Evening star., 1924-04-23

tiently, upon noting the fellows
stare, and seizing his leg he helped
him to dismount by almost dragging
him from the saddle. up with you,
Nick" said he, and Nick very prompt
ly mounted. Your mistress will be
here presently" Wilding told the
Strobe to his own mare. A moment
later Trenchard and he vanished
through the gateway with a tremen-
dous clatter just as the lord lieu
tenant, Col. Luttrell, Sir Edward
Phelps. the constable, the tything
men, Sir Rowland. Richard and the
ladies made their appearance.
Ruth pushed her way quickly to
the front. She feared lest her horse
and her cousins being at hand might
be used for the pursuit; SO, urging
her reins from the hands of the
dumbfounded groom and leapt nimbly
to the saddle.
After them roared Albemarle.
and the constable with two of his
men made a dash for the gateway
militiamen watched them in stupid.
inactive wonder. .Damnation, mis-
tressi" thundered the duke in ever
increasing passion, hold your nag!
Hold your nag. woman" For Ruth $
horse had become unmanageable and
)
tween the men and the gateway in
such a manner that they dared not
attempt to win past her.
You have scared him with your
believing" she painted, tugging at
the bride, and all but backed into
oring to get round behind her. The
beast continued its wild prancing,
and the duke abated nothing in his
furious profanity, until suddenly the
groom, having re1inquished to Diana
the reins of the other horse, sprang
to Ruth's assistance and caught her
bride in a firm grasp which brought
the animal to a standstill.
You fool." she hissed at him, and
half raised her whip to strike, but
checked on the impulse, bethinking
her in time that, after all. what the
ing her distressed.
The constable and a couple of his
fellows won through; others were
rousing the stable and getting TO
horse. and in the courtyard all was
hustle and commotion Meanwhile
however, Mr.. wilding and Trenchard
had made the most OF their start and
were laundering through the town.
CHAPTER XII.
At the Ford.
AS " cuu XNlCh
ard rode hell-to-leather through
Taunton streets they never noticed a
horseman at the door of the Red Lion
Inn. But the horseman noticed them
He looked up at the sound Of their
wild approach, started upon recog-
nizing them, and turned in his saddle
as they swept past him to call upon
them excitedly to stop.
Hi" he shouted: Nick Trench
ARA ara tbaI Hi eshe9 ad not Thsn hear seems ss Ing
not heed him, he loosed a volley OF
oaths, wheeled his horse about, drove
home the spurs and started in pursuit
Jut of the town he followed them and
along the road toward Walford,
;houting and clamoring at first, after
ward In a grim and angry silence.
Now, despite their natural anxiety
for their own safety, Wilding and
Trenchard had by no means aban-
doned their project of taking cover
by the ford to await the messenger
would no doubt be sending to White.
hall; and this mad fellow laundering
after them seemed in a fair way tc
mar their plan. AS they reluctantly
out for their ambush, splashed
through the ford and breasted the
rising ground beyond, they took coun-
eel. They determined to stand anc
meet this rlsh pursHer. TrencharC
calmly opined that If necessary they
must shoot him; he was. I fear, a
bloody inded fellow at bottom, al.
though it Is true he justified himself
now by pointing out that this was ne
time to hesitate at trifies. Partly
because they talked and partly be.
cause the gradient was steep and
their horses needed breathing, they
slackened rein, and the horseman be.
hind them came tearing through the
water of the ford and lessened the
distance considerably in the next few
minutes.
He bethought him Of using hi.
lungs once more. Hi, Wilding
Hold, damn you"
He curses you in a most intimate
Wilding refined in and turned in the
| saddle. His voice has a familiar
sound" said he. He shaded his eye:
| with his hand, and looked down the
slope at the pursuer, who came or
crouching low upon the wtthers o.
his goaded beast.
wait" the fellow shouted. q.
have news--news for your
ITS Vallancey!" cried W1ldint
| suddenly.
| expressing relief at the discovery
| that this was not an enemy, he swor,
at the trouble to which they ha<
so needlessly put themselves, and HI
was still at his vituperations wheI
Vallancey came up with them, red II
| the face and very angry, cursinl
! them roundly for the folly of thei
mad career and for not having stop
ped when he bade them.