Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-03-12
CHAPTER III.

W. a'i CAIlOIS lllOH HtNl Iidu ilG AA-
miiiar. From Cotton End the London
road lies plain and fair through STRAIT
ford-on-Avon and oxford. But my
plan. the better to evade pursuit. was.
instead. to cross the forest in IL north
easterly direction. and passing by War
between Coventry and Daventry.
which. running thence southeastward.
would take me as straight us a bird
might fly through Dunstable. ST. AL
bans n Barnet to London My bag
gage consisted only of my cloak. sword
and dagger, n for one L had but
a gold angel n a few silver bits OF
doubtful value. But l trusted that this
store. slender as 1t was. would meet my
charges as far as London. Once there
l must depend on my wits either for
providence at home or a passage
abroad.
Striding steadily up and down hill.
for Arden forest is made up of hills
and dells which follow one another as
do the wave and trough Of the sea.
only less regularly. l mad my way
toward Wootton Wawen. AS soon as
l espied it's battlemented church lying
in a wooded bottom below me I kept
a more easterly course. and leaving
Henley-in-Arden far to the left passed
down toward Leek Wootton. The
damp. dead bracken underfoot, the leaf
less oaks and gray sky overhead-nay.
the very cry of the bittern fishing in
the bottoms-seemed to be at one with
my thoughts. for these were dreary
n sad enough.
But hope and a fixed aim form no
a makeshifts for happiness. Strik-
Ing the broad London road as l had
purposed. l slept that night at Ryton
Dunsmoor and the next at Towcester.
I'M the third day, which rose bright
and frosty. found me stepping gayly
southwark. trave taine indeed, but
Il drNY md vyINo1~ Me- -S-SA- a
the temperature. For a time I put the
past behind me and found amusement
IN The sights of the rOad-in the heavy
wagons and long trains Of pack horses
and the CHEEKY greetings which met
me with each mile. After all. l had
fore me, n particularly Stony Strait
ford, where l meant to dine.
There was one trouble common
among wayfarers which did not touch
me. and that was the fear OF robbers.
Tor ne would be a sturdy beggar who
would rob an armed foot passenger
for the sake of an angel, and the eroats
were gone. So l felt nc terrors on that
account. and even when about noon 1
heard a horseman trot up behind me
and rein in his horse so as to keep
pace with me at a walk. step for stem
"a thing which might have seemed
suspicious to some took no heed of
him. was engaged with my first view
of Stratford and did not turn my head.
We had walked on SO for SO PAGES or
more before it struck mo as odd that
the man did not pass me.
Then 1 turned, and shading nv ewes
from the sun, which stood just over his
shoulder. said. "Good day, friend"
o day, MASTER" he answered.
He was a stout fellow. looking like
a citizen. although he had a sword by
his side and wore 1T with an air of inn
portance which the sunshine Of oppor-
tunfty might have ripened into a swag-
ger. His dress was plain, and he sat
q good hackney as a miller's sack
might have sat 1t. His face was the
last thing l BIKE at. When I raised
my eyes to it, l got an unpleasant
start. The man was no stranger. I
knew him In a moment for the mes
senger who had summoned me to the
chancellor's presence.
Inc remembrance did not please me.
ana reading In the follows sly look
that he recognized me and thought he
mad made q happy discovery on finding
me I halted abruptly. He did the same.
IT Is asane morning." he said. taken
aDack by my sudden movement, but af-
sectr2g "a an b,s in nsin s1,, which he
for h time of year"
him.
Going to London? Or may be only
to Stratford?' he hazarded. He adget-
e q uncomfortably under my eye. but
still pretended ignorance Of me.
That Is as may be-" / answered.
mo offense, I am sure" he said.
l cast a quick glance up and down
the road. There happened to be no one
In sfrht. Look here!" I replied, stem
ping Pnng..e or%ar to lay my hand on the
back and prevented me. thereby giving
me q clew to his character. you are in
ter?''
His face fell, and he could not com
ceal his disappointment at being recor-
nized. well. master" he answered siI re-
!uctantly. perhaps I IN. and perhaps
I am not"
THAT is enough" I said shortly.
And you know me. You need not lie
about 1t. man. for I can see you DO.
Now. look here, Master Steward. or
whatever your name may bel
1T Is Master Pritchard," he nut In
sulkily. land I am not ashamed Of it,
Very well. Then let us understand
n another. Do o mean to interfere
with meg"
He grinned. well. to be plain. I do~
he replied, refining his horse back an
other step. Il have orders to look ont
for you and have you stopped IL I find
you. And I must do my duty, sir. I
am sworn to Il, Master Cludde."
Right" said I calmly. land I must
do mine, which is to take carr Of nv
skim" And I drew my sword and ad-
vanced upon him with q flourish. ave
will soon decide this little matter" I
added grimly. one eye on him and one
on the empty road, 'If you viii be
good enough to defend yourself"
But there vas no fight In the fellow
By good luck, too, he was SO startied
that he III not do what he might have
done with safety-namely. retreat ana
keep me in sight until some passersby