Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-08-14

back, and as she moved It's terror in
creased, II plunged wildly. I had to
give for a momen all my attention to
1t. and though / tried In mere revolt
against the ear which / felt was over
coming me to urge 1t nearer my efforts
were vain. After nearly u%nseating me
the beast whirled round. and getting
the better of me galIoped down The
road toward London.
What is it?" cried Master BERTHE as
/ came speedily up with him. He had
ridden slowly on. What is the mat
teri"
Something in the hedge startled 1t, ("
! explained, trying TO soothe the horse.
II could not clearly see what 1t was"
"A rabbit. / dare say" he remarked.
deceived by my n
Perhaps ii was.'' / answered. Some
impulse, not unnatural. led me TO a
nothing about what / had seen. / was
not quite sure that my eyes had not de-
ceived me. / feared his ridicule. too,
though he was not very prone to ridi-
Guile. And above all | shrank from ex-
planning the medley Of superstitious
fear, distrust and adherence In which
/ held the creature who had shown SO
strange a knowledge Of my life.
We were already near Holborn. and
reaching without further adventure a
modest inn near the Bars we retired to
a room we had engaged and lay down
with non of the gallant hopes which
had last night formed the subject Of
our talk. Yet we slept well, for de-
preston goes better with sleep than
does the tumult OF anticipation, and /
was up early and down In the yard
looking TO the horses before London
was well awake. AS / entered the stable
a MAJ lying curled up in the straw
rolled lazily over, and shading his eyes
glanced up. Apparently he recognized
me, for he got slowly TO his feet. Morn
ing!" he said grufhy.
/ stood staring at him, wondering IL I
a made a mistake,
What are you doing here, my mann"
/ said sharply when / had made certain
/ knew him, and that he was really the
surly hostler from the Gatehouse tavern
at H~ighgate. why did you come here?
Why have you followed us?"
Come about your business he an
swered. ITO give you that"
l took the note he held out to me.
From whom?" / said. Who sent It
by you.?"
Cannot tell. " he replied, shaking his
head.
Cannot or will not?" / retorted.
Both" he said doggedly. But
there! If q want to know what sort
of a kernel is In a nut you don't shake
the tree, master-you crack the nut"
! / looked at the note he had given
me. 1t was but a slip of paper folded
thrice. The sender had not addressed
or sealed or fastened it In any way,
had taken no care either to insure It's
reaching it's destination or to prevent
! prying eyes seeing the contents. If
one of our associates had sent 1t, he
had been guilty of the grossest care
lessness. You are sure 1t Is for me?"
7 said.
LAS sure as mortal can be-" he an
swered. only that 1t was given me
for a man. and not a mousse! You are
not afraid master?'
/ was not, but he edged away as he
spoke and looked with so much alarm
at the scrap of paper that 1t was
abundantly clear he was very much
afraid himself, even while he derided
me. / saw hat IL l had offered TO re-
turn the note he would have backed
out Of the stable and gone off there and
then as fast as his lame foot would let
him. This puzzled me. However, /
read the note. There was nothing in
1t 70 Brighten me. Yet, as / read the
color came into my face for 1T con-
tanned one name to which / had long
been a stranger.
Ito Francis Clud6e,' Ii ram. IF you
would not do a thing Of which you viii
m~iserably repent all your life. and
which VIII stain you I'm the eyes OF all
Christian men, meet me two hours be-
fore noon at the cross street Of st.
Botolph's, where you first saw Mistress
Bertram. And tell no one. Fail not
TO come. In heavens name, fail not!'
The note had nothing to do with the
conspiracy. then, on the face of it. mys-
tcrious as 1t vas and m~ysteriously as it
came. Look here!" / sail to the man.
Tell me who sent 1t. and l will give
YOU q crown"
II would not tell you.'' he answered
of England. No, nor king Of Spain
too! You might rack me. and you would
not get II from mel"
His one eye glowed with so OBJ
stinate a resolve that / gave
UP the attempt to persuade and
turned to examine the message
Itself. But here / Jared no better.
did not know the handwriting, and
there was no popularity in the paper.
l was no wiser than before. "Are you
to take back any answer" said.
NO" he replied, the saints be
thanked for the same! But you will
ear me witness" he went on anxious
ly, that I gave you the letter. You
will not forget that or say that you
have not had 1t? But there!" he added
to himself as he turned away, speaking
In a low voice. SO that / barely caught
the sense OF the words, what Is the
use? She will know!"
(Continued Next Weekly