The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-09-24
CHAPTER xx111-continued.

him company. To hear Of 1t would
make my grandsire turn in his grave
out there. I dare not do it, Sir An
thony, and that is the fac. But for the
rest I will 10 as you bid me"
And he had his way. But never had
evening fallen more strangely and sad
iy at Cotton before. h rain battered
drearily In the our yard. The draw
bridge. by Baldwin's order, had been
pulled up. and h planks over the
moat in the rear removed.
They shall not steal upon us again.
he muttered. And if we must sur
render they shall see we do 1T will
fngly."
and their wives. Only the servants re-
rnalned. They clustered. solemn and
sorrowful, about the hearth in the great
hall, starting If a dog howled without
or n coal flew from the fire within. Sir
Anthony remained brooding In his W
room, Petronilla sitting beside him
silent and fearful, while Ferdinand and
his wife moved restlessly about listen
ing to the wind. But the evening and
the night wore peacefully away, and
SO, to the surprise Of everybody, did
the next day and the next. Coul the
matter? Alas! on the third day the
doubt was resolved. Two or three
boys. who had been sent out as scouts,
came in with news that there was O
strong watch set or the Ridgeway.
that the paths through the forest We're
guarded, that bodies of armed men
were arriving in the n~eighboring vii
aages, n that soldiers a been de-
ananded-or SO 1T was said-from War
wick n Worcester, n even from a
place as far away as Oxford. Probably
1T was only the sheriff's prudence
which had postponed the crisis. and
now 1t had come. The net was drawn
all round. AS the day closed In on
Cotton and the sun set angrily among
the forest trees the boys tale, which
grew no doubt in the telling. passed
from one to another, and men swore
and looked out of window, and women
Wept In II In the tower room
Sir Anthony sat awaiting the summons
and wondered what he could do to save
his daughter from possible rudeness.
strangers.
There vas one man missing from
hall and kitchen, but few in the sus-
pense noticed his absence. The fool
had heard the boys story and, unable
TO remain inactive under such excite
ment, he presently stole off in the dusk
to the rear of the house. Here he
managed to cross the moat by means
of a plank, which he then drew over
and hid In the grass. This quietly
managed-Baldwin, be 1t said. had
strictly forbidden any n to leave the
AAoA kAAA Oh Oil VIZ IL sIIII2
chuckle toward the forest, and fol-
lowing the main track leading toward
,Wootton Wawen presently am
among the trees upon a couple of SEN
tinels. They heard him, saw him dis
ftinctly and made a rush for him, but
this was just the sport Martin liked
and the fun he had come for. His
quick ear appraised him OF the danger,
and in a second he was lost in the un-
derWood, his hooking laugh and shrill
taunts keeping the poor men on the
shudder for the next ten minutes. Then
the uncanny accents died away, and
satisfied with his sport and the knowl-
edge he had gained the fool made for
Hlome. As he sped quickly across the
last field. however, he vas astonished
ny the sight of a dark figure In the
very act OF launching his (Martin,s)
an,laniS across the moat.
Ho, no! the fool nuttered In a
lfiercc undertone. That is it, is it?
And only one! II they will come one
fby one, like the plurns in the kitchen
l~porridge. / shall make a fine NEAL"
He stood back, cr~ouching down on
his eyes glittering. The stranger was
q tall. big fellow, a formidable antag-
ontst. But Martin cared nothing for
that. Had he not his long knife, as
ke.n as his wits when they were at
horne, which was not always. He drew
~ - - AAN So IN
darkness crept nearer and nearer, his
blood glowing pleasantly, though the
might was cold. How lucky it was he
llad come out! He could hardly re-
strain the "Ho, no" which rose to his
lips. He meant to leap upon the man
on this side OF the water. that there
might be no telltaln traces on the
farther bank.
But the stranger was too quick for
him IN this. He got his bridge fixed
and began to cross before Martin could
crawl near enough. As he crossed,
however. his feet made q slight noise
on the plank, and under cover of it
the fool rose and ran forward, then
followed him over with the stealthi-
ness OF q cat And, like q car, too,
tho moment the strangers feet touched
the bank Martin sprang on him with
his knife ratsed-sprang. on him ST.
9lentlys with his teeth grinning and his
eyes aflame.
CHAPTER XIV.
a momen later the servants in the
nall heard a scream OF such horror
and fear that they scarcely recognized
. human voice in the sound. They
sprAng 70 their feet scared and trembl-
Ing, and Tor q few cor looked into
one another's faces. Then. as curiosity
got the upper hand. the boldest took
the lead and all hurried pellrnela to
the door, issuing in 8 mob into the
court yard, where Ferdinand Cludde,
who happened 10 be near and had
also hoard the cry. Joined them. Where
@as II, Baldwin," he exclaimed.
Z AT tho back. / Think the stewart
alswered. Hesalone had had the cool
ness to- bring out q lantern, ana he
no. led the wal toward the rear st
the house U enough. close 10 the
edge o9 the nnoat. they found Martin.
stooping withNhts hands on his knees.
- great wound, half bruise, half cut.
npon his forehead. nEhatEis ita,. FER
sdsnand cried sharply Nho did i'll,
mar
Baldwin u already thrown Ills
4igtt on the FOOLS face and Martin,
@enIilnR 10 bAcosne conscious 81 their
E~resence. lo0ksd atHtbem, but in. q
zsiaxedS fnMli6n ssyN ?y III muttexed,
sM9Whntis what3
this tiiMe nearly every one ii
5x1le##SshoN1e hnd hurried to spot.
eIaoslEs theFns4 q only Retronilla, cling
III heF fataiexss arm. but Mistress
n Arine her fece p4le 4 gloomy, and
al Ais% \ Wo3stSrffolk who galasched
~ a19saNkg HHhtly I screamed 81
r 9s T8vaassd