The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-08-14

back, and as she moved its terror tn
creased, 1t plunged wildly. 1 a TO
give for a momen all my attention to
it, and though 1 tried In mere revolt
against the fear which 1 felt was over
coming me to urge it nearer my efforts
We're vain. After nearly u%nseating me
the beast whirled round, and getting
the better of me galloped dow the
road toward London.
"Wha is ftp" cried Master BERTHE as
I I csnce speedily up with him. He had
ridden slowly on. What is the mat
ter?"
Something in the hedge startled It,"
II could not clearly see what it vas"
"A rabbit, / dare say" he remarked.
deceived by my manner.
Perhaps it was,' l answered. Some
impulse, not unnatural, led me to say
nothing about what 1 had seen. I was
not quite sure that my eyes had not de-
ceived me. / feared his ridicule, too,
though he was not very prone to ridl-
Guile. And above all l shrank from eX-
planning the medley of superstitious
l held the creature who had shown so
strange a knowledge of my life.
We We're already near Holborn, and
reaching without further a
modest inn near the Bars we retired to
a room we had engaged and lay down
1 Miltl IIOuG ol lle gallant AODeS which
had last night formed the subject of
our talk. Yet we slept we'll, for de-
preston goes better with sleep than
does the tumult of anticipation, and I
was up early and down in the yard
looking to the horses before London
was well awake. AS 1 entered the stable
a man 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 aid gruftiy.
I stood staring at him, wondering IL I
had made a mistake.
What are you doing here, my MANI"
I said sharply when / had made certain
knew him, and that he was really the
surlM hostler from the G%atehouse tavern
Why have you followed us?"
Come about your business" he an
swered. ITO give you that"
took the note he held out to me.
From whom?" 1 said. Who sent it
by you?-
head.
"Gannot or will not?" I retorted.
there! If you want to know what sort
OF a kernel is In a nut, you don't shake
the tree, master-you crack the nut"
I 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 1t in n way,
had taken no care either to insure its
reaching it's destination or to prevent
prylng eyes seeing the contents. If
n of our associates had sent it. he
bad been guilty of the grossest care
lessness. You are sure 1t Is for me?"
I said.
"As sure as mortal can be-" he an
swered. only that it was given ms
for a man. and not a mouse! You are
not afraid master?"
I was not, but he edged away as he
spoke and looked with so much alarm
~abundantly clear he was very much
afraid himself, ever while he derided
me. I saw that If 1 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, I
read the note. There was nothing in
1t to brighten me. Yet, as I read the
color came Into my face for it con-
tanned one name to which I had long
been a stranger.
"To Francis Cludde.' 1t ran. "If you
would not do n thing of which you will
miserably repent all your life, and
which will stain you in 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 was and mysteriously as it
came. Look here!' I said to the man.
Tell me who sent 1t. n I will give
you a crown
II would not tell you.' he answered
stubbornly. III you could make me king
Of England! No, nor king of Spain
too! You might rack me. and you would
not get 1t from. mel"
His one eye glowed with 80 OBJ
stinate a resolve that I gave
up the attempt to persuade and
turned to examine the message
itself. But here I Jared no better. I
did not know the handwriting, and
there was no popularity in he paper.
I was no wiser than before. Are you
to take back any answer?" I said.
NO" he replied, 'the saints be
thanked for the same! But you will
bear 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 it7 But there!" he added
to himself as he turned away, speaking
in a low voice, so thai 1 barely caught
the sense of the words, what is he
use2 She will know!"
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