Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-08-07

topping him by eight inches. and Il
any man hints hat Master Bertie u
here for any other purpose or with any
other intent than to honestly risk his
life I'm this endeavor as becomes a gem
tlcman let him stand out, let him stand
out, and / Will break his neck Ffe.
gentlemen, fiei' I continued, after q
short pause. which l did not make too
long lest Master Kingston's passion
should get the better of his prudence.
Though I am young, | have seen serv-
ice. But I never saw battle won yet
with dissension in the camp. For
shamel Let us to business and make
the best dispositions we may"
You ak sense, Master Carey" Pen
ruddocke cried. with a great oath.
Give me your hand. and do you, King
ston, hold your peace. IL Master Berthe
will not raise his men TO save his own
skin. he win hardly do 1t for ours. Now,
Sir Richard Bray being taken, what IS
TO be done, my lads? Come. let US look
TO that"
SO the storm blew over. Blu It was
with heavy hearts that two of us fell
to the discussion which followed, count
ing over weapons and assigning posts
and debating this ones fidelity and that
ones lukewarmness. Our first impress
| sions had not deceived us. The plot
was desperate, and those engaged In IL
were wanting In every element which
should command successful informa-
ton. forethought, arrangement-every-
thing save sheer audacity. When, after
a prolonged and miserable sitting. IL
was proposed that all oul take the
oath OF association on the gospels,
Master Berthe and assented gloomtly.
IT would make our position no worse,
|. Fnr l-nn1xr me u-n~a ftIIlxy nnnn,fttn
The position was indeed bad enough.
We had only persuaded the others TO a
short delay, and even this meant that
we must remain In hiding In England,
exposed from day TO day to all the
chances of detection and treachery.
Sir Thomas brought out from some
secret place about him a tiny roll OF
paper wrapped in a quill. and while we
stood about him looking over his shoul-
ders he laboriously added, letter by let
ter, three or -four names. The stern,
anxious faces which peered the while
at the document or scanned each other
only to find their anxiety reflected, the
fiaring lights behind Us, the reckless
ness Of some and the distrust of 9TH
ers, the cloaks in which many were
wrapped to the chin, and the occasional
CLEAN of hidden weapons. made up a
scene very striking, the more as It was
Aao AAClC " Oat "a VA a0 u OAAy
too distinctly behind 1t the figure of the
headsman and the block.
Now aid P~enruddocke. who him.
self, / think. ooh a certain grim pleas
ure In the formality, "be ready 10
swear, gentlemen. In pairs. as / call
the names. Kingston and Matthew
SON"
OF the sconces. I looked at Master
RQrTia a-naT4in1 m ha ballad nm
with him. He smiled as u
eyes met, and I thought with a
rush OF tenderness nov lightly 1
could have dared the worst had all
my associates been like him. But re-
pining came too late, and in a mo-
ment Pe~nruddocke surprised me by
calling out "Crewdson and Carey"
So Master Berthe was not to be my
companion? / learned afterward that
men who were strangers 10 n an
other were ~purposely associated, the
theory being that each should keep
an eye upon his oath fellow. / went
forward to the md Of the table and
took the book.
There was a slight pause.
"Crewdson," called Penruddocke
sharply. Did you not hear, mani"
There was a little stir at the farther
end of the room and he came for
ward, moving slowly and reluctantly.
l saw that he was the man who
~Penruddocke had called back when
we entered, a man Of great height,
though slender. and closely cloaked. A
dropping gray mustache covered his
mouth, and that was almost ali / made
out before Sir Thomas, with some
sharpness, babe him uncover. He did
SO with IN abrupt gesture, and reach
ing out his hand grasped the other
end of the o as though he would
take 1t from me. His manner was
so strange that / looked hard at him
and he. jerking up his head with a
gesture of defiance. looked at me, too.
his face very pale.
| heard Penruddocke's voice dron-
ing the words of the oath, but / paid
no attention to them-T was busted
with something else. Where had / seen
the sinister CLEAN in those eyes be-
fore. and that forehead high and mar
row, and those lean, swarthy cheeksp
Where had / before confronted that
very face which now glanced into mine
across the book? It's look was hold
and defiant but low down in the cheek
! saw a little pulse beating f~uriouslv.
a pulse which told OF anxiety. and
the jaws, half yelled by the ragged
mustache, were set in an iron grin
Where? Ha. ! knew. I dropped nv
end Of the book and stepped back.
Look to the doori" I cried. nv
voice sounding harsh and strange in
my own ears. Let no one leave. I
denounce that mani" And raising nv
hand | pointed pitilessly at nv oath
fellow. Il %denounce him-he is a sny
and traitor!" ~
Il q spyf" the man shouted 1ercelv
with the fierceness OF despair.
Aye. you, you! Clarence or Crewd-
son, or whatever you call yourself. +
denounce you. My time has come