The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-02-17
She Took to the
Road
By BERTHA L. TOMLINs

civil wars are full or romance. This Il
because people divided and trying /,
Kill one another brings greater grie
than when they light a foreigner.
Gertrude Milbank, the daughter OF
country gentleman OF Devonsnlre
found herself at the time Cromwell be
cail~ ruler OF England under the title
Of lord protector-her father and two
brothers having been killed lighting fol-
their king-an orphan and without any
one to lean upon. Her fathers estate
had been forfeited. and she had no
means of sustenance. Reared In lux
ury she was brought face to face with
want.
In that age two professions We're
practced by gentlemen, one OF which
Is now obsolete. while the other has
been selegated to the criminal classes.
These were highway robbery and pi-
racy, The highwayman was popular
character, while Morgan. the most
brutally bloodthirsty OF pirates, died In
England unpublished for his many
crimes At the end Of the war that
lost Charles I his kingdom and his head
many of the young officers who had
fought for him being impoverished
took TO the road for living Gertrude
! MilbaDk. bitter against the Roundbeads
who had beheaded her king. killed her
| father and brothers and robbed her %
her patrimony. having heard of these
cases OF ex-soldiers turning highway
men. determined to initiate their ex.
ample She stood five feet eight Inches
and was marvel of beauty and state
illness, The former did not serve hei
purpose. for while on the road she
was masked bur the latter helped her
to maintain the appearance of man.
Having attired herself in the male
costume OF the period. her own black
hair falling In curls over her broad
white lace collar. booted and spurred.
mounted on horse she had ridden
constantly since she was little girl
she sailed forth one starlight night 10
take purse. Having waited for some
time behind clump of trees for the
passage of victim she at last heard
the sounds OF wheels Her courage
was oozing ont of her finger ends. but
she stopped it by recalling the wrongs
Of her family and. riding into the road,
called upon the coachman TO stop He
obeyed. and Gertrude, putting pistol
In through the window of the coach.
called out In somewhat tremulous
tones:
your money or your llfei'
There was no reply for a few mo
ments. then mans voice said: II have
but few pounds In my pocket. to
which you are welcome sir But !
wear ring OF considerable vane
which you will be able to turn into
money"
"Such liberality." replied Gertrude.
could not come from an accursed
YOU must be loyal sub
ject of our king across the water: there
fore | shall let you pass without trib
ute. for | will take nothing from one
Of the kings party"
Gertrude was about to whirl her
horses head around when the man In
the coach stopped her
you are mistaken" he said 81
would not save my property under
false pretenses; | support the protec
or"
Such action was surprise to Ger
rude. who could not understand why
he man should give her information 9
masked and with it property he might !,
lave saved. While she hesitated her
'ictim got out wallet, took a ring J
rom his finger and handed both to U
Ter She accepted them mechanically. s
er mind being diverted by the mans a
TRANCE action. r
lyon need not take the trouble to II
aise money from the ring" he added. o
II is an heirloom. and / prefer to re- Il
eem il
Il SHAH not make myself known by Il
llling upon YOU to do So" replied Ger II
,ude Rather keep IT." e.
Drive on. was the only reply, and r,
lis was addressed to the coathman.
ho whipped up his horses. resuming Il
he journey. As the carriage drove In
way the man within called out Il II
Ill call upon you when ! wish to re- p'
aem the ring. Miss Milbank. and will
We you thrice what you can get for il 81
sewhere" W
AS the coach rolled away Gertrude 81
t on her horse paralyzed The man fr
I he spoke the last words disguised
S voice and she had not recognized or
She had robbed one to whom when ST.
e war broke out she was engaged. L..
II whose father had persuaded MIN =
espouse the cause OF the parliament
he son had refused to listen to Ger
1de's efforts to retain his loyalty for .
e king. and when he broke with his 10,
ng she forced him TO break with her. 90,
The recognition was quite enough to ~
re her on its very threshold of any az,
sire TO follow the career of a high =,
lyman and. riding back to the cot e.
ye she mad come from. she Invested "a.
rself of male attire and resumed her NJ
,nted garments. s,o
rhe next morning she was meditat. 81,
. hiding herself from the man she N.
q robbed and wondering how she An,
lid return his property before doing ,io,
when he rode up to her door. dis me
united and entered the house. ,ho
I have come TO redeem my ring. GRO
rtrude." he said nro
IL from her finger. she hand mn,
10 TO him without a word. but in On,