Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-03-03
THE KINGS OPAL.

HAS you will, sir-has you WILL
said the burly landlord of the King
George Inn, shaking his head doubt
fully as he spoke. "But hits not safe
to travel that road alone heven in broad
daylight, since Captain DeLancy's band
ave quarered themselves 'ereaboats.
Hit hain't been two days since they
robbed the kings jeweller, has was
takin' some fine new rings to the palace
for is majesty-God bless i'm Han [
do ear has low the hofficers har otter
( than hever hon is track, for King
| George as swore e must ave them
jewels back"
"And who is this terrible Captain De
/ Lancy, pray ?" asked the young naval
officer, refining In his impatient steed.
''Well, that's just the question, sir.
Nobody knows nothin' hdbout i'm, ex-
cept 'e'es the 'ead of large band of
robbers that go hall hover the country,
han hevery one Of them wears masks.
The captain hain't never !. been seen to
be known hagen, though some folks do
say e his q born gentleman. Good-by,
sir good speed Be on your guard,
most especial near the Fights"
A smiling goodbye to the loquacious
landlord, a slackening Of the reins, and
the melted animal sprang forward
once more, as fresh and eager as
though just setting forth upon a journey
which had commenced with the rising
Of the great luminary, that was just
now dropping out of sight behind the
tree-tOpS.
Yet neither horse nor man seemed to
know fatigue as they sped steadily on
ward, the former seeming Imbued with
his masters Unsurpassed Impotence,
as mile after mile was swept away out
of the distance that yet divided Fred
erick Walton from his betrothed, whom
he had left full three years 2go, when
he started forth to seek his fortune as
an officer in his majesty's navy.
And now he was returning full Of
JOY and of hope, for he had won his
promotion and could at last offer 81
modest yet comfortable home to his
bride.
con, on, good Felto," he exclaimed
as the dusky twilgot came creeping
down over the fields, just as he enter
ed the dense woods that crowned the
heights, of which the landlord had
warned him. 'On, Felto! here are the
robbers, they say, waiting for us; but
they will get no metal but lead from
us, ell, good Felto? Ha! what is that?"
A shot fired in the road short dis
lance beyond, and a woman's shrek,
were motives sufficient to cause the
young man to dash forward with re-
doubled speed, and moment more
brought him upon a scene, the full
purport of which his quick eye took at
glance.
A carriage halted in the road; at its
head, with a pistol leveled at the trem-
bling coachman, stood masked man;
close by, evidently just alighted, were
an old man, and lady, whose proud
beauty appeared to have absolutely
paralyzed a second masked robber,
who stood gazing upon her with eager
intentness, utterly forgetful of the pur-
pose for which he had summoned forth
the occupants of the carriage.
1t was at this moment that Frederick
Walton dashed around bend in the
highway, that had concealed his APP
prOach, his sword in one hand, and his
pistol IN the other.
To fire at the man who held the
horses heads, and infict wound that
caused that worthy to retreat to the
thickets, and to deal the second man a
blow with his sword, that stretched
him insensible on the ground, was the
work of a moment.
And then, with one glad cry of
" Margaret, Margaret, my beloved"
young Walton leaped to the ground,
and clasped his betrOthed in his arms,
needing one fact alone-that at last
they two had met once more.
" Well, we'll, children" at length re-
monstrated the Rev. Mr.. Shannon,
" this is very delightful, no doubt, but
Der returns with help before we get out
of this horrible ambush. Into the
carriage, Madge-quick This poor,
misguided fellow in the road here is
only stunned. Let us leave him to
come to himself No one will ever find
me near the Heights again after dark.
How came / here now, you ask, Fred
Because We had been to call on dis
tant parishioner, and the cOachman
mistOOk the road. Come, let us push
on"
The carriage rolled on, with Felto
cantering at its side. Could the trav-
elers have looked back through the
darkness, they would have seen the
man they had left lying in the road
rise up and shake his fist Overwhelmingly
behind them. Could they have listen
ed, they would have heard an oath
e
must darlen forever the lives of the
three now travelling so gaily to-
gether.
Two months have passed away since
the joyous reunion of Frederick Wal
ton and his betrothed, and in those lew
brief weeks a marvellous change has
been wrought.
The brightness and cheer seem to
have departed from out the life of the
brilliant young officer. No longer merry
and gay, he has become grave, and
quiet, and stern, so that his most init
mate friends gaze at him in wonder
All save one-for there is one-the
kind-hearted old rector, who has seen
the chill falling upon the spirit of his
old-time pupil, and who sorrows over
its cause well-nigh as deeply as young
Walton himself
We find him now Fastening out in
the summer moonlight, in obedience
to summons from the latter, who
waits his presence in the rectory gar
den.
'Why, how is this, Fred" exclaimed
the rector, as he approached the young