The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-03-27
Storyof Francis Cludde
ARomance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY ]. WEYMAN.

N-SS vi SAOSSS -
ere here. and we must search"
I waited to hear no more. ! wnsoutof
bed and hoddiing on my clothes and
~thrusting my feet into my boots like
One possessed. My heart was beating
Gu fast Us IL ! had been running In a
eace. and my hands were shaking with
h shock OF the alarm. The iinpa-
Ocnt voice without was Master Prit-
chard's II It n with all the venge-
6ul passion which ] should have ex-
n robbed. to be feeling. There would
DO little mercy to be had at his hands.
Moreover. my cars. grown as keen for
n as the hunted hare's dis
Singuished the tramping OF at least
hal . dozen horses. SO that 1t was
ut his back. Resistance would be USE
(ess. My sole chance lay in flight. II
Might should stili be possible.
Even In my haste I did not forsake
the talisman which had served me SO
well. but staid an instant to thrust 1t
into my pocket. The Guides have. I
fancy. a knaclt Of keeping DOL In emer-
Gencies. getting indeed the cooler the
greater the stress.
BY this time the inn was thorough
" aroused. Doors were opening and
shutting on all sides OF me. and ques-
Eions were being shouted in different
tones from room to room. In the midst
OF the hub-bub l heard the landlord
come out. muttering. and go down
stairs TO open he door. Instantly I
unmatched mine. slipped through It
stealthily. sneakcd a step or WI down
Che passage and then came plump up
in the dark against some who was
moving as softly as myself. The sur
prise was complete. and I should have
cried out ct the unexpected collision
on my mouth and gently pushed me
hack into my room.
Here there was now . faint glimmer
OF dawn, and by this I saw that my
Companion was the serving maid.
breath. us It you they want7"
II Thought go" she muttered.
Then you must get out through your
window. You cannot pass them. They
are armed. Quick!' Knot this about the
bars. tits no great depth to the bot
tom. and the ground Ia soft from the
fain."
She tore. as she spoke. the coverlet
aHrom the bed. and twisting 1t into a
Kind OF rope helped me to secure one
when you are down. she whispered.
keep along the wall to the right until
..You come to a heystack. Turn to the
left sthere-you will have to ford the
swater-and you will Don be clear Of
the town. Look about o then, and
~ - kG0Ao
ito Elstreet. running In a line with the
london road. but q mile from It and
through the woods. AT Elstree any
path TO h left will take you to
B. ..a9es a.. ana not; not two miles lost"
from h gloom. tho dark sky and
driving scud. without to peer GRATEFUL
" at her. Heaven bless you for a rood
swon,an!"
And. God keep you for q bonny boy"
I kissed her. forcing into her hands
- thing the remembrance of which
% very pleasantsto me to this day-my
last plece.of gold.
= homer more and Il stood un-
hurt. but almost up to my knees In
Sides az Tar as I could sees by blind
walls. Stopping only to Indicate by q
Aow whistle that I was safe. I turned
and sped away as fast AZ I could run
IN the direction which she had pointed
out. There was no one abroad and in
9 shorter time than I had expected, I
found myself outside the town, travel-
ing over . kind Of moorland tract
bounded in the distance by woods.
Here ! picked up the horseback
rave Tor Q shor breathing space. hur-
ried along Il to gain the shelter Of tho
erees. So far 30 good. had reason
20 pc But my case was still
An Indifferent n More than once In
eetting out Of the town I had slipped
plastered with dirt owing to these mis-
haps. and my clothes were in q woe
1ul plight For Q time excitement kept
me up. however. n ! made good way.
warmed BY the thong 1t that ! had
only when the day had come and
Grown on to noon. and I saw no sign
81 any pursuers. that thought got the
upper hand.
Then I began to compare, with some
o;tterness q feeling. my present con-
Il that which I had enjoyed only a week
AZ before. and 1t needed all my courage
TO support me. Skulkine. half famished.
between Barnet and Totterharn, often
compelled to crouch in bitches or be-
hind walls while travellers went by. and
liable each instant to have to ieave the
highway and take to my heels. I had
leisure to feel. and I did feel. more
keenly. I think. that afternoon than at
2 later time: the bitterness Of fort
1ne: Y cursed stephen Gardiner .
thcughts wander to my father. I had
said that I would build my house
efresh.. Well. truly I was building il
from b foundation.
:that e rained all day . cold. half frosen
rain. The whole afternoon I spent in
aiding. shlverinE and shaking. In q hole
under q ledge near Totterham, beine
afraid to 90 Into London before nieht-
SsEAll lest I should be waited for At the
gate and be captured. Chilled and be-
0raGEied Z 7 was and weak, hrcus
ant Of food. which I dared no 70
out TO BEG. the ter,ors Of capture
rot hold OF my mind ana presented
to me one by one every horrible form
of humiliation. the stocks. the piilory.
the car tail-so that even Master
PrtchArd. could he nave seen me, ana
known my mind. might have pitied me:
n that I loathe to this day the hours
I spent In that foul hiding place, Be-
tween a mans best and worse theirs
IL little but d platter OF food.
The way this was put an end TO
well remember. An old woman came
into ths field where I lay hid to drive
hone q cow. I had had my eyes on
this COW for at least an hour, having
made UP my mind to milk it for my
own benefit as soon as the dusk fell.
In my disappointment at seeing II
/ driven off and also cut OF a desire to
learn whether the old dame might not
y be going to milk 1t In a corner OF the
pasture. In which cas- I might still
get an after taste. I. crawled so Tar
Out Of my hole that, cunning suddenly
b caught sight OF me. respected "a