Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-02-25

= -IalH.
"That will do very well. think. Have il
brightly polished. all in order. and Law it on
the culich in the red room"
at is as bright now. Mistress Aync,." re-.
p,irl the oil man. rc,rr,tfu,lv. though with
an acrcnt of bride cas- the iay vour father
last wore it. nearly forty years AGO. | loved
tncarnor my Young pi,il wore. and no spot
of rust du,i, It's hIight surface. no STAY un.
loosr,!. or dn,od plate"
ever faithful good Arnold All is well.
with Black Rndoluh. fathers horse. Yourself
knight
"Yomr bidding shall he done"
"Ami. Arnold should the Young kui,ht
lack ought in riding, or in the handling of the
lance, direct him rs Won did nv father"
Agnes turned and walked quickly To the
house, wholly unconscious of the curious gaze
that followed her. Old Arnold looked after
her with wi,tiul ewes. then murmured aloud
PROUD step like her father. vet li.,ht rs n
Mirys. Who're has She found a rhantion :
.J,>,cc has been ridden >martly. see by he,
c,Ling tlank> and hcayinr sides. II can't be
that poor Young Master Alfred is going to
try; that would he madness, though | know
he is rn,ml Ia >LiIit To- il: poor fellow: no. no
that cant he. tnr las arm i, ncither steady nor
strong. cant think
Arnold. old Ellow." exclaimed n chccrv
voice, "dont bother ynur old brain. but obey
orders. Tomorrow vill solve ynur doubts. -
Gnd aud St. .Ju,c,,h grant that our l,uor
mastc, D., cause may he victorious"
"Amcn, .JoSrIh," responded Arnold. And
he turned and went slowly toward the hail.
Just ,furc daybr,ak the next morning
ohcdicut to orders, Arnold, clad in arnpr,
holding black Rudolph, stool at the hall door.
His own horse was held bv Joseph. Both
men watched with anxious ewes the opening
Of the heavy oakcn door
"Nlnyllap the vuuur knight ovcrSlccpS linn.
SELF and is dreaming now If hi, lady.loyc, '
mnrhingly whispered the woman to .hc old
esquire.
The words were hardly out of his mouth
when the door swurg back upon its hinges
and the ring Of n mailed heel was heard upon
the stone steps Eager eyes were raised and
lowered in great disappointment. for III,
vZor was tightly closed
Perfectly silent, the unknown knight mount
cd the spirited war horse, took the lance, ant
started off at smart trot, closely followed l.,
Arnold. The ycoman shook his head aS ht
gazed after them, and mntrrctl, while watch
ing them till out of sight among the trees:
Its nobody | know. lie mounted non,
too Slibrly, though he ,idcS we'll a slender
youth it is to combat with that fiery Dudley
Success to him!"
In perfect silence the knight and the cSquir,
rode the short distance to the field Of cuinha
"a plain in the imtI,>t verge of the I.ysl
domain. As they ncarcd the ricl,l, the youn;
knight said:
"You must lead the way, Sir Esquire, 70
know not but may go wrong"
The voice was deep and clear, but in vair
did Arnold strive to remember having hear,
it before. Silently he ohrycd
At last the ground was reached, and tn
stranger rode into the field on one side, at til
same moment that Mortimer Dudley cntcrc,
on the other. a few people were assemble,
to witness the struggle. The unknown kuigh
and Mortimer Dudley gravclv saluted, thcI
backed their horses 10 the extremity of IN
field, aud waited with lanccs in rest for III
signal to he given \ stout man, Sir William