Evening star., 1924-04-19

| Trenchard considered it, pulling at
MS pipe again. Pledge me the duke
said he at length. "Thers truth n
sion to his majesty the goldfinch.'
Richard reached for his pewter. glad
that the test was to be so light. ''Up
on your feet, man." grumbled Trench
ard. On your feet and see that your
words have ring of truth in them"
Richard did as he was hidden. the
little reason left him being concen-
| trated wholly on the convincing of his
Fellow tippler. He rose to his feet, 80
with a bang. He never needed il, but
| others in the room turned at the
sound and hush fell in the chamber.
Dominating this caIne Richards voice,
utterance.
Down with Popery, and God save
Down with Popery" And he looked
at Trenchard for applause. and assur-
ance that Trenchard no longer thought
| there was cause to quarrel with him.
Behind him there was a stir in the
! room that went unheeded by the bow.
Men nudged their neighbors; some
looked frightened and some grinned
| at the reasonable words
| A swift change came over Trench
| ara. His drunkenness fell from him
! like discarded mantle. He sat like
| a man amazed. Then he heayed him
!
down his pipe stem on the wooden
! table, sending it's fragments flying.
Damn me-" he roared. Have L sat
at table with a traitor?" And he
lightly yet with sufficient force to
! thrust at Richard with his open palm.
throw Richard off his precarious bal
ance and send him sprawling on the
| sanded floor. Men rose from the tables
about and approached them, some
| few amused, but the majority very
DOdSleE. Ia
hurrying TO assist Richard to his feet.
"Mr. Westmacotn" he whispered
in the rash FOOLS ear, you were best
away"
Richard stood up, leaning his full
weight upon the arm the landlord
| had about his waist. He passed a
hand over his brow, as If 10 brush
aside the veil that obscured his wits.
said? What had Trenchard done
Why did these fellows stand and
cape at him? He heard his compan-
ions voice, raised to address the
company.
Gentlemen" he heard him say, 'I
trust there is none present will i'm
pute to me any share in such treason
able sentiments as Mr.. Westmacott
has EXPIRE ssed. But if there is any one
who questions my loyalty. have a
scabbard." And he struck his sword
hilt with his fist.
Then he clapped on his hat, aslant
over the locks of his golden wig, and
| leisurely dignity toward the door. Fe
looked back with sardonic smile 1t
| the ado he was leaving behind him,
| listened a moment to the voices. that
already were being raised in excite
ment. then closed the door and made
! his way briskly to the stable yard,
where he called for his horse He
rode out of Bridgwater ten minutes
later, and took the road to Taunton
as the moon was rising yellow over
the hills on the left. He reached
| Taunton toward 10 o'clock that night,
having ridden hell-to-ieather. His
| first visit was to the Hare and
| Hounds. where Blake and Westma-
colt had overtaken the courier. His
next to the house where Sir Edward
Phelps and Col. Luttrell-the gentle
men lately ordered to Taunton by his
majesty-had their lodging.
| The fruits OF Mr.. Trenchard's ex-
! traordinary behavior that night were
, to be seen at an early hour on the
| following day, when a constable and
| three tythinS men came with lord
I ieutenants warrant to arrest Mr..
Richard Westmacott on a charge of
high treason. They found the young
man still abed, and most guilty was
his panic when they bade him rise
he dream of the full extent to which
Mr.. Trenchard had enmeshed him, or
| indeed that Mr.. Trenchard had any
hand at all in this affair. What time
he was getting into his clothes with a
tything man outside his door and an
other on guard under his window
the constable and his third myrmidon
made an exhaustive search of the
house All they found OF interest was
letter signed Monmouth which
they took from the secret drawer of
a secretary in the library; but that,
il seemed, was all they sought, for
having found 1t they proceeded no
further With their reckless and de-
With that letter and the person OF
| Richard Westmacott, the constable
and his men took their departure, and
rode back to Taunton, leaving alarm
and sore distress at Lupton House.
In her despair poor Ruth was all for
following her brother, in the hope
that at least by giving evidence of
| how that letter came into his posses
him. But knowing, as she did. that
he had had his share in the treason
that was Matching, she had cause to
fear that his guilt would not lack for
other proofs. 1t was Diana who urged
her to repair instead to the only man
| pend, provided he were willing to
exert 1t. That man was Anthony
Wilding, and whether Diana urged ii
frem'motiyes of her own or out of
! IA
fcult to say with certainty.
The very thought of going to him
| for aid, after all that had passed, was
| repugnant to Ruth. And yet what
cousin and urged by her affection and
duty to Richard. she repressed her
aversion, and, calling for a horse, rode
! out to Zoyland Chase, attended by a
groom. Wilding by good fortune was
at home. hard at work upon a mass
| of documents in that same library
where she had talked with him on
/ the occasion of her first visit to his
home-to the home of which she re-
| membered that she was now herself
| the mistress. He was preparing for
| circulation in the west a mass of
libels and incendiary pamphlets cal
culated to forward the cause of the
Protestant duke.
Descending his surprise, he bade
old Walters-who left her waiting In
| the hall whilst he went to announce
her--to admit her instantly, and he
advanced to the door to receive and
! welcome her.
Ruth" said he. and his face was
| oddly alight, you have come at last. y
| She smiled a wan smile of self-pity
"T have been constrained" said she
and told him what had happened; tina,
her brother had been arrested for
high treason, and that the constable
| in searching the house had come upon
| the Monmouth letter she had locked
away in her desk.
| "And not a doubt" she ended, ~bu,
| 1t will be believed that it was tc
Richard the letter was indited by the
! duke. You will remember that its
| only address was ito my good friend
W. and that will stand for Westma-
colt as well as Wilding."
Mr. Wilding was fain to laugh al
/ the irony of this surprising turn OF
| things of which she brought him
news. for he had neither knowledge
4 his friend Trenchard. to which these
events were due. But noting and re.
| specting her anxiety for her brother
! he curbed his natural amusement.