The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-04-09
THE
StorYo Of francis Cludde
A Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN
BY N J. WEYMAN.

! one laughed and another swore. With
a warming hand | graSped my cofnpan-
ions arms and hurried them forward
some PAGES until | felt sure that our
figures could not be seen through the
mist. Then ] halted, and we stood lis
teninS, gazing into n another's
strained eyes, while the step came near
er and nearer, crossed our track and
then with a noisy rush Numbered on
the wooden raft. My ear caught the
jingle of harness and lank of weapons.
1T is my watch" l muttered. come,
and make no noise. What L want is a
little this way. | fancy saw it as
we passed down the wharf"
They turned with me. but we had not
taken many steps before Mistress
Anne. who was walking on my left
side, stumbled over something. She
tried to save herself, but failed. and fell
heavily. uttering as she did so a loud
cry. | sprang to her assistance. and
even before | raised her | laid my hand
lightly on her mouth. Hush" L said
softly. For safety's sake, make no
noise. h is the natter"
on she moaned. making NJ effort
to rise. my ankle. my ankle. l am
sure | have broker it,
i muttered my dismay. while Mistress
Bertra1n. STOPPING anXiou.y, examined
the injured limb. Can you stand q"
she asked
But it was no time for questioning.
and l put her aside. The troop which
had passed We're within easy hearing,
and If there should be one among them
familiar with the girls voice we might
be pounced upon, fog or no fog. | felt
that 1t was no time for and
picked Mistress Anne up in my arms.
whispering to the elder oman Go
on ahead! l think | see the boat. 1t is
straight before you"
Luckily was right. 1t was the boat,
and so far well. But at the moment /
spoke l heard a sudden outcry behind
us and knew the hunt was up. I
plunged forward with my burden, reck-
lessly and blindly. through mud and
over obstacles. The ferry for which 1
was making was moored in the water a
few feet from the edge. l had remarked
1t idly and without purpose as we came
down to the wharf and had even no.
ticed that the oars We're lying in 1t.
Now. Ii we could reach it and start
down the river for Leigh, we might by
possibility gain hat place and meet
Mistress Bertram's husband.
Al any rate, nothing in the world
seemed so desirable to me 1t the mo
ment as the shelter of that boat. L
plunged through the mud and waded
desperately through the water to it.
Mistress Bertram tcarce a Whit ehind
me. l reached 1t, but reached 1t only
as the foremost pursuer caught sight
of us. | heard his shout Of triumph,
and somehow l bundled my burden into
lile oal. L remember tIlaC she ClunS
about my neck in fear. and / had to
loosen her hands roughly. But ] did
loosen them-in time. With one stroke
of my hunting knife / severed the rope,
and pushing off the BOAT with all my
strength prang into it as 1t foated
away and was in time. But one sec
ond's delay would have undon us.
Two men We're already in the water up
to their knees, and their very breath
was hot on my face as we swung out
into the stream.
Fortunately i had had experience OF
boats on the Avon. at Bedford, and
Stratford. and could pull a good oar.
For a indeed the wllerry rolled
and dipped as / snatched up the SOULS.
but | quickly got her In hand. and
bending TO my work sent her spinning
through the mist. every stroke 1 pulled
increasing the distance between us and
our now unseen foes. Happily we were
below London bridge and had not thai
dangerous passage to make. The river,
too. was nearly clear of craft, and
though once and again in the pool a
huge hulk doomed suddenly across our
bows II then faded behind US into
the mist like some monstrous phantom,
and so told of a danger narrowly es-
capped, / thought 1t best to run all risks
and go ahead as long as the tide should
ebb.
1t was strange how suddenly we had
passed from storm into calm. Mistress
Anne had bound her ankle with a hand-
kerchief and bravely made light of the
hurt. and now the two women sat
crouching in the stern watching
me, their heads together, their
faces pale. The mist had closed round
us, and we We're alone again, gliding
over the bosom of the great river
that runs down to the sea. I was oddly
struck by the strange current of life
which for a week had tossed me from,
one to another, only to bring
me into contact at length with these
two and sweep me into an unknown
whirlpool Of their fortunes.
Who were they? A merchants wife
and her sister flying from Bishop Bon
ner's inquisition? / thought 1t likely.
Their cloaks n hoods indeed. and all
that 1 could see of their clothes, fell
below such a condition. but probably
they were worn as a disguise. Their
speech rose as much above it. but ]
knew that of late many merchants
wives had become scholars and Nigh
pass in noblemen's houses. Eve as IL
those days when London waxed fat anc
set UP and threw down governments
every alderman had come to ride ir
mail.
No doubt the women. watching me ir
anxious silence, were as curious about
me-. l still bore stains OF ountr tray,
lei. l was unwashed. unkempt. nj.
doublet was torn, the cloak / had cas-
i ~ ~ M 49, &fNS'~ AASNN - ne ASAN SIH G
cloak. Yet / cad no distrust In theil
looks. The elders brave eyes seemed
ever thanking me. ! never saw he'
lips move silently that they did no
shape We'll done!" And though
caught Mistress Anne scanning me one
or twice with an expression / could il
interpret a smile took its place the mo
ment her gaze met mine.
We has passed but We're still in sigh
q of Greenwich palace-as they told me
when the mist rose suddenly like
curtain rolled away, and the cold
bright February sun. shining out. dis
closed the sparkling river. with tn,
green hills rising on u right hand
Here and there IN its surface a SINAI
boat such as our own moved to an,
fro, and In the distant pool from whicl
we had come rose a little forest o
rnasts. I hung on the oars a moment
and my eyes were drawn to a two
masted vessel which. nearly half a mil
below us. Was drifting down. gent,
heeling over with the current as tn
, crew got UP the sails. II wonder width
er h is bound" I said thoughtfulls
"and whether they would take us o
~ $1,000 @,.EA II, 49, - 49, #H4H#MsHE4NE