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

and outhanked the lads on either side.
Dick plunged into the nearest cover.
1t Was Q tall grove Of oaks, arm under
foot and clear Of underbrush, and as II
lay down hill, they made good speed.
There followed mex. piece OF open, which
Dick avoided, holding to his left. Two
minutes after, and the same obstacle ais
| ing, they followed the same course. Thus
J it followed that while the lads, bensing
continually to the left, drew nearer ana
nearer to the high road and the river
which they had crossed an hour or TWO
before, the great bulk OF their pursuers
were leaning to the other hand, and run
ming towards Tunstall.
| The l.ds paused to breathe. There was
no sound of pursuit. Dick put his cal
to the ground, and still there was moth
ing; but the wind, to be sure, still made
8 turmoil in the trees, and 1t was haro &c
mske certain.
"On again" said Dick; and, tired Is
they were, and Mstcham limpipg with his
Injured foot, they pulled themselves TO-
gether, and once more pelted down the
hill.
Three minutes later. they were breast
inc through low thicket Of evergreen
High overhead, the tall trees made con
tinuous roof Of foliage. 1t was great,
rillared grove, as high SO cathedral,
and, excepting for the hollies among
which the lads were struggling, open and
SID nothly swsrded.
On the other side, pushing through the
last fringe of evergreen, they sbiund cred
forth again into the openstsifght 81 the
grove. sr III
| Cr-,di, criad a5vN;ca AZ
Ard there, betYsen the huge stems. moi
G',y ct before them, they beheldsa stou'
fellow ia green, sore blown WIFI Running
Who instantly DR. W snazssw to the heac
Snd covered them. Mstcham stopp {
with cry; but Dick, without pause
rsn straight upon the forester, drawing
his Dagger as he went. The other
sphether ne was startled by the daring o
the Onslaught, or whether he was ham
pe-ed by his orders, did not shoot; he stood
W veripg; and before he had line to con'
20 himself, Dick, with great cry, bound
ed at his throat, and sent hin
snr.wling backward on the turf
TIE arrow went ore way sut
rue bow another with sounding twsng
TIE dissrmed forester g,sppled his sssaI
ant: but the dagger shone and descended
twice Then came couple OF gfoans
and then Dick rose to bis feet sEsin, anC
the man 10y motiooiess, stabbed TO In
heart.
"Oa!" said Dick; and he once NOR
pelted forward, Mslchsm trailing in thu
rear. To say truth, they made but poo
speed of 1t by now, 'sboring dismally a.
they ran, and catching for their brestl
ike Ash. Mstchsm had cruel stitch
and his head swan; and as for Dick, hi
kBees were like lead. But they kept ul
the form of running with undininishet
courage.
Presently they came to the end of tn
grove. 1t stopped abruptly; and there,
few yards before them, was the high roat
from Risinghsm to Saoreby, lying, q
this point, between two even walls o
I rest -
A. the sight Dick paused; and as soor
"a he stopped running, ne became aware
OF confused noise, which rapidly grew
louder. Il was at hrst Ike the rush IT Q
yer high gust of wind, but soon it be-
came more definite, and resolved itsel
into the galloping of horses; and then, IL
$ fash, = Whole company of msn-at-arm'
came driving round the corner, swept be
IL re the lads, and were gone sgain upoI
the instant. They rode as for their lives
in complete disorder; some of them were
wounded; riderless horses galloped a
their side with bloody saddles. They
we're plainly ,fuglttves from the grea
battle.
The noise of their passage had scarce
begun to die away towards Shoreby, be-
fore fresh hoofs came echoing in theil
wske, and another deserter clstteret
!, down the road; this time single rider
and, BY his splendid armour, 8 man O
, high degree. Close after him there fol
!, lowed several baggage-waggons, 6eeinl
, at an ungsinly canter, the drivers fail
!. ing at the horses as II for life. Thes
must have run esrly in the day; bu
their cowardice was not to save them
, For. lust before they came abreas
|, of wnere the lads stood wonder
ing, a man in hacked armour, ara seem
ingly beside himself with fury, overtoo
the wagons, and with the truncheon Of
sword began to cut the drivers down. Som
! leaped from their places and plunged int
tn !, wood the others he sabred as the
sat, cursing them the while for coward
in q voice that was scarce human.
All this time the noise In the distanc
l had continued to increase; the rumble c
carts, the CHATTER Of horses, The cries c
men, a great, confused Iumor, cam
D swelling on the wind; and it was plai
that the rout OF whole army was pouriD
like an inundstion, down the road.
Dick stood sombre. He had meant I
follow the highway till the turn for Hol.
!. wood, and now he had to change b
I plan. But above all he had recogniz
' the colours Gf Earl Rislnghsm, and b
s knew that the battle had gone finsll
0 against the rose of Lancaster. Had s
|, Daniel Joined, and was he now fug
q tive and ruined? or had he deserted
o the side of York, and was he forfeit
e honou,? 1t was an ugly choice.
al "Come," ne said sternly; and, turniT
ls on his heel, he began to walk for Val
q through the grove, with Matcham lin
= ing in his rear.
IS For some time they continued to thre.
d the forest in silence. 1t is now grown
l,te; the sun is setting in the plain beyoI
lie Kettley; the tree tops overhead glow
lie golden; but the shadows had begun
lie grow darker and the chill OF the night
d, TALL.
is "If there were anything to eat!" cri
Dick suddenly, psusiDg IS he spoke.
to Matchsm sat down and began to wee
eye can weep fer your own supper, b
is when it WAS to save mems lives, 20
heart wss hard enough" said Dick, CO
Ok temptuously. "Y' ave seven dest
be upon your conscience, Master John; /