"The Long Journey" is Philip Ketchum's ninth tale about Bretwalda, the axe that is destined to save England. It was published in the September 23, 1939 issue of Argosy.
With this tale, we've arrived at the year 1349. Sir Hubert Wilton, the latest of the Wilton's to wield the axe, has been in France fighting in the Hundred Years War. He is delayed in getting back to England while recovering from wounds.
In the meantime, the Black Plague has been ravaging Continental Europe. The story opens whith Hubert and a Franciscan monk known only as Friend sailing back to England, not knowing if the plague has struck there. Hubert is anxious to be reunited with his wife Marian and the three-year-old son he's never met, but has no idea if they are alive.
Ketchum effectively sets up the ominious (and sometimes downright creepy) atmosphere that permeates the story right away, when the ship meets what we are told is the third "ship of the dead" they see drifting aimlessly in the Channel. Everyone aboard had died from the plague.
When they dock in England, they do find towns depopulated from the plague, mass graves everywhere and a general breakdown of law and order. Hubert discovers brigands have taken over his castle. He also learns that Marian and their son were lured away from the castle months ago by a personal enemy of Hubert and their location is unknown.
So most of the story consists of Hubert, accompanied by Friend and a few elderly retainers, travelling across England while searching for his wife and son. Friend, by the way, is an interesting character. He accurately predicts that, after the plague, the social structure of feudal Europe will change, with the lower classes gaining more personal freedom. He also assists plague victims without concern for his own personal safety. Other even odder things about Friend make Hubert wonder who he is---to the point where Hubert actually looks for nail marks in Friend's palms.
It's Friend who also eventually explains that there is more at stake than Hubert's personal goal of saving his family. The enemy who kidnapped them is also using the fear of the plague to buy up land and garner power. Whether he knows it or not, Hubert is on a quest to save England as well as rescue those he loves.
All this leads up to a bittersweet ending that brings the tale to an emotionally satisfying climax. As usual, Ketchum expertly blends sharp characterizations with a strong plot and great action scenes to give us another satisfying tale.
You can read this story online HERE.
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