Adventure Magazine Cover — page 120: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

876 merrily ‘‘Lady Greensleeves.”’ From behind a hedge he watcheé Sir Ralph take the two strange gentlemen down to the church for matins. While they were gone he slipped into the hall of the rectory. two of his stolen papers by the table where the inkhorn stood. He thrust the rest into most obvious concealment among the books above. Then he lounged down toward the church. The two strange gentlemen came out first and strolled up to the rectory while Sir Ralph was taking off his surplice. The shepherd waited for Sir Ralph. , Shambling, shuffling, grinning, plucking his forelock, he waited. ‘‘ What is it, sirrahe Hast found thy wits?” “You’m cruel hard on a poor lad,” the shepherd whined plaintively. ‘Oh dear, and if as you had not made whe so afeard I would ha’ said whate’er your reverence pleased!”’ “I wanted you to say the truth,” said Sir Ralph with dignity. The shepherd stared at him with stupid, puzzled eyes. ‘Oh, magic and devils!”’ he muttered. ‘‘Oh, but you shouldn’t ask me! I be afeard. Take the gentlemen into the windmill for to see for theirselves. Squire do never use to be there till two hour after sundown. You could go by twilight like I did and none the wiser.” ‘““What did you see, Diccon?”’ ‘‘Oh, dear, ’tis hideous indeed. There’s glass and there’s gold and all. And I took and ran.” Sir Ralph reflected. ‘‘ Hideous with glass and gold”—that spelt black magic plainly enough. But he wanted more than magic. He wanted heresy. ‘‘Hark thee, Diccon. Didst see any books there?”’ The shepherd shook his head. ‘‘No books for sure. Only a mort of papers.” And again Sir Ralph reflected. ‘‘Diccon, lad, could you put some books there for mer.” The shepherd stared lack of understand- ing. It was repeated and explained—ex- plained at last with a crown-piece. The shepherd chuckled. “Go on to the rectory, sirrah, and the cook-maid shall give thee breakfast.” Meanwhile Dr. Oscott and his secretary had come into the rectory hall to wait their host. The secretary, crossing to look at Sir Ralph’s books, saw before him those papers covered with strange figures, pentagons and He dropped | Adventure pentagrams and cabalistic signs. He held them out to Dr. Oscott: “It seems, sir, that our good Sir Ralph also does something in astrology.” _ Dr. Oscott bent his brows upon them, while Mr. Saunders pulled out the bundle of papers clumsily thrust among the books. ‘““He would seem to have a great appetite for it,” said Mr. Saunders, and held out these, too. Dr. Oscott turned them over. “He goes something beyond me,” he frowned. Mr. Saunders agreed. Sir Ralph came in, and his geniality was surprised by Dr. Oscott’s questioning stare. “You are yourself an astrologer, Sir Ralph?”’ “I?” Sir Ralph stared. ‘‘Nay, God forbid!” Dr. Oscott held out the papers. keep these on your desk.” Sir Ralph turned them over with astonish- ment unfeigned. “This is Mr. Ryming- towne’s hand!” he cried. “Why, gentle- men, here is such evidence of his ill practise as we need!” Dr. Oscott and his secretary exchanged glances. ‘‘How came the evidence here?”’ said Mr. Saunders. | “TI profess I know no more than you.” Sir Ralph was honestly amazed. “ Unless— unless that silly shepherd ” he left the room in a hurry. “That shepherd,” said Mr. Saunders, “‘seems to occur conveniently.” Sir Ralph found him on the kitchen settle with his nose deep in a tankard of double ale. Sir Ralph hauled him out splut- tering. “Rogue, what work were you at in my hall?”? The shepherd gaped a dribbling mouth at him. “Those papers of my cousin’s!”? Sir Ralph tried to shake sense into him. ‘‘Come, sirrah, I know you must have brought them.” “‘Dearie me,” the shepherd whined, “and me as thought you would like them!” ‘Like them! Beshrew thee for a fool! I like them well enough, but why i’ God’s name could you not tell me of them? Faith, thou art a marvelous ass. If thou doest a good thing thou must needs turn it into a bad.” “Vou THE shepherd began to whimper and sob grotesquely, so that Sir Ralph had much ado to soothe him. After a while he was persuaded, reluctant, to face the gentlemen and tell his tale, but CoMmiclbook C©