Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-05-17
CHAPTER XVI
THE BATTLE or STANFORD HEATH.

my comrade stepped briskly beside me. twas
useless TO put Molly beyond walk; aud, b.
sides, the mare new from her days iour-
ney. This troubled me the less by reason oe
tho moon tnow almost at the fulD, and tho
extreme whteness OF the road underfoot, %
that there was no fear OF going astray. And
Billy engaged that by sunrise we should b In
sight Of the kings troops
"Nay, Jack" he said, when by signs oe-
fcred him TO ride and tie; never rode q
horseback but once, and that 'pou rarsn
Spinks his red mare at Bideford PArsoa =
those days was courtin the widow Hambly,
over to Torrington; an i, that wanted 70
faro 10 Barnstaple spent that mornin' an
better part o. tn afternoon clAwin' Oh Tor.
rington. And tn end was the larboard hal
yards broke, an the mare jibed, an to Tor.
rington wont before the wind, wi an un-
seemly bloody nose. Ludr cries the widow,
tits tho wrong man 'pon the right horssr
Pardon, mistress,' says I, the man 10 well
enow, but 'pon the wrong horse, for sure.'s
We had some trouble at IAunceston Rats
| where wero few burgers posted for SEN
tries, and. as could $50, ready TO take fright
| at their own shadowa But Billy gave the
| watchword Gone and all'1, and presently
| they let US through. As we passed along the
street we marked light In every window
almost, though twas near midnight; and the
people moving about behind their curtains.
| 1ueI0 Weio BTOupS, TOO, III Cu0 DARK 0OOEs
| ways, gathered there discussing, that eyed us
as we went by, and answered Billys '.Good
night honest menT' very hoarse and doubt
fully.
| But when we were beyond the town, and
| between hedges again, think must have
dozed of in my saddle For, though this was
road full of sharp memories, being the last
had travelled with Deia ] have no remem-
brance to have felt them; or, indeed, OF not
| Inc l.,,t tba craol ,.inb nj. a,,A th.
constellation of the Bear blazing ahead, and
Billy's voice resonant beside me.
And after this can recall passing the tower
| of Markham church, with the paling sky be-
hind 1t and some birds chattering in the
carved courses; and soon, it seemed, felt
Bnly's grip on my knee, and opened my eyes
to see his finger pointing.
We stood on ridge above hollow vale
into which the sun, though now bright, did
not yet pierce, but passing over to a high,
conical hill beyond, smotc level ON line after
limo of white tents-thc pretticst sight! Twas
the enemy there encamped on tho top and
some way down the sides, tho smoke OF their
tramplei watch fires still curling among tho
gorse bushes. l heard their trumpets calling
and drums beating TO arms; for though,
glancing back at tho sun, / judged II to be
hardly past in the morning, yet already the
slopes were moving like an ant hill-the regi-
ments gathering, arms flashing. horsenen
galloping TO and fro, and the captains shout
ing their commands. In the distance this
had sweet and cheerful sound, no more dis
qucting than plow boy calling to his team.
Looking down into tho valley at our feet
at first saw no sign of our own trOops-only
the roofs Of n little town, with overmuch
smoke spread above it, like morning mist
But here also heard the church bells clash
ing and drum beating. and presently spied
CLEAN of arms down among the trees, and
then regiment of foot moving westward
along the base Of the hill. Twas evident the
battle was at hand, and We quickened our
pace down into the street.
1t lay on the slope, and midway down
passed some watch fires burned out; and then
soldier or two running and fastening their
straps; and last little child, that seemed wild
with the joy of living amid great events, but
led us pretty straight TO the sign Of "The
J Tree" which indeed was the only tavern.
1t stood some way back from the street,
with great elm before the porch, where by
: n table sat two men, with tankards beside
them, and a small company Of grooms and
soldiers standing round. Both men were
more than ordinary tall and soldier like; only
, the bigger wore n scarlet cloak, very richly
> laced, and was shouting orders to his mon;
I while the other, dressed in plain buff suit and
Jack boots, had map spread before him,
which he studied very attentively, writing
!, therein with quill pen.
"What plague have we herer cries the
big man we drew up.
"Recruits, If it please You, sir" said !, dis
mounting and pulling off my hat, though his
n insolent tone offended me.
! 'S'lidl The boy speaks as If he were .
regiment" growls he, half aloud "Can'st
d lfghtf'
8 THAT with your leave. sir, is what am
come to try"
"And this rascalir He turned on Billy
! Billy heard not word, of course. yet an
d lswered readily;
u "Why, since your honor Is so pleasantly
y mnded-let it be- cider"
Il Now the first effect of this, delivered with
lal force of lung, was to make the big man sit
bolt upright and staring; recovering speech,
however, he broke into volley of blasphe-
Il mous curses.
o All this while the man IN buff had scarce
o hiftod his eyes or the map. But now he looks
II Iup-and saw at the first glance that the two
y linen hated each other.
II think" said he, quietly, my Lord
, Mohun has forgot to ask the gentlemans 5
{, name"
y "My name is Marvel, sir-John Marvel"
Il answered him with bow.
IS Hey !"-and, dropping his pen he starts
n up and grasps my hand-''Then it's You ]
have never thanked for his gracious ma jesty s
10 letter"
t "The Gen Hoptoni" cried l.
"Eyen so, sir. My lord" he went on, still
ie holding my hand and turning to his compsn-
~ ion, "ist me present to you the gentleman
that in January saved your house of Bocon-
g hoe from burning at the hands Of tho rebels
d, whom God confound this day" He lifted
lie his hat.
It. "Amcn,n said |, as his lordship bowed, ex-
" ceeding suky But did not value his rage,
be IpDrAlSp,l
d; first captain tas yet hold on the royal side.
ht Who now, not without sly triumph, flung
IN the price of Billy's cider on the table, and,
la folding up his map, addressed me again:
"a Master Marvel the fight today will lie
to but little with the horse-or SO | hope. You
| will do WELL If your wish be to serve us best,
at to leave your mare behind The troop which
"a my Lord Mohun and l command together
is below. But Sir Bevil Grenville, who has
a seen and is interested in you, has the first
as claim; and would not deny you the delight
to fight your first battle under good
he ter His men are, with Sir John Berkeley's
d, troop a little to the westward; and if you
sre ready will go some distance with you
's and put you in the way to find him. My lord,
he may look for you presentlyP
ur The Lord Mohun nodded, surely enough; (;
ce so, Billy's cider being now drunk and Molly
given over to an oster, we set out down the
do hill together, Billy shoulderng pike and
walking after with the groom that led Sir
- Ralph's horse BE sure the generals courtly
or manner of speech set my blood tingling.
st, seemed to grow full two inches taller; and
Dy when, in the vale, We parted, he directed me
n, to the left, where through gap l could see