Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-25
taking m his song where he had left it

taking up his song where he had left it:
o, cir, we walk rot here at all an evil thing
to do.
shoot 8 shaft into.
Still as he sang, he took from time to
time another spoonful Of the broth, oleW
upon it, snd tasted it, with all the airs OF
On experienced cook. At length, ap-
psrenrly, he Judged me mess was ready
for, taking the horn from mis- gtrdle, he
blew three modulated calls.
One after another, tall, likely fellows
began to stroll into the lawn. Each IS
he came produced knife and horn cup,
helped himself from the caldroD, snd SAT
down upon the grass to eat.
There were, perhaps, score OF them
already gathered, when sound OF sup
pressed cheering arose close by among
the heWthorns, and Immediately after
five or six woodmen carrying stretcher
debouched upon the lawn. A tall, lusty
fellow somewhat griZzled, and as Drown
as smoked ham, walked before them
with an air Of tsome ssuthority, this bow
a. his back, bright bosr-spear In his
hand.
"L,ds!" ne cried, "see Whist 1 bring
YOU, even that good creature, aleI"
There was q murmur OF applause IS
the bearers set down the stretchers and
displayed goodly cask.
"Aud now sste you," the man con-
tinued. HThere is work toward.
handful OF srchers are but now come t
the ferry; murrey and blue Is their wear;
they are our butts-they shall sll taste
arrows-no man Of them Shall struggle
through this wood"
Az -1ky hvy iTTll
already st his second horn OF ale. lie
raised it, as il to pledge the speaker.
"Msster Ellis Duckworth," he said,
s'y' are for vengeance-weu 1t oecometn
you!-but your poor brother o. the green
wood, that had never lands to loose nor
friends to think upon, looketh rather, Tor
his poor part, to the profit OF the thing:
He had lever gold noble and polite OF
canary wine than sll the vengeance In
purgstory."
"L.wless," replied the other, 'to reach
the Most House, Sir Daniel must pass the
forest. We shall make that passage dear
er, ptrdy, than any battle. Then, when
he hath got to earth with such ragged
handful as escapeth us-all his great
friends fallen and fed away, and none to
give him aid-Te shall belesguer that old
fox about, and great shall De the fall OF
him. IT'S fat buck; he will make
dinner for US all"
The speaker stood leaning on his boar
spear ard looked round upon the rest.
They, in various attitudes, took greedily
of the venison pottage, aud liberia ly
washed It down with ale. The
first corners had by this time even dis
patched their dinner. Some lay down
upon the grass and fell instantly asleep,
| like boa constructors; others talked to-
sether, or oyerhAuled their weapons; and
| one, whose humor was particularly gay,
heloiug forth an sle-horn, began to sing.
All this while the two lads hsd listened
and lain close; only Richard had unslung
his cross5oW and held ready 10 one hand
his windac, or graphing iron, that he
used to bend It, But now there came
strange interruption. The tall chimney
which overtopped the remainder OF the
ruins rose right above their hiding place.
There came q whistle in the air, and then
q sounding smack, and then the frag-
ments Of 8 broken arrow fell about their
ears. Some ore from the upper quarters
of the wood, had shot an arrow st the
| chimue y-top.
Mstcham could not restrain a.littIe cry,
which he Instantly sttied, and even DICK
started with surprise and dropped the
windac from his fingers. But to the TEL
lows On the lawn this shaft was al ex-
pected signal They were all sfoot TO-
gether, Tightening their belts, testing
their bowstrlpgs, loosening sword and
dagger in the shesths. Ellis held up his
hand; bis face had suddenly assumed 8
lock OF savage energy, the white Ct his
eyes shone in his sun-broWn face.
"Lsds," he said, Eye know your
places. Let not one mans soul escape
you. Appleyard WAS whet before
meal; but now we go to table. 1 have
three men whom | will bitterly avenge-
H.rry Shelton, Simon Malmesbury and
-" striking his bosom-"andEl Ellis Duck
WORTH, by the mass"
In the space Of minute some runnir g,
some walking sharply, according as their
stations were nearer or farther away, the
men Of the Black Arrow had all disap-
peared from the ueighborhood OF the
ruined house.
TO Be CONTINUED.