Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-08-07
Story Of Francis Cludde
"A Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.
BY N Y J. wEYMAN.


! flock TO u.s.. Flock to us, do I say?
will answer for II they Wilt
But you have some engagements
some promises from people OF stand.
Il ing?"
"Oh. yes. but the whole nation vii
join us. They are weary OF the pres.
ent state of things
They may be as weary OF 1t as yol
say" Master BERTHE answered shrewd-
Is. but lis Ii equally certain that they
will risk their necks to amend itg YOU
have fixed upon some secure base
from which we can act and upor
which, II necessary, we may fall back
10 concentrate our strength"
Fall backT' cried Penruddocke, ris-
ing from his seat In heat. Master
BERTHE, ] hope you have not come
among us to talk OF falling back! Let
us have no talk of that. IL Wyatt had
held or at once, London would have
been his! IL vas falling back ruined
him."
Master BERTHE shook his head. IF
you have no secure base. you run the
risk of being crushed in the first half
hour" he said. When a fire Is first
lighted, the breeze puts II out which
afterward but fans t."
You will not say that when you
hear u plans. There are to be three
risings at once. Lord Delaware viii
rise III the west.
But viii he?" said Master Berthe
pointedly, disregarding the threatening
looks which were cas at him by more
than one. THE late rebellion there
was put down very summarily, and !
should have thought that countryside
would not be prone TO rise again. Will
Lord Delaware rise?"
"Oh yes. he will rise fast enough"
Penruddocke replied carelessly. II will
i "a ~ 0xrrn fnss h{rwx 49, ~ ~ 49, '. ~ n -
while we do the London business, Sir
Richard Bray will gather his men in
Kent"
DO not count on him. said Master
Berthe. "A prisoner, mufied and
hoodwinked, was taken to the tower
by water this afternoon, and rumor
says Ii was Sir Richard Bray"
There vas a pause OF CONSERVATION,
during which n looked at another
and swarthy faces grew pale. Pen
ruddocke was the first 10 recover him.
self. Bah" he exclaimed, "a fg for
rumor. She Is eve a lying jade! /
will bet a noble Richard Bray is sup
ping in his own house at this min
ute"
Then you would lose" Master Ber-
tie rejoined sadly and with no show
OF triumph. 'On hearing the report
l sent a messenger 70 Sir Richards
house. He brought word back that
Sir Richard Bray had been fetched
away unexpectedly by four men, and
that the house was In confusion"
A murmur of dismay broke out at the
lower end of the table. But the Cor
nishman rose TO the situation. What
matter?' he cried boisterously. What
we have lost I'm Bray we have gained in
Master BERTHE. He will raise Lincoln
shire for us and the duchess tenants.
There should be 500 stout men of the
latter and two-thirds of them Protest
ants at heart. Ii Bray has beer seized,
there is the more call for haste that we
may release him."
This appeal was answered by an out
burst OF cries. One or two even rose,
and waving their weapons swore a
speedy vengeance. But Master Bertie
Then he spoke. You must not count
OF them, either. Sir Thomas" he said
firmly. II cannot find it in my con-
science TO bring my wife's tenants into
a. plan so desperate as this appears to
be. TIA appeal TO the people generally
is m thing, TO call on those who are
bound to us. n who cannot in honor
refuse, is another. And l viii not risk
in a hopeless struggle the lives OF men
whose fathers looked for guidance to
me and mine"
A silence, the silence OF utter aston
ishment. fell upon the plotters round
the table. In every face-and they were
all turned upon my companion-I read
rage and distrust and dismay. They
had chafed under his cold criticism and
mis- calm ~reasonings. Blu this went
beyond all, and there were hands which
stole instinctively to daggers and eyes
which waited scowling for a signal.
But Penruddocke, sanguine of nature
and rendered reckless by circum-
stances, had still the feelings of a gen.
tleman, and something in him respond
ed TO the appeal which underlay Master
Berries words. lie remained silent,
| gazing gioomily at the table, his eyes
perhaps opened at this late hour To
the hopelessness of the attempt he
meditated.
1t was Walter Kingston who came tc
the fore and put into words the
thoughts of the coarser and more selfish
! spirits round him. Leaping from his
seat, he dashed his slender hand on the
table. What does this mean?" hs
sneered. q dangerous light In his darl
eyes. Those only are here or should
be here who are willing to stake all
ali, mind you-on the cause. Let u.
have no sneaks. Let us have no mer
with q foot on either bank Let u,
have no C~ountenays ncr cowardsi Suci
men ruined Wyatt and hanged m,
brother! A curse or them!" he cried
his voice rising almost TO a scream.
Master Kingston, do you refer t,
me?" Berthe resoined in naughty sur
prise.
AYE, | do" cried the young man
holly.
Then ] must bee leave Of these gen
tlemen to explain my position"
"Your position? So, More words?
quoth the other m~ockingiy.
Aye. as many words as I please,
retorted Master Berthe. his color rising
"Afterward ] VIII be as ready Wit
deeds, / dare wear as any other. M,
tenants and my wife's I will not draw
into an almost hopeless struggle. Blu
my ,lfe and my friend'ss since W
: have obtained yonr secrets, l must risk
|, and ] will do SO in honor to the death
, Tor the rest, who doubts my courag
may test II below ground or above
. The young man laughed rudely. "Yo
Will risk your life. but not your land:
! Master BERTHE? That is the position
is it?,,
MY companion was about to utter
rejolnder. fierce for him. when I. VIII
T had hitherto sat silent, interposed. "Th
old witch told the truth" I cried ibi
terly. she said II we came hither "
should perish, and perish we shal
I through being linked to a dozen men I
i brave as / could wish, but. the bigge'
! fools under heaven"
*.Fnoolx??.' shouted Kingston.
Aye, foola." 1 repeated. FOL WI
HWI 4<-.4 AX1A " AX1x~AH|A 49, -