The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-03-12
THE
Story Of Francis Cludde
ARomance Of Q ueen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.

u F'anciful as the plan was, 1 snatche
l precious took my courge in my hand
and my tankard. Here" l cried
speaking suddenly and loudly, here /!
bad luck to purveyors, Master Host"
There were q couple of stableme1
within hearing. iounging In the door
way. besides the landlord and his wife
and the farmers.
A villager or two also had dropped
In. and there We're two peddlers lying
half asleep in the corner. All these
prlcked up their ears more or less a.
my words. But. like most country folk
they We're slow to take in anything
new or unexpected, and 1 had to drink
afresh and say again, Here is bad. luck
to p~urveyors!" before any one took II
up.
Thcn the landlord showed he under
stood.
Aye, SO say Il" he cried, with ar
oath. "Purveyors. indeed! 1t is such
as they give the queen a bad name.'
God bless her!" quoth the monk
Loyalty.
AND drown the ~purveyors!" a farm
er exclaimed.
They were here a year ago and left
us as bare as a shorn Sheep struck in
a strapplng villager, speaking at a
white heat. but telling me no news. for
eAic """ ZIG L ID IlCdIu III 1OWCcS
ter the night before. The queen should
lie warm If she uses all the wool they
took. And the pack horses they pur-
veyed to carry off the plunder-why,
the packmen avoid Stratford ever since
as though we had the black death. Oh,
down with the %purveyors. say I! The
first that comes this way I will ahow
the bottom of the Ouse. Aye, that
will. though I hang for IT."
Easy, easy Tom Miller!" the host
l~nterposed. affecting an air of assur-
ance. even while he cast an eye of trou-
BILE at his flitches. 1T will be another
ten years before they harry US again.
There Is Potter's Pury! They never
look a testers worth from Potter's
Pury! No, nor from Preston Qobion!
But they will go to them next. depend
Il hope they will" I said, with a
world OF gloomy insinuation In my
words. But I doubt it,"
And this time my hint was not vast
ed. The landlord changed color. What
are you driving at, master?" he asked
mildly, while the others looked al me
In silence and waited for more.
VIVA If there be one across the road
w I said, giving way to the temp
tation and speaking falsely-for which
l mean, unless I am mistaken in him,
or he tells lies. He has come straight
from the chancellor, white wand, war
rant and all. He Is taking his dinner
now. but he has sent for the hundred
man, so | guess he means business"
"Eor the hundredman?" repeated the
landlord, his brows meeting.
Yes, unless I am mistaken"
There was silence for a moment. Then
the man they called Tom Miller dashed
his cap on the floor, and folding his
arms defiantly looked round on his
neighbors. He has come, has he!" he
roared, his face swollen. his eyes blood
shot. Then 1 will be as good as my
word! Who will help? Shall we sit
down and be shorn like sheep. as we
were before, so that our children lay on
the bare stones. and we pulled the pillow
ourselves? Or shall we show that we
are free Englishman and not slaves of
Frenchmen? Shall we teach Master
Purveyor not to trouble US again? Now,
what say you neighbo-s?'
So fierce a growl of fmpatience n an
ger rose u me as at once answered
the question. A dozen red faces glared
at me and at one another, and from the
motion n passion of the men as
they snarled and threatened the room
seemed twice as full as 1t was. Their
oaths and cries OF encouragement, not
loud, but the more dangerous for that.
the fresh burst OF fury which rose as
the village smith and another came
In and learned the news. the menacing
gestures of a score of brandished fists
these sights. though they told of the
very effect at which / had aimed,
scared as we'll as pleased me. I turned
red and white and hesftated, fearing
that I had gone too far.
The thing was done. however, and,
what IA more, l had soon to take care
of myself. At h very moment when
the hubbub was at It's loudest I felt q
chill ,s,Yv Invyt, yrIy ho,LH &c L.
monks eye and. reading In 1t whim-
steal admiration, read in it something
besides. and that was an unmistakable
menace Clever Iad!" the eye said.
IT will expose you" it threatened.
I had forgotten him-or, at any rate,
that my acting would be transparent
enough to him holding the clew in his
hand-and his ook was like the shock
of old water to me. But 1t is wonder
full how keen he wits grow on the
grindstone of necessity. With scarcely
a second hesitation / drew out my
long piece OF gold. and unnoticed by
the other men, who were busy swear
ing at and encouraging one another, I
disclosed a morsel of 1T. The monks
or my lips.
He held up WI fingers.
I shook my read and showed an
empty palm. I had no more. He nodded,
and the relief that Q gave me was
great. Before / a time, however,
to consider the narrowness of my es-
cape o movement of the crowd-for the
news had spread with great swiftness,
and there was now a crowd assembled
which more than filled the oom-pro-
claimed the purveyor had cone out and
was in the street.
The was nearly exnptfed at q
rush. Though I prudently remained
behind, / could, through h open VIM
do, hear as well as see what passed.
The leading spirits had naturally strug-
gled out first and were gathered. sullen
and full of dangerous possibilities,
about the porch.
I suppose the bishops messenger saw
in them nothing but a crowd of
try clowns. for he came h~ectoring
toward the door, shifting his boot with
his whip and putting out his red cheeks
nightly. He felt brave enough. now
that he had dined and had at his back
three stout constables sworn to keep
the queens peace.
Make way! Make way there! Do
you hear" he crted in a husky. pomp-
voice. Make way" he repeated.
lightly touching the nearest man with
switch. 81 am on the queens SER
vice, boobies. and must not be hin
dered.'
The man swore at him. but did not
bulge, n the bully. brought up thus