Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-08-08

1t would make our position no worse,
for already we were fully committed.
The position was indeed bad enough
We had only persuaded the others to a
short delay, and even this meant that
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 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
gleam of hidden weapons, made up a
scene very striking, the more as 1t was
no mere show, but some of us saw only
too distinctly behind II the figure of the
headsman and the block.
Now" said Penruddocke, who him
self. I think. took certain grim pleas
ure in the formality, .be ready to,
swear, gentlemen, In pairs, as 1 call
the names. Kingston and Matthew
son."
Lolling against the wall under one
Of the sconces, 1 looked at Master
BERTHE, expecting to be called up
with him. He smiled as our
eyes met and 1 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? l learned afterward that
NUh m or n
other were puTposely associated, the
theory being that each should keep
an eye upon his oath fellow. / went
forward to the end of the table and
took the book.
There was a slight pause.
"Crewdson." called Penruddocke-
sharply. Did you not hear, man."
There was little stir at the farther
end Of 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, a man Of great height,
though slender and closely cloaked. A
dropping gray mustache covered his
mouth, and that was almost all 1 made
out before Sir Thomas, with some
sharpness, bade him uncover. He did
so with an abrupt gesture, and reach
ing out his hand grasped the other
end of the book as though he would
ldhe IL lTOHl me. HIS manner was
so strange that l 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 paid
no attention to them-I was busted
with something else Where had | seen
the sinister CLEAN in those eyes be-
fore, and that forehead high and mar
row, and those lean, swarthy cheeks (?
Where had l before confronted that
very face which now glanced into mine
across the book? Its look was bold
and defiant, but low down in the cheek
l saw little pulse beating furiously,
a pulse which told Of anxiety, and
the jaws, half veiled by the ragged
mustache, were set in an iron grip.
Where? Ha! I knew. l dropped my
end Of the book and stepped back.
Look to the door!" / cried, my,
voice sounding harsh and strange in
my own ears. Let no one leave. L
denounce that mani" And raising my
hand / pointed pitilessly at my oath
fellow. II denounce him-he is a spy
and traitor!"
Il a spy?" the man shouted fiercely.
with the fierceness of despair.
AYE, you, you! Clarence or Crewd-
son, or whatever you call yourself, I
denounce you! My time has come"
(ContiRued Next Weekl