The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-03-13

mind"
my purpose and bouncing about in his
saddle like a parched pea. yes. I say!"
he roared. do you hear me? You go
pour a and ! will go mine"
That Is a bargain" l 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, i was unconlmonly well
pleased with myself and was thinking
That " l came through all my advent
ures as we'll ] should do merrily. Out
wardly. however. l tried to ignore my
victory and to make things as easy as
! .could for my friend-if one may call
@ MAJ who Will not fight him a friend.
a thing l doubt. (Which way are you
s fordS" asked a~m''a0'y--"f0 STRAIT
He nodded. for he was too sulky to
speak.
"All right" i said cheerfully, feel
Ing that my dignity could take care
OF Itself now. Then so far we may
tho terms. After dinner ach goes his
own way"
He nodded again, and we turned and
went on I'm silence. cycling one another
askance. like two i'll matched dogs
coupled together. But luckily our
~ 'A' " AaoN oAa5t
q. quarter of a mile and n bend In the
road. bringing us to the first low, gray
houses OF Stratford. A long. struggling
village 1t seemed. made up of ms
strewn along the road. like beads
dreaded on a rosary. And. to be sure.
to complete the likeness. we came pres
entity upon an ancient stone cross
standing on the green. l pulled up In
from! of this with a sigh OF pleasure.
for ON either side of 1t, II facing the
Athar . ssyoe m. l,,,, xf h L1Nt,, Io.r
WELL" 1 said. which shall it be-
the Roae and Grown, or the Crown
without the rosc?"
Choose for yourself" he answered
churllshiy. II go to the other"
II shrugged my shoulders. After all.
shW's ear. and II q man has not courage
he is not likely to have good fellow
ship. But the words angered me new
erthcless, for a shabby. hulklng fellow
lounging at my elbow overheard them
n grinned. A hiccoughing. blear
eyed man he was as l had ever met.
with Il red nose and the a of a tat
tered cassock about him.. I turned
away In annoyance and chose the
Crown at hazard. and pushing my way
through the knot of horses that stood
tethered at the doDr went in, leaving
the,two to their devices.
4 found a roaring fire II the great
and three or o yeoman stand
Ing Gbout 1t. drinking ale. But I was
hot from walking, so after saluting
eat for choice on a bench by n win
dow way from the FIRE. The window
WISE II of a kin common in War
wtckshire houses. long and low and
beetle proved. the story above propect-
UNCOVER 1t. I sat there a minute look
ing, idly out at the inn opposite, a
heavy stone building with u walled
courtyard attached to 1t. such an inn as
was common enough about the time of
the. OF the roses, when wayfarers
looked rather for safety than comfort.
Presently I saw a boy come out of 1t
and start up the road at u run. Then,
q minute later. the ragged fellow l had
seen on h green came out and lurchcd
across the road. He seemed TIC b. maxi
ing. though uncertainty, for my inn.
and. sure enough. just as my bread and
bacon-the later hot and kissing
were put before me. he staggered into
h room. bringing q strong smell of
ale and onions with him. Pax vobis-
cunt" he said. leering at me with tipsy
solemnity.
Of. those unfortunates still to be found
here and there UP and down the coun-
try, whom King Henry. when he put
down the monasteries. a made home
less. I did not look OF the class with
much favor. thinking that for most of
SAASAtl WV SAOAoI1hp SSSl IL lllC NACSIl
succeed In getting the abbeys on their
legs again, would ave few attractions.
But l saw that the simple farmers re-
celyed his scrap of Latin with respect,
and I nodded civilly as I went on with
my meal.
I vas not to get off so easily how
ever. He came and planted himself
opposite to ME.
."Pav vobiscum my son." he repeat
ed: THE ate Is cheap here and good"
$50 Is the ham. good father" I re-
piled cheerfully. not pausing in my at
tack on the ,victuals. Il will answer
Tor so much"
We'll. WELL" the knave replied, with
ready wit. II breakfasted early. I am
eontent. LANDLORD. another plate and a
would ave me dine with him"
II could not tell whether to b. angry
Or. to laugh at hts impudence.
'"The gentleman says he will answer
Tor tt!" repeated the rascal, with n
twinkle in his eye. as the landlord hes
as he looked,
"No. no. father" I cried. Joining in
the general laugh into which the farm
ers by the fire broke. IA cup OF ale is
In reason. and for that I Will pay, but
tor no more. Drink 1t and wish me god
speed"
~. will do more than that, lad" he
answered. SWaying to and fro my cup,
which he had seized In 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 bu 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 h%undredman and the constable,
ard 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. M good coin too!"
For half a minute I sat quite still.
taken aback n wondering. while the
bacon cooled on the plate before me.
what I w3s to do. I did not doubt the
monk was telling the truth. Why
hould he lie to me? And I cursed my
folly in trusting to a towards honor
OF a serving mans good faith. But
lamentations were useless. What was
to do? I had no horse and no means
OF getting one. I was In a strange
country. and to try to escape on foot
from pursuers who knew the roads
and a the law on their side, would
be q hopeless undertaking. Yet to be
hasled back to Cotton End a prisoner
+ cOulc o face that. Mechanically I