Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-03-14

saddle like a parched pea yes, l say!'
he roared DO YOU hear me? You &c
your way and l will go mine
That is a bargain" | said quietly
and mind you keep to it,"
l put up my sword with my face
turned from him, lest he should see the
curl Of my lip and the light in my eyes
In truth, ] was uncommonly well
pleased with myself and was thinking
that If | came through all my advent
ures as well / should do mcrrily. out
Wardly however, | tried TO Ignore my
victory and 10 make things as easy as
| could for my friend-if one may call
a man who will not fight him "A friend,
thing | doubt Which way are you
going ?' | asked amicably-"to STRAIT
ford?"
He nodded for he was TOO sulky to
speak.
"All right" | said cheerfully. feel
ing that my dignity could take care
of itself now Then SO far We may
go together. only do you remember
the terms. After dinner each goes his
own way
He nodded again, and we turned and
went on i'm silence, cycling one another
askance, like two in matched dogs
coupled together. But luckily our
forced companionship did not last long,
a quarter Of mile and a bend in the
y
houses of Stratford A long, struggling
village 1t seemed, made up of inns
streWn along the road, like beads
threaded on a rosary. And, TO be sure.
TO complete the likeness, we came pres
emily upon an ancient stone cross
standing on the green. ! pulled up in
front Of this with "A sigh OF pleasure.
for on either side of il, one facing the
other, was an inn of the better class
Well" | said. which shall II be-
the Rose and Crown, or the Crown
without the rose2"
Choose for yourself, ne answered
churlishly. Il go to the other"
Il shrugged my shoulders. After ALL
you cannot make "a silk purse out of a
soW's ear, and If a man has not courage
he is not likely to have good fellow
ship. But the words angered me new
erthelecs, for a shabby hulking fellow
lounging at my elbow overheard them
and grinned hicCoughng blear
eyed man he was as l had ever met
with a red nose and the rags Of "A tat
tered cassock about him. | turned
away in annoyance and chose the
Crown al hazard, and pushing my way
through the knot of horses that stood
tethered at the door went in, leaving
the two to their devices.
l found a roaring fire in the great
room and three or four yeoman stand
ing about il, drinking ale But | was
hot from walking. so after saluting
them and ordering my meal ! Went and
sat for choice on a bench by the win
dow away from the fire. The window
was one of "A kind common I'm War
wickshire houses, long and low and
beetle browed, the story above propect
ing over II. / sat there a minute look
ing idly out at the inn opposite. a
heavy stone building with "A walled
courtyard attached TO II, such an inn as
was common enough about the time OF
the wars OF the roses, when wayfarers
looked rather for safety than comfort.
Presently | saw a boy come out of il
and start up the road at a run. Then,
a minute later, the ragged fellow had
seen on the green came out and lurChcd
across the road. He seemed 10 be max
ing, though uncertainty. for my inn,
and. sure enough. Just as my bread and
baCon-the latter hot and Kissing
were put before me, he staggered into
the room, bringing strong smell of
ale and onions with him. Pax vobis-
cum." he said, leering at me with tipsy
solemnity.
l guessed what he was--a monk. one
of those unfortunates still to be found
here and there up and down the coun-
try, whom King Henry, when he put
down the monasteres, had made home
much favor, thinking that for most of
them the cloister, even if the queen
succeed in getting the abbeys on their
legs again, would have few attractions
But | saw that the simple farmers re-
ceived his scrap of Latin with respect,
and l nodded ciyilly as L went on with
my meal.
| was not TO get Off so easily how
ever. He came and planted himself
opposite to me.
"Pav vobiscum my son." he repeat
ed. The ale is cheap here and good"
80 is the ham, good father" / re-
piled cheerfully not pausing In my at
tack on the victuals. Il Will answer
for so much"
We'll, WELL" the knave replied, with
ready wit, Il breakfasted early. | am
content. Landlord, another plate and a
full tankard. The young gentleman
would have me dine with him"
/ could not tell whether 10 be angry
or to laugh at his impudence.
THE gentleman says he will answer
for it!' repeated the rascal. with
twinkle in his eye, as the landlord hes
itated. He was by no means so drunk
as he looked.
mo, no, father" | cried, joining i'm
the general laugh into which the farm
ers by the fire broke. "A cup of ale is
in reason. and for that / will pay, but
for no more. Drink it and wish me god
speed
Il will do more than that. lad" he
answered. Swaying TO and fro my cup.
which he had seized i'm his grasp. he
laid his hand on the window ledge be-
side me. as though TO steady himself.
and stopped until his coarse puffy face
was but a few inches from mine More
than that" he whispered hoarsely. and
his eyes, peering into mine, were now
sober and full of meaning IF YOU do
not want TO be put in the stocks or
worse, make tracks, Make tracks.
lad!" he continued Your friend over
there-he is a niggardly oaf-has sent
for the hundredman and the constable,
and you are the quarry. So the word
is, Go! That" he added aloud, standing
erect again, with a drunken smile, "is
for your cup of ale, and good coin tool"
For half a minute l sat quite still.
taken aback and wondering while the
bacon cooled on the plate before me,
what l was to do. I did not doubt the
monk was telling the truth. Why
should he lie to me? And / cursed my
folly in trusting to a towards honor
or serving mans good faith But
lamentations were useless. What was
TO do? / had no horse and no means
OF getting one. | was i'm O. strange
country, and to try to escape on foot
iip'h WHO knew the roads
and had the law on their side. would
be hopeless undertaking Yet to be
hauled back to Cotton End a prisoner
could not face that Mechanically I
raised morSel of bacon to my lips
and as | did so a thought occurred to
mean idea suggested by some talk
had heard the evening before at To-
WEBSTER.
Fanciful as the plan was, / snatcher
at 1t. and knowing each instant to be
precious took my courge in my hand
and my tankard. Here" cried
speaking suddenly and loudly, here is
lpad luck TO purveyors, Master Host!"
Ihere were a couple of stablemen
within hearing. lounging in the door
way. besides the landlord and his wife
Iand tho farmers.
A Villager or two also had dropped
IN, and there were two peddlers lying
half asleep I'm the corner All these
,pricked up their ears more or less at
my words. But, like most country folk.
they were slow TO take i'm anything
new unpxnpptp1 and 7 had IN l,i,,l