Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-13
mouth. Till then ye have two courses:
Either swallow me down these insults,
keep silent tongue and fight in the

ELMER swallow me down these Insults,
keep silent tongue and fight in the
meanwhile for the man that fed and
fought for your infancy; or else-the door
sssndeth open, the woods are full Of mine
enemies-go."
The spirit with which these words were
uttered, the looks with which they were
accompanied, staggered Dick; and yet he
could not but observe that he had got no
answer.
81 desire nothing more earnestly, Sir
Daniel, thsn to believe you," he replied.
"Assure me ye are free from this"
"Will ye take my word of honour,
Dickp" Inquired the knight.
"Thst would l." answered the lad.
81 give it yGu," returned Sir Daniel
upon my word OF honour, upon the
eternal welfare Of my spirit. and as 1
shall answer for my deeds hereafter, I
had no hand nor portion in your fathers
death"
He extended bis hand, snd Dick took
1t esgerly. Neither of them observed the
priest, who. st the pronunciation of that
solemn and false os:h, had hslf arisen
from his sest in an agony of horror and
remorse.
"Ah," cried Dick, Eye must fiud It in
your observation-disclosures to pardon mel l
was churl, indeed, to doubt OF you
But ye have nv hand upon 1t; 1 will
doubt no more"
may, Dick" replied Sir Daniel, "y'
are forgiven. Ye know not the world
snd it's oslumnious nature"
81 was the more TO blame" added
Dick, "in that the rogues pointed, not
directly at yourself, but at Sir Oliver"
As he spoke, he turned towards the
priest, snd paused in the middle of the
last word. THIS tall, rudy, corpulent,
high-stepplng man had fallen, you might
soy, to pieces; his colour wss gone, his
limbs were relaxed, his lips stammered
prayers, and now, when Dicks eyes were
fixed upon him suddenly, he cried out
alJud, like some wild animal, and buried
his face in his hands.
Sir Daniel Was by him in two strides,
and shock him fiercely by the shoulder.
At the same moment Dicks suspic ons
reswakened.
may" he ssid, "Slr Oliver may swe.r
also. Twas him they accused"
"He shall swear," said the knight.
Sir Oliver speechlessly waved his arms
Jay, by the mass but ye Shall sWeRr,"
cried Sir Daniel, beside himself wi h
fury. Here upon this book, ye shall
swear" he continued, picking up the
breviary, which had fallen to the ground.
"What! ye make me doubt youl Swear,
l say; swear!"
But the priest WAS still incapable of
speech. His terror Of Sir Daniel, his
terror OF perjury, risen to shout an equal
height, strangled him.
And Just then, through the high,
stained-glass window of the hall, black
arrow crashed, and struck and stuck
quivering in the midst of the long tab e.
Sir Oliver, with loud scream, fell
fsinting on the PUSHES; while the knight,
followed by Dick, dashed into the court
and up the nearest corkscreW stsir to the
bsttlements. The sentries we're all on the
alert. The sun shown quietly on green
lawns, dotted with trees, and OF the
wooded hills Of the forest which enclosed
the view. There was no sign OF be-
sieger.
"Wnence came thst shot2" asked the
knight.
"From yonder clump, Sir Daniel" re-
turned sentinel
The knight stood little, musing. Then
he turned 20 Dick. "Dick," he ssid,
keep me an eye upon these men; leave
you in charge here. AS for the priest, ne
shall clear himself, or 1 will know the
reason WY. l do almost begin to share
in your suspicious. He shall swear,
trust me, or we shall prove him guilty"
Dick answered somewhat coldly, and
the knight, giving him piercing glance,
hurriediy returned to the hall. His first
glance was for the arrow. It was the
nret Of these missiles he had seen, and as
he turned it to and fro the dark hue OF 1t
touched him with come fear. Again
there was some Writing-one word
"Earthed."
cay" he broke out, "they know L an
home, then. E.rthed! Ay, but there is
not dog among them fit to dig me out"
Sir OliYer had come to himself and now
to his feet
"Alack. Sir Daniel" he moaned, "y'
ave sworn dread oath; y are doomed |
to the end of time"
cay" returned the knight, "I have
sworn an oath, indeed, thou chucklehead;
but thyself shalt swear greater. 1t |
shall be on the blessed cross of Holy |
wood. Look to 1t; get the words ready. |
1t shall be sworn tonight "
"Now, msY heaven tighten you," re-
piled the priest; "maY heaven incline
your heart from this iniquity."
"Look you, my good father" said Sir
Daniel, "if y are for pietY, 1 say no
more; ye begin late, that is all. But if y
are in any sense bent upon wisdom, hesr
me. This lad beginneth to irk me ike
WASP. have need tor him, for l
would sell his marriage. But tell you,
in all plainness, that il he continues to
weary me he shall go join his father. I
give orders now to cnarge him to the
chamber above the chapel. II ye can
swear your innocency with 8 good,
solid oath and an assured countensnce,
1t is well; the lad will be at peace little,
and 1 will spare him. II that ye STAN
mer or blench, or anyways boggle at the
swearing, he will not believe you, and
BY the mass, he shsll die. There is for
your thinking on"
"rhe chamber above the chapel"
gssped the priest.
"That same" replied the knight. $50
II ye desire to save him, save him; and If
re desire not, prithee, go to, and let me
be at peacel For an hsd been 8 hssty
man, would already have put my sword
through you, for your intolerable cow
srdice and folly. Have you chosen7
Sayi"
81 have chosen" said the priest.
Heaven pardon me, will do evil for
good. will swear for the lads sake"
$50 is it best!" said Sir Daniel. "Send
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