The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-08-13

creaSeu, ~ plunged WHY na1 -
give for a momen all my attention to
it, and though / tried in mere revolt
against the fear which / felt was over
coming me to urge 1t nearer my efforts
were vain. After nearly unseating me
the beast whirlcd round. n getting
the better of me galloped Town the
road toward London.
what Is it?'' cried Master BERTHE as
x came speedily up with him. He had
ridden slowly on. What is the mat
teri"
something in the hedge startled IT,"
/ explained, trying to soothe the horse.
81 could not clearly see what 1t vas
"A rabbit, / dare say" he remarked,
deceived by my manner.
Perhaps Ii was" / answered. Some
impulse, not unnatural, led me TO say
nothing about what I 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 rfdi-
Guile. And above all / shrank from ex-
planning the medley Of superstitious
fear, distrust and abhorrence In which
/ held the creature who had shown so
strange a knowledge OF my life.
We were already near Holborn, and
reaching without further adventure O
modest inn near the Bars we retired to
q room we had engaged and lay down
with none 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 I
was up early and down in the yard
looking to the horses before London
was we'll awake. As I entered the stable
rolled lazily over, and shading his eyes
glanced up. Apparently he recognized
me, for he got slowly 10 his feet. Morn
ing!" he said gruffiy.
I stood staring at him. wondering IL I
had made a mistake.
What are you doing here, my man2"
1 said sharply when Ihad made certain
I knew him, n that he was really the
surly hostler from the Gatehouse tavern
at Highgate. why did you come here2
Why have you followed us?"
"Come about your business" he an
swered. ITO give you that"
I took the note. he held put to me.
From whom" I said. Who sent It
by your
Cannot tell. " he replied. shaking his
head.
Cannot or will not?" / retorted.
Both" he said doggedIy. but
therel II you want to know what sort
of a kernel is in a nut, you dom shake
the tree. master-you crack the nut"
I looked at the note he had given
me. 1t was but a slip Of paper folded
thrice. The sender had not addressed
or sealed or fastened It in any way,
had taken no care either to insure it's
reaching its destination or to prevent
prylng eyes seeing the contents. If
one Of our associates had sent 1t, he
had been guilty of the grossest care
lessness. You are sure It is for me?"
I said.
"As sure as mortal can be-" he an
swered. "Only that 1t was given me
for a man, and not a mouse! You are
not afraid master7"
I was not, but he edged away as he
spoke and looked with so much alarm
at the scrap of paper that It was
abundantly clear he was very much
afraid himself, even while he derided
me. / saw that IL I had offered to re-
turn the note he would have backed
out of the stable and gone off there and
then as fast al his lame foot would let
him. This puzzled me. However, /
read the note. There was nothing In
1t to brighten me. Yet, as / read the
color came into my face for 1t con-
tanned one name to which ] had long
been a stranger.
ITO Francis Cludde,' 1t ran. ''f you
would not do a thing of which you will
miserably repent all your life, and
which will stain you In 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 noti'
The note had nothing to do with the
conspiracy, then; or the face of 1t, mys-
terious as II was and mysteriously as II
came. Look herei" I said to the man.
Tell me who sent It, and ! viii give
you a crown"
IT would not tell you" he answered
stubbornly, '1f you could make me king
Of England No, nor king of Spain
tool You might rack me. and you would
not get 1t from mel"
His one eve glowed with 30 OBJ
stinate a resolve that I gave
up the attempt to persuade and
turned TO examine the message
itself. But here I Jared no better.
did not know the handwriting, and
there was no popularity in the paper
I was no wiser than before. "Are you
to take back any answer" I said.
mo-" he replied, "the saints be
thanked for the samei But you Will
bear me witness" he went on anxious
ly, 'that I gave you the letter. You
will not forget that or say that YOU
have not had it7 But therel" he added
to himself as he turned away, speaking
In q low voice, so that I barely caught
the sense OF the words, what is the
use? She will knowl"
(Contlnued Next Week.l