Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-27

man hanging from the bo1gh of tall oak
His head had fallen forward on his breast,
bat 1t every stronger puff Of wind his
body span round and round and his legs
and arms tossed like come ridiculous
plsything.
Dick claMbered to his feet and, stag
gering and leaning on the tree trunks as
he went, drew near to this grim object.
The bo1gh was perhaps twenty feet
above the ground, and the poor fellow
had been drawn up SO high by his execu-
sIonere that his boots swung clear above
Dicks reach; and as his hood had been
drawn over the face, 1t was impossible to
recognize the man.
Dick looked about him right and left;
and at last he perceived that the other end
of the cord had been made fast to the
trunk of little hawthorn which grew,
thick with blossom, under the lofty arcade
Of the oak. With his dagger, which alone
remained to him OF all his arms, young
Shelton severed the rope, and instantly,
with dead thump the corpse fell In q
heap upo7 the ground.
Dick raised the hood; 1t was Throg-
morton, Sir Daniels messenger. BE had
not gone far upon his errand. A psper,
which had apparently escaped the notice
Of the men Of the Black Arrow, stuck
from the bosom of his doubiet, and Dick,
pulling 1t forth, found 1t was Sir D&nle's
letter to Lord Wensleydale.
"Come," thought he, "if the world
changes yet sgain, may have here the
wkerewithal to shame Sir Dsniel-nsy,
and perchance to bring him to the block"
And he put the paper in his own bosom,
said 8 prayer over the dead man, and set
forth again through the woods.
His fatigue and weakness increased;
his ears sang, his steps faltered, his mind
at intervals failed MIN, go low had he
oeen brought by loss of blood. Doubt
less he made many deviations from his
| true path, but at last he came out upon
the high road, not very far from Tuns-
tall hamlet.
A rough voice bid him stand.
"Stand7" repeated Dick. "By the
mass, but 1 am nearer falling"
And he suited the action TO the word,
and fell all his length upon the road.
Two men came forth out of the thicket,
each in green forest jerkin, each with
long bow and culver ana short sword.
"Why, Lswless," said the younger Of
the two, sit Is young Shelton"
cay, this will be as good as bread to
John Amend ALL" returned the other.
Though, faith, he hath been to the wars.
Here Is tear in his scalp that must "a
cost him many good ounce Of blood;
and blood, Brother Greensheve, Is your
most precious fluid, after ali-better than
right sack when man is cold, and better
than physic when he's sick.n
"And here" added Greensheve, "is q
hole in his shoulder that must have
pricked him well. Who hath done this,
think ye? II 1t be one Of ours, he may
fall to prayer; Ellis will give him q short
shrift and long rope"
"Up with the cub" said Lawless.
"Clap him on my back. IT'S broad-I
praise the saints for itI-and could carry
twice the weight Of him."
And then, when Dick hsd been hoisted
to his shoulders and he had taken the lads
arms shout his neck and gotten good
hold Of him, the ex Grey Frisr added:
keep ye the post, Brother Green's
hevs. Twill on with him by myself"
So Greensheve returned to bis ambush
on the wsyside and Lawless trudged down
the hill, whisting as he went, with Dick,
still In dead faint, comfortably settled
on his shoulders.
The Gun rose rs he came out of the.
skirts of the wood and saw Tunstall ham,
let struggling up the opposite hill. ALI
seemed quiet, but strong post OF some
hall score Of archers lay close by the
bridge on either side Of the roed, and, es
soon as they saw Lawless with his burden
they began to bestir themselves and se{
anew to string like vigilant sentries.
"Who goes?" criec the man In c6hks
mand. A !
"Win Lawless, by the rood-ys EhsHt
me es well as your own hand nfeturaed
the outlaw, contemptuouslys
"Give the word, Lawless," returned
the other.
"Now, heaven tighten thee, thou great
fool" replied Lswless. "Did not tell |
it thee MYSELF But ye are all mad for
tais playing at soldiers. When am in |
the greenwood, give me greenwood ways;
and my word for this tide is: "A fig for
all mock soldiery!'"
"Lawless, ye but show an i'll example;
give us the word, fool JESTER" said the |
commander Of the post.
"And II had forgotten it?" asked the
other.
"An ye had forgotten it-as know y
ave notify the mass, 1 would clap an
arrow into your big body" returned the |
fest.
= "Nay, an y xre so Ill JESTER" said
Lawless, Eye shall have your word for
me. sDuckworth and Shelton Is the
word; and here, to the Illustration, is
Shelton on my shoulders, and to Duck |
worth do carry him."
"Pass, Lawless," said the sentry.
"And where Is John2" asked the Grey |
Frier.
"He holdeth court, by the mass, and |
tsketh rents as to the manner born!"
cried another Of the company.
So 1t proved. When Lswless got as
far up the village as the little inn, he
found Ellis Duckworth surrounded by Sir |
Daniels tenants, and, by the right of his
good company Of archers, coolly taking
rents, and giving written receipts in re-
turn for them. By the faces of the ten
ants, it was plain how little this pro-
ceeding pleased them; for they argued
very rightly that they would simply have
to psy them twice.
As soon as he knew what had brought |
Lawless, Ellis dismissed the remainder of
the tenants, and, wi h every mark of In
terest and apprehension, conducted Dick
into an inner chamber o. the inn. There
the lads hurts were looked to-; and he
was recalled, by simple remedies, to
consciousness.
''Dear lad" said Ellis, pressing his
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