Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

®& =. ‘Son THE PROGRESS head would lend color to such a tale. Some tavern wag had stripped me of my armor in practical jest. The more self-humiliating I made my story the less likely would it be discredited. Aye, that was~the way out of the dilem- ma! It would mean reprimand, a call to penitence, and a day or two in the guard- house. But what were these if the truth could be covered up? Revelation of the truth meant trouble for my dear mistress— — and I would be shot! Therefore, I must return to camp—at once. - With this resolve I sprang toa sit- ting posture on that couch. The violence of the movement drained the blood from my brain.. My vision swam and—I fainted! After that, I learned later, I was delirious with fever. But that delirium was a very sweet experience, racked by no horrid fan- tasies or torturing, impossible problems. I moved in a world of beautiful colors, where the loveliest music swelled and died, and there were the clearest, cold streams in which to bathe my hot hands and head. And Mistress Joyce .was always with me in those ramblings through tender green woods and over mountains which were lost in the clouds, yet marvelously easy to fly over. . We talked much together, Joyce and I, in these flights. That is, I talked much to her, while she was inclined to be silent and introspective. I do not.know how much she remembers of all I said to her. Some- times I hope she does not. I know that once I took my heart out of my breast, laid it all warm and dripping in her hands, . and told her to keep it for me, as I must be gone from her a while. And she wept at my going, and my face became all wet with her tears. Thus a day and a night elapsed, I have been told since. On the morning of the second day I awoke from the wonderland of delirium, filled with anxiety because I had lost Joyce while in a dense forest. She was not in the room. Feeling bet- ter, although very light-headed, I succeeded in sitting up on the edge of the couch. And again my previous determination returned to make the camp—for I did not know that OF J. BUNYAN. 331 nearly two days had passed since I left it. I looked around for my coat, cuirass, and boots. on a chair by the couch lay, neatly folded, a complete dress of very fine material. Un- folding it, I discovered the attire of a cava- lier gentleman. I suspected it was the king’s outer dress, left in exchange for the Roundhead habili- ments he had borrowed as a disguise. But now I saw my dilemma made worse and infinitely more humiliating. house story might be swallowed for truth; but that I should appear in camp after two days’ absence and attired in the attire of a cavalier gentleman, would take some explaining! | I wished I could see Ruth Prynne for a few moments. Her loyalty was to her mis- tress, but at heart she was a Puritan, and that heart was with the Parliament’s cause and Parliament’s trooper, John Bunyan. If I could see her she might be induced to pass the word of my dilefhma to Hobgoblin Jack. | He, through Ruth, might smuggle some Roundhead dress to the manor. But that might involve him and the two women in my predicament. Hobgoblin, I knew, would be willmg enough, and I would put his willingness to test if I saw an opportunity; but I did not like to make use of either of the women. And of Ruth Prynne I had not caught a glimpse anyway since she stood in that doorway making warning signals which I now understood only too well. However, I decided that, as a first step, I must get out of the manor, having no more desire to hide there than to involve the dear woman who had nursed me: Weakly I began to dress in the king’s costume. As the minutes passed my head became less light and my blood circulated strength through my limbs. When I was ready I walked about the room, at first a little uncertainly, but grad- ually gaining confidence in my legs. Before a looking-glass I paused, and, somewhat startled, regarded a not unhandsome cava- lier mirrored there—a not unpleasing figure in fine boots, satin breeches, a richly laced coat, and a broad hat in which a plume was fastened with a ruby clasp. As before, they were missing, but’ My ale- — MUKCLOOO Original from CO) {= S CO© mm