Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-08-14

back. and as she moved It's terror in
! creased. IL plunged wildly. / had 10
give for a moment all my attention to
IL, and though T tried in mere revolt
against the fear which I felt was over
coming me to urge IL nearer my EFFORTS
Were vain. After nearly unseating me
the beast whlrled round. and getting
the better OF me galioped down the
road toward London
What is it2' cried Master BERTHE as
I came speedily up with him. He had
ridden slowly on. What is the mat
teri"
Something in the hedge startled IL, I"
/ explained, trying TO soothe the horse.
Il could not clearly see what Ii was.
"A rabbit, | dare say" he
deceived by my manner
Perhaps II was" / answered. Some
impulse. not unnatural, led me 70 say
notEinS about what l had seen, / was
not quite sure that my eyes had not de-
ceived me. / feared his ridicule, too,
though he was not very prone TO ridi-
cule. And above all L shrank from ex-
planning the medley of superstitious
fear. distrust and adherence in which
/ held the creature h had shown so
strange a knowledge Of my life.
We were already near Holborn. and
reaching without further adventure a
modest inn near the Bars we retired to
a room we had engaged and lay down
with rome of the gallant hopes which
had last night formed the subject of
our talk. Yet we slept well, for de-
preston goes better with sleep than
does the tumult OF anticipation, and /
was up early and down In the yard
looking to the horses before London
was well awake. AS 1 entered the stable
a man lying curled up in the straw
rolled laZily over, and shading his eyes
glanced up. Apparently he recognized
me. for he got slowly to his feet. Morn
ingi" he said gruffy.
l stood staring at him, wondering If l
had made a mistake.
What are you doing here, my MANI"
| said sharply when / had made certain
! knew him. and that he was really the
surly hostler from the Gatehouse tavern
at Highgate. Why did you come here?
Why have o followed us?"
Come about your business" he an
swered. ITO give you that"
l took the note he held out to me.
From whom" / said. Who sent 1t
by your"
Cannot tell. " he replied, shaking his
head.
Cannot or will not?'' l retorted.
Both" he said doggedly. But
there! If you want TO know what sort
OF a kernel Is In a nut, you don't shake
the tree, master-you crack the nut"
/ looked at the note he had given
me. 1t was but a slip of paper folded
thrice. The sender mad not addressed
or sealed or fastened It In any way,
had taken no care either to insure its
reaching it's destination or to prevent
prying eyes seeing the contents. II
one Of our associates had sent it, he
had been guilty of the grossest care
lessness. You are sure 1t Is for me?"
I said.
AS sure as mortal can be-" he an
swered. only hat 1t was given me
for a man, and not a mousei You are
not afraid master?"
/ was not. but he edged away as he
spoke and looked with so much alarm
at the scrap of paper that it was
a~bundantly clear he was very much
afraid himself, even while he derided
/ saw that If had offered to re-
turn the note he would have backed
out of the stable and gone off there and
then as fast as his lame foot would let
him. This puzzled me. However, I
read the note. There was nothing in
1t to brighten me. Yet, as l read the
color came into my face for it con-
tanned one name to which / had long
been a stranger.
ITO Francis Cludde,' II ran. IF you
would not do a thing of which you viii
iIlSeTdDty repent all your lie. anu
which VIII stain you I'm the eyes of all
Christian men. meet me two hours be-
fore noon at the cross street of st.
Botolph's. where you first saw Mistress
Bertram. And tell no one. Fail not
TO come. In heavens name. fail mott"
The note had nothing to do with he
conspiracy, then. on the face of It, mys-
terious as It was and m~ysteriously as il
came. Look here!" / said to the man.
Tell me who sent 1t. and l will give
you a CROWN
II would not tell you.' he answered
stubbornly, III you could make me king
of England! No, nor king Of Spain
too! You might rack me. and you would
get IL from mel"
His n eye glowed with SO OBJ
stinate a resolve that 1 gave !
the attempt to persuade and
turned to examine the message
itself Bat here I Jared no better. I
did not know the handwriting. and
there was no popularity In the paper.
| was no wiser than before. Are YOU
to take back any answer" I said.
NO." he replied, "the saints be
thanked for the same! But you will
bear me Witness" he went on anxious
1u ttHof I nxo.,z /