Evening star., 1924-05-09
Mistress W1dinq
By Rafael Sab Afini
Author OF "Ssaranouchs Captain Blsodn ETC.
oopyight, 1874 BY Hor <h,on MIMI. ,enuu..
By Rafael Sab nt;n;
Captain Blood" etc.
clifton Miniir eomp.ny

chase, whin1pered Richard, feeling
himself for once the craven that he
'Tf?" echoed wilding scornfuIIv and
dragged him past the gate and I'M
toward the house even as he spoke,
| is there room for a ffoirbt of it7''
| Have you horses, at leastT'
TO spare" said Richard as they
| hurried on.
| They skirted the house and fonnd
| the STABLE door open as Blake had
ie1t 1t. Old Jasper followed with p
lamp which burned steadily, so calm
was the air of that July night In
three minutes they had saddled a
couple or nags; in FIVE they were rid
ing for the bridge and the road 10
Weston Zoyland.
1t Is a miracle you remained in
Bridgwater," said Richard as thev
hind?'
L had task assigned me in the
town against the dukes return to-
MORROW, Wifdfng explained ard he
spoke almost mechanically, his mind
fuiI of-anguished by-thougi1ts of
Ruth.
Against the dukes return?' cried
Richard, first surprised and then
thinking that Wilding spoke at ran
dom "AEainst the dukes return?"
he repeated.
THAT is what I said."
Gloucester"
'"The duke is marching by circuitous
ways to Sedgemoor," answered Wild
ing, never dreaming that at this time
OF day there could be the slightest
imprudence In saying SO much, in
deed, taking little heed of what he
said, his mind obsessed by the other,
to him, far weightier matter
To Sedgemoor," gasped Westrna-
colt
"Aye-to take Feversham by sur
prise-to destroy King James SOL
near upon the attack by now. But
theret Spur on and save your breath
If we are to overtake Sir Rowland"
They pounded on through the night
at a breakneck pace which they never
slackened until, when within a quar-
ter of mile or so of PenZoy Pound.
where the army was encamped and
slumbering by now, they caught sight
of the musketeers' matches glowing
in the dark ahead of them. An out
post barred their progress: but Rich
ard had the watchword. and he
spurred ahead shouting "Albermarle,"
and the soldiers fell back and gave
them passage. On they galfoped.
skirting Penzoy Pound and the army
sleeping in utter Inconsistencies Of
the fate that was creeping steafthily
upon it out of the darkness and mists
across the moors; they clattered on
straight into the village, Richard
never drawing rein until he reached
the door of the cottage where Fever
sham was lodged.
They had come not only at a head
long pace, but in headlong man
ner, without quite considering what
awaited them at the end of their ride
in addition to their object OF hnding
Ruth. 1t was only now, as he drew
rein before the lighted house and
1cvf7 hn n
voice pouring through an open win
dow on the ground floor, that Richard
fully realized what manner OF rash"
ness he was committing. He was too
late to rescue Ruth from Blake. What
more could he look to achieve? HIS
hope had been that with WildinFs
help he might snatch her from Sir
Rowland before the latter reached
Feversham's presence and in assocla-
ton with so notorious rebel as Mr.
Wilding were q piece OF folly OF 'tne
heroic kind that Richard did not
wildfngs mastertul presence. 1t Is
more than odds he had turned tall
and ridden home again to bed.
But wilding, who had leapt nim-
bly, to the ground, stood waiting TOT
Richard to dismount, impatient nov
that from the sound of Sir Rowiands
voice he had assurance that Richard
had proved an able guide: The young
man got down, but might yet nave
hesftated had not Wilding caugnt
him by the arm and whirled him up
the steps through the open door, past
the two soldiers who kept II, ana
who were too surprised to stay MN:
straight into the long, loW-ceIllnsedd
chamber where Feversham, ATTENDED
by a captain of horse. was hsten,ns
to Blake's angry narrative OF thae
nights failure.
Mr.. wiIdings entrance was decineu
ly sensational. He stepped qulcky
forward, and, taking Blake VINO was
still talking. all unconscious OF those
hehind him, by the collar of his coat:
he interrupted him In tine midoie ot
an inpassioned period. wrencneo MN
backward off his feet, ano oasneo
bir, with a force almost incredible
into a heap in a corner Of the room.
There for some moments the baroneo
lay half dazed by the shock OF ms
fall. \.
vide the chamber in two, stood 'pe-
tween Lord Feversham and mrs OF
ficer and Mr.. Wilding and Ruth--oy
whose side he had now come TO Stano
in Blake'S room.
There was an exclamation, half an
ger half samazement, at Mr.. WIG
ings outrage upon Sir Rowland. ana
the captain of horse sprang forward.
But WildinE raised his hand, MS race
SO composed and calm that 1t was I'M
possible to think him conceivfng any
violence, as indeed he protested at
that moment.
"that / have no further rudeness to
offer any so that this lady Is suffered
to withdraw with me- And he took
in his own hand that Ruth, amazed
and unresisting, yielded up to him.
That touch of his seemed to drive
out her fears and to restore her con-
fidence: the mortal terror in which
she had been until his con1lng dropped
from her now. She was NO longer
alone and abandoned to the yindic-
tiveness of rude and vinlent men She
had beside her one in whom expert
ence had taught her to have faith.
Louis Duras, Marquis de BfanQuc-
fort and Earl F'eyershana, coughed
with mock discreetness under cover
of his hand. ''Ahem"'
He was comeiy man with a long
nose, good low-liffded eyes, a humor-
GUS mouth and q weak chin; at n
glance he looked what he was. a
weak, good -natured ssensuafist He
was repIendent at the moment In a
blue satin dressing-gown stfh with
gold lace. for he had been Interrupted
by Bialets arrival in the very act of
putting himself to bed, and his head
Invested of his wig-wRs bound up
in a scarf of many colors.
At his side, the red-costed captain,
cough, stood, a red-faced, freckfcd
boy, looking to his superior for or
ders.
81 t'ink you ave 'urt Sare Row.
land said Fevarsham composedly
in his bad English. 'sWho are you,
sare?"
''This lady's husband" answered
Wildfng, whereupon the captain stared
and Fewersham's brow went up IN
surprised amusement.
"So-ho, Tat truec" uupfh fhe lat
ter in a tone suggesting that it ex-
planned everything to him. Tis Eit