Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-02-15
CHAPTER XII.

her. "A black boy will bring my port
manteau in the morning. ! have de-
cent desire to be hanged in clean
clothing; may I beg you to
She make a quick little gesture of
tmpatience; at the further ccmplica-
ton, or at my holiness in asking,
knew not which. But her whispered
reply was Of assent, and then she
turned to leave me.
At that a sudden fierce desire to
know why she had thus befriende6 me
came to throttle prudence.
"One more word before you go, Mis-
tress Margery. Will you tell me why
you have done this for the man who
can serve you only by thrusting his
neck into the hangman's noose?"
She was silent for little space, and
I knew not what emotion 1t was that
moved her to turn away and cover her
face with her hands. But when she
spoke her voice was low and tremu-
lous with peat-up anger, as l thought.
Truly. Captain Ireton, you have
done a thing to make me hate you
and myself, as well. But l may not
forget my duty, sir"
And with this cruel word she was
gone
You are not to suppose that the
hazards Of this hiding place in my
Lord Corvallis headquarters would
keep me from sleeping well and sound
ly. One of the things a soldier learns
soonest is to take his rest when and
as he can; and after peering curiously
into the hooks and corners of my gar
ret to make sure / was alone, 1 flung
myself a-sprawl on the broad settle
and was dropping off into forgetful-
ness when 1 heard a tapping at the
wainscot.
Cropping my way cautiously to the
secret door, I crouched and listened.
All was silent save for the intermit-
tent clamor of the wassailers in the
room beneath. After waiting full
minute l opened the door and looked
without The high dormer window in
the end of the corridor made the dark
ness something less than visible. and
could see that the passage was emp
ty. But on the floor at my feet was
my supper; a roasted fowl on a serv-
er hot from the spit. with maize bread
and furnishings fit for an epicure.
tumbled out of my settle-bed in
the morning and made for the door.
But some one had been before me.
entering whilst l slept On a broken
chair were a basin and ever. with
soap and towels; beside the chair was
my portmanteau; and on a deal box.
neatly covered with linen cloth, was
my breakfast.
Having my Austrian uniform. was
now ready to move in that venture
outlined in part to Colonel Davie; but
to set my plan in action / must first
get free of the house unseen by my
Lord or any of his suite How to do
this unaided I could not determine:
and. since any fresh laundering would
surely breed new trouble for Margery,
] was forced to wait for her return.
made sure she would come. If only
to be the sooner quit of me; and so
she did. tapping at the wainscot door
while I was dallying with the break
fast leavings. Twas worth something
to see her start of surprise when /
opened to her; but she was far too
true a lady to be one thing to the I'M
washed vagabond and another to the
gentleman clad. 1 gave her good
morning, and was beginning in some
formal fashion to thank her for her
thoughtful care, when she cut me
short.
"'Tis my bounden duty sir" she
said. twanging once again upon that
frayed string. You are my guest and
my-husband: though / would you
were neither"
"As once before I em your poor
misfortunate pensioner; but this time
you are not less willing to give them
than l am to receive"
She gave me a look that 1 could not
fathom, and for a fitting instant there
was hooking smile a-lurk at the
back of the beautiful eyes. Then she
went straight to the subject matter of
her errand. brushing aside the small
passage at arms as If 1t had not been.
You are in a most perllous situa
ton. Captain Ireton; do you know 1T?
News of your presence In Charlotte
has got abroad, and at this very mo-
nlent Tarleton's Dragons are making
a houseto- house search for you.
There are no doors unmatched You
must stay here till nightfall"
Nay, that l will nSt VIII you tell
me who il was set tn sm on?"
Twas a man you hate-and who
hates you heartily in return. He saw
you come here last night; he knows
you are here now-or guesses 1t. IT'S
Owen Pengarvin."
IF he knows l aal here. why does
he let them search elsewhere ?"
He has reasons of his own; reasons
of-of-" but instead Of telling me
what they were she broke off to say:
But now YOU know why all the doors
OF this house are under guard"
Truly" said L: and Herewith fell
to pacing up and down the narrow
clear-way in the garnet. striving to
see how l might come off with nothing
worse than the loss OF my burdensome
life. l paused 70 ask IL my Lord Corn
wallis were Yet in the house,
"He is writing letters in his bed
room" was her answer.
III you viii show me the way thith-
er shall be your poor debtor by that
much more"
Il viii not-unless yea first tell me
what you mean 10 do. You are coins
10 give yourself up" she said, and
when would not deny il. she darte6
before me and set her back against
the wafnscot door. Ills folly. folly
I say you shall not gol"
1 took her gently in my arms. set hei
aside. and stepped out into the cor
ridor. / looked for nothing less thar
a volcano-burst of righteous indigna-
ton to pay me out for this piece o
tyranny. But now my lady shovet
me how little a man man know OF {
voman's moods.
You need not be so masserful rough
with me-" she said. with a poutins .
the sweet lips that set me back urea
that thought of the Maynard cnn'
wanting to Re kissed II You say
must. am in duty bound TO show yo'
the way" And so she led on ana
followed. Ia a deeper maze than an
she had ever set me IN
Arrived at a. pair OF doors IN IN