The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-04-03
Story of Francis 1udde
a Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY J. WEYMAN.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.

w tIIG Nv
"Go, Got" / cried impatiently. Each
second ] expected the court to be in
vaded. for the man had screamed more
than once.
Bot they hesitated. I had been forced
to hurt him a little. and he was moan
Ing piteously. who are youo" the eld-
er woman asked. she who had spoken
all through.
Nay, never mind that" I answered.
DO you go. Go while you can. You
know the way to the wharf"
YES she answered. But | cannot
go and leave him at your mercy. Re
m he is a man and has'-
He Is a treacherous scoundrel." 1
answered. giving his throat a squeeze.
Listen. sirrah," ! continued to the man.
and stop that noise, or 1 will knock
out your teeth with my dagger hilt.
Listen and be silent. / shall go with
these ladies. and ! promise this-if they
are stopped or hindered on their way.
or If evil happens TO them at that
wharf, whose name you had better for
you hear? You will suffer for 1t,
though there may be a dozen guards
about you. Mind you" | added. II
have nothing to lose myself, for | an
desperate already"
he vowed. the poor craven. with his
suffering tongue, that he would be
true and vowed 1T again and again.
Blu 1 saw that his eyes did not meet
mine. They glanced instead at the
knife blade, and 1 knew even while
pretended to trust him that he would
betray US. My rea hope lay in his
Tears and In this-that as the fugitives
Knew the way to the wharf. and it
could not now be far distant. We might
reach 1t and go on board some vessel
! had gathered they were fleeing from
the country-before this wretch could
recover himself n get together a force
10 stop us. That was my real hope,
and in that hope only 1 left him.
we went as fast as the women could
walk. l did not trouble them with ques-
lions. Indeed i had myself no more
leisure tina enabled me to notice their
general appearance, which was that of
comfortable tradesmen's women folk.
Their cloalss and hoods We're plainly
fashioned and of coarse stuff; their
SHOES were thick and no jewel or scrap
OF lace peeping out betrayed them.
Yet there was something in their car
rage mat could not be hidden, some
thlng, which to M eye. told tales, so
tllat minute by minute / became more
sure that this was really an adyen-
lure worth pursuing. and that London
had Kept a reward In store for me be-
sides Its cold stones and i~nhospitable
streets.
The city was beginning to rouse itself.
AS we fitted through the lanes and
alleys which lie between Cheapside and
me river we met many people, chiefly
OF the lower classes, on their way ia
work. Yet In spite of this we had no
need TO fear observation. for, though
me morning was fully come, with the
Ilsht mad arrived such a thick. choking,
yellow fog as /. being for the most
part. country bred. had never D
Fenced. II was so dense and binding
.hat we had difficulty In keeping to-
sether II even hand in hand could
scarcely see n another. In my won
der now my companions found their
way presently tailed to notice their
colidltlon and only remarked the dis
tress n exhaustion which one of them
was suffering when she began, notwith-
all her efforts. to lag behind.
Ihen 1 sprang forward, planning my
self much. Forgive me-" l said. You
are tired and no wonder. Let me carry
the child, mistress"
Exhausted as she was. she drew
away from me jealousy.
No" she painted. w are nearly
there. l am better now" And She
strained the child closer to her. as
though she feared | might AXE ii from
her by force.
Well, II you will not trust me-" / an
sWerea; lei your friend carry 1T for a
time. L can see o are tired out"
through the mist she bent forward
and peered into my face, her ewes
scarcely a foot from mine. The scrut-
my seemed to satisfy her. She drew a
long breath and held out her burden
No h said. You shall take him
1 will trust you"
took the little wrapped UP thing as
gently as 1 could. You shall not re-
atlt q I n ~ ~1- ~
"Bertram." she said.
Mistress Bertram,''I repeated Now
let US get on and lose no time"
"A walk OF a hundred yards or so
rough US clear OF the houses and re-
vealed before US, in place of all else.
a yellow curtain Of fog. Below this,
at our feet. yet apparently a long way
~mIner light. which they told me
was the water. AT first 1 could hardly
believe this. But. pausing a moment
while my companions whispered TO-
gether. duh creakings aud groaninps
ana uncouth shouts and cries. and at
last the regular beat of oars. came 10
my ears out OF the bank of vapor and
convinced me that we really had ,he
river before US.
Mistress Bertram turned to me
abruptly. Listen" she said. and de-
eide for yourself, my friend. We are
close TO the wharf now and in a few
minutes shall know our fate. 1t ia
possible that we may be Intercepted at
this point. and If that happens it viii
be bad for me and worse for any one
aiding me. You have done US gallant
service. but you are young, and am
loath to drag you into perils which
do not belong to you. Take my adj
vice. then, and leave US now. would
i could reward you.' she added hastily.
but that knave has my purse"
I put the. child gently back into her
arms. "~Goodby." she said with more
feeling. We thank you. Some day I
may return to England and have ample
power"-
Not 80 fast" I answered stiffly.
Di o think it possible. mistress,
thai I would desert you now? i rave
you back the child only becauc 1t
might hamper me and will be safer
with you. Come, let US on at once to
the wharf,
You mean IT." she said.
"Of q certainty" I answered. set
ting my cap on my head with per-
haps q boyish touch of the braggart.
AT any rate. h did not take me at
once at my word. and her thought for
me touched me the more because I
judged her--I know not exactly why
70 be q woman not overprone to think
of others. DO not be reckless" she
said slowly. her eyer intently fixed on
mine. II should be sorry to bring eyil
upon you. You are out a boy"
"An6 vet ~ apau,orod on,Il,.- U..-