Evening star., 1924-05-13
Mistress Wilding
By Rafael Sabatini
Author of "Scaramouche," captain Blood"
Copyright. by Company
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Star.)
By Rafael Sabatini

The fight is fought and lost;
there's an end to the CARROLL. Mon
mouth is in full fight with what's
lrft\him of his horse. When l quilted
the field he was riding hard for Pol
den Hill" He dropped into a chair.
his accents grim and despairing, his
"Lost?" gasped Wilding, and his
conscience pricked him for a moment,
remembering how much it had been
his fault-however indirectly-that
But how lost?" he cried a moment
later.
ASK Grey" snapped Trenchard.
ASK his craven, numskulled lord
ship. He had as good a hand in los
ing it as any. Oh, it was all most
Internally mishandled, as has been
everything in this ill-starred rising.
Grey sent back Godfrey the guide.
and attempted in the. dark to find
his own way across the Rhine. He
missed the ford. What else could the
fool have hoped? And when he was
discovered and DunbaNons guns be-
gan to play on us-hell and fire! we
ran as if Sedgemoor had been a race
course.
The rest was but the natural
sequel The foot, seeing our con-
fusion. broke. They were rallied
again; broke again; and again were
was up and with that damned ditch
between US there was no getting to
close quarters with them. Had Grey
ridden round and sought to turn
o God!-they would have been en-
tirely different. l did suggest it. But
for my pains Grey threatened to
pistol me if l presumed to instruct
1 had pistoled him where he stood"
Walters, at gaze in the doorway,
listened to the bitter TRADE. Wilding,
on the settle, sat silent moment,
his elbows on his knees, his chin in
his hands, his eyes set and grim as
Trenchard's own. Then he mastered
himself and waved a hand toward
the table where stood food and wine.
Eat and drink, Nick" he said,
'and well discuss what's to be done"
It'll need little discussing" was
Nick's savage answer as he rose and
went to pour himself a cup of wine.
There's but one course open to US
instant flight. l am for Minehead to
join HewlingS horse, which went
there yesterday for guns. We might
seize a ship somewhere on the coast
and thus get out of this Internal
country of mine"
of Trenchard's having said that there
was nothing to discuss, and in the
end Wilding agreed to go with him.
What choice had he? But first he
must go to Bridgwater to reassure
his wife.
ITO Bridgwater?" blazed Trench
ard, in a passion at the folly of the
suggestion. you're clearly mad! All
the kings forces will be there in an
hour or two"
mo matter" said Wilding, "I must
go. l am dead already, as it hap
pens" And he related his singular
adventure in Feversham's camp last
night.
Trenchard heard him in amazement.
If any suspicion crossed his mind
that his friends love affairs had had
anything to do with rousing Fever
sham prematurely. he showed no sign
of it. But he shook his head at
Wildings insistence that he must first
go to Lupton House.
Shalt send a message, Anthony.
Walters will find some one to bear
it. But you must not go yourself"
In the end Mr.. Trenchard prevailed
ever reluctant he might be. There
after they proceeded to make their
preparations. There were still a
couple of nags in the stables. in spite
of the visitation of the militia, and
Walters was able to find fresh clothes
for Mr.. Trenchard above-stairs.
A half-hour later they were ready
to set out on this forlorn hope of
escape; the horses were at the door.
and Mr.. Wilding was in the act of
which Walters had fetched him. Sud-
denly he paused, his foot in the leg
of his right boot, and sat bemused
for moment.
Trencard watching him. waxed i'm
patient: What ails you now?' he
croaked.
Without answering him. Wilding
turned to Walters. Where are the
boots I wore last night?" he asked.
and his voice was sharp-oddIy sharp,
~s k-sr ysxl
his speech.
"In the Kitchen" answered Wal
ters.
Fetch me them" And he kicked
off again the boot he had half drawn
But they are all befouled with
mud. sir"
"Clean them, Walters; clean them
and let me have them"
Still Walters hesitated, pointing
out that the boots he had brought his
master were newer and sounder
Wilding interrupted him impati-
emily. DO as 1 bid you. Walters"
And the old man, understanding moth
ing, went off on the errand: rand,
Trenchard. What does this mean?"
Wilding seemed suddenly to have
undergone transformation. His
gloom had fallen from him. He
looked up at his old friend and, smil-
ing, answered Hill. II means, NICK,
that whilst these excellent boots that
Walters would have me wear might
be we'll enough for a ride to the
coast such as you propose, they are
not at all suited to the journey 1 in
tend to make"
Maybe" said Nick with a sniff,
you're intending to journey to
Tower Hill?"
I'm that direction" answered Mr..
Wilding suavely. 81 am for London,
Nick. And you shall come with me-"
God save US! Do you keep a fools
egg under that nest of hairT
Wilding explained, and by the time
Walters returned with the boots
Trenchard was walking up and down
the room in an odd agitation.
odds my life, Tony" he cried at
last. II believe it is the best thing"
1.-The only thing, Nick"
And since all is lost, why >"
Trenchard blew out his cheeks and
smacked fist into palm. IT am with
you," said he.
CHAPTER XIV.
Justice.
It has fallen to my lot in the course
Of this veridical chronicle of Mr.. An
thonv WildinG's connection with the