River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-03-03
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THE KINGS OPAL.

fully as he spoke. "But hits not safe
to travel that road alone heven in broad !
daylight, since Captain DeLancy's band !
ave quartered themselves 'ereaboats |
Hit hain't been two days since they |
robbed the kings jeWellcr, has was
takin' some fine new rings to the palace
for is maiestv-God bless i'm Han
do ear has 'ow the hofficers har otter
than hever hon is track, for King
George as sworc 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' habout i'm, ex-
cept 'ees the cad of large band of
robbers that go hall hover the country,
han hevery one of them wears masks.
The captain haint never been seen to
be known hagen, though some folks do
say e his 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 journey
which had commenced with the rising
of the great luminarv, 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 lmbued 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 SGD, 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 a
modest yet comfortable home to his
bride.
"On, on, good Felto," he exclaimed
as the dusky twilig came creeping
down over the fields, just as he enter
ed tho dense woods that crowned the
heights, of which the landlord had
warned him. ION, Feltoi here are the
robbers, they say, waiting for us; but
they will get no metal but lead from
us, eh, good Felto? Hal what is that"
A shot fired in the road short dis
lance beyond, and woman's shrek,
were motives sufficient to cause the
young man to dash forward with re-
doubled speed, and a moment more
| brought him upon scene, the full
purport of which his quick eye took at
a glance.
A carriage halted in the road; at its
head, with a pistol leveled ut the trem-
! bling coachman, stood masked man;
close by, evidently Just alighted, were
in old man, and a lady, whose proud
beauty appeared to have absolutely
paralyzed a second masked robber,
who stood gazing upon her with eager
intentness, utterly furgetful 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 infiict wound that
caused that worthy to retreat to the
thickets, and to deal the second man q
blow with his sword, that stretched
him insensible on the ground, was the
work of 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, well, children, at length re-
| ,nonstrated the Rev. Mr.. Shannon,
:. this is very delightful, no doubt, but
| it will be less so if that wounded rob-
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 a 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 tray
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 threateningly
behind them Could they have listen
ed, they would have heard an oath
registered, the fulfllment of which
must darken forever tho lives of the
tn ee 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 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 2" exclaimed
the rector, as he approached the young
man, whose quick pacing back and
forth betokened mind i'll at ease. 81
thought you were at the ball over at
the squires. Nothing has happened to
Margaret, Fred?'
Nothing, sir, was the reply, uttered
in quiet tone, that sounded harsh and
cold in its effort to preserve its wonted
calmness. Nothing, at least, of the
kind you apprehend. Nothing more
than the contamination Of the coveted
engagement with the brilliant stranger
who flashed across our path some six
weeks ago"
"What do you mean, Fred?" gasped
the rector.
The young man drew long breath,
and his lips quivered. Then he said,
huskily:
Briefly, sir, have come to say
good-by. Your daughter has just told
me that she prefers gilded coronet
to the love Of poor sailor, and has
this evening accepted the former and
discarded the latter Don't interrupt
me, sir. 1t is true; | have seen it com
ing this long time. Have no fear for
me. / shall go back to my ship, and
shall do well enough. But, oh, sir look
well into the character Of this Lord
Mellon before you trust him with her.