Part 2 (2/2)
”Suspects? Am I a man of straw to be overset by a breath of suspicion?”
”There is your lieutenant, Kenneth Stewart”
”Who has been a party to your escape, and whose only course is therefore silence, lest he set a noose about his own neck Coht wears on, and we have your safety to think of”
Hogan rose with a sigh
”Give race tomorrow shall find me in Cromwell's camp Heaven prosper and reward you, Cris”
”Wethan these--a coat more staid and better attuned to the Puritan part you are to play”
”Where have you such a coat?”
”My lieutenant has He affects the Godly black, from a habit taken in that Presbyterian Scotland of his”
”But I aht coat to your back than a tight rope to your neck, Harry
Wait”
Taking a taper, he left the room, to return a moment later with the coat that Kenneth had worn that day, and which he had abstracted fro lad's chamber
”Off with your doublet,” he commanded, and as he spoke he set hiarment; a handkerchief and a few papers he found in them, and these he tossed carelessly on the bed Next he assisted the Irishiveupon his back and craive me, and see me safely out of Penrith and into Croain will I resent the resentment of a clohose sweetheart I have made too free with”
”Pluck that feather froh
”Truly it is written in Scripture that ht to see Harry Hogan playing the Puritan?”
”Unless you improve your acquaintance with Scripture you are not like to play it long,” laughed Crispin, as he surveyed hih Your coat is soht in the back, soht nor so short but that it -sheet, and that is the alternative, Harry”
Hogan replied by roundly cursing the coat and his own lucklessness That done--and in no measured terms--he pronounced himself ready to set out, whereupon Crispin led the way below once more, and out into a hut that did service as a stable
By the light of a lanthorn he saddled one of the two nags that stood there, and led it into the yard Opening the door that abutted on to a field beyond, he bade Hoganshort the Irishave hi as great a distance as possible betwixt himself and Penrith before the dawn
CHAPTER III THE LETTER
It ith a countenance sadly dejected that Crispin returned to his chamber and sate himself wearily upon the bed With elbows on his knees and chin in his palhtness of his grey eyes dulled by the despondency that sat upon his face and drew deep furron his fine brow
With a sigh he rose at last and idly fingered the papers he had taken frolance was arrested by the signature at the foot of one ”Gregory Ashburn” was the name he read