Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-10-02

pressed closer, and | looked swiftly
from face to face as the wavering light
lii up now one and now another-old
familiar faces tor the most part.
Well, Sir Philip, will you stop to
SUPPER | cried, with a laugh, when
he had "a time, as | judged, 10 reach
the signature.
G to!" he grunted. looking at me.
Nice fools you have made OF us, young
mani" He passed the letter to Gre
Vile. "Sir Anthony he continued, a
mixture of pleasure n chagrin in his
voice, you are free! / congratulate
o on your luck. Your nephew has
brought IN amnesty for all things lone
up TO the present time save for any
life taken, in which case the matter is
to be referred to the secretary. Fortu-
nately my dead horse is the worst Of
the mischief SO free you are and am
nestled, though nicely Master Cecil
has befooled usi'
I'VE will give you another horse, Sir
/ Philip" | answered.
But the words were wasted on the
air. They were drowned in a great
shout of joy and triumph which rang
from a score of Cludde Threats the mo-
ment the purport of the paper was un-
derstood-a o which made the old
house shake again and scared the
dogs sc that they fled away into corn
ers and gazed askance at us. their tails
between their legs, a shout that was
plainly heard a mile away in half a
dozen homesteads where Cludde men
lay gloomy in their beds.
BY his time my uncle's hand was In
mine. With his other he took off his
hat. Lads" he cried huskily, rearing
his tall form In our midst, "a cheer
for the queen! God keep her safe, and
long may she reigni"
This was universally regarded as the
nN1 - - L. -. IA T..
those parts the Cotton Instruction"
When silence came again, every dog.
even the Oldest n wisest, had bayed
himself hoarse and fed to kennel,
thinking the end OF the world was
come. My heart. as / joined roundly
In, swelled high with pride, and there
were tears I'm my eyes as well as in
my uncle's. But there Is no triumph,
after all, without It's drawback, no
f~ruition equal to the anticipation.
Where was Petronilla? / could see her
nowhere. l o from window to
window, but she was at none. 1
scanned the knot of maids, but could
not find her. Even the cheering had
not brought her out.
1t vas wonderful, though, how the
cheers cleared the air. Even Sir
Thomas Greville regained good humor
and deigned to shake me by the hand
and express himself pleased tina the
matter had ended so happily. Then the
sheriff drew him and Bridgewater
away to look to their mems
ments, seeing, l think, that my uncle
and / would fain be alone awhile, and
at last l asked with a trembling voice
after Petronilla.
To be sure Sir Anthony answered,
furtively wiping his eyes, II had for
gotten her, lea lad. / wish now that
she had staid. But tell me, Francis,
hnpr Qa n Won hork t0niuht opI hnxx,
did you manage this?"
Something of what hi asked I told
him hurriedly, but then-be sure /
took advantage OF the first opening-I
asked again after Petronilla. Where
has she gone, sir?" l said, trying to
conceal my impatience. II thought
that Martin told me she was here
indeed that he had seen here after / ar
rived
II am not sure. do you know" Sir An
tony answered. eying me absently,
that I was wise, but / considered she
was safer away, Francis. And she can
be fetched back in the morning. /
feared there might be some disturb
ance In the house. as indeed there well
might have been, and though she beg
ged very hard to stay with me / sent
her off,"
This evening. sir?' 1 stammered.
suddenly chilled.
les, an nOur ago.
But an hour ago. every approach
was guarded, Sir Anthony" l cried in
surprise. Il had the greatest difficulty
In slipping through from the outside
myself. we'll as l know every field and
tree. To escape from within. even for
a man, much less a woman would
have been Impossible. She will nave to
be stopped"
Il think not he said. with a smile
at nee sage and indulgent. which
seemed to add. You think yourself a
clever lad, but you do not know every
thing yet
Il sent her out by the secret passage
TO the mill house. you see." he ex-
planned, "as soon as I heard the sher-
IFS party outside. I could have given
them the slip myself had I pleased"
The mill house?" / answered. The
N i'll house stood nearly a quarter of a
mile from Cotton End, beyond the gar
dens and In the direction of the village.
I remembered vaguely that had heard
from the servants In the old days some
talk of q secret outlet leading from
the house TO II. bur they knew no r
ticulars, and it's existence was only
darkly rumored among them.
You did not know OF the passage"
Sir Authonw said. chuckling at my as
tonishment.
"No; / remember, but the girl did.
Your fatner ana MS wire went with
her. He quite agreed in the wisdom
of sending her away. and indeed adj
yiscd it. On reaching the mill. il they
found all quiet. they were TO walk
across to Watney's farm. There they
could get horses and might ride at
their leisure to Stratford and wait the
event. I thought IL best for her, and
Ferdinand agreed"
And my f~ather-went with herT" l
muttered hoarsely. feeling myself
growing chill to the heart. Hardly
could I restrain my Indignation at Sir
Anthony's folly or my w anger and
disappointment-and fear, for though
my head seemed On fire, and there was
a tumult In my brain, | was cool
enough to trace clearly my fathers
motives and discern with what a de-
ltberate purpose he had acted. III
went with herr"
Yes: he and his wife," the knight
answered, noticing nothing In his OBJ
tuseness.
You have beer fooled. sir l said
bitterly. MY father you should have
known. and, for his wife. she ~ q bad,
u~nscrupulous woman. oh. the mad
ness Of IL. to put my cousin into their
What do you mean?' the knight
cried, beginning to trembie. Your
father Is q changed man. lad. he q
come back 20 the cta latin ana IN 4