Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-30
meal; ye shall retura to runstall with q

with his mouth on one side, for this bust
ness Of the Black Arrow stuck sorely ii
his throat.
Meanwhile, young Shelton was goiDt
on heartily enough with his bressfast
when he fel. touch upon his Srm sRd .
very soft voice whispering in his ear.
snake not 6 sign, do besee h you,
said the voice, "bus Of your charity tUl
NE the straight way 10 Hollywood. Be
seech you nov, good boy, comfort poo'
soul in peril sud extreme distress, au,
set me so far forth upon the way 20 LIZ
repese
stake the path by the windmill" On
swered Dick, In the same tone; sat viii
bring you 10 Till Ferry; there Inquire
again"
Ard without turning hie hesd he Eel
ag:in to eating. But with the tail Of hit
eye be caught a.,limpse OF the young lac
cslled Master John stealthily creeping
from tie room.
"Why," thought Dick, "he Is as young
IS L. Good boy doth ne call me? A.
had known I should hsva seen the var
let banged ere I had told him. Well. il
he goes through the ten l may come NJ
with him and pull his ears"
Hat an hour later Sir Daniel gave
Dick the letter ard bsde hin speed tn TIE
Moat House. And agaiu eome half Cd
hour after Dicks departure tue tucket
Was sounding cheerily in tine morning
snd from sll sides Sir Daniels mer
| poured into the main greet ind formed
before the inn. The chief part wera in
Sir Dsniel's livery, muITey sud blue,
| Ehich gave the greater snow 20 their ar
ray; and the Knight looked with price
along the line. sWhyi how now!" he
cried. 81 In! joanna! Nav, by the sa-
cred rood! where is she! Host, where Is
thst giyli'
"Gltl, Sir D4niel7" cried the landlord.
MY. Sir, saW DO girl"
| boy, then, dotaTd!" cried the knight.
"Cculd ye not see i: Was q weDcbl she
la the murrey -colored msntlc-ste that
broke her ias: with ws:er, rugut-There
Is sbe7"
"N.y, the s.ints bless Us! Master
JohD, We called him." said the host.
| "Well, IN, ugh5 none evil. He "a gone.
saw Dim-her-I SEW her in the stable 8
good hour sgone; a WAS saddiipg grey
horse"
"Now, by the rood !" cried Sir Daniel,
"the wench WAS worm $500 TO me, and
more, Slider, fail me CUT with six croGs
bowmen; hunt ms her down. l care not
wat it cost; but, o. nv re;urnlEg, let NE
fad her At the Moat House. Be II upon
your head"
CHAPTER II.
INrHR FEN.
II Was near 9 in the Nay morning when
Dick began to ride down into the fen
upon his homeward way. The path lav
Utmost straight through tine mnrass. Il
WAS already very ancient; its foundation
had been laid by Roman soldiery; In the
iapses Of ages much OF it had euuk, aud
every here and there for few hundred
Yards 1t lay submerged beneath t5e Stag
nant waters of the fen.
About mile from Kettley, Dick came
TO one such break fn the plan line OF
causewsy, where the reeds and SilloUs
grew dispersely like little islands snd
confused the eye. The gap, besides, was
more than u uslly lopg-it wss place
where shy stranger might came readily
to mischief; and Dick bethougnt him,
with something like psng, OF the lad
whom he had so imperfectly directed.
Hallway across, and wien he hSd al
ready sighted the path rising high and
dry upon the farther eide, he WAS aware
OF greeteplssbiog on his right, and saw
gray horse, sunk to its belly IN the mud,
and still epasmosicsliy struggling. In
stantly, as though il had oisined the
neighborhood of help, the poor beast be-
gan to reigh most pierctngly. 1t rolled
meanwhile, a blOodshot eye, insane with
terror; and as 1t sprawled wsllowlpg in
the quag, clouds OF singing insects rose
and DuZzsd about it IN me DIR.
"AlscS !" thought Dick, 'can the poor
lad have perieheor There is his horse,
for cert.in-a brave grey! Nay, comrsdr,
If thou CREST TO me SO piteously, l Will
do all man caa to help thee. SHALT not
lie there 10 drown By inches!"
And he made ready dis crossbow and
put quarrel through the creatures
head
Dick rode Oh, sitter this act OF rugged
mercy, somewhat sobered in spirit, and
l oking closely shout him for any signs
of his less happy predecessor IN the way.
81 would l mad dared to tell b N fur
ther," he thought; "for 1 fear he has
In the slough"
Aad Just ss he was so thinking voice
cried upon his name from the csuseTay
ride, aud, looking over his shoulder, bs
ssw the l&d's face peering from q clump
OF reeds.
"Are We therea" he said, reining in.
eye lay 80 close among the reeds that l
had passed you by. Law -FOUR horse be-
mired aid put him frcm his agony;
which, By ay s0Cthi and ye mad been q
merciful rider ye had done you sell"
sNsY, coed boy, have no arms, nor
skill to use them if had" replied the
other, stepping forth upon the pathway.
"Why call me boyf" cried Dick. aye
are not, 1 trow, the elder of US twain"
"Good Master Shel!on," said the
other, "prithee forgive me. l have none
the least intention to offend. Rather l
would in every wsy beseech your gentle
ness and favor, for am now worse beset
than ever, having lost my wGy, my cloak
and nv poor horse. To hsve riding
rod and spurs and never horse to sit
upon! And before ALL" he added, look
ing ruefully upon his clothes-"before
all, to be sorrIl7 besmirchedl"
"Tut!" cried Dick. "Would ye mind
q duckine? Blood OF wound or dust of
mans adornmens."
"Nsy, then, like him better plain"
the lad. "But, prithee, how
shall do! Prithee, good Master
R cbsrd, help me with your good counsel.
II come net safe to Hollywood am un-
DONE"
uNayD said Dirk dismountinr uI will