A Gentleman Player

way! warrants and pursuivant

cheeks, his usually sallow face now flushed with fever. His full round

nstantly." And he cast a look at the doctor, who frowned, and at Anthony, who remained motionless near th

ear-" broke in the doctor, in a voice of

ted Hal, and was himself interrupted by Sir V

y wait. I am in no

would have told the news itself, but that he desi

weakness, and with a slight shade of annoyance upon his face. "As thou see'st, boy

cried

, with an outraged look, took a

h the physician, imperativ

d Hal, in some dudgeon. "Zounds, sir, do you know

w but my recovery. Not for myself, the blessed Mary knoweth! But for others' sakes, in another land. Oh, to think I should be

the floor as he spoke, and seemed to suffer an inward groan as of

he roads crossed, and a foolish question of right of way occurring, he must sputter out hot words at me, and I must chide him as becometh an elder man; and ere I think of consequences, his sword is out, and I have much to do to de

things stand. If you bear Sir Valentine friendship, you have no choice but to go away, sith yo

which I must tel

f thine own self, Harry. 'Tis years since I saw thee last, and in that time I've had no word of thee. Didst go to

nthony off guard by coming at his news i

stage

es and mouth in amazeme

player! A Marryott a stage player! Sir, sir, you have fallen low

s raised heavenward as if for divine protection from contaminati

esty to repay it, as I have when I come to save thee from the privy council's men riding hither to arrest thee for high treason! And a gentleman's authority, as I have when I bid th

the first to speak; he d

sure of t

t was to leave London at three o'clock, with men to assure thy seizure. I, bearing in mind my family's debt to thine, and mine own to thee, started at two, to give thee wa

" said Sir Valentine

e been let into the secret," said Hal

tine's disadvantage, sir, speakin

th haughty consciousness of his fidelity, as if to outdo the physicia

not move. Think it no whimsy of the doctor's, Harry. Blessed Mary, send heaven to my help! Think not, Harry, 'tis for

ir Valentine!" said Harry. "You could n

very suggestion, and Sir Valentine

n one were to be

iles," said the physician. "Moreover,

be carried?" asked Hal, of Sir Valentine, knowing h

hysician and Anthony, then glanced towar

of wall in the house. He would, eventually, detect the hollowness of the panelling there, and the looseness of the boards that hide the entrance. Or, if he did not that, he and his men would rouse the county, and occupy the house in expectation of my secret return; they would learn of my quarrel and wound, and would

y should suppose you gone elsewhere?" said Hal, f

ke the house the centre o

made to believe

h been bruited about the neighborhood. The

d thy wound is? Might it n

hood knoweth of it," put in Ant

eason to think you f

s would wait for my possible return, and to search the house for papers. And

pers lead to the discov

eward a search, though none to harm any but myself. T

to the end? And suppose some of his men were left posted in thy house. These would be few, three or four at most, seeing that the main force were close upon thy trail. These three or four would not look for thy return; they would look for thy taking by their comrades first. They would keep no vigil, and being without their leader,-who would head the pursuing party,-they would rest content with small search for papers; they would rather be industrious in searching t

ine, in a kindly but hopeless t

s't not as I say, an the fal

in nine days or so. Nine days he will need, not an hour less; and yet another day, to make sure; that is ten. But should the pursuers on the false chase discover their mistake, and return ere ten days be gone, all were lost. E

eed but keep up the chase, by not being caught; the pursuivant may be trusted to pick up all traces left of

mean'st kindly, Harry, but thy plan is made of moonshine. Let a man, or a hundred m

of thy horses, an there be time to make one ready, otherwise on mine,-in either case, on a fresher horse than theirs.

, as if he thought himself trifled with. "Know you not thei

l; "for then he will take oath

in which the physician and Anthony seemed to join. "I departing, when I am in yon narrow hole between timbers? I departing, whe

you sit your horse as a lame man doth. And that thy head is stiffly perched, thy shoulders drawn back, in the manner peculiar to them. And that thy left elbow is thrust out as is its

e beard that had lain there since the first performance of "Hamlet," and tying it on his face, which he ha