The Washington times., 1913-05-08
CHAPTER <.
The Parting Ways.


~ woke, and was almost ready to
cry out like a child with the
fright and bewilderment Of that
waking. For she saw In the mean room.
which at first she could not place, a
throng Of men In creaking boots and
rain-dulled corselets, and she heard
grun voices that seemed Of menace.
She covered against Won Kersten-
brock, In the circle Of the arm that
still rested, tranquil and relaxed. about
steadily, with eyes half yelled and face
q mask. while he answered gently the
questions that were being put to him
by q corporal Of horse.
He was foreign-born, ia. said Won
kerstenbroock, with an accent dehter-
atefy stronger than his won't He serv-
ed neither side. He was stayed by the
storm here in Little Endsleigh. and
with him this young boy. And he was
Sny sG sc or nds tSose
lie" asserted the corporal. plainly In
structed by the pig-eyed host.
.'Gewiss.' nodded Won Kerstenbroock,
as he knocked the dottle from his pipe
ious, seemed none too well wonted to
the ways of war. In the grip Of old
habit he hesitated to interfere with a
well,spoken gentleman. who was his
better
why, then, SIR" he began, in a tone
that SO plainly preluded concession that
Thomsine wondered how she. ever could
have doubted the ability Of the quiet
young man beside her to bring them
safe through any pass of peril
But Just at that auspicious moment
there sounded anew the splash of horse
hoofs outside the aIe-house. Through
the swiftly opened door that looked into
the rain-streaked night came the creak
OF saddlery and the ring of stirrup-
irons. as men dismounted.
Tis the colonel himself" beamed
the worried corporal. as who should
say, Thank God for remembering
poor fellow." "'Tis of him, sir, that
you shall get leave to pass
Right on the word the Puritan colonel
had stopped his high head in the mean
doorway and strode into the common
room.
Puritans pacificaI Thomsine had
known a-plenty at Allenthorn, but
never Puritan militant, and from the
talk that she had heard in her few
hours at Oxford she had confusedly
gathered such to be either devils with
horns and tails. waited upon clouds of
birthstone. or las Wat asserted a sort
OF base. crop-headed clowns. prentice
fellows. dull artisans, and so on
But the man who now bulked large in
lhomsine's eyes, and. as she quakingly
admitted, in her destiny. was no more
a cropped mechanic than he was a
sooty fiend.
He was fine figure of a tall, broad
sbouldered Englishman, in his ripe thir-
ties. with crisp chestnut hair. which he
wore falling below his broad collar, as
did the generality of gentlemen a small
Drown beard and mustache. and ex-
ceedinsly steady eyes He was mostly
In steel and leather. but ne wore a
plume IN his wide-brimmed hat and his
scarf Of orange. the colors of the par-
lament. was of silk
All these details Thomsine has seen
in one sharp instant, while she won
oered II the mans coming were for
good or III, and then. I'm that same in
slant, she felt Won Kerstenbroock's
arm, so lax about her shoulders, tight
en- suddenly.
Quick with alarm. she shot 4 glance
into his face. and spite of its studied
pa assiyity, sensed that the eyes we're
a-iaindle. But before she had had time
TO augur good or Ill therefrom, the
Puritan colonel had turned from the
anxious corporal and was striding
toward the chimney-corner
well. sirs, whats here to do?'' he
acked pluffly. Then he made one swift
step and clapped a hand down or Won
Kerstenbroock's shoulder.
"Karl-Ludwigt" he burst out Name
Of truth 'Tis never thou. Karl Won
So" said Won Kerstenbrooci He
slipped his arm from about ThomsIne
and rose and wrung The co.oenl h. the
hand
I" .Tis you, indeed, Franz Pierrepoint?
had thought you still upon the Rhcn-
lsh coast"
My father beggared himself ard
u.s." said Pierrepoint, resisting pay
merit OF the ship money that our King
Heaven guard him from his ill-nd-
buy untustly after that,
1ost think / would sit at mine ease
while this brabblenent Is at
homer"
Never SO slightly Won Kerstenbroock
smiled at that saying. For three years
and better he had known Francis
of Colesford in Norfolk,
sitting at ease was TO st In the sad
lie. as a steadfast hard-hi.tIng SOL |
fier of fortune on the side Of the Ger |
nan Protestants.
He knew Pierrepoint: yes. liked him;
mad ridden at his side. In fact. for one |
year of the three In which he had seen
service. Yet. because he knew
him. he was a shade uneasy at this 1
of his old friend as a
.olonel of the rebels. and for the nonce, /
q put IL brutally. his captor.
To this uneasiness. In which poor. |
nuch- relieved Thomsine had moi the
Wit to share. Plerrepoint's next ques.
ion gave a flip.
And what dost thou here thyself