Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-25

neal; ye shall return TO Tunstall with a
Inc from me-"
With that Sir Daniel, turning his back
% Dick and quite at the farther emo Cl
The long table, began to write his letter
with his mouth on one side, for this ousl-
ness of the Black Arrow stuck sorely IN |
Mis- throat.
Meanwhile, young Shelton was going |
on heartily enough with his oreaRIast, !
when be felt touch upon his arm ana & |
very soft voice whispering in his ear.
"Meke not sign, do besee n you,"
said the voice, "but OF your charity tell
ne the straight way to Hollywood. Be-
seech you now, good boy, comfort poor
soul in peril and extreme Distress Gno
set me so far forth upon the way to my
repose."
"Take the path by the windmill" an.
swered Dick, IN the same tone; ut Will
bring you to Till Ferry; there inquire
again"
And without turning his head he fell
again to eating. But with the tail OF his
eye he caught glimpse OF the young lsd
called Master John stealthily creeping
trom the room.
"Why," thought Dick, she is as Young
as l. Good boy doth he csl mt! An
1 had known l should have seen the var
let hanged ere l had told him. Well, II
he goes through the ten l may come up
with him and pull his ears"
Halt an hour later Sir Daniel gave
Dick the letter and babe him speed to the
Moat House. And again some hall al
hour after Dicks departure the tucket
vas sounding cheerily in the morning,
and from all sides Sir Daniels men
poured into the main street and formed
before the inn. The chief part were In
Sir Daniels livery, murrey and blue,
which gave the greater show to their ar
ray; and the knight looked with pride
along the line. "Why! how noI!" he
cried. "Juhn! Joanna! Nay, by the S.
cred -oodl where is She? Host, where is
thst giIl?"
"GirI, Sir Daniel?" cried the landlord.
"Nsy. sir, SAY no girl"
"BoY, then, dotsrd!" cried the knight.
nCould re not see 1t was a wench2 She
In the murrey -colered mantle-she that
broke her fast vita water, roguc-Where
| is she7"
nNay, the saints bless US! Master
John, We called him." ssid the host.
"Well, thought none evil. He is gone.
saw him-her-I saw her IN the stable q
good hour agone; a was ssddliDg grey
horse"
"Now, by the rood!" cried Sir Daniel,
"the wench was worth $500 to me, and
more. Solder, fall me out with six croes-
bowmen; hunt me her down. care net
what 1t cost; but, at nv returning, let me
aud her at the Moat House. Be II upon
your head"
CHAPTER II.
NTHE FEN.
It was near in the Msy morning when
Dick began to ride down into the fen
upon his homeWard way. The path lay
almost straight through the morass. 1t
was already very ancient; it's foundation
had been laid by Roman soldiery; IN the
lapses Of ages much of it had sunk, and
every here and there for few hundred
yards it lsy submerged beneath the stag
nant waters Of the fen.
About mile from Kettley, Dick came
to one such break In the plain line Of
causeway, where the reeds and willows
grew dispersely like little Islands and
confused the eye. The gap, besides, was
more than usually long-it was place
where any stranger might come resdily
to mischief; and Dick bethougat him,
with something like 8 pang, OF the lad
whom he had so impertectly directed.
Hallway ACROSS, and when he had al
ready sighted the path rising nigh ana
dry upon the farther side, ne was aware
| of great splashipg on his right, and saw
gray horse, sunk to its belly in the mud,
and still systematically struggling. lu-
stsntly, SIS though 1t had OWNED the
neighborhood of help, the poor beast be-
gan TO neigh most piercingly. 1t rolled
meanwhile, a bloodshot eye, insane with
terror; and IS it spraWled WslloWing IN
the quag, clouds Of singing insects rose
and buzzad about it in the air.
"Alack!" thought Dick, Hcsn the poor
lad have persisted? There is his horse,
for certain-a brave grey! Nay, comrsde.
If thou crlest to me so piteously, l Will
do all man can to help thee. Shalt moi
lie there TO drown By inches"
And he made ready his crossboW and
put quarrel through the creatures
head.
Dick rode on, sitter this act OF rugged
mercy, somewhat sobered in spirit, and
looking closely about him for any sign
of his less happy predecessor in the way
az would had dared to tell m fur
ther," he thought; "ior l fear he has
miscarried in the slough"
And lust as he was so thinking Votcs
cried upon his name from the csuseWaJ
side, and, looking over his shoulder, he
saw the lads face peering from clumr
of reeds.
care ye there" he said, refining in
aye lay so close among the reeds that
had passed you by. Isaw your horse be-
mired and put him from his agony
which, by my sooth! and ye had been
merciful rider ye had done yourself"
NAY, good boy, have no arms, MOI
skill to use them if had" replied the
other, stepping forth upon the pathway
"Why call me boy?" cried Dick. "Yt
are not, trow, the elder Of us twGin."
"Good Master Shelton" said thu
other, "prithee forgive me. have none
the lesst intention to offend. Rather
would in every way beseech your gentle
ness and favor, for am now worse bese
than ever, having lost my way, my cloaf
and nv poor horse. To have 8 riding
rod and spurs and never horse to 81
uponi And before all," he added, look
ing ruefully upon bis clothes-"befor'
sll, to be sorrllY besmiTched!"
"TutW ciiedDick. "Would ye mint
, ducking? Blood Of wound or dust o
travel THAT'S mans sdornment."
may, then, 1 like him better plain,
observed the lad. "But, prithee, hoV
shall I do? Prfthee, good Maste
Richard, help Ee"with your good counsel
If come net safe to Hollywood l am IN
DONE"