Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, July 19, 1903, Page 11, Image 30

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    July 19, 1903.
THE ILLUSTRATED 15EE
11
tn the yard made him rear he had lain
longer abed than was his custom. lie was
the more convinced of this In that he
remembered Im-rlly lbs -laf Wiring Jtuofa tt
a horse aome time before and then ialiur
another being ld out; now tbere appoerod
to be a third ana tie bra d talk cane up
to him. His window vrlaok4 tbe stable
yard and. be reoogniaed Ike mumble vt tbe
hostler wko bad assisted bim restoriday.
He lay aUU, half drowsed, rbe mattrwos
most alluring to bini, wm-n suddenly he
wns startled wide awake by a voice he
knew.
"The. I turn to the left (or Brough
ton?" "Yea, air, muttered tbe hsstior.
Armstrong leaped from his bed, placed bis
eye at tbe chink la tbe shutters and jwari
down into the stuble yard. The voice bad
nut misled him. Ie Ooorry, sitting m a
horse, was Just gathering nj the reins and
departing. The Scot iiwt no time in pulling
on him boots, puBikg aside tbe bed, un
bolting the door and making Ms way down
the stair. Waal did tbhi rally plumaged
bird of lll-eanen htw want ber ta tbe wn
try of the Parliament vha bis plane was
beside the king? Was tbere trasxdicry
afoot It ookd like H. One wutslde be
saw It was rtill early, wkfe tbe sua soaroely
risen. Tie accosted the yawning bostler.
"Who was that man you were directing
to Broughton?"
"I don't know, sir."
"When did he arrive?"
"Last night, sir, after dark."
"Did he stop in this house?"
"Tea, sir. I thought he was a friend of
yours, for he knew your horse when I was
putting up hlB own. He asked If you were
here, and I told him you were In the room
Over the yard "
"What Is Broughton; a hamlet?"
"It is a castle, sir. Ixird Buy's castle,
about three ms from here. General Crom
well is there now; ft Is his headquarters in
this district."
"Cromwell"
The young man stood stock still, eyes
gazing Into vacancy. What traffic had this
king's chamberlain with Cromwell? How
dared he come within the Parliamentary
lines, undisguised, unless unless
Like inspiration the whole situation
flashed upon him. De Courcy knew the
burden he carried, and had seoji where it
was placed. He was on his way to soil his
secret and set the troops on the track of
the messenger. He roust be off at once and
outride the traitor. Before De Courcy had
gone his three mile he would have tra
versed a. dozen, and from then on it would
be a race to the Scottish border.
"Is my horse fed?"
"Yes, slr."
Cet him out at once. I will urouBe the
others."
He took three steps toward the Inn, then
stopped as If shot, bis band clutching his
breast.
-By God, he's got the thing itself. Roblied,
as I'm a sinner!"
Now the disturbance In the nlgbt stood
out clear In his memory, but he wasted not
a thought over it. In upon the astonished
hostler be swept
"Never mind the saddle, fellow. Spring
up behind me and show me the Toad to
Broughton. T'p, 1 say, the horse can carry
a dozen like us. Here's two goldpleces for
you; guidance and a still tongue In. your
head Is what I want."
Armstrong grasped the two pistols from
the holsters, flung the hesitating bostler
upon the animal's back and leaped up in
front of rim.
"Which way, which way, which way?"
"Straight down the Btreet, sir," gapped
the terrified man, clasping the rider round
the waist. "Now to the right, sir, and
next to the left. That'B it, sir. Up the
hill. Ah, there'B "your man, Jogging on
ahead, leisurely enough. If Its blm you
seek."
"Right. Slip off; I can't stop. God be
with you."
The hostler rolled In a heap along the
ditch, staggered to his feet feeling his
limbs for broken bones, thinking his sold
pieces hardly earned in such usage, then,
satisfying himself that the damage was not
great, hobbled back to Banbury.
De Courcy, riding easily, as the man had
said, wholly unsuspicious of pursuit, or any
reason for it, hud dlsuppcarod lute u hol
low, when Black Bruce, like a thunder
cloud came over the cret and 4-tourge.d
down upon him with the lrneslsdub' force
of a troop of drasotuis. The Kneiu-btnun,,
hearing too late the rumble f the hoofs,
partly turned bis horse across tbe ivumI, the
worst movement he could have made, nr
Black Bruce, with a war neigh .came lirettat
on, maddened with the del&ht of buttle,
eod whirled opposing horse .and rider river
and over like a cartwheel flung aJmg tbe
road from the hnad ft a smith, i le Cwusrcy
lay partly etunnud at the raudaide, while
his frightened steed HlugKrrd t its feet,
lej-d tbe hedae axrrsss the ferla to its
furthest eKtremtty. Armstrong t blia
self t the ground with rulettng word to
Bruce, aim stood still gating and watch
lag every movement o Ills master. A lsu4
la HM-k tut ad, ArasstrMig vtond ever Ma
victim.
"Yrm hnser dag. traitor and acvlitsn, give
me tbe kilter's eomssUuil ."
"far. vnu bare Idlta-d ate,' nwuml De
Courcy, faintly.
"You bribed thief, the Torpe 1a your end.
Tou'll take no asathe through bonsrable
warfare. Disgorge!"
De Courcy, vaguely wondering how the
atlner kaev be cau-rind it. Anew from wlLbrn
bis ra snablet tbe seotmd Himmlnsien
signed by tbe king and feaaOod It a with
A faaa to tbe eongwwr. Aa it was an
caait dwiUcat f tbe me be had tost,
-nn as the sftk-en mr&. the torment Boot
bad t tbe Oieb1-Jit doubt he itad umiti
inr bis wa arain, and tbe prone snan was
q Bally dfunviBoed that someone bad be
tra'd ArmarrtBig bis swret mtMtion, jt,
ftir tbe life sf blm. could net :uss how
this were jioasfWe. Tbe young roan platn-d
tbe docisetit wbe.re its jiredwewwir bud
been, then waid to bis vlcttm
Had f a roe and a iiangmun with vie
yenj wtKild nd your UTc on yondor .reo.
"ben first t leAnrvnd your ciharacter j'tnt
were hi anise Unfrw from my swsnfl: a
ncmwnt bn yau stood in iofijwrdF from
any tmkIoIk; beware our third tneeth:.. r
if rou cross jriy th ag'ita I sni trunglo
ywu wtb my naked bands, if weed Je."
re Oowrry aade na rejily. He resBacd
tbat ttiis was Jot a ttme fr cmtrwwry.
A stamfting maa woll arwred bas muirWent
SkdrajrttssKS over an nwr ru amd n
tbe fnwnt, and mm tbtmsiit f tbis caac
to tbe snkad f tbe peerws wictw, mew
that his anger whs cooling. He felt that
it was rather undignified to threaten a
helpless adversary, and If be were a traitor
to the king, let the king deal with him. So
whistling to bis iww, be n bis
back and rode to BnnbuiT "tower oe
than he bad traversed the awf raad soma
minutes befor.
The hostlt made rnevmis jireterme tbat
he had bwea ail bot iwardwred by bis tall,
and Armstrong tTcamined tabs snttiute'ly.,
as he wmM aave done wtli a favorite
horse, pnnncusiatag bhn te tbe wnrse fur
his tumilmg. but rather Die betl-er, as be
was now more snupi-l1 lbaa be bod boon
for ycann. He rwarfled tbe man luvlxdib",
nevertbelewn, nd ETe bim tbe meoeipt JT
a llnlmrnt cod for man asd beast, should
after ootn plications eiusne.
"I Iiok air," wbmd tbe man, '"that you
did not treat the pent3ejna,n you were in
such haste to newt as rouehly aa you did
me."
"Very much tbe sasne., jrted Arsatreg,
with a aajsgb. ut tm re te beitter nT,
because I teft bim oeitbar erold nor snedi
clne, tafeiac Cram fatal ratber tban bestow
ing." "Ah, as tbat your casae?" wbiapend the
hostler, a gTlnt of arhrrrratlmi ttgtrtmr trp
his eyes. "Dang me if I did not take thee
for a gentleman of the road when I first
clapped eyes on thee. Be sure I'll say
naught, for I'y-e cut a purse myself In
youmgor days. Those times were better
than sew, There's too many soldiers and
too few igentlemen with fat purses traveling
the roaoH nowadays, lor our traae.
Aain William laughed and shook hands
with the old man, us one highwayman in
a good way of busluess might condescend
to another less prosperous, and the veteran
hotoiur bouwted of his intimacy with a
noted freebooter for the rest of his days.
"Hub down my horse well while I am
at breakfast," said Armstrong, and, re
ceiving every assurance that the beast
of so excellent a man should receive every
attention, hi; wemt to the inn and there
foand Frances awaiting blm.
Tbe arinl was atandlug . by the window,
which was low and long, with -a vaJanoe
of -crimpled potte4 muslin running atbwout
the lower fealf of Jt. A bench was fixed
boacath the wiiulow, and on this bench
the girl had rested a knoe, while her cheek
was placod aguinet the diamond punes.
Tbe light struok her face and Jlluminatad
it strongly and eue stood so stU) that ahe
seeraed to ftirm port of a tableau which
might have been entitled. "Watching." On
the table placed in the oenter -of tbe room
braakfiiBt was aproad.
It was a Jubilant man who disturbed this
quiet picture by his abrupt Incoming. Tbe
early .morning calltip, the excitement nf
contest, the lluah of victory, all had their
effects on his hearing, and be came in with
the jncln of a Saxon prince, his yellow hair
almost tcuichuuT the beams of the low coil
ing. The two formed a striking contrast,
when the embodiment of dejection. There
was a new fnrtiveness In the brief glance
she cast upon him. and niter her first
sUtrtled cognisance, she looked be.yond him,
on either side of Jilm, over bis bead or at
his feet, but never turned her eyes full
upon 1dm as of yore.
"Ah. my girl," he cried, "you have not
slejit well. I fan see that at once. This
will never do; never do at all. But you
are certainly looking better this mornlnir
than yoii flirt last night. Is that not so?"
"Ton are looking very well," she said,
a roMlng his question.
"ffli. TVp bnrt a morning gtillop already"
Wlmt: With the ride to Scotland still
hTore yon. Js not a -merciful man merciful
to Ms horse?
Mo should tre; nrt I may say this Tor
Bmee. h enioj-rd tbe rifle quite as much
ns T did. And now. I am ravenous for
lwerHt. and eiiger for tbe Toad again."
He InMefl mtle bandbcTl that rested on
the table. -"We bare another splendid flay
for ft. The -sunrise this wiorntrrg was
positively lnsirh-bK. Conn twss. and sit
yon flown. We must set 1n msei hack
Into tbnse rie'Vs and T fblrtk Tbe rifle to
day wH o tt for we w1fl beterr1ng tbe
ntotb, and ja are jost 11k vne, yev -arm
yearning for the northland', where all the
men are brave and all the women fair."
"Fair and false, perhaps you would add.
That was your phrase, 1 think."
William iaturtxid heartily, krawbtc in Kis
chair.
"Yes, about our ftluurts, wt abfwt ur
ladies. Tbey are ver loal and true.. Amd
Indeed many of Vtn?m are -dark sa weB as
fair, iud tb'y are tbe best. liai-k bair,
fair face anfl a loyal heart; tlxre a com
bination o cherish, when Ood is fitoC to a
man and allows bhn to meet it."
The servant bad now auswetird tbe timk
llr.g belt aid rrunres -as too ttwy uctin
the ho-.isewlfe to make any oorn-roent tin iris
enthusiastic demt'lptiim f What was to ie
found In the north. Mer jtuie -bek red
dened us he ;oke, and he tfk this for a
promlslnc siyn. fhe w ounvinced tlint
he had as yet no kiu-3odge nf bis loss, and
wondernd a-b( n aud a bere sucb knoa-edge
would clime to him. Kite boped tbe nn:bt
en merit would tie delayed until tbey wore
ner the Scottish line, r .aiiruss . Tbnn
she must toll blm tbr trulh at whatever
cost to bfTsef, and jeruufk' btm. If he
could, nt to return. Wbi sbe snade bnr
ronfcsMium she would be a foedtlen te
relate nil Ortitnwe.il bad said t her; sbow
blm that tbe sfowraJ bad mvttn Wts
which Wf-ulrt block any ttackwarfl more
and reveal his determination to hang the
Scot, should he entangle himself further
with Kngllsh politics. Yet she had the
frv( 4lwultB Lhat tieae iluMfirT would
lnfiuonoe bim. Rhe knew him woll enou.itb
to be aware tbat iris own personal safity
weigbed bat ligbfy with tdra, and tbe very
opposition would .determine him to try ooa
luslons wlt.b it, vnaliaMlied by tbe (ir
whehning odds affu-itirt Mm.
Tliose rofletrtions troubled ber -nntil the
time th-- were on their horses one tnimi,
when ArrmstTtnig inlrruptod tbean by crj--itrz
out:
"WiMmes Old aohn?"
"I sent iilra on abend long since. replied
Frances.
'Good. We shall soon overtake bitn.
Oood-iy, 7lrote," he -orled to the grinning
honUcr. "May I meet you -on the road nert
time whh a thousand pounds on you, and Iff
you wblaper "Banbury" to me I win not Jtf
a penny if it."
"Good luck to you and your lair lady,
ir," replied tbe onriched H man raising
bis cap in salute. He wished more trav
ellers Site the brawny Boot came tbat way.
-Wfej- 4a you call the MHir maa a iateT'
asked Frances.
"Oh, we're comrades," laughed Arm
strong. "He thinks me a capable, prompt
and energetic highwayman, and admitted
on the quiet that he had cut a pa rue him
self upon occasion in the days of his
youth."
"And why does he th'uk you are a high
wayman?" ".Ah, that would be telling. Suppose it
is because I escort the fairest lady In the
land? .The sex has ever favored the big
gest rascals. No, I shall not Incriinintte
myself, but shall maintain my pose of the
amiable hypocrite. Here rides Will Arm
strong, the honest man, If you will take his
own word for it. But the hostler knew
better. He sees secret comings and going )
and draws bis sage conclusions. Banbury!
Oh, Lord, I shall never forget Banburyl
It is a place of mystery, the keeper of
dark secrets and sudden rides, of midnight
theft and of treacheiy. Ask the Broughton
road, where -Cromwell lies, to -rvmeal what
It knows. Tliti.gs happen along vtaat track
which the king knows nothing f, snd h'.s
royal signature takes journeys thai, be
never cintnted upwn."
"Heaven's pltyl What do you mean?"
moaned the girl, whitening to tbe Hps. He
laughed Joyously, but chocked blmsclf
v. hen bo saw the terrifying effect of his
words on bis companion. 'They were now
clear of Banbury and trotting along the
Coventry road. Their departure hai tnot
with no opposition and they had veen not
even a single aolilier. The open country
lay before fhem, the turrets rtt tbe town
sinking in the reuh
"My foolish words have frightened yon.
Forget them. I am accumulating experi
ences that will interest you to heir wl.et
the time comes for the telHng -of them, but
of one thing 1 am assured, the good Lord
stands by bis own, and he has shielded me
rlnce yesterday morning broke. Come,
Frances, let us gallop. That and a trutt
in the LorJ will Toinedy all the ills -of man
or woman."
Bho wus glad of the respite and they set
off at futl speed; nevertheless ber mind
was sowy troubled. "Wbat did he fcnow?
Wbut dM be Vnow?" beat through her br.iin
In unison with the datteT tle horse's
hoofs. It was not possible that chance bud
brought bim thu te the very oenter of ber
guilty secret. Cromwell, tneaobery, mld
ntclit stculth, the 7roughton rovd, the
words und phrases tartured bor. Was thht
then the Tine of bis revige? TJid tn know
aTl end did be purpose to keep ber Thns ta
suienwe, hinting, soothing her fears, tlien
reviving thom, making hor black crime the
cubjeet Tf jest and laughter? Bhe cast a
glance over b- wltotilder. Banbury bad
disappeared; they were -atone, flying over
the land. 'Tire dutfht was unbearable; slie
would endure tt -no To oarer, fmpetnouy
she reined her borse to a ste-nfl. "Btivp,'
sire ciled, -amd aft the word ber own boras
aad Brute bailed and stood. Tba young
man turned with alarm to her agitated,
face.
'What do you menu by yonr ttlk of
Broughton and Cromwell?"
Ofc. tbat Is a serart. I dkl sn tolwnal
to teill ytmi wntifl nir Jearnef vn otdjt
wkwn we vHid Isugli -r It fwbeir.
"It ta no taagbbvc mattier. 1 mast know
wbat you man."
"Atl dsnrer are lauxbabte mce tb;- ars
fuutt. An -Biiknown, msusi"td datigrr
tbreateud me at Banbury, It b Jiow rast
and dkr wJth aad he jhtkhi who plotted
agaluwt me can barm me no more. Tbena
are reasons why I do not winn to mentioa
this penH' name. I -arr j thai, 1 may
UH you siew aa wnll aa auotbor tune, if
you care to listwn."
"ffo I know le ptTstm?"
yt. Von kntw the piTstin long be
fore I did. It was a atrstm I truRted. but
now know t be a t rail or and a t hicl."
It was some aaaints ix'fore Frances
romld sjioak, but at last sbe said very
yuretiy, looking dowa at ber horse's mane:
"'TVflJ me the stry, and I will till
the name of tbe traef."
'tu dtn badly last t1it. tUd yos)
hoar anj-Chlng?"
"! I beard tbe -lck vtaike nbe bowra,"
'! bnard tt strike a. but !- so tncknd n
flmwliress tbat I knew rr tbe ord was
calling to me. If the seven Sleeiwrj wore
metled Into one, I would otitslecp that one.
WeU, to get on, I wus robboil In the night.
It must have been at thut hour, for 1 re
member dimly some sort of disturbance.
But Providence stood my friend. By the
merest chance, it might srem, but not by
chance as I believe, I saw the creature
make for Broughton. 'Ho, here's for
Broughton,' cried 1, 'on the bare back of
Black Bruce, and tee if my go d pistols
would win back what had beeu stolen from
me." Tbe Broughton roud it was, and the
pistols did the business," paying this, he
whisked from his pocket the king's coin
mission, waving it triumphantly uloft. Her
wide eyes drank In the amaiclug fight of
It, slowly brimming with Uwr Utlous fi&r
and then ho asknd a duplicate of the
question that had bot n asked of her a few
hours before.
"Hid you kill Cromwell?"
"Cromwell! I never saw him."
"From whom then did you wrench that
parchment?"
"From the thief, of course. He never
reached Cromwell."
"O, I am going mud! Who is the LhleC
who Is the thief?"
"Ie Courcy, If you must know. Why
does tills trivial matter so iMsturt) youT
De Courcy followed us from Oxford last
night, and was lodged at our bin. By
some means be penetrated into my room,
stole this from ma, and I mvor raisnod It
until I saw him ride for Urougbttm, and
not even then, to t41 the exart tratk.
But I remembered that he bad seen IM
place this paper in the inside pocket of
my vest. In the king's own presence, and
then the whole plot name te me. Before
he saw BreughUm, Bruce and I were ibiwn
upon him like a Highland Urxn on the low
lands. My sword! You abould haw sum
us! Fur a minute there was one wbtrteig
of horses legs and Frenchman, like a runs
show of acrobats struck by a whirl
wind. If I had not been so angry I would
have bad the best laugh of my life,' and
the genial William threw liack bis bead
and made the wood echo with his merri
ment at the recoUectron. But the girl waa
solier enough.
"This is not the king's oommtHrdon," she
said, quickly,
"a but It ia"
"It Is not. Have you read it?"
"No, but that's soun l(me."
He untied the cord aird lutifoldod tins
ShnepHkin. Btie loaned eagerly forward and
scanned the writing, while Armstrong rend
It aloud.
"Vou see," he cried, gleetilly. "Ctt onurm
It 4a the ciunmissitHi. There are the names
of Traqualr, and all the rest, bist as f
gave thom to tbe secretary, sad there la
'Charles Hex' in the king's own hand."
"It is a duplicate. Cromwell has tba
original. You aevwr left De Oourcy aliva
with! a a mile of Bronghton castle?"
"I did that vary thing. Not an lively as
I have anon liim, yet alive, nevertheless.
"Then ride, ride for the north. Wa buva
stood too long c.hutterlag hare."
"All In good time, Francos. There Ja no
more hurry limn ever tbere was; less, in
deed, for It seems to me tbat Cromwell,
for some reason, waDts to ouine at this by
fraud and not by force. Hut now tlutt I
Courcy's name la wenlluued between no,
I ask you what you know against blaa
more than I have told you?"
"Agalust lilm? I know veryUiing ugaixst
him. Would that you bad killod liim. Ha
would sell Ms soul, if be bus one. lia
roblK-d my dylug falber, and on tbe -day
of bis death, when I was the only ane in
London who did not know ha was exoauteid,
TDe Courcy lured me to his ajmrtmaivts mt
Whitehall under pretwice of loading to
to lite king .that I might jjtaad tor mv
father's life. Tbene Ue attompted to en
trap nw, snapped In my haul iha sword
which I bad lu4ched frcua tbe wall t
defend myself, and I struck bim twice in
the face, and hliudad Mm with bis awn
falsa blood, and sa scajd. Judga, tben
my ear whoa J aaa bun there at Oxford. "
tPontlnued on Page Plfteon.)