Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-09-05
CHAPTER xx1-continued.

we gazed at one another.
why are you here?' he said cur
iously. why did they leave you?
Why were you the one to stop to set
me free, Master Carey?"
MY name 10 not Carey" an
swered.
What is it, them" he asked care
lessly.
"Cludde,n, I answered solely.
"Cludde!" He called it out. Even
his self mastery could not cope with
this surprise. "Cludde," he said again
said it twice in a lower voice.
Yes. Cludde," I answered, meeting
and yet shrinking from his question
ing eyes, my name is Cludde. So is
yours. ] tried to save your life, be-
cause / learned from Mistress Anne
] paused. shrank from telling him
that which, as 1t seemed to me, would
strike him to the ground in shame and
horror. But he had no fear.
'What?" he cried. What did you
learn?"
That you are my father" I an
swered slowly. Il am Francis Clud-
| de, the son whom YOU deserted many
years ago and 10 wholN Sir Anthony
| gave a home at Cotton"
| ] expected him to do anything en-
| cept what he did. He stared at me
| with astonished eyes for a minute, and
then a low whistle issued from his
| lips.
MY son, are you? Ny son!" he
said coolly. And how long have you
| known this, young sir?"
"Since yesterday" ! murmured. The
words he had used on that morning
at Santon when he had hidden me
die and rot were fresh in my memory
! in my memory, not in his. l re-
/ called his treachery to the duchess,
his pursuit Of us, his departure with
Anne, the words in which he had
cursed me. He remembered apparently
none of these things, but simply gaZed
at me with thoughtful smile.
Il wish had known ii before" he
said at last. Things might have been
different. A pretty dutiful son you
have been"
The sneer did me good It recalled
TO my mind what Master BERTHE had
said.
There can be no question OF duty
between us" / answered firmly. What
duty owe to any one Of my family
I owe to my uncle"
Then why have you told me this?'
Because l thought it righ YOU
should know it," ! answered, "were
II only that. knowing IT, we may &c
different ways. We have nearly done
one another a mischief more thar
once" ! added gravely.
He laughed. He was not one whit
abashed by the discovery, nor awed
nor cast down. There was even in his
cynical face a CLEAN Of kndliness anC
pride as he scanned me. We were al,
most of height, | the taller by M
inch or two, and In our features
believe there was a likeness. though
not such as to invite remark
You have grown to be chip o
the old block" he said coolly. Il would
&c Ia g., 4.
] think on the whole ! am pleased
You talked of Providence just now
this with laugh of serene amuse
ment-"and perhaps you were right
Perhaps there is such a thing.
For ! am growing old, and 10. !
gives me a son to take care of me-
l shook my head. could never b.
that kind Of son to him.
Wait a bit" he said. frownin,
s%Ehtly. You think your side is VI
and mine is down, and / can do yol
no good now, but only harm. You ar
ashamed Of me. Well watt" he con
tinued, noddinE confidently. do no
be too sure that | cannot help YOU
! have been wrecked a dozen times
but l never yet failed to find a boa
that would take me to shore"
Yes; he was so arrogant in pride @
his many dece!ts that an hour afte
heaven had stretched out its hand t
save him he denied its power and tool
the glory TO himself. l did not know
what to say TO him. how TO undeceiv
him, how to tell him that 1t was no
the failure of his treachery whicl
shamed me, but the treachery itself.
| could only remain silent
And so he mistook me, and after pon
dering a moment with his chin in hi
hand he continued:
Il have plan, my lad. The uuee
dies. WE'LL am no bigot-long liv
the queen and the Protestant religion
The down will be up and the up. dowr
and the ProtestantS will be eVervthinl
1t will go hard with those who cling t
the old faith
He looked at me with a crafty smile
his head on one side.
II do not understand" I said coIdlN
Then listen, Sir Anthony will hol
by his religion. He used to be a cho
eric gentleman and as obstinate as
mule. He will need but to be pricke
up little, and he will get into troubl
with the authorities as sure as egg
are eggs. ! will answer for it. An
then
"Well?" ] said grimly. How was
to observe even show OF respect fo
him when ! was quivering with fierc
wrath and adherence? do you thin
that will benefit your" ! cried. I'D
you think that you are so high in fave
with Cecil and the Protestants tha
they will set you in Sir Anthony
place? You"
He looked at me still more craftil,
not put out by my Indignation. bu
rather amused by 1t.
No, lad, not me-" he replied. wit
tolerant good nature. II am somewha
blown upon of late. But Providenc
has not given me back my son for notl
ty,.r nt al
/ must remember my family. l mu,
think a little of others as we'll as {
myself"
What do you mean?" l said, recoi
ing.
He scanned me for o moment. wit
his eyes half shut. his head on one sid
Then he laughed, a. cynical jarrin
laugh,
Good boy" he said. Excellent bo,
He knows no more than he is told II
hands are clean, and he has frienC
upon the winning side who will not 81
him lose chance, should a chance tur
up. Be satisfied. Keep your hant
clean If you like, boy. We understar
one another"
He laughed again and turned ava
and, much as ] dreaded and dislike
him, there was something in the indon
liable nature of the man which wrur
from me need of admiration. Cou
the best of men have recovered mo-
quickly from despair? Could the be
of men, their plans falling, have begu
, to spin fresh webs with equal patience
Could the most courageous and faithf
of those who have tried to work Il
worlds bettering have faced the dow
fall of their hopes with stouter heart
, with more genuine resignation? Ba
as he was, he had courage and endu
} ance beyond the common. He can
back to me when he had gone a fe
PAGES.
DO you know where my sword is
he asked in matter of fact tone. {
one might ask a question of an o.
, comrade.
found it cast aside behind the doc
He took it from me, grumbling over
nick in the edge, which he had cause
by some desperate blow when he Wa
! seizad IIo fastor,s.d - ,..itl, OF ~ tI