Show tp E L E V I 1 tha E W I 1 L uw E N E v S de nf WN U C V of evve ce sa 4 te idu y I 1 bachelle SACH ELLER n CHAPTER XIII continued 25 so this meeting of lovers came to its ita end preceded by the dignified halberdier halberd ler peggy walked with the governor to his house where she spent the night they wore were an hour by the fireside discussing the strange eventful story wit with ll 11 details known only to them and laying their plans the governor arnor wrote a note to the maid who brought her night clothes and helped her to bed was told to awake her at seven and bring her sop and beer so peggy was up betimes and ana on her way to the house of rev bev philander Por rann she had worked with him in the new school for the children of the poor ile he was a learned man of rare insight who was fond of peggy and knew of her devotion to robert lie ile had given her friendly counsel lately lie he had told her of knowing a new witness in the famous adultery case who would he felt sure cure change the complexion ot of the whole matter he had been alone by the bedside of mabel hartley when she died and had taken her last confession fe fes sion aslon therein the name of the witness was disclosed peggy was the only person who had shared ills his confidence in tills this matter peggy found him in his study and was heartily welcomed she told of the arrival of robert and of his great peril from hasty action she delivered the note from governor vane but now the deputies have to be reckoned with said they like to curb the severity of the magistrates 11 still robert Is a hated aristocrat I 1 hope to engage their sympathy but I 1 dare not go to court without the help you can give me do you wish me to go to the witness chair not yet but I 1 would like a written statement signed by you regarding the tha new witness something that will give strong support to my plea for the delay we need to find him and bring him into court do you know where he be is yes tes and I 1 think that we could bring him here within a week I 1 shall need a trusty messenger you shall have amos 11 send him to me said as he sat down at his desk and began to write soon he read to peggy the letter which he had addressed to the magistrates deputies and assistants of the court of the colony of massachusetts bay it was an admirable letter of a temperate and convincing tone the girl was pleased with it she went to the inn to find amos they told her that he had gone to the prison she found him sitting alone on the prison steps his head resting on his hands ile he arose and came to tb her with a sad look in ills his face oh miss I 1 im all wilted down like an empty sack thrower on the ground he said sorrowfully I 1 cheer up roan man said peggy they the cannot hang him I 1 am going to defend him with good evidence amos bowed ills his hat in ills his hand and then looked at her face the candle 0 the lord Is in yer soul he be said 1 I can see the shine 0 it in yer eyes I 1 reckon why robert loves ye so how do you know that lie loves me peggy asked good lord 0 mercy gall if he had hold 0 that little hand 0 yours do ye think he could a hopped into hell and olin dim out agin every day he were th chinkin think inkin ln 0 you ye know when a man Is sick and ana suf ferin ln its a right smart help for ills his mind to have a cud like that to chaw on thanks almost I 1 have missed massei hearing that I 1 have come to tell you that I 1 need your help go to rev philander who lives in church lane lie ile will send you to find a nei new v witness s for robert bring him to we me as soon as you can here Is money she gave him a generous supply of funds and hurried to the house houha of the young governor who was getting ready to go to court ills his six halber diers who accompanied him to court and to te church were waiting at the door she left her horse with n R groom changed her garments and set out for the house of justice not less worried than the prisoner himself it seemed to the girl that the angel of death was courting her hovering above her head it if I 1 fall she said to herself my life will be no more to me than a broken straw many people were on their way to the courthouse when she arrived there its seats were filled had the area behind them wag was crowded she entered the space near the throne of justice reserved tor for prisoners officers of the court and counsel she sat down the grave faced magistrates in black robes and broad white collars entered followed by the assistants and dePut deputies les two constables came with the prisoner the court was called to order robert was arraigned and asked to plead ue he declared that he was not guilty governor vane said before we proceed with tills this trial there la Is one here who has asked for the privilege of addressing the court and presenting it a communication relating to important evidence lately discovered bearing on the point at issue we will now give our attention to miss weld peggy weld arose and bowed she was dressed in sober black with a white collar and snowy lace beneath her throat and on her wrists the costume was cunningly chosen it was the right accessory for tier color and her beauty and the singular charm of her manner in a moment all those stern faced men were nvere deeply interested with a modest bearing and a voice filled with the music of a deep she won their sympathy what she said Is in the records of the court gentlemen not long ago we were all impressed by the eloquent words of our governor when lie spoke of the per peril of haste in seeking justice when lie he told how hov our fathers had been wronged by hasty judgments inspired by bitter feeling and carried out with an imperfect knowledge of the truth remembering those words I 1 now ask you tor for a brief delay in these proceedings ce I 1 ask it not because the prisoner Is my lover not because his life is dearer to me even than my own but because I 1 have discovered new evidence which may save you fr from 0 in an error the consequence of which in ruined lives and affa affi afflicted feted consciences you could never repair I 1 have tho the honor of bringing to your minds a communication from one whom you all know and respect rev philander she read the letter to the magistrates assistants and deputies of the general court gentlemen I 1 had not thought that it would over be necessary for me to address you as I 1 now do but the time has come when I 1 must tell you that I 1 know who was guilty of adultery with mabel hartley artley II on the night of october twelfth ile he Is not either robert heathers or the beloved william heydon lie ile Is quite another individual I 1 know a witness to ills misbehavior who can I 1 hope be brought here within a week or so with deep respect I 1 am your tour obedient ser servant vont 11 philander 1 peggy sat down her plea for time was granted there was a great stir in the crowd as the people begin began to leave their seats the governor beckoned her to the bench and whispered well done john wynthrop shook her hand and the stern dudley smiled as lie looked down upon her this modest malden maiden had become a toast and a theme in the colony CHAPTER XIV william returns from the war and Is praised for heroic conduct the pequot indians had fallen on the english settlers in connecticut and slain men and women as they worked in the fields john tilly had been ambushed and slain on the fresh water river A whole family in that valley had been massacred it all ali came of an ancient grievance when thomas hunt an irresponsible man seized twenty seven inoffensive in 1014 and took them away in the hold of his ship and sold them as slaves it was a grievance against the white man the colony had given them no cause of III will the resentment of the red outlaws grew hot again when they saw raw white settlers coi corning illig near to lands duly purchased these red men had kept aloof in their wester westen strongholds strong holds and had been a terror to the friendly tribes so that they never dared to look a pequot in the face the alie battles at their well built fort on mystic river in the swamp and at the last stronghold of the tribe on a hilltop above the pequot river were a stern lesson to the wild men of the forest no other was needed for nearly half a century it was significant that some five hundred friendly indians in the attacking force cherished the notion that their white comrades would not dare to face the terrible these red recruits in the small colonial army were so touched with fear that they fled in disorder at the first outcry of from the pequot warriors the white men marched up tip to their biggest stronghold drew away their brush barriers entered it and slew between six and seven hundred of these torturers and murderers find and burned their wigwams it was swiftly done the survivors scattered they carried to their brothers of the wilderness a warning that tile me palefaces pale faced people had the voice of thunder the hand of lightning and a heart as fearless as aa the groat great father of nf the bears and that they came like the tumbling river la in the west of the heroic conduct of william heydon one may read in masons own account of the campaign how flow he cut the bowstring of a savage aiming nt at ills hla commander from a point so close that the arrow would no doubt have leavo done serious damage it was fighting liand hand to hand and face to face ills sword flashed at masons ode as swift as a cats foot and many fell before it the burning wigwams increased the panic of the indians their palisades ded two acres were soon wet with their blood the work was finished by pistol and musket ire alre it was a decisive battle between sorcery and industry between civilization and savagery the victorious company returned to boston three days after peggy weld had changed the plans of the general court in ills his report to the governor captain mason alason declared that hint lila ills life had been saved by william heydon who from the beginning to the end of the campaign lind had behaved beli aved in the fashion of a hero the new won fame of the young man quickly spread from froia li huse use to house A committee of thee lending citizens went to ills his home to express their appreciation it did not find him margaret hooper reported that he had gone to the prison to see ills his friend robert heathers it Is only known that the young men spent an hour together in the room where peggy had sat with robert dusk was falling and the beacons NY were ere aglow when william came away and walked to lila ills home ills his supper was on the table margaret hooper was wont to tell of the hie kindly tone of his voice and of the smile on hla his face when lie he declined to eat cat and went to ills his rooms room the next morning the sun clione worm warm and bluebirds were streaking athe air with color and with their dulcet phrases it was the sabbath day at nine margaret heard william stirring and began to get ills his sop and meat ready ile he came out by and by carefully dressed he went to ills his stable ile he came into the house and ate his sop and meat and drank a glass of wine when he arose from the table WAPITI ier k I 1 what she said Is in the records of the court lie he said margaret make baste and put away the dishes we will go to the church together she turned to him with a look ot of surprise saying oh sir I 1 am only a poor homely working woman who spends her time teasing wool by the fireside you would put the sin of pride in me margaret cmargaret I 1 shall be proud to walk with you in the heavenly road and to kneel at your side before the people and I 1 would ever pray for the strength that Is in you the church lane hine at that hour was crowded with rich and poor on their way to the house 0 of f god many seized the hand of the new come hero and spoke words of praise unwelcome to ills ear car the stern faced E endacott Endl cott and dudley stood by the great doors waiting for the governor they smiled upon the young man and touched hla his shoulder and invoked invoiced the blessing of god upon him thank you I 1 am in sore need of it lie he answered TO BE CONTI CONTINUED MED |