The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-04
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
I FIND MYSELF IN A TAVERN BRAWL
1t wanted, maybe, a quarter to Z that
evening, when passing out at the college gate
on my way to All-Hallows' church, I saw
under the lantern there man lettering and
talking with the porter. Twas Master An
thongs lackey; and as I came up he held out
note for me:
Deare Jack
| Wee goe to the "Crowne' at VI o'clock, 1 hav-
| ing NETT with Captain Settle, who is on dewty
with the horse tonte, and must to Abendonn by
TX. locke for you Your unfayned loving
The bearer has left my servise, and his helth
conserns me mott. So xix him if he tarrie
| This last advice had no time to carry out
with any thoroughness; but being put in
great dread by this change of hour, pelted
off towards the Corn market as fast as legs
could take me, which was the undoing of a
i little round citizen into whom ran full tilt
at the corner Of Balliol college; who, before
I could see his face in the darkness, was tip
ped on his back in the gutter and using the
most dismal expressions. So / left him, con-
sidering that my excuses would be unsatisfy-
| ing to his present demands and to his cooler
judgment a superfuity.
The windows of the "Crown" were cheer
fully lit behind their red blinds. A few
straddling grooms and troopers talked and
spat in the brightness of the entrance, and
outside in the street was servant leading up
and down beautiful sorrel mare, ready sad
died. that was marked On the near hind leg
with high white stocking. In the passage
met the host of the Grown Master John
Davenant, and sure q thought in what odd
corners will the Muse pick up her favorites!
For this slow, loose checked vintner was no
less than father to Will Davenant, our laure-
ate, and had belize read no other verse in his
life but those at the bottom Of his own pint
pots.
"Top of the stairs" says he, Indicating nv
way, 'and open the door ahead of you, if
y'are the young gentleman Master Killigrew
spoke Of" sin
I had my foot on the bottom step, when
from the room above comes the crash of q
table upsetting, with noise of broken glass,
chairs thrust back and a racket of outcriea
Next moment the door was burst open, let
ting out flood of light and curses; and
down flies drawer, three steps at time,
with red stain Of wine trucking down his
white face
'Murder!" he gasped out; and sitting down
Oh q stair, fell to hopping his face, all sick
and trembling.
l was dashing past him, with the landlord
at my heels, when three men came tumbl:ng
out at the door and down stairs. I squeezed
myself against the wall to let them pass; but
Master Davenant was pitched to the very
foot of the stairs. And then he picked him
self up and ran out into the Corn market,
the drawer after him, and both shouting
watch! Watch!" at the top of their lungs
and so left the three fellows to push by the
women already gathered in the passage, and
gain the street at their ease. All this hap
pened while man could count twenty; and
in half minute heard the ring of steel and
was standing in the doorway.
. There wes now no light within but what
was shed by the fire and two tallow candles
that guttered on the mantelshelf. The re-
T naming candlesticks lay in pool of wine or
a the floor, amid broken glasses, bottles, scat
, tered coins, dice boxes and pewter pots. In
the corner to my right covered pot boy
with tankard dangling in his hand, and the
contents spilling into his shoes. His wide
, terrified eyes were fixed on the far end of the
room, where Anthony and the brute Settle
stood, with shattered chair between them
= Their swords were crossed in fierce, anC
|. grating together as each sought occasion foi
q lunge, which might have been fair enough
F but for dog faced trooper in a frowsy blacl
periwig, who, as l entered, was gathering {
! handful of coins from under the fallen table
and now ran across, sword in bond, to the
captains aid.
1t was Anthony that faced me, with hi
heel against the wainscoting, and catching
s my cry of alarm, he called out cheerfully ovel
the captains shoulder but without lifting
: his eyes:
'Just in time, Jackl Take off the second
4 cur, that's sweet boy"
:. Now carried no sword; but, seiZing thu
$ tonkard from the pot boys hand, hurled i
f at the dog faced trooper. 1t struck him fail
# between the shoulder blades; and with vel
f of pain he spun round and came towards me
his point glittering in way that turned MI
cold. | gave back a pace, snatched up ;
chair THAT luckily had O wooden scat, and
Y with my back against the door, waited hi
: charge.
Il TWAS in this posture that, finging glanc
V across the room, saw the captains swort
b describe small circle of light, and next mo
ment, with sharp cry, Anthony caught a
l. the blade, and staggered against the wall
pinned through the chest to the wainscoting
:. ''Out with the lights, Dick!" bawled Settle
n Juggling out his point. "Quick, fool-th
d Window"
:, Dick, with back sweep of his hand, sen
p the candles flying off the shelf, and save 70
a the flicker of tho hearth, we were in dark
d ness felt, rather than saw his rush toward
y me, leaped aside, and brought down my chat
If with a crash on his skull. He went down ils
e ninepin, but scrambled up in trice an
y was running for the window. There was
d shout below as the captain thrust the lattic
l. open; another, and the two dark forms ha
" clainbered through the purple square of til
easement and dropped into the Bowling gree
below.
,e By this had made my way across th
is room. and found Anthony sunk against til
/ wall with his feet outstretched There we
A. something he held out towards me, gropin
a FOR my hand, and at the same time whisper
sr ing in a thick, choking voice:
eHere, Jack, here; pocket it quick!"
Twas letter, and as my fingers closed O
o. it they met damp smear, the meaning
d which was but too plain.
II Button it-sharp-in thy breast; now fe
IS for my sword"
X I "First let me tend thy hurt, dear lad.a
"Nay-q quickly. my swordl IT'S ,~~4t,