The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-10-19


neither backward nor forward. I cannot
see a foot Of dry land as Il is, before or
behind us"
IIo was right. Far and wide, wherever
our eyes could reach, the moonlight was
reflected in n sheet OF water. We were
nearly up to our girths In water. On one
side was the hurrying river; ON the other
were the treacherous depths OF the back
water. | asked the guido as well as ] |
could whether the road was good beyond |
He answered that he did not know. lie |
and his companion were 50 terrified that |
we only kept them beside us by threats.
IL fear we must go back" said, rs
sonting sorrowfully.
7 Even the duchess agreed. and we were
in the act Of turning to rctraco our stops
with what spirit we might when a dis
tant sound brought us all to a standstill
again. The wind was blowing from tne
| quarter whence we had come-from EN-
merich--and II brought to us the sound
OF voices. We all stopped TO listen. Yes
they wore voices we heard-loud, strident
tones, mingled now with the sullen plash
OF horses tramping through the water. l
looked at tho duchess. Her face was pnlo,
but her courage did not fail her. She un-
dorstood in a tries that the danger we had
so much dreaded was upon us; that we
were followed, and the followers were mt
our heels, and she turned her horse round
again. without word she spurred 1t
back toward the deep part seized Annes
rein and followed, Notwithstanding that
the poor girl in her terror would have re-
sisted. Letting the guides go rs they
pleased, we four in moment found our
selves abreast again, our horses craning
over the stream, while We with whip and
spur, urged them on.
In cold blood we should scarcely have
done 1t. Indeed, for minute, as our
steeds stumbled and recovered themselves
and slid forward, only to draw back trem-
bling-as tho water rose above our boots
or was flung by our fellows In our eyes,
and all was fiogging and scrambling and
splnshing-it seemed as II we were to be
caught in trap despite our resolve. But
at last Master Bertie's horse took tho
plunge. His wifes followed, and both,
partly floundering 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 comparatively high out of the water
"Comel" cried my lady imperatively as
she turned in her saddle with a gesture Of
defiance "Comel 1t is all right"
Come indeed wanted nothing better
for was beside myself with passion. But
fog as / might, could not get Anne's
brute to take the plunge The girl herself
could give me no aid. Clinging to her
saddle, pale and half fainting, she could
only beg me to leave her, crying out again
and again in terrified voice that she
would be drowned With her cry there
suddenly mingled another-thc hail of our
pursuers rs they sighted us. / could hear
them drawing nearer, and / grow desper-
F. 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 Anne's after 1t. How
we kept our seats, how they their footing,
never understood, but somehow, splash
ing and stumbling and blinded by the wa
Ger 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 the struggle In an
agony Of suspense. / did but fling the
: girls rein to Master BERTHE, and then 1
wheeled my horse to the stream again. l
= had made up my mind what / must do.
go onl' cried, waving my hand with a
gesture of farewell. go onl can keep
them here for awhile"
"Nonsenser' heard the duchess cry,
her voice high and shrill. 1T Isl
go onr' cried. go onl Do not lose
n a moment, or 1t 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
o now and must, II they passed it, overtake
us easily He hesitated, l have said, foI
a moment. Then he seized his wifes rein
and drew her on, and heard the three
horses go splashing away through the
flood. l threw glance at them over my
shoulder, bethinking me that I had moi
told the duchess my story, and that Sill
Anthony and Petronilla would never
but, pishi What was thinking Off That
was thought for woman. l had only
to harden my heart now and set my teeth
together. My task was very simple in
deed. had Just to keep these men-ther,
were four-here as long as could and q
possible to stop Clarenoe's pursuit alto
T. gether.
For l had made no mistake The frs
man to come up was Clarence-Clarenc'
himself. He let fall savage word as hi
horse stopped suddenly with its fore fee
spread out on the edge Of the stream, ant
his dark face grew darker as he saw tn
swirling eddies and me standing fronting
him in the moonlight with my sword out
Il. He discerned at once, / think, the strength
of my position. Where stood the waite
was scarcely over my horses fotlocks
Where he stood 1t was over his horse
knees, and between us 1t flowed nearl,
four feet deep.
He held hasty parley with his com
panions, and thon he hailed me. xvii
you surrender" he cried in English. "W
will give you quarter"
Surrender To whomi" said. "Anl
| xubv-xyhy ehon1d Il anrranIart
& robbers and outpursesS'
Surrender in the name of the emperor
n, you foolP' he answered sternly and rough
"Iknow nothing about the emperorl"
retorted. what emperorf''
I'm the queens name, thenl'
1.-THE Duke of Cleves Is queen herel"
cried, land as the flood is rising" add
'e ed scornfully, II would advise you to g
homo again"
"You would advise, would your VIII
are your he replied In a kind of wrathfu
curiosity
I gave him no answer. I have ofte
since reflected, with fuller knowledge 9
certain facts, that no stranger interyie,
ever took place than this short colloqu
~ between us; that no stranger fight eve
was fought than that which we conten
plated as We stood there bathed in tn
N May moonlight, with the water all roun
RI US and the cold sky above A strang
fight indeed 1t would have been betwee
him and me had 1t ever come to the sword
pointl
But this was what happened. His lai
words had scarcely RING out when IN
let horse began to culver under me and swa
backward and forward. had Just tim
to take the alarm whom the poor beai
sank down and rolled gently over, leavin
me bestriding Its body, my feet in the WI
ter. Whatever the cause Of this, had I
disentangle myself, and that quickly, Il
the four men opposite me- seeing me di
IN, mounted, plunged with a cry of trump
into the water and began to dound'
across. Without more ado i stepped 70
ward to keep the ford.
The foremost and nearest 10 me WI
Clarenoe, whose horse haean hale .ra
across, To swim. IL WAS still scramblin
to regain Its footing when 1t came With
my reach, and slashed 1t cruelty acroi
the nostrils. 1t turned in an instant 0
Its side. / saw the riders face gleai
white in the water. His stirrup shone
moment as the horse rolled over; then
second the two were gone down ti
stream. 1t was done SO easily, SO quickl,
1t amazed me. One gone, hurrahl