Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-03-14
THE
Story of Francis Cludde
A Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.
Than the landlord showed he under

/
AYE. so say T." ne cried. with an
oath. "Purveyors ndeed 1t Is such
as they give the queen a bad name"
God bless her!" quOth The monk
loyalty
And drown the puryeyors a farm
er exclaimed
They We're here q year ago and left
US as bare as a shorn sheep" struck in
a strapping villager speaking at a
white heat but telling me no news, for
this was what | had heard at ToNcoS-
ter the night before. The queen should
lie warm IL she uses all the wool they
! took. And the pack horses they pur-
/ Neyed 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 |! The
! first that comes this way | will show
! the bottom of the Ouse. Aye that |
will, though | hang for it,"
Easy easy. Tom Miller" the host
! interposcd, affecting an air of assur-
| ance, even while he east an eye Of trou-
/ BILE at his fiitches. 1t will be another
J ten years before they harry us again
| There Is POtter's Pury! They never
/ TOOK testers worth from Potters
/ Pury! No, nor from Preston Gobion!
| But they viii go to them next depend
| upon it,"
Il hope they win" l said with
world Of gloomy inSinuation I'm my
words But / 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 at me
Ia silence and waited for more
What if there be one across the road
now | said, giving way to the temp
tation and speaking falsely for which
! l paid dearly afterward "A puryeyor
| mean, unless | am mistaken i'm 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"
For the hundredman?" repeated the
| landlord, his brows meeting
Yes, unless ! ann mistaken
There was silence for a moment Then
the man they called Tom Miller dashed
his cap on the foor and folding his
arms defantly looked round ON his
neighbors He has come has he!" he
roared. his face swollen. his eyes blood
shot. Then | win be as good as my
word! Who win help" Shall we sit
down and be shorn like sheep. as we
were before, SO that cur children lay on
the bare stones. and we pulled the plow
ourselves On shall we show that we
are free Englishman and not slaves OF
FreEchmen' Shall We teach Master
Purveyor not to trouble us again? Now.
what say you neighbors?"
SO fierce q growl OF impatience andan-
ger rose round me as at once answered
the question. dozen red faces glared
at me and at one another. and from the
very motion and passion Of the men as
they snarled and threatened the room
seemed twice as full as it 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 score OF brandished fists
these sights, though they told Of the
very effect at which had aimed
scared well as pleased me | turned
red and white and hesitated. fearing !
that | had gone too far.
The thing was done however and
what was more | had soon to take care |
of myself. At the very moment when
the hubbub was at its loudest | felt a
chill run down my back as | met the !
monks eye, and, reading IN IL whim- |
steal admiration, read in IL something |
besides, and that was an unmistakable |
menace. Clever lad" the eye said. |
Il VIII expose you. II threatened
! had forgotten him--or. at any rate.
that my acting would be transparent |
enough 20 him holding the clew in his |
hand-and his look was like the shock |
of cold water 10 me. But ii is wonder !
full how keen the wits grow on the !
grindstone of necessity. With scarcely |
a seconds hesitation / drew out my
long piece Of gold and unnoticed by |
the other men. who were busy swear
ing at and encouraging one another. |
disclosed a morsei Of It. The monks |
crafty eyes glistened. | laid my finger
on my lips
He held up two fingers.
| shook my head and showed an /
-, tlsg. D., a
and the relief that nod gave me was
great. Before ! had time however
TO consider the narroWness OF my es-
cape "a movement of the crowd for the |
news had spread with great swiftness
and there was now crowd assembled
which more than filed the room-pro-
claimed the purveyor had come out and
was in the street.
The room was nearly emptied at a
rush. Though / prudently remained
behind, ] could, through the open win
do, hear as well as see what passed !
The leading spirits had naturally strug-
gled out first and were gathered. sullen
ana ful of dangerous possibilities.
about the porch.
! suppose the bishops messenger saw
I'm them nothing but a crowd OF coun-
try clowns, for he came hectoring
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 az his back
three stout constables sworn to keep
the queens peace.
Make way, Make way there. DO
you hear?" he cried in husky. pomp-
Gus voice. Make way!" he repeated
lightly touching the nearest man with
his switch. Il am on the queens ser
vice, boobies, and must not be him
dered"
The man swore at him. but did not
bulge, and the bully. brought up thus
sharply, awoke to the lowering faces
and threatening looks which confronted
him. He changed color "A little. But
the ale was still in him, and forgetting
his natural discretion he thought TO
carry matters with high hand.
Come, come" he exclaimed angrily.
Il have warrant, and you resist me
at your peril. l have to enter this
house. Clear the way. Master Hun
dredman, ana break these fellows
heads If they Withstand you"
A groWl as OF dozen bulldogs an
swered him, and he drew back as "A
child might who has trodden on an
adder. You fools!" he spluttered.
glarfng at them viciously. Are you
mad? Do YOU know what YOU are do
/ ing? Do you see this?" He whipped out
from some pocket q short white staff
and brandished il. II come direct from
'lle ioiu tudHtetiOi ana upon ms DuSl-
ness. DO you hear? And III you resist
me IL is treason Treason. YOU dogs"
he cried his rage getting the better of
him, and like dogs you will hang for
II. Master Hqndredman. | order you
10 take i'm your Constables and arrest
, that man"
What MANI" quoth Tom Miller, eye
ing him fxedIy
THE stranger who came In an hour
ago and is inside the house"
Him. he means who told about the
purveyor across the road. explained
the monk, with a wink.
That wink sufficed. There was roar
of eXecration. and in the twinkling of an
eye the Jack in office, tripped up this
way and showed that. was struggling
helplessly I'm the grasp of half a dozen
men. who fought saNngeiY for his hndY