The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-09-17
XIII.

therefore,, is from the QUEER WORTH ".
the wide spreading chase and clos
massed with the homestead, Sir An
thony had some excuse for consider
ing it as much q part Of his demesn'
as the mill or the smithy. In word:
he would have been willing to admit {
distinction, but In thought / fancy hi
Jumped it with the rest of his posses
sions.
1t was with a lowering eyes that or
this Sunday morning he watched from
his room over the gateway the ususua
stream of people making Tor the
church. P~erchance he had in his mlno
| other Sundays-Sundays when he hao
walked out at his hour. light of heart
and lind of eye, with his staff In his
fist, and his glove dangling, and his
dog at his heels. and, free from care
had taken pleasure in each bonnet
DOTTED and each old wife's God bless
We. Sir Anthony" Well, those days
were gone. Now the rain dripped from
the eaves-for a thaw had come in the
highland the bells that could on &C.
| casion ring so cheerily sounded sad and
forlorn. His daughter, when she came,
according to custom, bringing his great
service book, could scarcely look him
In the face. / know not whether even
then his resolution to dare all might
not at sound of a word from her or at
sight of her face have melted like yes
terday's ice. but before the word could
be spoken or the eyes meet another
step ram on the stone staircase, ana
Brother Ferdinand entered.
They are here!" he sal In a low
| voice. Six OF them, Anthony. and stur-
dy fellows, us all Clopton's men are:
If you do not think your people Will
stand by your
The knight fired at this suggestion.
What" he burst out. turning from
the window. "if Cludde men cannot
meet Clopton men, the times are in
deed gone mad! Make way and let me
come! Though the mass be never said
again in Cotton church, 1T shaH be said
today!" And he wore a great oath.
He strobe down the stairs and under
the gateway. where were arranged. ac-
cording to the custom Of the house on
wet days, all the servants, with Bald
win nj Martin Luther at their head.
The knight stalled through them with
a gloomy brow. His brother followed
him. a faint smile hickering about the
corners of his mouth. Then came Fer
dinand's wife and Petronilla, the latter
with her hood drawn close about her
face; Anne, with her hin In the air n
her eyes aglow. 1T is not a bit OF a
hustle will scare her!" Balwin muttered
as he fell in behind her and eyed her
back with no great favor.
No. so long as 1t does not touch
her" Martin replied in a cynical whisp-
er. she Is well mated-well mated
n i'll fated! Ha, hal"
silence, fool" growled his compan-
ion ngrtly. rs his a time for antics?"
Aye. 1t Isl" Martin retorted swiftly,
though with the same caution, for.
when wise men turn fools. fools are put
to 1t to act UP to their profession! You
see. %brother?" And he deliberately cut
a ape His yes We're g~listening, and
twitched oddly. Baldwin looked at
him and muttered that Martin was 20
ing to have one of his mad fits. What
has grown on the fool Of late?
The knight reached the church porch
and passed through the crowd which
awaited him there. Save for It's UNI
usual size and sorne strange faces to
be seen on its skirts, there was no in
dicatfon of trouble. He walked, tap
ping his stick on the pavement a little
more loudly than usual, to his place In
the front pew. The household. the VIII
layers, the strangers, pressed In behind
him until every seat was filed. Even
h table monument Of Sir Piers
Cludde, which stood lengthwise in the
aisle, was seized pon and If the two
similar monuments which stood to right
and left below the hancel steps had
not been under the knights eyes they.
too, would have been invaded. Yet all
was lone decently and in order, but no
scrarnbling or i'll words. The Clopton
men were there. Baldwin had marked
them well, and so had a dozen stout
fellows. sons of Sir Anthony's tenants.
But they behaved discreetly, and amid
such silence as Father Carey v re-
meInbered to have faced he began the
Roman service.
The December light fell family
through the east window on the father
at his n1in%istrations, on his small
before the altar. It fell everywhere
on gray dusty walls buttressed by gray
tombs which left but a narrow space IN
h middle Of the chancel. The mar
BILE crusader to the left matched the
canopied bed Of Sir Anthony's parents
on the right, the abbess' tomb in the
next row faced the palmer
of Sir Anthony's wife, a vacant place
by her side awaiting his w efigy, and
there were others. The chancel was so
small-nay, the church, too-so small
and old md gray and solid and the
bowed n another. The very dust
which rose as men stirred was the dust
OF Guides. Sir Anthony's brow re-
Taxed, He listened gravely and sadly.
And then the Interruption came. Il
protest." n rough voice In rear of the
and strangely above the fathers ac-
cents and the solemn hush. II protest
against this ~service!"
"A thrill OF establishment ran through
n crowd, and all rose Every man In
the church turned round. Sir Anthony
among the first, and looked In the d.
rection of the voice. Then 1t was seen
that the glopton men had massed
themselves about the door In the south
west corner. a strong position. when re-
treat was easy. Father Carey, after q
nlonlentarv glance, Went OH as IL he
had not heard. but his voice shook, and
all still waited with their faces turned
toward the west
VI protest in tho name OF the Queeni'
the same man crier sharply, while his
fellow raised a murfnur so that the
priests voice was drowned
Sir Anthony stepped into the aisle
his fac inlanlad With anger. The In
interruption taking place there. ii
that place. seemed TO HIM a double
proclamation.
Who Is that brawaer:' hi said, his
hand trembling on hisstaff, and all TIN
4nld danes trembietl too. "Let him stant
out.
The sherifrs spokesman was SO con.
cealed by his fellows that he could no
be seem but he answered ciyill,
Enough.
= am no brawler.. he said. II onl,
require the law to be observed, and tina
you know. sir. l am here on behalf q
the sherfr. Il I warn all present tina
continuation OF this service VIII ex,
pose them to grievous pains and pen