The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-07-31
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
One minute!" 1 said. That is the
Master BERTHE urn in his saddle
and looked at it. The light was fading
into the early dusk of q November
evening, but the main features of four
cross streets. the angle between two of
them filled by the tall belfry of Il
church. were still to be made out. The
east wind had driven loiterers indoors,
and there was scarcely any one abroad
10 notice us. l pointed to a dead wall
~ PAGES down the street. Opposite
h they stopped" l said. There was
a pile of boards leaning against it
them"
You have had many a worse bed
chamber since, lad" he said, smiling.
Many" ! answered. And then by a
common impulse we shook up the
horses. and trotting gently on We're
soon clear of London and making for
lslington. Passing through the latter,
we began to breast the steep slope
which leads to Highgate, and coming
When we had reached the summit,
plump upon the lights of the village
pulled up in front of a building which
doomed darkly across the road.
This is the Gatehouse tavern" Mas
ter Bertie said in a low voice. I'VE
shall soon know whether we have come
IN q iooi 5 eTIdIlO-Of WOrSe!'
We o under the archway into a
great courtyard, from which the road
issued again on the other side through
another gate. In one corner two men
were lttering down a line Of pack
horses by the light of the lanterns,
which brought their AIMED and rugged
faces into relief. In another, where the
doorway, a hostler vas serving out fod-
der and doing So, If We might judge
from the travellers circumstances, with
a n~iggardly hand. From the windows
or the house a dozen rays of light shot
athwart the darkness n disclosed as
many pigs wallowing asleep in the mid
die of the yard. In all we saw a coarse
comfort and welcome. Master BERTHE
led the way across the yard and ac-
costed the hostler. Can We have
stalls and beds?" he asked.
The nan stayed his chaffering and
looked up at us. Every man to his
business" he replied gru1fly. Stalls,
yes, but of beds l know nothing. For
women's work go to the women"
Right" said 1, so we win. With
better luck than you would go, l cx-
pect, my man."
Bursting into a hoarse laugh at this
ne was lame and one eyed and not
very we'll favored-he led us into a
long, many stalled stable. feebly lit by
AAS NiAA4l lCtS III lllSIe gum
mered against the walls. Suit your
selves" he said. First come Is first
served here"
He seemed an i'll conditioned fellow.
but the businesslike way in which we
went about our work, watering, feeding
and. l1ttering down in old campaigners'
FASHION. drew from him a grunt of COM
mendation. Have you come from afar.
masters?" he asked.
NO; from London" I answered curt
y. w come as linen diapers from
Westcheap, II you want to know."
Aye, l see that" he said. chuckling.
Never were atop OF a horse before nor
moi" o'
We want a merchant reputed to sell
at him. DO you happen to know II
there is a dealer here with any?"
He nodded rather to himself than to
me, as IL he had expected the question.
Then in the same tone. but with n
swered. II will show you into the
house presently. and you can see for
yourselves. A stable is no place for,
French lace" He pointed with a wink
over his shoulder toward a stall in
which a man apparently drunk, lay
snoring; That is a fine toy" he ran
on carelessly as I removed my dagger
from the holster and concealed 1t un-
der my cloak-"a fine plaything-for a
inen draper!"
Peace, peace, man. and show US in"
said Master Berthe. impatiently.
With a shrug Of hts shoulders the
man obeyed. Crossing the courtyard
behind him. we entered the great
kitchen, which. full of light and
warmth and noise. presented just such
a scene Of comfort and hustle. of oud
talking. red faced guests and hurrying
bare armed serving maids as I remem
bered lighting upon at st. Adams three
years back. But l had changed much
since then and seen much. The bailir
himself would hardly have recognized
his old antagonist in the tall. heavily
acquired amid wild surroundings in a
foreign land, gave him a look of age
to which I could not fairly lay claim.
Master BERTHE a assigned the lead to
me as being in less danger Of recogn1-
ton. and l followed the hostler toward
the hearth without hesitation. Master
Jenkin," the man cried. with the same
rough bluntness he had shown without,
here are two travellers want the lace
seller who was here today. Has he
gomez"
Who gone!' retorted the host as
loudly.
The lace merchant who came this
morning."
NO; he Is tn No. 49," returned the
landlord. "will you sup first, gentle
men?"
We declined and followed the hossler,
who made no secret OF our destination.
telling those in our road to make way
as the gentlemen were for No. 80. One
OF the crowd. however. who seemed to
be crossing from the lower end of the
room. failed apparently TO understand,
and f~nf0Tn0S1nO hofWoon NC md ,-