Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-10-05
Long may the maiden wnp
Sitting her moans;
In the mountain glen
Written his bones.

look pleadingly. One word rom
those beardless lips and the minstrel
had sung his last strain, but theword
was not spoken. Edwy read the con-
flicting emotions that held him pas
siye, and with that tense Of power
that is the wine of strong souls, he
knew his own domination over the
heart he had preserved.
Armed men ringed him in, sleeping,
drinking or shouting fragments OF
merry song, but he who reused them
from their careless mood would find
that he had Weakened the sleeping
cobra. Those sheathed daggers were
used to flashing out at word. In
their midst sat the boy, with whom
he dare not speak-his judge-look-
ing into eyes the Branksome men had
good reason to fear, and meeting the
glance of his savior. And here stood
he, Edwy, the heir of Tynedale, with
no hand raised against him, yet face
to face with death. They were no
strangers. Oft had they measured
strength with strength before, where
steel flashed keen between them. or
the precipice waited hungrily for a
needless step, but never yet had they
met in the breath of a song.
In one fierce moment he grasped
the full strength of life. The little
band waiting his signal without, the
walls that even now echoed to the
laughter of the foes OF his house, all
rested on his power to hold and con
troll the will of the child who now
raised questioning eyes to his, as
asking counsel. The battle courage
| flushed his dark cheek as he once
more touched his harp. He must
sing, rs he had fought, for his life
and the honor of Tynedale.
| Faithless are lovers, but lovers are many;
Maidens are cruel, but hearts heal aInain;
| Thankless are beggars who take the drink
Few hold remembrance while one moon
/ may wane.
! Choicest in iniamy whom may We call?
/ migrate ofingrates and king Of them all?
Who but the traitor TO friend and TO honor?
| Who but the bastard that, drunken with
strife,
I Strikes at the bosom that suecored and
Offers him death who hath rendered him
lie?
Dead in dishonor of living in shame.
Baras shall remember the dastardly name.
Edwy ceased. Had he lost or won
in the game where the stake was life?
The boys grave eyes glowed with a
clear light, and as the impetuous
strain sank to silence, he drew the
harp from Edwy's arm.
4 "Methinks your songs ring not
true, fair harper. There be blacker
traitors than he who Stays even q
friend"
And with mournful vet steadfast
look he gave in song his answer to
Edwy's challenge:
Youthful knight. charge the well.
Guard the banner that thou dearest;
Though il leads 10 blacklist hell.
Though DER naked swords thou farcSt
Though thy lie, thy friend thy soul,
Doomed be to endless dole.
Edwy had lost. As the ycrseended
with a tremble, the two stood silent
lyside by side watching the quivering
strings. The last faint vibration
died away, and with eyes that seemed
not to see, the boy stepped forward
and raised his hand imperiously for
silence. But Edwy was before him.
NAY, boy, there shall be no need.
/ saved thee once from death; | will
save thee now from ingratitude.
Snatching up the silken banner OF
his house he wound it as shield about
his left arm, and with drawn sword
he planted his back against friendly
wall
"Ye men of Branksome, heard We
ever melody like this before?'
! And lifting his clear voice, the bat
tie song of the Tynedales rung out
over heads of the conquerors with de
faint boldness.
A Tynedale, Tynedalel and merry St. An.
drew to aid,
While blood may flow or edge may bite, o
Tynedale wileds the blade!
While heart can beat or eve can sec Tyne
dale fronts the fray,
Tynedalel Tynedale! st. Andrew wins the
dayl
There was a hush like death, then
the wide hall echoed and re-echoed
with a hoarse cry of death to the
Tynedale!" and fifty swords flashed
their menace out; fifty foemen, wild
with hate, leaped to face him. Then
they paused, awed by the dauntless-
ness of the proud youth, whose eve
lid never quivered. He would die,
but not alone. A moment and they
closed upon him, while flashing steel
on steel struck fire; A shrek, q groan,
but not from Edwy' lips; a narrowing
circle of sword points, yet with guard
and thrust Edwy held his own. He
felt the blood flow from his breast,
the wall seemed to weaken and yield,
and gasping out "A Tynedale." he
sank to the floor.
Was it the echo of his voice, or tho
wild heart blood beating in his ears!
His last words We're caught up and
repeated: a Tynedale to the res.
cuel A Tynedalel"
Then for Edwy came silence.
But not for the hall. Though the
portal sprang Oswald, leading the
Tynedale men, who had waited with
I out in the shadows for Edwy's signal,
The signal had come, hut from
Oswald's hand, at the moment when
a NJ. s.,s l,s,l ss,l