Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-08-29
THE
Story Of Francis Cludde
A Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.

+, recalling the scene OF last night the
moment when I had denounced him,
the curse he had hurled at me, the half
told story of which that had seemed the
climax. had wronged them. They did
see the tragedy of it.
ies; they pitied me, but they showed
plainly that they would still do what
perhaps ! should have done In their
place-justice. He knows too much."
said one. Our lives are as good as
MIS- muttered another. the first to be-
come thoroughly himself again. why
should we all die for him?' The wolf
ish glare came back fast to their eyes
They handled their weapons inpatient
~. They were longing to be away At
this moment. when 1 saw l had indeed
BERTHE struck in What" he
said, IF Master Carey and take
charge of him. and. escorting him to
his agent without, be answerable for
both of them?"
You would be only putting your
hecKS & into the noose!" said Kingston.
I'VE will risk that!" replied my
friends and what a friend and what a
man he seemed amid that ignoble
crew! Il will myself promise you that
II he refuse to remain with us until
midnight or tries wherever we are to
raise an alarm or communicate with
any one l will run him through with
my own hand. VIII not that satisfy
you?"
No" Master Kingston retorted "it
will not! A bird In the hand is worth
two I'm the bush"
But the woman outsider" said one
timidly.
I'VE must run that risk" ouotb he
In an hour or two we shall be In hid
ing. Come, the lot must be drawn. For
this gentleman, let him stand aside"
1 leaned against the wall. dazed and
horror stricken Now that / had iden-
titled myself with him l felt a great
longing to save him. l scarcely no.
ticed the group drawing pieces of paper
at the table. My every thought was
taken up with the low door over there
: and the wrctched man lying bound in
the darkness behind it. What must be
the horror, the black despair the hate
and defiance of his mind as he Law
there trapped at last like any beast OF
prey? 1t was horrible! horrible hor-
rible!
l covered my face and could not re-
strain the cry of unutterable distress
which rose to my lips. They looked
round, two or three of them from the
table. But the impression my appeal
, had made upon them had faded away
already, and they only shrugged their
shoulders and turned again to their
task. Master BERTHE alone stood anart.
, his arms folded. his face grave and
none.
There seemed no hope, when suddenly
; there came knocking at the door. The
papers We're dropped, and while some
! stood as If stiffened into stone others
2 turned and gaZed at their neighbors.
, 1t was knocking more hasty and
imperative than the usual summons.
though given in the same fashion, At
last man found tongue TT is Sir
Thomas he suggested, with n sigh of
relief He is In a hurry and brings
! news. l know his knock"
Then open the door. fool" cried
Kingston. IF you can see through a
/; two-inch plank, why do you stand there
like a gaby?"
Master BERTHE anticipated the man
: and himself opened the door and ad-
mitted the knocker. Penruddockc il
was. He came in, still drumming on
! the door with his fist his eyes sparkl-
d ing, his ruddy cheeks aglow, He
;, crossed the threshold with sIgMa a swaerer .
9 and looking at us all burst into a
u strange peal Of laughter. "Yoicks,
= Gone to earth" he shouted, waving his
e hand as If he had a whip in it, Gone
to earth-gone forever! Did you think
! 1t was the lords OF the council, my
d lads?"
He had left the door wide open behind
r him, and we now saw in the doorwa,
the seafaring man who usually guarded
q the room above. What does this mean
u Sir Thomas" Kingston said sternly
It He thought, I fancy, as many of u.
g did. that the knight was drunk "IIav,
t you given that man permission to leav,
" his post?"
o Post? There are no more posts
h cried Sir Thomas, with strange ioll
l. ity. He certainly was drunk, but per
st haps not with liquor. Except good IA
y posts" he continued, smacking Mas
ter BERTHE on the shoulder, for love
q | mo hn rfo 10
and risked their lives in evil times
t. Posts? l shall get so drunk tonigh
Ie that the stoutest post on Ludgate Wi
II not hold me up!"
IS You seem to have gone far that wa
is already" my friend said coldly.
l. so will you when you hear tn
70 news!" Penruddocke replied more so
n berly. Lads, the queen is dying!"
In the vaulted room his statemen
was received in silence, silence die
&c tated by no feeling for the woman go
A. ing before her Maker-how should W
6 who were plotting against her feel fc
a, her, we who were for the most pal
~ homeless and prescribed through her
), but the silence of men in doubt,
az doubt whether this might mean all tha
from Sir Thomas aspect it seemed {
- mean.
i,e she cannot live a week." Penrud
Ie docke continued. "The doctors hay
=, In confusion. She has named tn
~ ~ Princess Elizabeth her successor, an
y. y. even now Cecil Is drawing up the proc
~ lamations. To show that the game
!, ~ really up the Count de Feria, the Spar
u. u. ish ambassador, has gone this very da
at to Hatfield to pay his respects to tt
at coming queen"
u Then indeed the vaulted roof did rir
az ring and ring again with shouts
g. the coming queen!" Men over who
10 the wings of death had seemed a mir
/, ute ago to be lowering, darkening a
y things to them, looked up and saw Il
nc sun. The coming queen!" they erie
1y You need fear nothng!" continue
gs Penruddocke wildly. mo one will da
OF to execute the warrants. The bishoj
iy are shaking In their miters. Pole
er said to be dying. Bonner is more like
q, to hang himself than burn others. [
nd and out and play the man! Away
e your counties and get ready your {;
OF barrels! Now we will give them tas
iy of the Cujus Regio! Ho, drawer, ther,
he A cup of ale!"
Vn He turned, and shouting scrap of
eu song staggered back into the shaft al
y. began to ascend. They all troopt
Ell after him, talking and laughing, a reel
elI less, good natured crew, looking to
ID man as If they had never known fe;
Id os selfishness-as If distrust were
or thing impossible to them. Mast
Kingston alone, whom his losses ha
nd soured and who still brooded over
re revenge, went off moodily.
h. l was for stopping one OF them, b,
O. Master BERTHE directed my eyes by
m gesture of his hand to the door at Il
go far end of the cellar and saw that Il
r. key was in the lock. He wrung n
hand hard Tell him ALL" he muttere
ne Il will wait above"
e-
a CHAPTER XXI
~, Tell him all? 1 stood thinking, II
III hand on the key. The voices of Il
III rearmost of the conspirators soundC
e. more and more family as they passt