The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-08-06

topping him by eight inches, "and il
any man hints that Master BERTHE is
here for any other purpose or with any
other intent than to honestly risk HIS
life in this endeavor as becomes q gem
tleman let him stand out, let him stand
out, and / will break his necki File,
gentlemen, fell I continued, after a
short pause, which / did not make too
long lest Master Kingston's passion
should get the better of his prudence.
Though I am young, I have seen serv-
Ice. But / never saw battle won yet
with dissension In the camp. For
shame! Let us to business and make
the best dispositions we may"
You talk sense, Master Careyi" PEN
ruddocke cried, with q great oath.
Give me your hand, and do you, King.
ston, hold our peace. II Master BERTHE
will not raise his men to save his own
skin, he will hardly do 1t for ours. Now,
Sir Richard Bray being taken, what Is
to be done, my lads? Come, let US look
to that"
So the storm blew over. But n was
with heavy hearts that two of us feii
to the discussion which followed, count
ing over weapons and assigning posts
n debating this ones fidelity and that
ones lukewarmness. Our first impress
sions had not deceived u.s.. The plot
was desperate. and those engaged init
were wanting In every element which
should command success-in informa-
ton, forethought, arrangement-every-
thing save sheer audacity. When, after
a prolonged and miserable sitting. it
was proposed that all should take the
oath of association on the gospelay
Master Berthe and / assented gloomily.
1t would make our position no worse,
for nlrA0dU mo xxfaR0+ ffNl1NyE npN .
The position was indeed bad enough.
We had only persuaded the others to O.
short delay, ard ever this meant hat
we must remain In hiding In England,
exposed from day to day to all the
chances Of detection and treachery.
Sir Thomas brought out from some
secret place about him a tiny roll OF
paper wrapped in a quill, and while we
stood about him looking over his shoul-
ders he laboriously added, letter by let
ter. three or four names. The stern,
anxious faces which peered the while
at the document or scanned each other
only to find their anxiety reflected, the
fiaring lights behind US, the reckless
ness OF some and the distrust of 9TH
ers, the cloaks In which many were
wrapped to the chin, and the occasional
CLEAN OF hidden weapons, made up a
scene very striking, the more as 1t was
no mere show, u some Of us saw only
too distinctly behind it the figure of the
headsman and the block.
Now said Pe~nruddocke, who him
self, / think. took a certain grim pleas
ure In the eformality, 'be ready to
swear, gentlemen, in pairs, as I call
the names. Kingston n Matthew
SON."
Lolling against the wall under one
Of the sconces, / looked at Master
BERTHE. expecting to be called up
with @ him. . He Gnailad a. &c q" naar
eyes met, and I thought with a
rush of tenderness how lightly I
could have dared the worst had all
my associates been like him. But RE
pining came too late, and in a mo-
ment Penruddocke surprised me by
calling out "Crewdson and Carey"
So Master BERTHE was not to be my
companion? / learned afterward that
men who were strangers to one an
other were ~purposely associated, the
theory being that each should keep
an eye upon his oath fellow. I went
forward to the end Of the table and
took the book.
There was a slight pause.
"Crewdson," called Penruddock~
sharply. did you not hear, man?"
There was a little stir al the farther
end or the room, and he came for
ward, moving slowly and reluctantly.
saw that he was the man whom
Penruddocke had called back when
we entered, q man of great height.
though slender, and closely cIoaked. A
dropping gray mustache covered his
mouth, and that was almost all I made
out before Sir Thomas, with some
sharpness, bade him uncover. He aid
so with an abrupt gesture, and reach
ing out his hand grasped the other
end OF the book as though he would
AXE 1T from me. His manner was
SO strange that I looked hard at him
and he, jerking UP his head with a
gesture OF defiance, looked at me. too
his face very pale.
/ heard Penruddocke's voice dron- !
ing the words Of the oath, but I paid
no attention to them-I was busted
with something else. Where had I seen !
the sinister CLEAN in those eyes be-
fore, and that forehead high and mar
row, and those lean, swarthy checker
Where had / before confronted that
very face which now glanced into mine
across the book? Its look was bold
ana DEFIANT, but low down in the cheek
L saw a little pulse beating ~furiously.
a pulse which told OF anxiety, and
the jaws, half yelled by the ragged
mustache, were set In an iron grir.
Where? Ha! / knew. / dropped INV
end of the book and stepped back.
Look to the door!" I cried. nv
voice harsh and strange in
.S - 5NCh III Ou0 leave, il
denounce that mani" And raising NV
hand I pointed pitilessly at my oath
fellow. Il denounce him-he is a .
and traitorl" ~
I a spy?" the man shouted fiercely
with the ferceness of despair.
Aye, YOU, you! Clarence or Crewd-
son, or whatever you call yourself.
denounce you! My time has come"
(ContiRued Next Week.O
D Il