The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-03-21
CHAPTER discontinued.
'"Why especially with me?"

why especially with me?"
Rather q hard question to answer
at the very beginning" I smiled back
at her. "Yet not so difficult as the
one l shall ask you. I am only one of
fifty prisoners. scarcely cleaner or
more reputable looking than any of
my mates. Yet surely you have not
sought speech with these others? Then
why especially with meY"
Even in the growing dusk I could
mark a red flush mount into the clear
cheeks at this insistent question, and
for an instant her eyes wavered. But
she possessed the courage of pride,
and her hesitancy was short.
"YOu imagine / cannot answer. Oh,
but 1 can; / know who you are; my
uncl pointed you out to me. I am
travelling home with him to Maryland.
/ am Dorothy Fairfax. He was pres
ent at your trial before Lord Jeffries.
You are Geoffry Carlyle, in command
of the ship that brought Monmouth to
England. / heard it ALL"
"All? What else. pray?"
Her eyes opened widely in sudden
surprise and she clasped and unclasped
her hands ~nervously.
do you really not know? Have you
never been told what happened?"
"Only that l was roughly forbidden
to speak, called every foul name the
learned judge could think of, and then
sentenced to twenty years penal servi-
tude beyond SEAS" I answered soberly.
FOLLOWING that I vas dragged from
the dock, and flung into a cell. Vas
there anything else?"
"Why you should have known. Lord
Jeffries sentenced you to death; the
decree was signed, to be executed
Immediately. Then influence was
brought to bear-some nobleman in
Northumberland made direct appeal to
the king. That was what angered
.Jeffries So"
"An appeal For me2 Good God!
not Bucclough-was it he, the duke?"
"Yes; it was whispered about that
the king was in his debt-some word
of honor, and dare not refuse. The
word Of mercy came just in time, or
'dering Jeffries to commute your sem
Itence. At first he swore he'd hang
you, king or no king, but his nerve
failed. My uncle said he roared like
a bull. This Bucclough; is he not
your friend?"
l hesitated for an instant Of indeci-
sion, looking into her face, but the
truth would not be denied.
Scarcely that" 1 said soberly. "Nor
ca l solve entirely his purpose. He
is my brother, and ! am the next in
line. We are not even on speaking
terms; yet he is childless, and may
feel some measure Of dislike to have
the family end in a hangman's knot. /
can think of no other reason for his
interference. I knew nothing Of his
action"
II am glad it became my privilege
to tell you. Besides, Captain Carlyle"
simply, lit may also help you to un
derstand my interest. II you are Of
the Carlyles Of Bucclough, how hap
pened 1t that you went to sea?"
Largely necessity, and to some ex-
tent no doubt sheer love of adven-
ture. j was a younger son, with very
little income. There were then two
lives between me and the estate, and
the old duke, my father, treated me
III q servant. I always loved the
sea, and at fourteenth get out Of his
sight, l think largely-was appren-
uced to the navy, but lost my grade in
the service by a mere boyish prank.
Ills influence then would have saved
me, but he refused to ever read my
letter Of explanation. l dared not re-
turn home in such disgrace, and cOnse-
quently drifted into the merchant serv-
Ice. 1t Is a story quickly told"
Yet not so quickly lived"
mo, 1t meant many hard years. on
oil the oceans Of the world. This is
the first message reaching me from
the old home"
Il have seen that home," she said
quietly, "and shall never forget the
impression 1t made on me. A beauti-
fui place. j was there on q coaching
party. the GsrcS cuunop \ woc ~ Eno. ]