Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-06

Dick took step, swinging the belt. Then
he paused, embarrassed BY the large eyes
and the thin, weary face Of his compan-
ion. His courage began to sudside.
"Say ye were in the wrong, them" he
said lamely.
may" said Mstchsm, 81 was in the
right. Come, cruel! be lame; be
weary; resist not; meier did thee hurt;
come, beat me, cowsrdi"
Dick raised the belt at this last Provo
cation; but Matchsm WINGED and drew
himself together with 80 cruel an sppre
hension, that his heart failed him yet
again. The strap fell bY bis side, and he
stood irresolute, feeling like fool.
ga plsgue upon thee, shrew!" he said.
Gan ye be so feeble Of hand, ye should
keep the closer gusrd upon your tongue.
But I'll be hanged before 1 beat you'll"
and he put on his belt sgain. "Bsst
you 1 will not" he continued; "but for
give you?-never. I knew ye not; ye
were my masters enemy; lent you my
horse; my dinner ye have eaten " eve
called me man o. wood, q coward and
bully. Nay, by the mass! the measure
is filled and ruDneth over. Ills great
thing to be weak, trow: Ye can do
your worst, yet snail none punish you;
ye may steal mans weapons in the hour
Of need, yet may the man not take his
own agsin2-y' are weak, forsoothl Nsy,
then, If one cometh charging at you with
q lance, and crieth he is weak, ye must
let him pierce your body through! Tuti
fool words!n ,..s.s.a.
.stAna yss VI ssss ne ust," returned
Matcham. -
"Let be-" said Dick-"let be. 1 will
instruct you. ave been ill-nurtured,
methinks, and yet ye hsve the mskiDgs OF
some good, aud, beyond all question,
saved me frOnasths river. Nay, hsd for
got en- il; AM as thzrkless as tbyselt.
Bat, come, let us on. An we be for
Hollywood this night, ay, or tomorrow
early, we had best set forward speedily"
But though Dick had talked himself
back Into his usual good humor, Matcham
had forgiven him nothing. His violence,
the recollection CT the forester whom he
mad slein-sbove ell, the vision Of the
up.sised belt, we're things not easily to
De forgotten.
"I will thank you. for the FORMS sske, -
said Matchlm. "But, in sooth, good
Master Shelton, had lever ind my way
alone. Here IS wide wood; prithee
let each choose his path; I owe YOU a
dinner and lesson. Fare ye WE'LL"
"Nay," cried Dick, "lf that be your
tune, SO be 1t, and a plague be with you !"
Each turned aside, and they began
walking of severa!ly, with no thought OF
the direction, intent solely on their quar-
rel. But Dick had not gone then PAGES
ere his name was called, and Matcham
came running afte:.
"Dick," he said, sit were uumanuerly
to part go coldly. Here is my hand, and
my heart with it. For all that wherein
you have 80 excellently served aud helped
me, not for the form, but from the heart,
l thank you. Fare ye right we'll"
"Well, lsd," returned Dick, taking the
hand which was ffsred him, "good speed
to you, If speed you may. But 1 mis-
doubt 1t shrewdly. Y are too dispusa-
.ious."
So then they separated for the second
time; and presently it was Dick who was
running after M.tcham.
"Here," he said, take my cross-bow;
shalt not 60 unarmed"
"A cross bow !" said Mstcham. "Nsy,
boy, have neither the strength to benc
nor yet the skill to aim with il. It were
no help to me, good boy. But yet /
thank you"
The night had now fallen, and under
the trees they could no longer read each
others face.
II will go some little way with you"
said Dick. "The night is dark. would
fain leave you on path, st least. NV
m I'd misgivetn me, y are likely to be
lost"
Without any more words, he began to
walk forward, and the other once more
followed him The blackness grew
thicker and thicker; only here and there,
In open places, the- saw the sky, dotted
with small stars. In the distance, the
noise OF the rout of the LsIcastrian army
still continued to be family audible; but
with every step they left 1t further in the
!. rear.
At the end OF half an hour of silent pro-
gress they came forth upon broad patch
! OF healthy open. 1t gllmmered in the ligh
of the stars, shaggy with fern and island
, ed with clumps Of yew. And here they
, paused and looked upon each other.
} ''Y' sre weary7" Dick said.
, "Nay, I am 80 weary" answered
Mstcnem, "that methinks I could II,
, down and die"
81 hear the Gliding Of river" return.
ed Dick. "Let US go SO far forth, for
: am sore athirst."
/ The ground sloped down gently: and
! sure enough, in the bottom, they found
little murmuring river, running among
} willows. Here they threw themselve
down together by the brink; and puttins
3 their mouths to the level Of starry pool
they drank their fill.
e "D!ck," said Mstcham, "it may no
2 ha can M more -
I "I saw pit as Ne csme down." sal
l. Dick. "Let Us lie down therein an
o sleep"
o "N.y, but with all my hearth" erie
Ma,cham.
g The pit WAS sandy and dry; shock c
d brambles hung upon one hedge, an
j. made q partial shelter; and there the tw
lads lsy down, keeping close togethe
d fer the sake of warmth, their quarrel 5
g forgotten. And soon sleep fell upo
d them like a cloud, and under the de-
d and stars they rested peacefully.
% CHAPTER VII.
~ TIE HOODED FACE.
d They awoke in the grey Of the morning
the birds were not yet IN full song, b'
D twittered here and there among Il
IT woods; the sun WAS not yet up, but Il
" eastern sky WAS barred with solem
/. colors. Half starved and over-weary .
ls they were, they lay without moving, sur
II in delightful lassilude. And az tbs