The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-04


who knows, he thought, but he might kill
the stranger in the bout and have his money
and chance 20 sell the mare again.
There is thy coin." said the stranger.
counting it out. land there is thy box on
the ear" and with blow that ratified over
the fen he felled Dirk Hammerhead to the
ground and broke his jaw.
"Villain." groaned he. 'ft was / who was
to give the buffet, not thou"
Art mad?" asked the stranger. "The
seller takes and the buyer gives. He is
lucky man who never meets his match,
Dirk" and Hereward the Wake rode off
on the enchanted princess to join
her brother, the prince, who was
none other than the faithful servitor,
Martin Lightfoot, whose masquerading
had proved so successful. And so Mare
Swallow came into Hereward's hands-the
doughty mare whose feats have been the
theme Of many song and story. She it
was who bore Hereward. in the guise of a
beggarmaD. 10 the court at Bruges, where
he won T0rfrida. Ali through his years Of
exile. in Frisland, in Flanders and Dem
mark. through Holland and all the north
country. and back into England at last,
where HereNard raised his army against
the cOpoueror Mare Swallow carried him
through many fierce battle and as many a
wild chase, most faithful Of all his friends,
save Torfrids, his wife, whom he afterwaTd
betrayed.
And yet she was, If the chroniclers are to
Dt UtiltSeus DuI III u2ly-l0OhlHS DTule. Olt
needed to look twice at her, they tell US, to
forget her great chucklehead. her tucked-in
TANKS and dropping hindquarters-and see
the lie ngth of those same Quarters-tte
thighs let down into the hooks, the high
arch OF the leins, the great grh through
the saddle, the sloping shoulders, the long
arms, the ia: knees and the large. well-set
hOofS. l have somewhere seen the state
ment-an ancient authority - that Mare
Swallow was higher behind than before.
conformation taliying we'll with her great
head, deep chest and the low-set tail. which,
with her great size and wonderful bone,
speak for her Flemish origin. Certainly
her description betrays nothing of the flier
Of the desert in her lineage.
But she was goodly mare. 1t was she
who saved Hereward, when, having reck-
lessly ventured, disguised as potter. into
the great hail of William the Conoueror, he
was suspected and ut In confinement until
William, who was about starting out 10
hunt, should have time to question him
more closely. They brought him into the
courtyard to iron him, but he killed The
man who would have clasped the letters
on his legs, after which lie broke away out
of the house and over garden walls and
pallngS, till he got 10 the front gate and
leaned upon Mare Swallow, who still stood
there, no one having cared 10 lead away the
pottel's ugly jade. And none saw him but
one unlucky gr0Omboy, who went, cursiDg
to SEIZE The bride. But Hereward smote
him To the ground. and, shaking up Mare
Swallow. rode for his life. With knights and
squireS gallOping at his heels An, but
they were astonished to see the ugly pot
tiers garrOn leave them far behind.
Who, then, was proud but HereNard. as
the mare tucked her great thighs under her
and swept on over heath and rabbit Dur-
row, over rush and fen, sound ground and
Rotten all alike TO that enormous stride, to
that keen bright eye which foTesaw every
football, TO that raking shoulder which
picked her up again az every stagger?
"Hereward laid the bride on her neck
and lei her go. Fall she could not and tire
she could not; and he half wished that she
could 60 on forever. Where could man
be better than on a good horse, with all the
care OF his life blown AWAY out OF his brains
by the keen air which rushed about his
temples? And he galloped on, CHEEKY as
boy. shouting at the rabbits as they scuttled
from under his feet, and laughing ct the
dotlrel as they pos,ured and anteked on
the mOlehilis."
And again and yet again she saved him
from the kings men. who would have this
man 10 come into court and put his Eand
between Williams hands and swear to be
his man. But at last the end drew near
William was wiser man than he. and he
builded surely to eRtrap the last great
English earl. He and Torfrida, with few
siawart souls, were hunted like beasts to
the fens. They lay in the bushes, listening
TO the tramp of their pursuers, binding
Mare Swallows eyes and holding her mouth
lest she neigh and betrsy their hiding
place. They finally reached the shore and
took council what to do. whittier now?"
asked one. ITO Well. To the wide mere"
said Hereward.
SO they embarked in the boats, resolved
to seek the greenwood and live and die like
Englishmen.
Where shall we stow the mare ?" asked
Geri; "the boats are already full" "Leave
her to me-" Hereward said. son board,
Torfrida."
He got on board last. leading the mare by
the bride.
Swim, coed lass" he said as they pushed
OF, and the good lass, who had done it
many time before. waded In and was
soon swimming behind. Hereward turned
and bent over the side in the darkness.
There was strange eurgle, a splash and a
swirl He turned round and sat upright
again. They rOwed on.
That mare will never swim all the way
to Well" said one.
''She viii not need it," said nereward.
why" cried Torfrida, feeling in the
darkness. she is loose. What is his in
your hand? Your daggeri And welt"
MARE Swallow is at the bottom of the
reach. We could never have got her 10
Well"
And you have" cried dozen voices.
DO you think ! would let cursed
Frenchman, ay, even Williams self. say he
had bestrdden Hereward's mar p
None answered. but Torfriia. as she
laid her head upon her husbands bosom.
felt the tears running down from his cheek
onto her own.
None spoke a word. The men were
awe-stricken. There was something de-
sparng and ill-omened in the deed and yet
there was savage grandeur in it that
bound their savage hearts still closer to
their chief.
And so Mare Swallows bones lie soma
where in the peat unto this day.
MISS RUSSELL