FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117  
118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   >>   >|  
in the dwelling of old Margery when we entered it?" "Marry! what is it to thee where I was," answered Francis, desiring not to get the dame into trouble. "Be not too pert, sir page. I wrung from the old woman that thou wert, after I found that we o'erslept. Now, boy, was it due to thee or to the witch that we slept so long?" "To me, master," replied the girl boldly. "Upon my shoulders cast all blame. Impute nothing to the old woman. I did all, for I knew that I must distance thee to warn my father. And thou wert outstripped! Thou wert close after the game but he took to soil, and the track is lost, good master." "Crow on, my bantam," cried Wainwright angrily. "Thou wilt sing another tune when Sir Francis Walsingham hath thee. And mark me, sirrah! The track will be regained, and the game brought to cover ere thou dost reach the Tower. Then upon Tower Hill thou canst behold its breaking up." Francis turned pale as death at this reference to what would be her father's fate if taken. "Ah, that hipped thee, young cock! Dost ken what happens to traitors? 'Twill be thy fate as well as thy father's. Dream on't, master! Now must you and your mother take horse for London." "To-day?" said Francis faintly, a sense of weakness coming over her. "Oh, sir, not to-day, beseech you. I have ridden so much. I am so tired!" "This day shalt thou start," said Wainwright rejoicing with all the might of a small man in the power over another. "No pleading will avail thee. Thou must go!" "As you will then," answered Francis wearily, though every muscle in her tired body rebelled at this further tax upon her strength. And so the long, weary journey to London was again begun. CHAPTER XXIII IN THE TOWER OF LONDON It was a dreary journey. The motive which had sustained the girl in her former trip from the city to her home was lacking. The fatigue incident to travel, the unjust reception of her by her father, with the doubtfulness of his escape, and the uncertainty of what was to become of her mother and herself, now bore upon her with such overwhelming force as to almost crush even her brave spirit. Lady Stafford suffered a like mental anguish, and so, on account of the weakness of the two prisoners, the guard was compelled to return to the city by slow stages. Upon their entrance within the gates they found that the whole city was in an uproar, caused by the apprehension of Anthony Babington and several other
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117  
118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Francis

 

father

 

master

 
Wainwright
 
journey
 

answered

 
mother
 

weakness

 

London

 

dreary


rejoicing
 

LONDON

 

CHAPTER

 

muscle

 

rebelled

 
motive
 

wearily

 

pleading

 

strength

 
escape

compelled

 
return
 

stages

 

prisoners

 

suffered

 

mental

 

anguish

 
account
 

entrance

 

apprehension


Anthony

 

Babington

 

caused

 

uproar

 

Stafford

 

travel

 

incident

 

unjust

 

reception

 

doubtfulness


fatigue

 

lacking

 

sustained

 

uncertainty

 

spirit

 

overwhelming

 
distance
 

outstripped

 

shoulders

 

Impute