The Washington times., 1913-05-16

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I breeches and dismembered his boots
In his pockets they found the usual
| trivial junk. among which a pen showed
oddly. They found also several small
sheets covered with broken lines-lines
| that sometimes rhymed and sometimes
where: lines that might be gibberish or
might be ciphered treason.
Aubrey was near to groaning as Re
put them into Fielding's hands.
the boot Il Mnins..p Ing ptS they found over ten n
pounds in good coin Of the realm. which
| was q tolerable sum for even a gentle
man trooper to carry about him.
This daneerous miscellany they dump
patched to my Lord Staversham, with a
written message. BY no less hand than
that Of young Bannister, Ftelding's
cornet For that model trooper Strand
man were they to trust?
Then they commended Won Kersten-
brock to the custody OF Ffelding's CAP
tain-lieutenant and two picked men.
while they went themselves to demolish
his pallet and disrupt his saddle.
They found no more papers, for which
Aubrey from his heart was thankful
but in the saddle-lining they found more
money than Won Kerstenbroock had any
tcnest reason to possess
Upon Won Kersteibrock' reclad in his
outraged garments, less his coat, which
had gone quite to pieces under Aubrey's
onslaught, descended the captatn-lieu-
tenant, a hard-riding gentleman. with
wide vocabulary Of abuse.
Won Kerstenbroock listened to him.
silent, with half-veiled eyes.
Passive in the clutch of fate, he could
see grim humor In the situation. He
almost smiled and by SO doing put the
final touch to the captain-lieutenants
not unnatural Indignation.
This indignation he partly assuaged
by putting handouts on Won Kersten-
brock and bidding him hold his peace:
spring afternoon Won Ksrstenbroock sat
under guard in Fieidings invaded cham
her.
He considered his handouts seriously,
for he had had slight personal ac-
duced that he must have wrists a shade
more slender, for all their strength, than
the run Of men, for he noted that the
irons were a trile loose. and he Won
stance later to lis profit.
Then he found that there kept run
ming through his head the tune that he
had been whistling, when ne felt Jacks
grasp close on his shoulder:
mein Geld
Well God be thanked that, in his
case. there was no ''she"'
He left no woman to weep for the !g-
noninious death that he was likely to
die. No work. this, for a married man
or q loveri
He himself. hardy adventurer that he
was, could see 1t through. neither with
fear nor with regret-perhaps even with
a bit Of amusement along the way.
Then one came from Fielding. with
orders to bring the prisoner forthwith
to court-martial, in the hall Of the
great house.
It was about 4 Of the clock that the
chief officers Of the Kings Staversham
suspected spy Of Colonel Aubrey's ap-
pretending.
Lord staversham, by virtue Of his
governorship. sat at the head Of the
heavy, polished table. At his right
Erisey. was Wat Musgrave.
Aubrey. who came late to the coun-
Gil table. passed through guards about
the hall that were under command Of
Bah Ayskew. and he took his seat at the
And SO. as they be witness to the
prisoners identity. they may well have
place amongst u.s."
On the word the amused Sir Edward
Borlase and Lord Trevor, with eager
eyes. found room at the table.
At last, UP rose Aubrey. with all
soldiers aversion to seeing military foul
linen washed in a civilian presence.
MY lord, here is no question of !
identity. To me Won Kerstenbroock
hath not denied his name. 'Tis question
only. may We credit the story that he
tells to account for his presence in our
midst?"
Let him in and answer for himself"
bade Staversham crisply
He made no motion to dismiss Trevor !
and Borlase. and Audrev. subsiding into |
his place. new himself from the start. /
outweighed In the scales
A moment later Won Kerstenbroock |
was brought into the room and halted. ;
COWS, opposite his judges table
he stood lightly. with head uplifted. 4
as ne surveyed them. His was the rare |
knack OF never seeming wooden in re- I
pose His stiffness was no more than /
arrested motion
the game In his own hands that ne
icoked scared to death. Now. knowing
nlnsef at pass of utter desperation
ne showed bright audacity well cal
SuIated e 10 infuriate-the men who held
Lin at their disposal.
The issue was a foregone conclusion
from the officers Of the garrison.
Whom he had set in a doubt touching
the loyalty Of their troops that border
ed close on panic; from Erisey. who for
mis- sake was suspected of the dishonor
OF sending the provosts men to Wal
set: from Musgrove, who on his account
was branded coward: from Stayer-
sham. whose son was newly slain by
men or his suspected party. Won kers-
tenbroock had no hope Of bare Justice
let alone Of mercy.
Yet. being as heartily in love with !
life as any vigorous man of five-and- Il
twenty. he fought. as dosgedly and
coolly as ever he had fought in the
field. with the one poor weapon that ne
had I'm hand.
Yes. his name was Won Kerstenbrooc;s ,
-Eot Castingbroke. he coVrteously ,x-
planned. He might endure to have his
patronymic mangled of his Puritan
friends; of his cavalier enemies, never,
He had been a captain under Crom-
sell-not without credit, he was proud
o say-but he had been fired ont of
he service last Christmastide. Where
ore? Partly for his religion or lack
hereof: partly for that he had sent a
challenge. But to tell truth II
IF you can." smiled my Lord Stavec-