The Master of Appleby

rs liberally, he suffered me to keep my own room for the night. I had expected manacles and a roommate guard at the least, but my gentlemanly jailer spared me both. When he had m

on that road which ends against the blind wall of exhaustion, as you may well suppose. For while a man may borrow strength of wine or rage o

e bed in utter weariness, thinking that the respite bought by my sweet lady's humbling was more dearly bou

erval of waiting, with death so sure and near that all the air was growing chill and lifeless at its presence, he was a ready help in time of need. If I were "heretic" to him, I swear I knew it not for aught he said or did; and though I trusted that

I did not make confession to the kindly priest, I hope I tried to make my peace with God in some such simpler fashion as

for all the travail of a soul departing. The one in black was bitter sorrow for the fate from which I might not live to save my l

an. And yet on second thought 'twas clear that it had been but a poor shifting of the burden to weaker shoulders; and th

t be hanged or buried in the hulks for knowing what I knew. No, it were best he knew it not

out and voices in the corridor. It was the changing of the guard, I guessed, and so it proved, sinc

did the other, and that is why I marked it when the footfalls ceased abruptly. A moment afterward the bar was lifted cautiously from its socket, the latch clicked gently, and the door swung open. I

ecation. While still I stood amazed she dragged the woman

spoke in French, and she was q

"Jeanne knows nothing, and she need not know. But you

es-as now-so soft and gentle. And though I thought it cruel that I should have to

s, and still be blameless. You have done too much for me already. I would you had not d

it was her palm, and if I took a dying man's fair

rbor bitter thoughts? I thought you might ha

other thing t

ything

ou. I hope you will be true and

I do not u

u do-I thin

I do

e to kill a man and was fair set to kill another had I found a wedding afoot in the great fore-room. I coul

ou understand, you will be

sat down. And when she spoke she had her hands tig

bout-Sir

g once more upon the br

at of footfalls on the gravel where the outer sentry kept his watch beneath the window. Within, the single candle battled feebly with the gloom and lighted naught for me save my dear lady's face, pensive now and sa

when the silence had grown overlong, she said, gently: "I bought the

ught to say, you'll think the

l not, if it wil

y you sent for F

id, yet I could see the faint f

nsieur John. You would not und

our telling. You said Sir Franc

who drove m

tried to

vengeful when you shou

though while I live I shall hav

was it

for you, and-and

r eyes ashine for all the ha

te the dawn should have in store for me. "You always think of others first; you think of others now,

Margery dear; one little thing that will not let me die i

had a word with him who stood without. I heard the chink of coin, and

do. I am not afraid. Shall I ride down

errand. And yet-God help me, Margery! there is many an innocent life hanging on this; the lives of helpless wom

Dick shall have it. Quick; for Our Lady's sake,

re were quills and an ink-pot at hand, but no paper. I felt mechanically in my pocket and found, not some old letter, as I hoped, but the cr

n did not guess how he had lost it. Be that as it might, I had it safe, and Dic

But this I did, writing them upon the margin of the captain's map, and noting in an added line the pricking out of the powder convoy's route. And while my pen was looping o

nd then the heavy wooden bar fall into place, I might have though