Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-08-15
Story Of Francis Cludde
A Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.

me afterward If you find we have let
slip a golden opportunity. Be fools II
you like. I dare say it will not make
much difference in the end!"
He spoke at random, but he knew
how to deal with his crew, II seemed.
! for on this those who had objected as
sented reluctantly to the course he
proposed. Barnes and Walters are
here in hiding, so they had better be
the two to guard him." he continued.
! There Is no fear that they will be
| inclined to let him go!" I looked at
tho men whom the glances of their
| fellows singled out and found them
to belong to the little knot of fanatics
| / had before remarked-dark, stern
men, worth, If the matter ever came
to fighting, all the rest Of the band put
together.
"At 4, tomorrow, then. we meet"
Sir Thomas concluded lightly. Then
we will deal with him, never fear! Now
IT is 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
the valley Of the Thames and met us
| full in the face as we reached the
brow of the hill. 1t seemed laden with
melancholy whispers. The wretched
enterprise, i'll conceived, i'll ordered,
and in it's very nature 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 my 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 l
was the first to break.
why did you put off his punish
ment?" l asked
| Because think he will give us in
| formation in the interval" BERTHE an
swered briefly. Information which
may help us. spy is generally ready
to betray his own side upon occasion"
And you will spare him If he does?"
asked. 1t seemed to me neither
Justice nor 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
ten to one he will babble."
I shivered. 1T is bad business"
said.
He thought I referred to the con-
spiracy and he inveighed bitterly
against it. reproaching himself for
bringing me into II and for his folly
in believing the rosy accounts OF mer
who had all to win and nothing save
|
only one thing gained" he said. 1--WE
are likely to pay dearly for that, &c
we may think the more of 1t. We have
been the means of furnishing a villain
YES" l said. that is true. II was
n strange meeting and a strange rec
ognition. Strsngest of all that should
be called up to swear with him."
Not strange" Master BERTHE an
swered gravely. II would rather cal
1t providential. Let us think of thai
and be Of better courage, friend. We
have been used: we shall not be cas-
away before our time"
| ] looked back. For some minutes
had thought l heard behind us n ligh
footstep more like the pattering of G
nothing, but that was not wonderful
for the moon was young and the sky
overcast. DO you hear some one fol:
lowing us?" l said.
Master BERTHE drew rein suddenly, anC
turning in the saddle we listened. Fol
second / thought / still heard the
sound. The next II ceased and only
the wind toying with the November
leaves and signing away in the distance
came to our ears. NO he said, 90,
think 1t must have been your fancy.
hear nothing"
But when we rode on the sound be
gan again. though at first more family
AS IL our IOllOWeT Hau IedTIlpu
and fallen farther behind. DO not stop
but listen!" I said softly. Cannot yol
hear the pattering Of naked foo
now?"
|, IT hear something" he answered. "
am afraid you are right and that W,
are followed"
What is to be done?" I said. m,
thoughts busy.
There is caen wood in 'front.'" he an
swered, with a little open ground ol
this side of 1t. We will ride under tn
trees and then stop suddenly. Perhap
we shall be able to distinguish him a
he crosses the open behind U.s." w
made the experiment. but as If our fol
, lower had OWNED the plan his footste
ceased to sound before we had stoppe,
our horses. He had fallen farther be
hind I'VE might ride quickly back,
l suggested, land surprise him."
1T would be useless" BERTHE an
swered. There is too much cove
close to the road. Let us rather tro
on and outstrip him."
We did trot on, and what with tn
tramp of our horses as they swun
along the road and the sharp passag
of the wind by our ears we heard n
, more of the footstep behind. But whe
we presently pulled up to breathe ou
horses-or rather within few minute
Of our doing so-there 1t was behind u
: cred as / listened, and presently actin
on a sudden impulse, 1 wheeled m
horse round and spurred him back
dozen PAGES along the road.
/ pulled up.
There was a movement in the shadov
; Of the trees on my right, and l leane
: forward, peering In that direction
Gradually I made out the lines OF
figure standing still, as though gain
taI Ac1Ir
crooked. short and in some way, thoug
, no lineament of the face was visibl,
expressive Of a strange and weir
7 malevolence. 1t was the witch! Th
= witch whom / had seen in the kitche
. ut the gatehouse. How, then, had sh
come hither? How had She old, lam,
. decrepit, kept up with us?
!, l trembled as she raised her hant
= and standing otherwise motionles
, pointed at me out OF the gloom. TIL
horse under me was trembling, too
trembling violently, with its ears lai
back, and as she moved its terror IL
!. creased, 1t plunged wildly. / had
!, give for q moment all my attention
It, and though 1 tried in mere revo
y against the fear which I felt was owe
- coming me to urge it nearer my effort
were vain. After nearly unseating II
= the beast whirled round, and gettin
v the better of me galloped down II
I road toward London.
7 7 What is it?" cried Master BERTHE 6
. / came speedily up with him. He ha
= ridden slowly on. What is the ma
i, ter?"
. Something in the hedge startled it
q I explained. trying to soothe the hors
y II could not clearly see what 1t was
a "A rabbit, / dare say" he remarke
deceived by my manner.
" Perhaps 1t was" 1 answered. Son
. impulse. not unnatural. led me to sa
!, nothing about what had seen. / wi
:, not quite sure that my eyes had not d
y ceived me. 1 feared his ridicule, to
=. though he was not very prone to rid
: cule. And above all 1 shrank from e.
planning the medley of superstition
y fear, distrust and abhorrence in whiC
"a hnld tho crea tura whn had shnWn