Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / Jan. 7, 1906, edition 1 / Page 8
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Charlotte. daua0B3i;iivee, jai;xjaiiy i, 1. li IE: MlBTE Author of "The Adventures ot herlock Holme :; : , "The Hound 01 CHAPTER lit. IMW tlORDLE JOHN onZBNED THE FULLER OF LYMINGTON. It Is not, however. In the nature of things that aiad of twenty, wHh young - life, flowing In his veins and all the 'wide world before him, should spend hla first bourn of freedom in mourning for what ho had left. Ixng ere Alleyne -was Out Of the sound of (lie Beaulieu bells he "was striding sturdily along;. ..winging his staff and whistling as merrily as the birds in the thicket. It Was an evening to raise a man's heart The sun shining slantwise throuirh the trees threw delicate trac- s riea across the road, with bars of gold en light between. Away In the distance -, before and behind, the green boughs, , now . turning in places to a coppery redness, shot their broad arches across n-the track. The still summer air was- heavy with the resinous smell of the great forest. Here and there a tawny brook prattled out from among the ' . i n A an1 ln 1 1 ar1 avuln In H (era and brambles upon the further awe; save the dull piping ot ins2cis na me sougri or tne leave, tnere ,tj alienee everywhere the sweet . restful silence of natut-p. " -And yet there wag no want of life the whole wide wood was dill of at. Now u was a lithe, furtive stoat whtcfrshot arrosa the path upon Home i fell errand of its own: then It was a 'wild cat -which quatt-il n-nn th out . lying branch of an oak an-l peprd at i traveler with a yellow and dubious eye. Once 't was a wild sow that hc lit tied t out T the bracken, with two young :.i 1 MOUilders nt her heels, and once a lord ly fed at aggard walked dalntly out from among the tree trunks, and look- .'fj:: MmnnA Kim with lha ti , ot on who lived under the King s own , Wfh protection. Alleyne gave his staff merrjr flourish, however, ami the red deer bethought him that the King wan , af off, so he tttreaked away from whence he came. --The youth had now Journeyed consld-I I have lnocea seen nine ot me, v rably beyond the furthest domains of ' food dame." the Abbey. He was the more surprised ' "W"1 nnfl nothing In It to pay for -therefore When, on coming around a;',h? )os of tny own freshness. Here ura In the path, he perceived a man I ftr! ,he clothes, and Peter oan leave . InlmA In tU l n i l . . . j thA,n u'hon niivt hn vrrum t h I UrflV . in.uiiiuiftr Htixu or me oraer, ,yndeeated In a clump of heather by invroaasioe. Alleyne had known everv , fcrether well, but this was a face that 'Was new to hlrn-a face which was very rea and puffed, working th's way and with that, as though the man was ""re perplexed in mind. Once he shook Uoth hands furiously In the air, and xnnoe ne sprang from his seat and hurried down the road. When h m ttowever, Alleyne observed thnt his rope wmm mucn too long and loose for , ...... direction, trailing upon . the ground and baglng about his ank ; . that even with t mimed -up Mrta he could make but little progress X ran onc but the ,on "'" ( logged lm so that he slowed down Into a hambllng walk, and finally plumped In tne heather once more. ' f7pnf he when Alleyne .h .hrffJH0f t11"1, "' fear fro'" thy ' f.!".1 ,hoa,l canst know uttle of the Abbey of Beiiulleu?" v. 'Then you are In error, friend" Tlte Clerk anwrwl "rn. i t.... . iaH my life within Its walls." '7 . "Hast so Indeed?" cried he. "Then , ' lerlips canst tell me the name of feat loathy lump of a. brother 3 , vl freckled face an' a hand like a apade. His eyes were black and his Jielr waa red an- his voice Tike the i i in mere cannot be . W0 alike in the same cloisters." "That can be no othi-r than brother , JTehn." said Allnyne. 'I trust he httH dune vou no Wrong, ' t5HcMyou "h"uU1 -"' hot against 'J "Wrong, uuolha:" cried Ihe other. ;- iumnina out of the h..mii... 'Wr,.n j" mhy he hath sioln fvcry puck of cloth rv trig off my back, if llm: be a wrc-ng. ' sina nam ri mc here in this sorry -frock Of white raiding. that I have . . ehteme to go lwt k to my w ife, lent she UlUlkthatl have .iinnl her old klrt In Harrow and alas hat 1 ever Hhould '. lisve met hlni'" "But how came thin." H.ud tli young -lerk, who could 'ware.- keep from laughter at the sight of the h .t man 0 swathed In the while frock. ' "It came In this way.- Maid sitting down once more: ' wan iiiing this way. hoplnu to rea. I. l.ymlngton ere nightfall, when I Hine on this red headed knave ueute.l where we are sitting now. I umov.-ie,i anil louied as I passed. ihlnkiiiK that n . mlgiit le ai noiy man at his orlHoim. hn ),e called ,( to me and anked me If l hii, heard I speak of the new Indulgein e n favor ! of the I'iaterclaiiH "Not 1." I answered. v 'Then the worse for thy soul" sild he; ; i., nd With that he troke into a long i tale on accout of 'lie virtues of the Abbot Berghersh h hud been decreed . by the Pope Unit whoever kIi hiM wear the habit of it u ,u or liemilieu for . S.S long M he muhi nay the seven ! ' PSalmS of !avl! xhoul.l be iiHRiireil o! the Kingdom -r ;.,! Wh.-n I h.-urd , this I prayed hiio t,u m knees that he would give m. no h ,,f his gown. 1 which after mv ( .i,-e..it.,n he at last agreeil t'j '. .o o, imvIiii; him three . marks toward the r. KuildhiK of Image. . Of Laurence the nuiiw. Having strip- , 'bed his rob". I hint no holre lint to: ' let him have the -Muring of my good leather Jerkin itr.il leu.,., f..r n he Maid. : It was rinding to-!,c blood mid un sjeemly lo tn. eve to stand frockless h1It l made my orisons. He had i Scsrce got Ho rn on, and It was a Sore : tabor, seelriK that my Inches will m to. a watch my fciHh he hud scarce got. ' them on, 1 say, and I not yet at jhe i end of tl.e seroio psalm. wh'n he bads ! tn do honor to my dress, and with' " that set rff down I Or- rnnri im r.il -.I Iet ooulfl carry him. Kor tnvself 1' mlllt tirt mora. .11,1 .kin r. I Jt V. , .----. v, ; .sown In U sack; v. here 1 sit, and) -vr.-ners mm nae in su, nerore I set eyes Upon ray clothes again." "Nay, friend, tuk. It irfrt sadly," said Aiieyr.. Hajiplng the llm onsolute onr upon me meui'lrr. "Canst cbanrn ilbbS unZZ KZt L"T ","rl'U ,hin' oUier wayfarers, and more than 7. P!,""w you hv tW. was overtaken by strings of pack ni ' mul "d horsemen Joumeylrig In the That have 1," he answered, "and same direction as himself. One a beg closej but 1 cere not to go nigh him in j King frlur came limping along in a fine pngnt, ror his wife hath a gib- In iongue, and will spread the tale unui I couia not show my face In any cnerket from Fordtngbridge to South enptonu Hut If you, fair sir, out of your kind charity would be pleased .to go matter of two bow-rtoLs out f your r, you would do m such a ervlcr I covild scares Mpay," WlUi all y heart," jIJ Alleyite readily. .? . -Then take this pathway en the left, I pray thee, sod then the deer-tnuk vMtb paseee- rhs right. Ton will t ' ft see under" A greet beech tree the it of a, charcoal burner. Give him my ; -me, good sr, the aams of I'eter it fuller, of Lywtngten, end ask htm : - a t hangs rf raiwetU, that I may my Journey without delay. - -v t f SJ.- A T. ill 'T...M i ine DasKerviiies, "Beyona ine uiy, tic , 7 There are reason why he would be loth to refuse me." Alleyne. started am along the , path Indicated; and soon found the log-hut where the burner dwelt He was away faggot cutting in the forest, but his wife,, a TUddy bustling dame, -found the needful garments and tied them Into a bundle. While she busied her self in finding and folding them, Al leyne Edrtcson stood by the open door looking in at her -with mum wtereat and some distrust, for he had never been so nigh to a woman before. She u,.a -,,., j ira nf anma mn. her woolen uff, and a brass brooch the size of a cheese-cake stuck (n the trnnt nf u Peter the fuller!" ehe kept repeat ing. "Marry come up! If I were Peter the fullers wife 1 would teach him better than to give hla clothes to the . i J V LT,hnrnh. first knave who asks for them. But ha wan always a poor, fond, silly crea ture, was Peter, though we are be- holden to him for helping to bury our -- i -...- .hhIUa , , j,lrn at Lymington In the year of the Black Death. But who are you, , ....,.. iro-' "I am a clerk on my l:...inllen to Mtnsleflil " road from ------ - - Aye, indeed! tiast oeen orougnt up at tli Abbey then. I could read It from thy reddened cheek and down- cant eye. Hast learned from the ir.inlis, I trow, to fear a woman as thou wouIdM a laaar-houae. Out upon them! that they should dishonor their own mothers by such teaching. A pretty world It would be with all the women out of II." "Heaven forfend that such a thing should come to pass!" said Alleyne. "Amen and amen! But thou art a ! P1 lad- n hft Pettier for thy i "u ways. It Is euy to see from 1 lhy rhek thnt fhou hast not spent the I days In the rain and the heat and the ' wln(. Por AVal hath been. j forced to do." .... ( - . : ,,0,y Virgin! see the dust upon thy i doublet! It were easy to see that there i In no woman to tend o Iheo. Ho! that is better. Now buss me, boy." Alleyne atooped and kissed her, for the kiss was the common salutation of the age, as Erasmus long afterwards remarked, more used In England than In any other country- Yet It "cnt the blood to his temples again, and he wondered, as he turned away, what the Abbot Berghersh would have answer ed to so frank en Invitation. He waa tingling from tht new experience when he came out upon the high road and saw a sight which drove all oth er thoughts from his mind. Wme way down from where he had left him the unfortunate Peter was wtanvplng and raving tenfold worse than Uefpre. Now, however, Instead ot the great white cloak, he had no cloihes on at all, save a short woolen shirt and a pair of leather shoos. Far down the rood a longlegged figure was running, with a bundle under one arm and the other hand to his side, like a man who laughs until he Is sre. "See him!" yelled Peter. "Look to him! You shall be my witness. He shall see Winchester Jail for this. Bee where he goes with my cloak under his arm!" "Who then?" cried Alleyne. "Who but that cursed brother John. He bath not left me clothes enough to make a gallybagger. The -double thief hath cogenpd me out of my gown." "ftay though, my friend, II was his gown," objected Alleyne. "It bouts not. He hath them all gown. Jerkin, hosen and all. tiramercy to him that he left me the shirt and the nhmin. I doubt not thnt he will be back for thm ari,n." "But how came this?" asked At. icyne. open-eyed with astonishment. "Are those the clothes? For dear , chiirlty s sake give them to me. Not ! wnK ena w" cnoose some quiet ana Hi Pope, shall have these from me. 1 sheltered spot where we may break th .iigh he sent the whole college of f our Journey. Here you find us; and cardinals 4n ask 11. How came It? i w cannot wonder that you, who are Why, you had scarce gone ere this 1 new to tumbling, should be astound loathy John came running back Again d. '"ce many great barons, earls, and, when I opened mouth to re- marshals and knights, who have proa, h him. he asked mo whether It ! wandered aa far as the Holy Land, waj Indeed likely that a man of pray- iar of. one mind In saying that they cr would leave his own godly raiment ! hav never seen a more noble or gra- i In order to take a lav-man's lerkln. He had. he ald. but gone for a while : that 1 might be the freer for my tie-; will continue our exercise," votlons fm this 1 plucked off the I Alleyne Bat down willingly as dl gown, and he with much show of I reeled with two great bundles on huste did begin to undo Ms points; ; either side of him which contained but when I threw his frock down lie ! the strollers' dresses doublets of clipped It tsp end ran off all untrusned, flame-colored silk and girdles of leaving me In this sorry plight. He leather, spangled with brass and tin. Unr)ied so the w hile, like n great The Jugglers were on their heads once noaklng frog, that I might have more, bounding about with, rigid 'niiKht him had n,y breaih not been ! nocks, pluylnff the white In perfect :i short urn his legs were long." time apd tune. H chanced lhat out The young man listened to this tlc j f one of the bundles there Stuck the of wrong with all the seriousness that end of what the clerk saW'tO 'be-a he could maintain; out at the sight of cittern, so, drawing It forth, he tuned the pursy red-faced man and the dig-1 It up and twanged a hnrmony to the nity with yhlch ho bore him. the laugh- : merry Hit which tho dancriplay ter came so thick upon him . that he i ed. On that they 'dropped their vwn had to lean up against a tree-trunk. I Instruments, and putting .their hands The fuller looked gravely and sadly at j to tho ground they hopped about fast blin; hut finding that he still laughed. .' er and faster, ever shouting to him he bowed with much mock politeness I to piny more briskly, until at last and stalked onward In his borrowed i for very weariness all three had to i io. lies, im-yiie waiciieu nun unui ne was small In the distance, and then wiping the tears from his eyes, lie set off briskley once more upon his Jour ney. CHAPTEn IV, imvv THE 11 A 1 r TtJ-tr ns- anirTii. ...... ..... .... ...a..- ....... .. . ,I,T.-... I ,, m. M M.W . . n TKKLK8H MBN. The road along 'which he traveled was scarce us populous as most roads In the kingdom, and far "s so than those which H btwerr tho larger towns, ret from time to time Atlevne brown habit Imploring in a most doK orous Voice to give him a slnei sTroat to buy bread wherewith to save him self from Impending death. .,-jAUcy tie passed him swiftly by for he had learn ed from the monks to have no love for the wandering friars, and besides Ihers was a great half-gnawed mutton bone sticking out of his pouch to prove him a liar. Swiftly as he went, however, h could nwt sstspe the curse of the four blessed evangelists whlfh the mendicant howled- behind, him.' $o dreadful were his execrations that the frightened lad thrust his finger into his ear-hole. end ran until the fellow wa but htiwn smm.hr en the yel low read. ' - Kprther on, at the edge nt the wood land he came upon chapman s1 Ms wtum, -w no . sat upou? (alien tre.:. tte V t j . -4. 4 i f J 1 UUJk. --T-,- ,,v"- it S, ' - it.. V "fl Study In Scarlet," ' had put his pack down as a table.and the two of them were devouring a great pasty, and washing It down with dome drink .from a stone Jar. The chap man broke a. rough Jest as ha passed, and the woman called shrilly to Alleyne to come and Join them, on which the man, turning, suddenly from mirth, ta wrath, began to belabor her with his cudgel Alleyne hastened on lest he make more mischief, and his heart waa heavy as lead within him. Look where j he would he seemed to see nothing i bu injustice and violence-' and the i hafshnesa. ot-xwm to man ! ,L But even aa he brodded silently over " and longed fnr the wet peace of the Abbey, he came on an open space dotted with holly bushes, where was the strangest sight that he. had yet chanced upon. Near to the pathway lay a long clump of greenery, and from behind this there stuck up aaln Into ,. ,H tMm h.v. tl,w miirl im the air four human lege dad in parti colored hosen, yellow -and ; black. Strangest of all waa when a brisk tune struck up and the four lega began, to kick and twitter In time to the music. Walking on tiptoe around the bushes, he stood In amazement to see two men bounding about on their heads, while a thlrdetaol eh aodll taol aol taol ao ift i.tll UlW. Oil CWUII I Whlle they played, the one a viol' and the other a pipe, aa merrlljr and as j truiy a8 though they were seated In a . choir. Alleyne crossed himself aa he j gazed at this unnatural sight and could j scarce hold his ground with a steady j face, when the two dancers, catching i sight of him, came bouncing In his dl ! rectlon. A spear's length from him, i they each drew swordetaOl taol aol etao ; they each threw a somersault Into the I air. and came down upon their feet ' with smirking faces and their hands over their hearts. "A guerdon a guerdon, my knight of the staring eyes!" cried one. "A gift, my prince!" ahouted the other. Any trifle will serve a purse of gold, or even a jewelled goblet Alleyne thought of what he had read of demoniac possession the jumpings, the twitchlngs, the wild talk. It waa In his mtnd to repeat over the exorcism proper to such at tacks; but the two burst out a-laugh- Ing at his scared face, and turning on to their heads once more, clapped heels In derision. , "Hast never seen tumblers before?" asked the elder, a black-browed, swarthy man, as brown and supple as a hazel twig;. "Why shrink from us, then, as though we were the spawn of the Evil One?" "Why shrink, my honoy-bird? Why so afeard, my sweet cinnamon? ex claimed the other, a loose-Jointed youth with a dancing, rougtsh eye. "Truly, sirs. It Is a new sight to me." the clerk answered.-- fWhen i saw your four legs above the bush I could scarce credit my own eyes. "Why Is It that you do this thlnK?" "A dry question to answer," cried the younger, coming back on to his feet "A most husky question, my fair bird! But how? A flask, a flask! by all that is wonderful!" He shot opt hla hand as he Bpoke, and pluck ing Alleyne's bottle out of his scrip, he deftly knocked the neck off, and poured the half down his throat. The rest he handed to his comrade, who drank the wine, and then, to the clerk's Increasing amazement, made a show of swallowing the bottle, with such skill that Alleyne seemed to fee It vanish down his throat A moment later, however, he flung It over his head, and caught It bottom down wards upon the calf of his left leg. "We thank you for the wine, kind sir," said he. "and for the ready courtesy wherewith you offered It Touching your question, we may tell you that wo are mucbj you that we are strollers and Jug glers, who, having performed with much apufause at Winchester fair, are now on our way to the great Michaelmas at Rlngwood. As our art la a very fine and delicate one, how ever, we cannot let a day go by with out. exercising ourselves In it, to clous performance. If you Will be P' eased to sit upon that stump, we stop. "Well played, sweet poppet!" cried the younger. "Hast rare touch on the strings." ' ... 'How knew you the tune?" asked the other. " L 'u.'i'.-v'' , "I knew W hot- 1 did but 'follow the notes I heard," Both opened their was at this, nd tared at Alleyne ' with . as much amazement as he had shown at them. -r "if on' have a fine ,? trick or s ear then," said One. VW have long wisn ed to meet such a man. Wilt Join us and Jog on to ttlngwood? Thy dUT ties shall be light, and thou shall have two-panes a day and meat for sup per every night' - "With as much beer as you can put away,' sajd the other, "and a flaek of Oascon wine on Sabbaths." , 'Nay, It may not be. I have other work tn do. I have tarried with you payer, long.?: sjtloth; Alleyne. and reao- luteiy set forth upon nis journey once more. They ran behind him some lit tie way, offering ltlm' first fourpense and then sixpence day, but he only smiled -and liook hi head, -until at last they fell- away from him. look ing back, he raw that the smsler had hioun'ed ott the younger1 shoulders, ma that they stood so. - some " ten feet high, waving their Adieus to him. He waved back Ur them, and then hastened the lighter of heart for having fallen in with these strange men t pleasure. . ., : '' Alleyne had gone no great distance for all the many email passages that hud befallen him. Yet to hlm.-.iwed & S wl fciw ) xs e f f as h -was to a life of such quieb that the failure of a brewing or the alter ing of an anthem had eeemoij to be of the deepest Import,' tho . -quick changing, plajr ' of the . lights and shadows of Ufa was strangely Tstart- ung ana interesting. A gull Beemea to, divide this brisk uncertain' exist- ence from , the old steady round of worJtT anl ofiprayer; whictLjjiljad left behind him, Tiie few iiours that had passed since he, saw -the Abbey tower stretched out In : his memory untlf they outgrew whole i months of the stagnant life f the cloister.. As he walked . and munched the soft bread from his serin. ' tt seemed strange to him to feel that it was still warm from the ovens. f Beaulieu When Jhe passed Penerley. where were three cottages and a barn, he reached the adge of 'the tree coun try ana round the great barren heath of Blackdown tretchlna-Mn front of him, a, 1 pink with heather and bronzed with the fading ferns.' On the left the woods were still thick, but the road, edged-away from them and wound over the open; The sun lay low In. the "west upon a purple cloud. whence It- threw a mild, chastening light over, the wild : moorland and glittered- on the fringe of forest turning 'the ' withered leaves Into flakes of dead gold, the brighter for the black depths, behind them. To the seeing eye decay Is as fair as growth, "i and death as life. The thought stole Into Al eyne's heart as he- looked) upon the autumnal count- try side and marvelled at its beauty. He had little time to dwell upon it, however for there were" still six. good miles between him and the nearest Inn. He, sat down by the roadside to partake-of his bread and cheese, and then with a lighter scrip he hastened upon his wiiy. . There anicared to be more way farers b jthe down than In the for est First he passed two Dominicans In thalr lonsr black dresses, who swept i by Jhlm -with downcast looks and pattering Hps, without so much as a- glance at him. Then there came a gray friar, or mlnorite, with a good paunch upon him, wa, king slowly and looking about hint with the air of a man xyho was at peace with himself an4 with all men. He stopped Al leyne to ask him whether it was not true that there was a hostel some where In those parts which was es pecially famous for the stewing of eels. The clerk having made answer that he had neard the eels of Slawly well- spoken of, the friar sucked lh his libs and hurried forward. ClOBe at his heels came three laborers walk ing abreast, with spade and mattock over their shoulders. They sang some rude -chorus right tunefully as they walked, but their English was so coarse and rough that to the ears of a cloister-bred man It sounded like a 'foreign and barbarous tongue. One of them carried a young bittern which they had caught upon the moor; and they offered it to Alleyne for a silver groat. Very glad he was to get safely past them, for, with their "bristling red beards and their fierce blue eyes, they were uneasy men to bargain with upon a lone ly moor, i Yet it Is not always the burliest and the wL'dest who are the most to be dreaded. The workers looked hun grily at him, and then Jogged on wards upon their was In a slow, lum bering Saxon style. A worse man to deal with was a wooden-legged cripple-Who came hobbling down the path, so weak and so old to all ap pearance that a child need not stand In fear of him. Yet when Alleyne had passed him, nf a sudden, out of pure devilment, he screamed out a curse at him, and sent a Jagged flint stone hurtling past his ear. So horrid was the causeless rage, of the crooked creature, that the clerk came over a cold thrill, and took to hla heels until he was out of shot from stone or word. It seemed to him that in this country of England there was no pro tection for a man save that which lay In the strength of his own arm and the speed of his own foot. In the cloisters he had heard vague talk of the law the mighty law which was higher than prelate or baron, yet no sign could he see of it. What was the benefit of a law written fair upon parchment, he wondered, if there were no offleers to enforce It. As It fell out, he had that very evening, bear, shouting the while to his corn ers ihe sun had set, a chance of see- j rade to come round and stab htm In In g how stern' was ' the grip of the ; the back. At this the negro took, the English law when it, d'd happen to i heart of grace, and picking up his seize the offender; fc? t dagger again he came stealing -with A mile or so outTSpOn the moor the prowling step and murderous eye, road takes a very sudden dip Into a j while the two swayed backward and hollow, with a peat-colored stream : forwards, staggering this way and running swiftly down the centre of it. To the right of this stood, and stands to this day, an ancient barrow, or burying mound, covered deeply In a bristle of heather and bracken. Al leyne was plodding down the slope upon one side, when he saw an old w an uiu dame., cmlng towards him upon the ! other, limping with weariness and 'f01"''''' af"VKk- henW hand. At this sign of coming" aid she reached the edge of the stream h i,i, haM ,i, n she stood helpless, looking to right ( last wag abe to , , ma flown and to left for some ford. Where .the and Klanced behind him to se where path ran down a great stone had been tt the noiM corrllng from. fixed In the centre of the brook, but i Down the slanting road there was rld it was too far from the bank for her nHr a j,, burly man, clad In a tunic aged and uncertain feet. Twice she j wr purple velvet and driving a big black thrust forward at it. and twice she , horse as hard as it could gallop. H drew back. untK at last, giving up In ; ieaned well over its neck as ho rode, despair, she sat herself down by the and made a heaving with his shoulders brink and wrung her hands wearily. I at every bound as though he were lift- There fche sat when Alleyne reached the crossing. Pale People's Blood. f ffi' Foreelaliii6ssIt Dont Hesitate, Af ine, CccKoa or Ccess. ; Ec!aJsla tirdzl Tcdiy. WRITE US mEUXtlVlzJr 1 iilllM. mmrwm mm, isle ssssee tlwwy t4 rm InmM, viU tiI Iwnwt lejteysBeiissirttis '"f.Vv t . " , TvTTTT "' "Come, mother, quoth he, "it 'is not so very perilous a passage." "Alas' good youth," she answered, "I have a, humor , in the eyes, and though I can see that there is a stone there I cam by no-means be sure as to where it lies.' -'.:- - - '"That la easily amended," said he cheerily, end picking her lightly up fort ahe-wee-rmueh wora - with time, ha passed across with her. He could not, but observe, however, i that as he placed her . down her knees seemed to fall-her., and she could scarcely prop herself up with her etaS. . " -, "You are weak, mother," said he. "Hast Journeyed far, I wot'" ? ' , ,''Freni Wiltshire, friend." said she. in a quivering voice: "three days have X been n ihe, road. 1 go to my son, Who Is one of the King's regarders at Brockenhurst He has, ever said that he would care for me In, mine' of, d age." t$K ,V " f s " -' -"And rightly;- too, mother' since you cared for htm in hla youth. But when have you broken faetT' r "At Lyndenburst; , , but alas! - my money is at an end, and X could but get a dish of bran-porridge tram the nunneryv Tet I trust that I may be able to reach Brockenhurst to-night, where I may have all that heart can desire: for oh! sin but my son is a flr.e man, with a kindly heart of his own, and It ts good -as food to me to think that he should ' have a doublet of Lincoln green to his back and be the King's own paid man." "It is a long road yet. to Brocken hurst.'' eatd Alleyne:- "bm heres Is such bread and cheese as I have left, and here, ; too, is & penny "which1 may neip you to supper. May . God te wun you!" . '", .- "Mev God be with ; you, young man!' she cried. "May He make your heart as glad as you have made mine!" She .turned away still mumb ling blessings, and Alleyne saw her short figure, and fcer long shadow stumbling 'slowly up the slope. , He was moving away himself, when his eyes lit upon a strange sight, and one which sent a tingling through his skin. Out of the tangled scrub on the old overgrown barrow two human faces were looking out at him; the sinking sun glimmered full upon them, showing up every line and fea ture. The one was an oldish man with a thin beard, a crooked nose, and a broad red smudge from 'a birth mark over his temple; the other was a negro, a thing rarely met in Eng land at that day, and .rarer still In the quiet southland ..part. Alleyne had read of such folk.' but had never seen one before, and oould scarce take his eyes from the fellow's broad pouting lip and shining teeth. Even as he gazed, however, the two came writh ing out from among the heather, and came down towards him with such a guilty, slinking carriage, that the clerk felt that there was no good In them, and hastened onward upon his way. He had not gained, the crown of the slope, when he heard a sudden scuffle behind him and a feeble voice. Looking round, there was the old dame down upon the roadway, wiih her red whlmple flying on the breeze, while the two rogues. black ana white, stooped over her, wrestling away from her the pen ny and other poor trifles as were worth the taking. At the sight of her thin limbs struggling in weak re sistance, such a glow of fierce anger passed over Alleynl as eet his head in a whirl Droppiag his scrip, he bounded over the stream once more, and made for the two villains, with his staff whirled over his Shoulder and his gray eyes 'blazing with fury. The robbers, however, were not dis posed to leave their victim until they had worked their wicked will upon her. The black man, with the wo man's crimson scarf tied round his swarthy head, stood farward in the centre of the. path, with a long, dull colored knife in his hand, while the other, waving a ragged cudgeli cursed Alley n and dared him to come on. His blood was fairly aflame. h' VAr and he. Seeded no such j challenge, Dashing at the man, he : smote at Bm with such good will that tno other et h knfe tinkle In the roadway, and hopped howling to a safer distance. The second rogue, however, made of sterner stuff, rushed In upon the clerk, and clipped him round the waist with a erip like a that. In the very midst of the scuf fie, however, whilst Allyne braced himself to feel the cold blade between his shoulders, there came a sudden scurry ' of hoofs, and the black man veiled with terror and ran for his life through heather. The man with the Lt.it. -t. i.j a., i. .:.. " r . ' '"5." VJT - Mt h,' e ,,m , ing the steed instead of It carrying him. In a rapid glance. Alleyne saw that. ha TOPALEWOBSEPI: M S an endless Cham, mat s iiKeiy. to Dreak some aw ana arop you two the tonic depths, if .you don't enrich your poor' blood .with OrVotnan s "specific f .'Wine of Cardut.yV- .'V K'.j-'V,: , $ome of your ymptoms'are chronic dis- ; V charge: backache, ,idr9gging, ;down! pains.oetc Ioivvmuuui auu. ywtti vviii . ' , t ... strengin win ' return., Tour nerves' wiu,i recoyer.rSt their strength. - Your ' Wood Will 1 tinge tyour. f, cheeks"' with' .'" imwasusi ms I . . n, i i . n , , u. r i . . - m -- m :' sr a v ... . -a i I ff I 1,1 I 1 ll I ill M f a u vj (:n .( ' FOB ' STOMACH, BOWELS," t f 1-OQ per. bottle, three for U';H;'Paynes (fulck Payne's Sledlcatcd Soap, JOo. had white -doeskin gloves, a. curling white - feather in his v velvet cap, i and a broad gold-embroidered baldric over hla bosom. Behind him rode six others two and two, clad in sober brown jerk ins, with the long yellow staves of their bows thrusting through " from behind their' right- Shoulders. Down the' hill they thundered, over the brook and up to the scene ,of the contest. v r Here Is one," said the leader, spring ing down from hla reeking horse, and seizing the white rogue by the edge of his jerkin, 'This w one of them.' I know him by that devil's touch upon his brow, where are your cords, Pe ter kin? So f bind him . hand and toot Hla last hour has come And you young man, who may you ber - .: . . t. . I am a clerk, ir. traveling v from Beaulieu." v - - .-. , . y, '; r i A clerk!" cried the trtber.-Art from Oxehford or A from Cambridge? -Hast thou a letter fom the chancellor of thy college giving thee a permit to beg? Let me see thy letter. He had a stem square face, with bushy side whiskers and a very questioning eye." " 'i t' ; "I am from Beaulieu Abbey and have no need to beg," said Alleyne ' who was all of a tremble now that the, ruffle was over.- ; ;:: .' - - " , "The better for thee," the other an g were1. ' Dost know who I am?", ' "No Sir, I do not-"- , "I am the law!" nodding his head solemnly. "I am the law of England and the mouthpiece of his moat gra cious and royal majesty, Edward the Third." ' - - , Alleyne touted low to the King's Tep resenatlve. -''Truly you came in good time, honored 'Sir," said he. "A mo ment later and they would have' slain me." i : - . "But there should be another one," cried the man In the purple coat, There should be ft black man. A shloman with St. Anthony's fire, and a black man who had served time as cook those are the pair we are In Chase of. "The black Tman fled over to' that side." said Alleyne, pointing toward the barrow. . J . ' ; " "He could not have gone far, sir bailiff," cried one of the archers, un slinglng his bow. "He Is In hiding somewhere, for he knew well, black naywlm as he is. that our horses' four legs coejd outstrip his two." "Then we shall have hlni;'' Said the. other, "It shall never be said, whilst I am bailiff of Southampton, that any waster, flever draw-latch or murther er came scathless from me and my posser. Leave that rogue lying. Now stretch out in line my merry ones, with arrow on string, and I shall show you such sport as only the King can give. Tou on the left, Howett and Thomas of Redbrldge upon the right. So! Beat high and low among the heather and a pot of wine to the lucky marksman.'? Aa It chanced, however, the Searchers had not far to seek. The negro had bur rowed dowirj Into his hiding place upon the barrow, where he might have lain snug enough, had It not been for the red gear upon his head. As lie raised himself to look over the bracken at hla-enemies, the staring eye' of the bailiff, who broke Into a long screech ing whoop and spurred forward sword in hand. Seeing himself discovered, the man rushed out from his hiding place, and bounded at the top of his speed down the line of archers,' keen ing a good hundred paces to the front' of them. The two who were o either swe or Aiieyne Dent their bows as calmly as though they were shooting at tne popin.iay at the villase fair, , "Seven yards windage, Hal." said one whose hair was streaked with gray. "Five," replied the other, letting loose his string. Alleyne gave a. gulp In hjs throat, for the yellow streak seemed to pass through the man; but he still ran forward. r ' . ' "Seven, you Jack-fool.gX0wled the first speaker, and his how twanged like a harp-string. The black man f snrang high into the air and shot; out both his arms and legs, comings down si) a sprawl amonr he heatb.er.--f -1'Ilght under the blade bone!" quoth the arch er, saunterlnsr forward for hs arrow; " "The old hound Is the best when all Is Bald." o.uoth the bailiff -oft South ampton. as they made fo ' the oad way. "Tnar means a ouart or the best Malmsey in Southampton this very night; Msthew Atwood. . Art eure that he-la-deadr - -i ' j$V "Dead as Pontius Pilate; . worshipful sir." - ,-..,- :-u----:'''r!--v- 'It is well. Now as to the other knave. There nre trees and to iare over yonder, but we have scarce leisure totnaVefor them: Draw sword Thom as of Redbrldre and hew ine his heaid from his shoulders." V-lMrW - , "A boon, gracious sir. bWn" cried the' Condemned man. :. , ; "What then?" askest:. 'baniftlli "t will confess to imy : crtme,' It wag Indeed I and the black: eobk. both from vjvii -uc.-wcu.; ? lour w.v ...-' ' ..T..-:.:.V1'. i ine v rosy. .,Dioom oi vneaitn to i sur,.s4i 4tutrjfA tottieW' atMiisf wm f t IU Acmnmm"c . t i TV .- LIVER' AND KIDNEYS, $2.69, six for tS.OO., ntUefCil. 25 cents. .All sold by 'v atnpton, who did set upon the ITla;iPws " ; merchant and rob him of hie splcary and his ' merrv . tn whWh: . ea . well knewryou hold a warrant against us."; ' ''There.' is .a little merit In this on fesslon," i quota ' the bailiff ' sternly. "Thnu hast Ann eoir wtthln Vnv ball- iwtcK. ana 'muse ue.--.. p-x 'f, white to the lips at these bloody things "he hath not come to trlBl." ,.". , Toung clerk." said the bailiff, "you: speak of that of which yoi know notb - - ibg, -it is true that he hath not come4 -to trial, but ihe trial hath come to htm. He hath fled the law and Is beyond It ' 1 pale. Touch not that which fa no con- ' rogue,- that you would crave?" . .. "I-. have In mv shoe., most . worshin fill sir.' a strip of wood which belonged - " once to the bark wherein the blessed Paul was dashed up against the Island -of Mellta. I. bought it for two rose -nobles from a shlpman who came from v , the Levant, ' The boon. I crave is that ' you will plaee it in mv hitif's and let . me die still grasping it - s-yfi man ner, not only shal " 1 w'At salvation be secured, hut t'i , I, for I shall . never cease ; to mt.ro d- for -thee." . " ,l nlliekait off the fellow's' shoe, and thr ' niirn enoiiH-h at the side Of the instep. ' wraDnea in a .niece ot nm wran. wj i archers doffed their hats at the sign t of It, and the bailiff crossed himself , devoutely as he handed It to the rob 1 her. . . 'y;r!i - "If it should chance,' h said, "that through the surpassing merits of the blessed Paul, your f.lo-stalned -soul should galrt a way Ilito paradise, I , trust that you will not forget that In- , tercesslon which you have promised. Bear in mind, too. that It is Herward the bailiff for whom you prav and not Herward the tfherlff. who Is my uncle'e r ,i son. Now, Thomas. I pray you dispatch, ; s for we have a long ride before us and-. sun nas arreaay set. . , , Alleyne gased upon -. the scene the portly velvet-clad official, the knot of , i-hard-faoed archers with their hands to - the brlales of their horses, the thief with his arms trussed back and his doublet turned down upon his should ers. By the side of the track the old dame was standing, fastening her red whlmple once more round her head . Even as he looks one oi tne arcners . drew his sword with a sharp whirr of steel and stept Up to the lost man. , The clerk hurried away in horror: hut V.-. h. .n. n.nv Ml fia tlASnl whistling sound at the end of It A minute later the bailiff and four of his men rode past him on their Journey . back to Southampton, the other two t having teen chosen aa grave-diggers, As they passed. Alleyne saw that one of the men was wiping -his ewora-Diae , upon the mane of his horse. A d a'M t Mnmau 'mmtk map 'iiim 11 in. miviit: and sitting 'down by the wayslds he burst out weeping, with his nerves en : In a Jangle. - It was a. terrible world ; thought he, and It was hard to know : which were the most to be dreaded, ; the knaves or the men of the law. (To be Continued.) s Will Provide Separate Quarters for White and Blacks. Correspondence of The Observer, Durham. Jan. 5. Durham county , will provide separate quarters for the r white and colored road prisoner It was stated to-night that separate . quarters would be ready by Monday.- s Heretofore all prisoners have been ' , Quartered In the same' house. 70 feet In length, but in different parts of the building. , Lord Roberts opened at Woolwich, On December 2L a theatre, toward the erection of which the British War Off ice, following, the example of the Ad- lty, has contributed. It Is to be v Ca.,ed the Royal Artillery Theatre. , It holds 1,200 soldiers und can be eon verted Into a ballroom.' i - v Generally a girl Isn't tnterfsted id she acts as if she were..-.i .ji. ' ,. ; , Half the fun of being married Is in tell ing what a lot of fun you really had when you were a bachelor. n May live 100 Years. '' The chances for living a full cen- : 5 tury are- excellent in the case ot Mrs. 1 tannl. rhmlian fit -T-7 m .r iuuM 1 A . VT - : now 70 years old. She writes: "Eleo- " trie Bitters cured me Of Chronlo Dyspepsia of 10 years standing, and "' made me feel as well and strong as v a young girl." Electric Bitters euro1' . Stomach and Liver ; diseases. Blood :.' ' WC..a.V-' . . . - I . ..Mtf ,.VI.T ...VI 1 .. uiBuraers, ufiiurai vcuiiuj uuuuj :. , weakness Sold 5 ft guarantee at vvv R. H. . JordaU : fe Ck-e i drug stores V Why are you so pale? - cecause you are sick Why are - you sick? - oecause yuu are sq pais. - ! V TS S1 'Jfl III B I r 3 GAINED 31 FOUNDS. ' eiufhtn I wmsMatsd using Wins of Carlui' I era alt rm down, and weighed only 91 petmdt. I Km beta ulna it about tlx sflonths and now am perfectly wtH and weigh 129 peundt,- , T . , KKS. CUZAEETM KECUTt -, .'. tarhvtn, N. C
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 7, 1906, edition 1
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