Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 139: what you’re looking at

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

THE PROGRESS ‘For the present ye may dismiss,” said be to one of his colonels; “ but leave the gallows standing.” And so for the moment at least I was reprieved. I was assisted down the ladder and my hands untied. Presently I found myself staring, stupefied, into the eyes of John Bunyan and Ruth Prynne. Hers were wide with fear and excitement, but John’s were alight with utter confidence in his own powers. Slythey stood apart with a soldier flanking him on either side, and I never Saw .craven terror so clearly depicted on a human animal’s face. So ended that scene of the hanging— the interrupted hanging, I should more rightly say; and Bunyan, Ruth, Slythey and I were escorted to that house which . was Cromwell’s headquarters. But as I went despair settled down upon me again. I found myself wishing that John had not interrupted; for by now my agony of dying would have been over. For what explanation could either Ruth or Bunyan make that would save me—that would not make matters worse for all con- cerned? And I was not thinking wholly of Joyce then, either. For now John Bunyan, who had no doubt acted thus rashly in the hope of saving my life, must suffer punishment for his own high-handed behavior. As it seemed to me in that moment, the situation was in no’ way bettered—except, perhaps, that I was still unhanged. CHAPTER XVII. THE REVELATION OF JOHN. N enduring lines and unfading colors my memory holds a picture of us as we were grouped before Oliver Cromwell in his quarters that day. He again sat be- hind the kitchen table, a colonel at his right and another at his left. I was in the center, facing the general, and flanked by Okey’s guard. On my left was Ruth Prynne and on my right, John Bunyan. To Ruth’s left was Jonas Sly- they, whose face, as I caught an occasional glimpse of it, was pallid and glossy with a kind of cold sweat. ee | a | ; | OF J. BUNYAN. 645 Cromwell surveyed our faces one by one. Finally he appeared to decide that his first Interrogation should be addressed to Ruth Prynne. In this-I read the shrewdness of the man. for so he might hear and judge of her ex- planation before that explanation was pos- sibly influenced by what she might hear anather say—John Bunyan, for instance. “ Now, little maid,” said Cromwell, with a paternal air of tolerance, real or merely assumed for his purpose, ‘“‘ what have ye to say that will explain your pleading back there by the gibbet?” Ruth Prynne gulped several times and seemed to have difficulty in finding her tongue. Bunyan, no doubt sensing Crom- well’s purpose in first hearing the maid, and perhaps fearful of her discretion, took a step forward, cleared his throat, and be- gan in a loud fashion: . re 4 Sir!—” , But Cromwell checked him instantly. ‘Silence, ye red-haired disturber! Ye will ha’ full opportunity anon to explain your ‘words and acts, which I warrant ye, will take much explaining. Have a care o’ that tongue o’ thine till ’tis bidden, or I warn ye it may choke ye on a rope’s end. Speak, maid!” “* Sir,” faltered Ruth; but again the deus ex machina broke in: _“T say ’tis not fair that the maid should be—”’ . “Thunder!” roared Cromwell, and his voice sounded like that same. ‘‘ What ha’ we here? Who is this scum 0’ the ditch- side that dares interrupt me?’’ ‘“‘T, sir,” said Bunyan, with a curious, earnest dignity. ‘“‘ Though but a tinker by trade, yet am I an instrument of God, and this I do say with all respect to those in lesser authority.” Lesser authority! Noll fairly gasped. “This savors of blasphemy!” said the colonel at his right. “The mgn’s mad!” said the colonel on the left. Yet Cromwell did not order Bunyan to the guardhouse instanter as he would have done under ordinary circumstances. In- Stead, after his first start of amazement, he studied the trooper with curiosity, as if he Original fro a O HUE DOOLK