Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 43: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE PROGRESS Bat {I could see it woald be unsafe to leave such a question to Bunyan’s deci- sion; and presently, being satisfied that the issue was all between my honor and my — duty, my heart and my conscience, I elect- ed fer compromise. That night I would try to execute my plaa—to capture the king—alone! CHAPTER XII. WHO FIRED? ~ T was easy enough to leave camp when [ was ready to start upon my adventure. Any difficulty might occur in the reen-- _ tering, for I could not afford to risk refusal of leave by requesting it; and without a passport I might not have the password. But if I retarned with the king as a cap- tive I could dispense with passwords and the like. On the other hand, if I did not have his majesty as an explanation of my temporary desertion — well, probably I would not be alive to offer any explanation. Before starting out I wrote a letter to John Bunyan, telling him that I was gone wpon some private business, the nature of which I had not been free to confide to him, but that if. I failed to have made re- tura to camp by muster-bugle in the morn- ing, he must know that I had met with mis- hap and that 1 went to the manor to cap- tare Richard Eveleigh, who was no other than the king. « Then, having fimished the letter to my ' satisfaction, I fell to being doubtful of the propriety of even posthumous revelation. If I had not returned by muster-bugle it would mean that I was dead, or at hast had failed in my enterprise. My thought in wfiting this letter was that John should be apprised of what had probably hap- pened to me. Bat now I saw that Bunyan, _. While no doubt he would regret me, would take my message as a call to duty, and that he, in tura, would attempt to seize the king, though probably in some more regu- lar manner. Clearly this letter of mime was a viola- tion of the spirit of my promise to tell no man. Whether i was alive or dead, would briag trouble upon Mistress Joyoe. OF J. BUNYAN. 325 Having decided to be in for a pound while in for a penny-——-I destroyed the let- ter which had cost me an hour’s thinking! So, without seeing Jack, or leaving a sin- gle explanatory word, I stoke out of camp after dusk, like the deserter I was presently to be rated. In less than half an hour, when it had become quite dark, I climbed over the gar- den wali of the manor and paused a few minutes in the summer-house while I recon- noitered and reviewed my plan. The manor ‘that evening presented the appearance of a country residence which knew none of war’s alarms.. it stood black- ly against the western sky, where the last glow of after sundown was all but melted into the starry purple of night. A light burned m an upper-story window—Joyce’s chamber, I fancied—and several lights: shone from the ground windows facing tke gardens. The house had no air of secrecy, - bat rather of a domestic hearth happier for the world shut out. \The feeling of this impression rendered my task of intrusion only the more diff- cult; but my mind was already made up, and I delayed but a short time to go over the details of my scheme once more. Presently I drew my pistol, the only weapon I carried besides my sword, and advanced towafd the house. Up the low, broad stairs I marched to the front door, discovered an iren knocker, and rattled a After a long delay, and just as I was about to apply the iron knocker again, there came a rush of lrurrying feet to the hali. J suspected that this rush to the door had been preceded by some sort of confer- enoe within. I was sure of this when the door opened by Henry Fakconer, the old man said with clear pretense of surprise, while yet his voloe shook: ‘““J—I thought I heard a knock, sw. May I make so bold as to inquire your busitess? The — the hoar is— my lady iG” He stepped short at sight of the cocked pistel in my right hand. I do believe he would fave blocked my way had I -not it _ raised the weapon slightly and said: “Very sorry, Falconer, but you must riginal fr OHIO STATE UNSEE MIGIOo — a) @ CO© mm