drawn to US, tried to p,
It me by her. But could not use for,
I. and short of force there was no rer
d edy. The hostler indeed would ha
l. interfered on our benalf and return
N to bid her, with a civility he had n
/ bestowed on us, give US passage
% But she swiftly turned her eyes
r him in a sinister fashion, and he r
Y traa tad with on oafh opd q yalire, 20