Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-02-26
CHAPTER III.

l 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, 1 saw
under the lantern there man lettering and
talking with the porter. Twas Master An
thongs iackey; and as I came up he held out
a note for me:
Deare Jack
Wee zoe to lie 'Crowne" at VI o'clock, hav-
inE ret with Captain Settle who is on dewty
/ with the horse to-nite, and must to Abendonn by
TX locke for you Your unfayned loving
A. X.
The bearer has left my servise, and his helth
conserns me net. 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 undeing of
little round citizen into whom 1 ran full tilt
at the corner OF Balliol college; who, before
| 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 Grown were cheer
straddling grooms and troopers talked and
spat in the brightness of the entrance, and
outside in the street was a servant leading up
and down a beautiful sorrel mare, ready sad
died, that was marked on the near hind leg
with a 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 my
way, land open the door ahead of YOU, if
ware the young gentleman Master Killigrew
spoke of"
l had my foot on the bottom step, when
from the room above comes the crash of
table upSetting, with noise of broken glass,
chairs thrust back and racket of outcries.
Next moment the door was burst open, let
ting out flood of light and curses; and
down flies a drawer, three steps at a time,
with a red stain Of wine trucking down his
white face.
"Murder!" he gasped out; and sitting down
on stair, fell to hopping his face, all sick
and trembling.
was dashing past him, with the landlord
at my heels, when three men came tumbling
out at the door and down stairs. 1 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
"Watchl 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. AL this hap
Dened while a man could count twenty: and
In half a minute 1 heard the ring OF steel ana
was standing in the doorway.
There was now no light within but what
was shed by the fire and two tallow candles
that guttered on the mantelsheh The re-
manning candlesticks lay in pool Of wine on
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 splitting into his shoes. His wide,
terrified eyes were fixed on the far end of the
room, where Anthony and the brute Settle
stood, with a shattered chair between them.
Their swords were crossed in tierce, and
grating together as each sought occasion for
lunge, which might have been fair enough
but for dog faced trooper in frowsy black
periwig, who, as l entered, was gathering a
handful of coins from under the fallen table,
and now ran across, sword in hand, to the
caDtain's aid.