Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-06-08

| le5S's Den N the forest. There, II Will o.
remembered, be had EFT Lord Eoxhsm'
pspera; and 10 get these aud be b:ck il
time for the tryst With the young Dukt
of GlOsces,sr could only be msnseed b,
an cary start snd the most vigorous
walking
!; The frost Wss more rigorous than ever
the cir MINDLESS and dry, ard singing Il
the nostril. The moon lad goGe dp~n
but the stsrs were still brigh. and rumsr
Gus, and the ref -ction from me SNOW We.
clear and cheerful. There wss 10 nee
for lsmp to walk by nor, in tnst still
but ringing air, the less: TEMPTATION tc
delay.
Dick hsd crossed the greater part Of
the open ground between Shoreby and
the forest, and had reached the bosto :, Of
the Iiftle hill, some hundred yards belo "
the Cross Of s.. Bride, when, through tie
stiffness Of the blsck morn, there rare
forth the note OF 8 trumpet, so shril'
clear, and piercing that ne thought b.
had never heard the match OF It for eudi.
bility. 1t WAS blown once, and then hur-
riedlg second tins; and then the clssh
OF steel succeeded.
At this young Shelton pricked his esrs,
and drawing his sword, ran forward up
the hill.
Presently he came in sight OF the cross,
aud WIS aware OF q most 4 !rce encounter
raging on the road before it. There were
seven or eight esesilsnts, and ia. ore
| to keep head against them; out
so active and dexterous was this
one, so desperately did he charge and
scatter his opponents, 50 deity keep mis-
footing On the ice, thst already, before
Dick could intervene, he hsd slain one,
wounded another, and KEPT the whole in
check.
Sill, 1t Wss by miracle thst he con-
tinued his defeuc', and at any moment
any accident, the lesst slip of foo. or
error Of hand, his life would be forfeit.
"Hold We well, sir! Here is heip!"
cried Richard and forgetting that ne was
alone, and that the cry WAS somewhat ir-
regular. "To the Arrow to the Arrow Z"
he shouted, ss he fell upon the rear of the
assistants.
These were stout fellows $50, for they
| gave not sn inch g. this surprise, bat
faced about and fell with astonishing fury
| upon Dick. Four against one, the steel
flashed ABOUT him IN the starlight; the
sparks few fleTcely; one OF the men op-
posed to him fell-in the stir Of the fght
! ne hardly knew Why; then he himself was
| struck across the head and though the
steel cap below bis hood protected him,
the bow beat him down upon one knee,
! with brain whirlipg like 8 windmill sail
Meanwhile, the man whom he had cnms
to ruscue instead Of joining in the conflict
had on the fist Sign Of intervention leaped
shack and blown again and yet more Ut
gently and loudly on thst tame snrill-
I A-r yo& xhut
Mex! moment, indeed, his foes
/ were on him, and be wss once more
charging and tieei1gy lespiug, stabbing,
dropping to his knee ard using inoiffsr-
emily sword and digger, foot and haud.
| with the same mistaken courage and
! feverish energy and speed.
! But that ear piercing summons bad
3aen heard at last. There WAS mum ID
rushing in the snow; and in good hour
| for Dick, who sew the s1ord-point glitter
already at his throat, there poured forth
out Of the wood upon both sides disor-
derly torrent OF mounted men-at-srms,
each cssed in iron. snd with visor low
cred. each bearing his i&nce in rest or his
sword barred and raised, and esch carry
! ing. so to spear, q passenger in the shape
OF an HrCaer II page, who lesped ole
presently douo}eI thu array.
| Thc o4igiDsl sgss;lsats, seeing them
selves cutnumaeIed anu surrounded,
threw doSn their arms without word
| "Seiza me these feA0ws!" ssid the
| horo Of the trumpet: aud waen his order
! had been oAoyed be drew near to Dick
and locked him in the face.
Dick, returning his sc unity, was much
surorised to and in one WAC hsd displayed
such strength, Skill and energy, q lad no
cider thau unsatisfactory detorned,
with one shoulder higher than the other,
and CT a pale, painful snd distorted
counter snce." TIE eyes, however. were
! very clesr and bold.
"Sir," said this lad, ''Ye came in good
time for me, and more too esrlY."
| "My lord" returned Dick, with faint
sense that he wss in the presence Of q
great parsonage, aye are yourself so mar.
velous good sWorcsaasn tnst believe ye
had msnsged them einglehanded. How
! beis, it was certainly well for me that
your men delayed 70 longer than they
did,"
"Bow knew ye who WASP" demanded
the stranger,
Gwen now, my lord" Dick answered,
'sI am ignorant Of whom l speak with"
SIS it SEP" asked the other. "And yet
ye threw yourself head first into this IN
| equal battle."
81 saw one man Ial,utlY contendipg
against many" replied Dick, so ID had
thought myself dishonoured not to bear
! him aid"
| A singular sueer played about the young
nobiemar's mouth rs he made answer:
These are very brave words. But to
the more essentisl-are ye Lancaster or
York;"
"My Lord, make no secret; am clesr
for York." Dick answered.
"By the masstH replied the other, "it
is well for you
And so saying, he turned towards one
| OF his followers. "Let me see," lie con-
tirued, in the same sneering and cruel
tones-"ret me zee clean end Of these
brave gentlemen. Truss me them up"
There were but FIVE survivors Of the
attacking party. Archers seized them by
the arms; they were hurried to the Dor
ders Of the wood, and each place below a
tree of suitable dimension; tie rope was
adjusted; An archer, carrying the end OF
it, hastily clambered overhead; and be-
fore q minute was over, and without 8
word passing upon either hand, the FIVE
| men were swinging BY the neck.