Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-07-06

surprise and quick satisfaction in his
tone.
: ct me pass, Sir Nandon," said Henry.
IN an anxious tone
The rider hesitated moment. as
though he were consulting with himself.
Then he reigned his horse still more into
the youths way, aud in strangely sound
ing tone,-it was so low, and yet so in-
tensely earnest,-he said
Tell me, first, what are you doing
here ?"
1t matters not. Let me pass
but 1T does matter, youngster," retort-
ed Sir Nandon. in voice still hushed.
though rage evidently was working in it.
1T looks suspicious to find one like you
III this place, at this time, and in this
plight. Do you flee from the commission
Of crime 2n
OF crime !" repeated Ia Mutt, with a
qniyerlng l'p Look to yourself, Nandon
du Chastel l'
by my soul ! now YOU mock me Be
ware Henry la Mutt. for [ am not one
to brook iusolence Now tell me whittier
thou goest As constable of Navarro. |
demand your answern
For moment the youth trembled with
a new apprehension. He knew that Du
Chastel was the constable of the kingdom.
and as such his powers were almost un-
limited. He had the right, er of7ci0, to
arrest whom he pleased, with or without
provocation. But the young knights pre-
vlous fear came back to him, and with it
came the suspicious he had entertained
against Sir Nandon. Perhaps his mother
was even now in the hands of her captors.
and perhaps she might be dead This
last thought drove our hero to frcuzv, and
he forgot the power of the man who CON
fronted him
Let me pass !" uttered La Mutt,
through his clenched teeth
Now l'llteach thee, unmannerly boy r
yelled Sir Nandon and. as he spoke, his
sword flew from its scabbard.
Sometimes calm clear thoughts come
through the brain like lightning. and so it
was with Henry la Mutt On the instant
the thought flashed upon him that Sir
Nandon meant to kill him that he had
meant 1T from the first, and that he lad
provoked a quarrel only to gain ground
for the onset. And then that other thought
came, too-that thought wherein Sir Nan
don had been before suspected All this
thought fash CLEANED through the youth's
brain, even while the riders sword was
whlrllng In the air; and as our hero dodg-
ed the blow, he drew his own weapon. He
spoke not for his soul was set, and with
him IT was vastly m ore than life or death
for IN the dim thought distance be had a
mother
Naudoa du ChastcI uttered a fierce oath
when be saw that La Nuts sword was
out, and he pressed upon the youth severe
ly. But La Mutt had one decided ad-
vantage, independent of his personal
prowess. Tie elevated position of Sir
Nandon made all his motions conspicuous.
while cur hero, being upon the ground,
was more in the dark to his antagonist
At the third stroke La Mutt caught the
sword of his antagonist by lock in the
guard, and sent it whirling through the
air to the distant bushes. Then he struck
the horse smart blow upon the flank
with the fiat of his own heavy sword
The animal plunged furiously. and in a
moment more be threw his rider upon the
ground
La Mutt did not stop to see whether
Sir Nandon was badly hurt, but with
quick step, he turned and FASTENED away
Once, only, he stopped to look back, hut
it SO dark that he could see nothing
of his enemy, though he could just make
ont the upper outlines of the horse, the
animal not having moved since he had
thrown off his load
The nearer the youth came to the cot
the more nervous he grew and when. at
length, he could distinguish the roof
against the starry sky, his heart beat so
heavily that his breathing seemed oppress
ed. 1t was strange fear that had come
over him-a fear that seemed so dark and
dismal that his own football sounded like
a knell in his ear