Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-08-14
Storyof Francis Cludde
ARomance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
~ sTANLEY j. wEYMAN.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN

when he had tortured me by the very
seayNe hopes .aDd fears which VOW
racked his own spirit.
~Penruddocke came back, Master
BERTHE following him.
1T must not be done tonight" he an
nounced quietly. with a nod which
meant that be would explain the rea-
son afterward. I'VE will meet again
tomorrow at 4 in the afternoon, in
stead of at 8 in the evening. Until
then two must remain on guard with
him. 1t is right he should have some
time TO repent, and he shall ave it,"
This did not at once find favor.
why not run him through now ?"
said one bluntly, land meet tomorrow
at some place unknown to htn? If we
come here again, we shall, likely
enough, walk straight into the trap"
Well. have It that way. II you
please" answered Sir Thomas, shrug-
ging his shoulder. But do not blame
me afterward If you find we have let
slip a golden opportunity. Be fools II
YOU like. / dare say IL will not make
much difference in the endi"
He spoke at random, but ne knew
how to deal with his crew. il seemed.
for on this those who had objected as
sented reluctantly TO the course he
proposed. Barnes and Walters are
uekS III UluiiIEs So lIty ndu DSlLST Dt
the two to guard him." he continued.
There is no fear that they will be
inclined to let him goi" / looked at
the men whom the g~lances of their
fellows singled out and found them
TO belong to the little knot Of fanatics
/ had before remarked-dark. stern
men. worth, IL the matter ever came
to fighting, all the rest Of the band put
together.
"a. +o-.oor 49, -
Sir Thomas concluded lightly. Then
we will deal with him. never fear! Now
II lis near midnight. and we must be go
ing, but not all together, or we shall
attract attention"
Half an hour later Master BERTHE
and / rode softly out of the courtyard
and turned our faces toward the city.
The night wind came sweeping across
h valley of the Thames and met us
full In the face as we reached the
brow OF the hill. 1t seemed laden with
enterprise. Ill conceived, i'll ordered,
and In Is very natare desperate, to
which we were In honor committed;
would have accounted OF itself for any
degree OF foreboding. But the scene
through which we had just passed, and
on M part the knowledge that l had
given up a fellow being to death. had
their depressing influences. For some
distance we rode In silence, which I
was the first to break.
Why did you put off his punish
ment?" / asked.
Because | think he will give us in
formation In the interval BERTHE an
Ewered briefly. Information which
may help us. A spy Is generally ready
to betray his own side upon occasion"
And you will spare him If he does D.
| asked@ II seemed to me neither
justice o mercy.
NO" he said. there Is no fear OF
that. Those who go with ropes round
their necks know no mercy. But
drowning men will catch at straws. and
| shivefed H. III Is naG BAD business. /
said.
He thought / referred to the con-
spiracy and he i~nveighed bitterly
against IT, reproaching himself for
bringing me into 1t n for his folly
In believing the rosy of men
had all to win and nothing save
their worthless lives to lose. There Is
only m thing gained" he said. 1--WE
are likely TO pay dearly for that. so
we may think the more Of 1t. We have
been the means OF furnishing a villain"
Yes" / said. that is true. 1t was
a strange meeting and a strange rec
tE bAhtoti . VI dt tItd a 6flOulu
be called up to swear with him"
Not strange Master Berthe an
swered gravely. II would rather call
II providential. Let us think of that
and be OF better courage. friend. We
have been used: we shall not be cast
away before our time
! looked back. For some minutes I
had thought / heard behind us a light
footstep more like the pattering of a
dog than anything else. I could see
nothing. but that was not wonderful.
for the moon was young and the sky
DO you hear some one fol-
lowing us?" I said.
Master BERTHE drew rein suddenly, and
turning in the saddle we listened. For
a second ! thought / still heard the
The next 1t ceased and onIy
leaves and signing away In the distance
came TO our ears. No he said, II
think 1t must have been your fancy. L
hear nothing"
But when we rode on the sound be-
gan again. though at first more family.
as liz our follower had learned prudence
and fallen farther behind. do not stop.
hut listen" I said softly. Cannot you
the pattering OF a naked foot
now?'
II hear something" he answered. II
hktA ttlt0ta W. - ditu Lidl WI
are followed
What is to be done?" i said. my
thoughts busy.
.'srhere is caen wood In front. he nm
swered, with a little open ground on
this side OF 1t, We will ride under the
trees and then stop suddenly. Perhaps
we shall be able to distinguish him as
he crosses the open behind us" We
made the experiment. but as II our fol-
lower had OWNED the plan his footstep
to sound before we had stopped
our horses. He had fallen farther be-
hind. I'VE might ride quickly back"
/ suggested. land surprise him."
1T would be useless Berthe an
swered There is too much cover
close to the road. Let us rather trot
on and outstrip him."
We did trot OF and what with the
tramp OF our horses as they swung
along the o and the sharp passage
OF the wind by our ears we heard no
more of the footstep behind. But when
we presently pulled up to breathe
horscs-or rather within O few minutes
OF our doing so~-there IL was behind us
nearer and louder than before. i shiv-
cred as 1 listened, and presently. acting
a sudden impulse. wheeled my
horse round and spurrcd him back a
dozen PAGES along the road.
I pulled up.
There was a movement IN the shadow
Of the trees on my right. and l leaned
forward. pecrfng VA that direction.
Gradually I nude. cut the lines OF u
figure standing stll, AS though gazing