The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-04-02
THE -
Storyof Francis Cludde
a Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.
BY STANLEY ]. WEYMAN.

NOi TO. L CTIeu lHlpdllenIly. EACH
second l expected the court to be in
vaded, for the nan had screamed more
han once.
Bat they hesitated. 1 had been forced
to hurt him a little, and he was moan
Ing p~iteously. who are your" the eld-
err m asked, she who had spoken
all through.
May, never mind that" I answered.
DO you go. Go while you can You
know he way to the wharf"
Yes" she answered. But I cannot
go and leave him at your mercy. Re-
member he Is a man and has
He Is a ~treacherous scoundrel," I
answered, giving his throat a squeeze,
but he shall have one more chance.
Listen, sirrah," / continued to the man,
and stop that noise, or / will knock
out your teeth with my dagger hilt.
Listen and be silent. 1 shall go with
these ladies, and l promise this-if they
are stopped or hindered OF their way,
or II evil happens to them at that
wharf, whose name YOU had better for
get. 1t will be the worse for you. Do
you hear? You will suffer for it,
though there may be a dozen guards
about you. Mind you" I added, II
have nothing to lose myself, for I am
desperate already"
He vowed, the poor craven with his
suffering tongue, that he would be
true n vowed it again and again.
But l saw that his eyes did not meet
mine. They glanced instead at the
knife blade, and 1 knew even while I
pretended to trust him that he would
betray us. My real hope lay in his
fears and In this-that as the fugitives
knew the way to the wharf, and 1t
could not now be far distant, we might
reach 1t and go on board some vessel
l had gathered they were fleeing from
the country-before this wretch could
recover himself and get together a force
to stop US. That was my real hope,
n In that hope only l left him.
We went as fast as the women could
walk. / did not trouble them with ques-
lions. Indeed / had myself no more
leisure than enabled me to notice their
general appearance, which was that of
comfortable tradesmen's women folk.
Their cloaks and hoods were plainly
Fashioned and OF coarse stuff; their
shoes were thick and no jewel or scrap
OF lace peeping out betrayed them.
Yet there was something in their car
riage that could not be hidden. some
thing, which to my eye, told tales, so
that minute by minute / became more
sure that this was really an adven-
ture worth pursuing, and that London
had kept a reward in store for me be-
sides its cold stones and inhospitable
streets.
The city was beginning to rouse itself.
AS we fitted through the lanes and
alleys which lie between Cheapside and
the river we met many people, chiefly
or the lower classes, on their way to
work. Yet In spite Of this we had no
need to fear observation, for, though
n morning was fully come, with the
light had arrived such a thick. choking.
yellow fog as /. being for the most
part, country bred, had never exper-
fenced. 1t was so dense and blindinR
fhaf wa had hif1nNNlfU In a--a- -
gether. and " hand in hand could
scarcely see one another. In my Won
der how my companions found their
way / presently failed to notice their
condition and only remarked the dis
tress and exhaustion which one of them
was SUFFERING when she began, notwith-
standing all her efforts, to lag behind.
Then l sprang forward, blaming my
self much. Forgive me-" 1 said. You
are tired and no wonder Let me carry
the child, mistress"
Exhausted as she was, she drew
away from me jealousy.
NO" she painted. I'VE are nearly
there. am better now." And she
strained the child closer to her as
though she feared 1 might take it from
her by force.
Wen, II you will not trust me-" I an
swered, "let you friend carry it for a
time. ] can see you are tired out"
Through the mist she bent forward
and peered into my face, her eyes
scarcely a loot from mine. The scrut
my seemed to satisfy her. She drew a
long breath and held out her burden.
NO" she said. You shall take him.
/ will trust you,
1 took the little wrapped up thing as
gently as l could. You shall not re-
pent 1t IL / can help It, mistress"-
"Bertram," she said.
'MiStrnSS RpFfr1 M 1T rannofaI GGNT.-x
let us get on and lose no time"
A walk of a hundred yards or SO
rought US clear Of the houses and re-
Vealed before us, in place of all else.
a yellow curtain of fog. Below this
at our feet, yet apparently a long way
from us; was a strange. pale line Of
shimmering light. which they told me
was the water. At first / could hardly
believe this. But, pausing a moment
while my companions whispered to-
gether, dull creakings and roaming
and uncouth shouts and cries, and at
last the regular beat of oars, came to
my ears out Of the bank Of vapor and
convinced me hat we really had the
river before us.
Mistress Bertram turned to me
abruptly. Listen" she said. and de-
eide for yourself, my friend. We are
close to the wharf now and in a few
minutes shall know our fate. IT ia
POooA1AC LILO VIC may DS Intercepted AT
this point, n IL that happens it win
be a for me and worse for any one
aiding me. You have lone US gallant
service, but you are young, and / am
loath to drag you into periIs which
do not belong to you. Take my ad-
vice, then, and leave us now. I would
I could reward you" she added hastily,
but that knave has my purse"
l put the child gently back into her
arms. "Goodby," she said with more
feeling. 1--WE thank you. Some day I
may return to England and have ample
power
Not so fast I answered stiffly.
Did you think 1t possible, mistress,
that l would desert you now? l gave
you back the child only becauce 1t
might hamper me and will be safer
with you. Come, let US on at once to
the wharf"
You mean it?" she said.
"Of a certainty" l answered, set
thing my cap on my head with per-
haps a boyish touch of the braggart.
AT any rate, she did not take me at
once at my word, and her thought for
me touched me the more because I
judged her-I know not exactly why
to be a woman not oVarDrOne To think