The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-01-07
AT THE TURN
OF THE ROAD

! knew the landlords eyes were glued
to the back of my head, as, in the pub
lie room of the Royal Inn, cleaned
and loaded my pistols. For in truth
was desperate. Three weeks before,
to the music of the dice box, had my
last sovereign left me, and now, for
lack of that gold of mine that lay Sc
curely in London, my breeches and
doublet were becoming much the
worse for wear, while my whole per-
son, which two months before had
rubbed elbows with the gayest bloods
IN Whitehall, was becoming most out
rageously cavernous. And all because
gouty king, moved to anger o'er a
choice bit of sword-play, had seen fit
to outlaw me.
Perchance, as has been claimed, the
rogue was in his cups, / know not If
twas 30, for l gave it little thought.
With his foul lips he was smirching
the good name of q lady who might
some day have taken mine, and al
most ere those who surrounded us
could draw a breath, our swords had
crossed, and his tongue was stilled
forever. And then, not to mince the
misfortunes that were mine, the king,
with rare wit, put Sir John Myles and
the runners on my track. Need / say,
when once It's known we were each
in the others path of love thorn,
Sir John would be assiduous in his en-
deavors to bring me in, dead or alive7
Turning on my heel, my eyes, of
sudden, cIashed with the troubled gaze
of mine host, and then, as clapped
my pistols into their holsters, and
took my cloak from the table, stand
ing dull and heavy in the center of
the room, his portly form came out Of
his chair, and he waddled toward me.
"'Tis better left undone, lad"
quoth he. "Twill net thee but visit
to Tyburn HILL"
What natter / cried pettishly.
"My king saw fit to outlaw me, and IL
I take to the road, tits but living up
TO my name"
"Aye, but If it's death?"
Then" said !, quite recklessly,
"'tis fate"
"Are there none who would grieve?'
A little gasp came from my lips,
and with half-muttered oath,
made for the door.
"Stay," he persisted, mot even
Mistress Cavandish"
/ turned.
mo" / answered slowly, and note
Of sadness crept into my voice, mot
now. Once, perchance, ere l brought
her name to the lips of all London,
but now" A gust of wind swept
open the door, and turning my back on
him, stepped out into the night.
Wrapping my cloak about my body,
I bent my head before the storm, and
entered the forest-bound Newbury
road. Weary and lonely at heart, the
wildness of the night wind singing
through the leafless trees, seemed but
the wall of some kindred spirit, a-foot
as was /, and when of sudden l
came upon a bowlder, large enough,
of necessity, to shelter three men and
sat at point where the road turned
abruptly to the right, there was little
of thankfulness in my breast for this
haven. And, moreover had it not
been the spot from which had elect
ed to ply my trade, methinks would
have wandered on through the rain,
Indifferent to all things save the
thoughts that filed my brain
With my body pressed hard against
the rock, / slipped q mask DER my
face, and turning my eager eyes Lon
downward, waited. For, mayhap, a
matter of 20 minutes, crouched there
In the dark, wet and shivering with
cold, and then, with a suddenness that
caused me to stand upright, there
came to my ears above the noise of
the storm, the sound Of advancing
footsteps.
There were two of them. and as
they stopped a scant foot in front of
me, crouched low 60 the ground
again. And then of sudden, some
thing fine and dry, perchanee the
priming from my pistols, came into
my nostrils with my breath, and in
another moment had awakened the
echoes of the forest, with truly mon
strous sneeze. ...-.ss,
The time for deception was past,
and as stood up, heard duet OF
startled oaths and the ominous click
of drawn pistol triggers. Then, on a
sudden, through the blackness loomed
their forms, and found myself star
ing at couple of faces, masked as
was mine, and at four barkers, held by
four hands that were quivering and
shaking -perehance with cold.
For moment we stood as though
posing for some dauber of canvas; and
then the taller Of the two broke into
a nervous laugh.
"'Fore God" he cried, tits in sor-
ry straits we are when tits necessary
for us to hold pistols at one anoth-
er's heads. Come, sir, what say you?
Shall we all go in together? "We," he
continued, indicating his companion,
q mere dwarf, with wave of his hand,
'Aare not here for pounds or peace"
"Well," said l at length, If 'tis not
what then?"
Then" He stopped aud looked