The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-09-10
CHAPTER xxII-contlnued.

fell M his back in the road.
Aye. to be sure, God save the
queen!" echoed Sir Anthony. taking on
his hat again. You are right, mani"
Then he hurried on, not noticing
the messengers mishap. The tidings
he had heard seemed Of such
importance, and he was so anxious to
tell them to his household-for the
greatest men have weaknesses, and
news such as this comes seldom in a
lifetime-that he strobe on to the u
and over the drawbridge into the court
yard without looking behind him.
He loved order and decent observ-
ance, but there are times when a cat,
to get to the cream pan, Will wet Its
feet. He stood now in the middle of
the court yard. and raising his voice
shouted for his daughter, "Ho, Petro.
nilla, do you hear. girl! Father!
Father Carey! Martin Luther! Bald
win!" and so on until half the ouse-
hold were collected. DO you hear, all
of you? The queen is dead! God rest
her SOUL" ...
"Amen!" said Father Carey, as be-
came him, putting in his word amid the
wondering silence which followed.
while Martin Luther n Baldwin, who
were washing themselves at h pump,
stood with their heads dripping and
their mouths agape.
"Amen!" echoed the knight. And
long live the queen! Long live Queen
Elizabeth" he continued, having now
got his formula by heart. And he
swung his hat.
There was a cheer. a fairly loud
cheer. but there was n who did not
join in II, and that was Petronilla-
She, listening at her lattice up stairs,
began at once to think, as was her
habit when any matter great or small
fell out, whether this would affect the
fortunes of a certain person far away.
1t might, II might not. She did not
know. But the doubt so far entertained
her that she came down to supper with
a heightened color. not thinking In
the least, poor girl, that the event might
have dire consequences for others al
most us dear to her and nearer home.
Every year since his sudden de-
parture a letter from Francis Cludde
had come to Coton--a meager letter,
which Tad passed through many hands
and which reached Sir Anthony now
through one channel, now through an
other. The knight grumbled and swore
over these letters, which never con-
tanned an address to which an answer
could be forwarded, nor said much,
save that the writer was well n sent
his love and duty and looked TO re-
turn, all being well. But, meager as
they were and lou as he swore at
them, he put them religiously away In
an oak chest in his parlor, and an
other always put away for her share
something else, which was invariably
inclosed-a tiny swallows feather. The
knight never said anything about the
/ feather, neither asked the meaning OF
it's presence nor commented upon It's
absence when Petronilla gave him back
the letter. But for days after each Of
these arrivals he would look much at
his daughter, would follow her about
with his eyes, be more regular In bid
Ifnr har atfnnd him In hiq wall and
more particular In seeing that she
had the tidbits Of the joint.
For Petronilla, It cannot be said,
though 1 think in after times she would
have liked to make some n believe
It, that h wasted away. But she did
take a more serious and thoughtful air
in these days, which she never, God
bless her, lost afterward. There came
from Wootton Wawen n from Hen
ley in Arden n from Cookhill gen
tlemen Of excellent estate to WOO her,
but they all went away d~isconsolate
after drinking very deeply of Sir An
thongs ale and strong waters. Ana
some wondered that the good knight did
not roundly take the jade to task and
see her settled.
But he did not. So possibly ven in
these days he had other views. / have
been told that, going up once to her
little chamber to seek her, he foun
/ a II Jill hAo "a
inside her lattice. 1t was no other than
a common clay house martins nest, but
it was so deftly hung in a netted bag
end so daintily swathed in moss always
green and the Christmas roses n
snowdrops and violets n doffodils
which deck ed it In turn were always so
pure and fresh and bright-as the
knight learned by more than one
stealthy visit afterward-that, coming
down the steep steps, he could not see
clearly and stumbled against a cookboy
and beat him soundly for getting In his
way.
To return, however. The news of the
queens death had scarcely been well
digested at Cotton, nor the mass for
her soul which Father Carey celebrated
with much devotion, been properly
criticised, before another surprise fell
upon the household. Two strangers ar
rived, riding late one evening, and
rang the great bell while all were at
supper. Baldwin and the porter went
to see what IL was and brought back
a message which drew the knight from
his chair as a terrier draws a rat.
"You are drunk" he shouted, purple
In the face and fumbling for the stick
which usually leaned against his seat
ready for emergencies. How dare you
bring cock and bull stories to me?"
1T is true enough" muttered Bald
win sullenly. a stout door man, not
much afraid of his master, but loving
him exceedingly. II knew him again
myself" ,t.-
Sir Anthony strobe firmly out Of the
room, and IN the courtyard near the
great gate found a man n q woman
standing in the dusk He walked up
to the former. and looked him in the
face. What do o here?" he said in
q strange, ard voice.
II want shelter for a night for my
self and my wife, a meal and some
words with you-no more" was the an
swer. GIVE me this" the stranger
continued, which every die passerby
may claim at Cotton End, and you shall
zee no more of me, Anthony"
For a moment the knight seemed to
hesitate. Then he answered, pointing
sternly with his hand: There Is the
hall, and supper. Go n eat and drink,
or stay, he resumed. And he turned
and gave some orders to Baldwin, who
went swiftly to the hall, and in a mo-
ment came again. Now, go! What
you want the ervants will prepare for
Won"