Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-29

Of horses tramping through the water.
looked at the duchess. Her face was pale,
but her courage did not fail her She I'M
derstcod in trice that the danger We had
SO much dreaded was upon US; that VIC
were followed, and the followers were at
our heels. and she turned her horse round
again. Without word she spu-red 1t
back toward the deep part. seized Annc's
rein and followed, notwithstanding that
the poor girl in her terror would have re-
sisted Letting the guides 60 rs they
pleased, we four in n moment found cur
selves abreast again, our horses cranin9
over the stream, while We, with whip and
spur. urged them on.
In cold blood we should scarcely have
done 1t. Indeed, for a minute, as our
stecGs stumbled and recovered themselves
and slid forward, only to draw back trcm-
bIing-as the water rose above our boots
or was flung by our fellows in our eyes.
and all was flogeing and scrambling and
splashin2--it seemed rs ii we were to be
caught in n trap DESPITE our resolve. But
at last Master BoTtie's horse took the
plunge. His wifc's followed, and both,
partly loundcring and partly swimming,
set forward, snorting the while in fear.
To my joy saw them emerge safely not
ten yards away, and shaking themselves
stand comp rativcly high out of the water.
Gomez cried my lady imperativcly rs
she turned In her saddle with a gesture of
defiance. Come! 1t is all right"
Come indeed! 1 wanted nothing better,
for was beside myself with passion. But,
fog as might, l could not get Anne's
brute to take the plunge. The girl herself
could give nc no aid. ClinSing to her
saddle, pale and half fainting, shc could
only beg nc to leave her, crying out again
and again In terrified voice that she
would be drowned. With her cry there
suddenly mingled anothcr-thc hail CT our
pursucrs rs they sighted us. l could hear
them drawing nearer, ard l grew desper-
ate. Luckily they could not make any
speed in water SO deep, and time was given
me for one last furious effort. 1t succeed
cd. My horse literally fell into the
stream. 1t dragged Apro's after it. How
we kept our seats, how they their footing,
l mover understood, bu. somehow, splash
ing and stumbling and blinded by tho wa
ter dashed in our faces, we came out on
the other side, where the duchess and her
husband, too faithful to us to save them
selves, had watched tho struggle in an
agony of suspense. ! did but fling the
girls rein to Master BERTHE and then
wheeled my horse to the stream again. l
had made up my mind what 1 must do.
60 on!' cried, waving my hand with
gesture of farewell. 60 on! can keep
them here for awhilc.-'
'Nonsonse!' heard tho duchess cry,
her voice high and shrill. 1T is
go onl'' cried. go onl Do not lose
q moment, or it will be useless
Master BERTHE hesitated, but he. too
saw that this was the only chance. The
Spaniards were on the brink of the stream
now and must, if they passed it, ovcrtake
us easily. He hesitated, l have said, for
n moment. Then he seized his wifes rein
and drew her on, and i heard the three
horses go splashing away through the
food. i threw n glance at them over my
shoulder, bethinking me that l had not
told tho duchess my story, and that Sir
Anthony and Pctronilla would never
but, pish! What was thinking OFF That
was thought for u woman. l had only
to harden my heart now and set my teeth
together. My task was very simple in
decd. had just to keep these men-thero
were four-hcrc as long as could and II
possible to stop Clarence's pursuit alto
Sother.
For had mado no mistake. Tho first
man to come up was Clarence-Clarencc
himself. He let fall n savage word as his
horse stopped suddenly with its fore feet
spread out on tho edge of the stream, and
| his dark face grew darker as he saw the
| swirling eddies and me standing fronting
| him in the moonlight with my sword out.
| He discerncd at oncc, l think, the strength
| of my position. Where l stood the water
was scarcely over my horses fetlocks.
| Where ho stood it was over his horses
knees, and between US it flowed nearly
| four feet deep.
He held n hasty parlcy with his CON-
| panions, and then he hailed me. "Will
you surrender" he cried in English. 1--WE
| will give you quarter
| Surrender, To whom'" said "And
why-why should surrender? Are you
robbers and cutpurses.'
| Surrender in the namo of the emperor,
| you foolr' he answered sternly and rough
ly.
| "Iknow nothing about the emperor"
rotorted. what emperor.'
| In the queens name, then!'
| The Duke of Clcves is queen here!"
cried, land Us the flood is rising" add
cd scornfully, Il would advise you to &c
| home again"
You would advise, would you' WHIT
arc your he replied In kind Of wrathfu
| curiosity.
| / gave him no answer. have otter
since reflected, with fuller knowledge o.
| certain facts, that no stranger interview
ever took place than this short colloquJ
between Us; that no stranger fight eve
was fought than that which we contem
plated as we stood there bathed in tn,
May moonlight, with the water all rount
us and the cold sky above. 4 strang'
fight indeed it would have been between
him and me had it ever come to the sword
point!
But this was what happened. His las
words had scarcely rung out when m,
horse began 10 Guive: under me and swa.
backward and forward. had just tim
to take the alarm when the poor beas
sank down and rolled gently over, leaving
me bcstridins its body, my feet in the wa
ter. Whatever the cause of this, had Il
disontanGle myself, and that quickly, 70
the four men opposite me, seeing me dis
mounted, plunged with a cry of triumph
into the water and began to 6ounde
across. Without more ado / stepped fer
ward to keep the ford.
The foremost and nearest to me wa
Clarence, whose horse began, half wa