Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-09-18
-THE-
Storyof Francis Cludde
Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEyMAN.
BY J. WEYMAN.

IN all else, and the last TO dehy tns
queens right or title, he had nc
reasonable answer to give ano
could only buster. "Begone, dc
you hear?' he repeated, and he raped
his staff or the pavement. and then
raising it, pointed to the door.
All Cotton thought the men must go,
but the men. perhaps. because they
were Clopton, did not go. And Sir An
thony had not so completely lost his
head as to proceed to eXtremities, ex-
trenitles, except in the last resort. At
fecting to consider the incident at an
end, he stepped back to his pew with.
out waiting to see whether the man
obeyed him or no n resumed his de-
Vottons. Father Carey, at a nod from
him, went on with the interrupted SER
vice.
But again the priest had barely read
a dozen lines before the same man
made the congregation start by crying
loudly, Stop"
Go ont" shouted Sir Anthony in a
voice Of thunder.
AT your peril!" retorted the inter-
veneer.
Go on" from Sir Anthony again.
Fathcr Carey TODD silent. trembling
and looking from one to the other.
Many a priest OF his faith would have
Tison en- the storm, and In the spirit
Of Hildebrand hurled his church's
curse at the intruder. Blu the father
was not OF these, and he hesitated.
fufnbling with his surpllce with his
feeble white hands. He feared as
much for his patron as for himself, and
II was On the knight that his eyes in
ally rested. But Sir Anthony's brow
was black, He got no comfort there.
So the father took courage and a long
breath, opened his mouth and began TO
read on amid the hush OF suppressed
excitement and Of such anger and
stealthy defiance as surely English
church had never seen before. AS he
read, however. he gathered courage and
his voice strength. The solemn words,
so ancient, so familiar, fell on the still
ness Of the church and awed even the
sheriff's men. To the surprise of near
ly every one, there was no further In
~terruption. The service ended quietly.
So, after all. Sir Anthony had his
way and stalked out, stiff and unbend-
ing. Nor was there any falling off.
but rather an increase, in the respect
with which his people rose. according
TO custom, al he passed. Yet under that
Increase Of respect lay a something
which cut the old man to the heart.
He saw that his dependents pitied him
while they honored him; that they
thought him a DOL for running
his head against a stone wall-as Mar
tin Luther put it-even while they felt
that there was something grand In ii
too.
During the rest OF the day he went
about his usual employments, but
probably with little zest. He had done
what he had lone without any clear
Idea how he was going to proceed. Be
tween his loyalty In all else and his
treason in this 1t would not have been
easy for a Solomon to choose a con
sistent path. And Sir Anthony was no
Solomon. He chose at last to carry
himself as IL there was no danger,
as IL the thing which happened were
.unimportant. He ordered no change
took no precautions. He shut his
ears to the whisperings which went
on among the servant and his eyes to
the watch which by some secret order
CT Baldwin was kept upon the Ridge
way.
1t was something of a shock to him.
therefore, when his daughter came to
him after breakfast mex morning look
ing pale and heavy eyed. and breaking
through the respect which had hitherto
kept her silent begged him to go away.
ITO go away he cried. He rose
from his oak chair and glared at her.
Then his feelings found their easiest
In anger. What do you mean,
girl?' he clustered. go away? Go
where"
But she did not quail. Indeed she
had her suggestion ready.
ITO the Mere farm in the forest,
SIR" she answered earnestly, They
Will not look for you there, and Mar
says"
Martin? The fool"
His face grew redder and redder.
This was too much. He loved order
and discipline, and TO be advised In
such matters by a woman and a fool!
1t was intolerable! Go to, grill" he
cried. Tuning. II wondered where you
had got your tale so pat. So you and
the fool have been putting your heads
together? Go! Go and spin and leave
these matters to men! Do you think
that my brother, after travelling the
world over, has not got a head on his
shoulders? Do o think. IL there were
danger. he and I would not have fore
seen it?"
He waved his hand and turned away.
expecting her to go, but Petronilla did
not go. She had something else to say,
and though the task was painful she
was resolved to say IL.
Father. one word" she murmured.
About my uncle"
We'll, we'll? What about him?"
Il distrust him. SIR" she ventured I'm
a low tone, her color rising. The SER
ANTS DO not ike MIN. Iney rear MIN
and suspect OF him l know not what"
THE servants!" Sir Anthony an
swered In an awful tone.
Indeed Ii was not the wisest thing
she could have said, but the conse-
quences were averted by a sudden
alarm and shouting outside. Half a
dozen voices. shrill or threatening,
seemed to rise at once. The knight
strobe TO the window. but the noise
appeared to come. not from the Chase
upon which II looked. but from the
court yard or rear OF the house. Sir
Anthony caught up his stick and fol-
lowed by the girl. ran down the steps.
He pushed aside half a dozen women
who had likewise been attracted by the
noise and FASTENED through the mar
row passage which led TO the wooden
bridge In the rear of the buildings.
Here. in the close on the far side OF
h moat. a strange scene was passing.
A dozen horsemen We're grouped in the
middle of h field about q couple of
prisoners. while around the gate by
which they had entered stood as many
men on foot, headed by Baldwin and
armed with pixies and slaves. These
seemed to be taunting the cavaliers and
daring them to come on. On the wood
en- bridge by which the knight stood
were half a dozen OF the servants. also
armed. sir Anthony recognized In the
leadfng horseman Sir Philip Clopton.
and In the prisoners Father Carey and
one of the woodmen. and In a moment
ne ccmprehended what had happened.