Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, June 21, 1903, Page 29

e e —— Over the Border | (Copyright, 1903, by Robert Barr.) CHAPTER X. Gripped. HE owner of the mansion of Corbiton had been Richard 8ir Corbiton one of the first to fall under the pikes of Cromwell's . men Now it was heavily garri- soned by the Roundheads, as Armstrong surmised from the sourds of singing that rang out through the night But suddenly the noise ceascd For a sentinel had pounded on the door with the butt of his pite, crying: “Pe within there; the general I8 ewining From the darkness emerged three horsemen, two following a leader, a thick sel man, who came somewhat stiffly to the ground as if fatigued with hard riding. To the man who sprang to the bridie he said curtly. “See the horse well rubbod down and in half an hour feed him with corn.”” Then to his two foliowers, “‘lLook to your horses first and to yourselves after- ward Be ready in an hour.” The chief officer now stepped forward. “You will surely stop the night, Ex- collency? Everything is prepared.” “No. Did my order to stay the execu- tion of Wentworth reach you in time, Colonel Porlock?” “Yes Kxcellency I would not have ventured to execute him without your sanction, although the death sentence was the unanimous finding of the ceurt- martial."’ “The sentence was just. Tt may yet be carriedd out or it may prove that the lord has other use for him. lLead the way within." General Cromwell gave no greeting to the different groups as he pasacd them, his heavy riding boots swish-swashing inst each other as he followed Colonel Porlock into the hall. He strode awkwardly like ., 4 man more accustomed to a horse’s back than a tiled floor. The colonel led him into the great dining room, onc end of which was occupied by the shattcred win- dow, while the other was crossed by a gallery. The vast room was almost completely bare of furniture, with the exception of a high-backed carved chair, which doubt- less belonged to it, and a stout oaken table taken from some other part of the house, replacing the long, hospitable board that had witnessed many a festive gathering, but which had been usged for firewocod by the troopers. The general gazed about the ample apartment for a moment, as one who had never seen it before, estimating his bearings with the shrewd eve of a practiced soldier, then he pushed the table until it stood length-wise with the room, instead of across, as before, glanced at the gallery and table, as if making some com- putation regarding their relative positions, drew up the chair and seated himself, setting the two candles by the edge furthest from him. “Has Captain Bond arrived with his prisoner?” “Yes Excellency. He came at sunset.” “Is he sure of his man?” “He appears to be so, sir.” “Were any papers found on him?* “Yes, Kxcellency.” ‘““The other prisoner, Wentworth, 1is little more than youth, I am told?" “He Is very young, Excellency.” “How came he to be set on an important outward post that night?” ‘“here was no danger of attack, and I placed him there of deliberate purpose. He was most reluctant to go, making one excuse and then another, saying he was i1, and what not. or more than a month he has been under suspicion of communicating with malignants, although we had no direct proof He had been seen stealing away from the domain of Lord Rudby, the chief of the disaffected in this district. On the night in question he was watched, and as soon as he supposed himself alone, he deserted his post, put spurs to his horse and rode straight across country to Ruby hall.” “And was arrested there?’ “No, Excellency. An unlooked-for event happened. He rode out from the grounds of the hall, fighting his way, as it appeared, against a band of Rudby's followers, who were attacking him, and ran into the arms of our men, who were watching for him. The attacking party, seeing, as they sup- posed, an unknown force of rescuers, turned and fled. The night was very dark, and the account of what took place is con- fused, but Wentworth was carried back to Corbiton, tried and condemned for rting while on duty, and holding com- e with the enemy.” “Umph! What versicn did Wentworth give of the affair?"” “He maintained he was no traitor, but daid not gi any explanation of his absence from duty “I thought Rudby had surrendered all arms and had taken the oath to remain nouter? “His men were armed with staves only, and so Wenlworth, better equipped, held bis own against them." “What view did the court tuke of this affray ™ “rhey thought it merely a feint to cover the retreat of a discoverad traltor The night, oa 1 sald, was dJdark, and our wmen being mounted, could not move silently. Knowing the house would be searched if Wentworth was hidden, this plan of seem- ing enmity against him was prepared beforhand, in case of discovery “How old a man is Ruby?" “Nearing 50."” “What family has he?" “His two sons are supposed to be with the king at Oxford. There 18 one daughter at Rudby Hall.” “Humph! 1s this the young men who is said to be a son of the late scoundrel, “Strafford?"’ “Yes Excellency."” “In that very blood is hatred of the peo- ple, contumely and o1l arrogance. At heart N\ by Robert T. Barr port; that his arrest was illegal, and that you would be the first to admit as much.” “Humph! Was he thoroughly searched? Are you sure he had no other papers than these?" “Quite sure, general.” “Very good. Bring the man here, 154 the door is open, come in with him. If it is shut, wait until you are cailed.” When the captain left the room, the colo- nel entered with his trooper, who bore a matchlock. Cromwell dismissed Porlock, then said to the trooper: “You will take your place in that gallery and remain there, making no sound. Keep your ears shut, and your eyes open. A man will be standing before me. If I raise NN ro&_)ell paid o heed os his been eye searched the prisoner libe an east twind oo~ he must be a royalist. And yet—and yet— where was he brought up?" “On the estate of Sir John Warburton, dead the: some years back. Warburton was his grandfather.” ““Where is the Warburion estate?" “It adjoins the lands of Rudby." “A—h. Is the boy's mother living?"’ “No. His only relative is a sister, who scems to be the most bitter king hater in all the land.” “Is there not a chance the boy was on his way to see his sister?"” “It was thought not. She has been at liberty to visit him here, and has done 80 on various occasions." “Has Wentworth ever been in action?" “Oh, yes, excellency, and he acquitted himself bravely enough." “No hanging back; no wavering in the face of the foe?" “No, excellency.””, “Hump! Send Captain Bent to me with the papers. When he is gone, I wish you to bring me a trooper, some silent man who can be depended upon, an unerring marksman." When Captain Bent arrived he handed to the geperal the papers he had taken from Armétrong. Cromwell examined them with great minuteness by the light of the candles, then set them in a bunch on the table, ‘without comment of any kind “Did your prisoner resist at all or make any attempt scape? “No, genc “He made no protest then?" “He sald England and Scotland were at peace, that he therefore needed no pass- my hand thus, you will shoot him dead. See that you make no mistake, and 1 warn you to shoot straight. Go."” The trooper, without a word, mounted to the gallery, and the general, rising, went round the table, standing on the other side. “Can you see plainly?’ he cried to the man aloft. “It would be better if both candles were at this end of the table, sir.” Cromwell moved the further candle to a place beside its fellow, then stood again on the spot his prisoner would occupy. ‘““That is well, sir,”” said the man in the gallery. The general walked to the end of the room, threw open the door and re- turned to his seat in the fall chair with the carved back. CHAPTER XI Examinntion, When Captain Bent entered the gallery room with his prisoner he found Cromwell seated at the table, his head bowed over some pages of manuscript on which he was busity writing. The general did not look up for a full minute, until he had finished the sentence he was inditing, then he raised his head and said quietly to the captain: “COe." For one brief and lamentable instant the discipline which held the captain in its bonds relaxed, and he replied In surprise: “And leave him unguarded, sir?" Cromwell said nothing, but a look of such dovilish ferocity came into his picreing gray eyes that the captain staggered as if he had received a blow, gasped, turned and fled. When the commander spoke to Arm- A Tale of the Days of Charles I, strong there was no trace of resentment or anger in his tones. “Will you oblige me by c'osing that door which Captain Bont has stupidly left open? You are nearer it than 1. Armstrong, with a bow, did_ what he was requested to do, and rnlurmmfln his place beside the table “I fear 1 must begin with an apology, & form of speech (o which T am unaccus- tomed. You have been stopped quite with- out just cause, and I trust you have met with no inconvenience nor harsh treatment in consequence.” “With neither, General Cromwell, if T am not at fault in so addressing you. I jealous are not two such men as you in the compliment + army, of the Parliament.” Cromwell paid no heed to the compll= ment, if such was intended, but, although his volce was suave, his keen eye searched the prisoner like an east wind “The stoppage may indeed save you fur- ther annovance if you intend to travel about the country, for I will give you a pass likely to prevent such a mistake in future. You are in the cattle trade, I am told?” “Yes, general” “Tis an honest occupation and T am pleased to believe my army has ever been an upholder of it, paying for whet it re- quires in sound money even when the wages of the soldier were scant and in ar- rear. The roquisitions and confiscations which have followed like a plague the track of the king's forces, devastating the coun- try like the locusts of sceripture, are no ae- companiment to the troopers of the Lord. It is perhaps your intention to deal with us rather than with the king's army, should you venture so far south?” “Indecd 1 know littlie of E lish politics and the man with money in his pouch and a purchasing brauin in his head is the chap I'm looking for, be royalist or parliamen- tarian.” “1t I8 commenable traffic with which I have no desire to interfere. You know of no reason the for your arrestment by my stupid ecapt P'phriam Brent?* “Truth to tel vour henor, and I know a very good w=on for it.” “Humph And wl The t is that?' neri Lrows eontracted s and the intensity of L ize became