The Washington times., 1913-05-27
CHAPTER xxvI-(continued.)

S0A6 401 -NSVAS44oSosI
-RULY Erisey had builded better
than he dreamed when he had
had the pleasant inspiration to
wedge those irons OF Won Ker-
stenbroock's.
Do no man voiced his heeting suspi-
cion. aud accordingly the wretched
corpse was officially accepted as Won
Kerstenbroock's.
That afternoon It was huddled into
shallow hole beneath the gallows. and
that night Erisey slept sound and Tell.
AZ the moment. however, Of his sup
poosd ignominious interment, Won Ker-
Otsobroock was sleeping the sleep OF
IT, sGhausted In his friend Giff Ack-
WOeth.s bed At Friars' Sulsrave.
For, a.. one of his former troopers. IN
that hour, was saying with admiration:
That little son Of dog would scram-'
bles out Of hell once you give him his
hando.'
He had had his hands, in the moment
Of his quitting Thomsine Musgrove's
chamber, though he was more doubtful
Of his left wrist than he had let those
two devoted women know.
Yet he never questioned but that he
should win through his own lines un-
scathed.
He had always the love Of life vigor-
Ousiy In his veins, and life he now
found twenty-fold In value, since II
meant Thomsine's lips against his lips.
'.Du meine Seele, mein Fleisch, und
nein Biut"
he knew now why that song. like a
prophecy. had these last days gone
singing. incongruously. as he had
deemed II through the hours Of his
nd doanafr
With his boots in his hand, he went as
noAseless AZ a jungle cat down the two
patr Of rearward stairs.
He reached the base-court without let
oe hindrance, and there In the dark,
made pitcher by thick falling rain,
slipped on his boots.
He frowned as he did 30. What need
had been Jack Aubrey's to be so zeal
Gus with his knife? -.
He saw himself likely to make his
long march across country barefoot,
unless he might supply his pressing
needs from the pientitude OF his
Iurkins in the deepest shadows. but
All the While moving swiftly by the de-
vious ways that he long since had made
- study, he reached the pit where
refuse Of all sorts was hung.
Among the rubbish he had calculated
would serve him better than his naked
Between q strip Of wood. with a nail
adhering and q heavy decanter. broken
and surreptitiously cast forth by
careless under butler. he chose the de-
canfer. Griprpring the neck In his right
hand. he headed blithely for the wall.
He knew the one spot for his desper-
ate essay. There, on the side farthest
from the village. the moat was at Its
10 4 bare ten feet above the water level.
Even 20, he could not hope to drop
into the noat without a splash suffi-
cient to draw the attention OF the SEN
try on that beat
Either he must win him over mot an
iapossibility with Erisey's men. in their
eoething discontent) or he must, in some
ether fashion. put him TO silence.
0lrst though. to find what man II
Vas that be must deal with. Crouched
buildings, he waited. with his eyes upon
the little space Of wan light that fell
from q lantern. hung beneath the shell
ter on the battlemented wall.
As Che clock was striking one ne saw
IN sentry pause for moment In the
shelter. where he was screened from the
hostile world beyond the wall. but pale
ly visible to those abroad within Kings
6tayersham.
musket on shoulder. Monmouth cap on
head. as went the musketeers by Gus
tom
Then he saw more. BY trick OF eat
and carriage he knew the man to be
one Tolman. Of Langdon's company,
sober fellow, whom Langdon himself
declared to be loyal to the cause that
he served.
mo bribing thee to stand my friend
this hour" Won Kerstenbroock thought
hashinely.
so! May God have mercy on theee:
Himself. Won Kerstenbroock could
have no mercy. The stark alternative
wa, Tolman for all time silenced, or
Won Kerstenbroock delivered into En-
sey's remoreless hands.
And Won Kerstenbroock was human |
merely.
Penther-silent, he crept TO the black
eng1e OF the wall. where grew a scrubby
ree or two. by the aid Of which he
scrambled softly to the battlements.
ehAAow1ike. he crouched IN the shadow |
Tea smbrasure, until he saw Toiman |
ssew'nS near He could no. risk the
eoos q . scuffie.