The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-03-06

~ HHN#AAAHH NH NAAN AHNAAA HNHHN HNH HNNA
HE own elect" and with that ho would
have touched her face.
But the blood rushed hot 10 my
cheek at the thought OF the indignity,
and drawing my sword, / made short
work Of the ladder and appeared pell
NELL IN tho midst Of them.
Parrying a fierce blow which the
foremost trooper dealt at me, got
under his guard aud passed my blade
through his right lung.
As the man fell his two comrades
dropped back and had an instant 10
look around.
Presently, recovering something OF
their lost courage, the two men again
approached, but this time with less
fury and more method. For some mo.
ments there was the ring of steel
against steel as we struck aud par.
ried, neither being able to obtain the
mastery, whilo ever and anon, at a
fercer blow, bright sparks shot forth
from the meeting blades.
AT length, with a swift and sudden
upward stroke, l deprived my Oppo-
nent Of his weapon. II flew from his
hand aud fell with a clink and a iangle
upon the stone floor.
II seemed, however, that the blow
was likely to cost mo dear, for in
striking 1 stumbled over the body of
the fallen trooper, and in a trice the
Sergeant was upon me with flashing
sword. Instead OF q death thrust,
however, a most astonishing and some
what ludicrous thing came to pass, for
l found a most useful ally in the
brave lady who had displayed so much
interest in the struggle. She seized
the pot that was seething on the fire,
and with a quick movement poured
the whole OF the scalding contents
into the face Of the Sergeant.
He turned on his heel and, followed
by the disarmed trooper, went rapidly
from the house, using as he did so
many ungodly words, such as 1 trow
he had never found in his prayer
book.
"Sir, pray you lose not a moment,
but depart forthwith, for 1 fear me
yon Sergeant will most surely re-
turn.
'Nay, fair lady," I answered, 81
depart not alone for, if mistake not +,
this same fellow went off in a worse
humor at thy greeting than at mine.
'Most valiant gentleman" she said,
81 will tell you who l am and whence
I come, and why you find me here.
am the daughter of the Earl of Nor
vale, whose purpose it was to give me
in marriage to a certain courtier of the
King, a man 1 had never seen, and who
did not doubt was devotedly solely
to puffs and frills aud such things as
are beseeming only to women-that
kind of man, indeed, which in my in
justice 1 did at first conceive you
yourself to be. / left his roof to seek
that of my mothers sister, who lives
on the border of the County Worces
ter, until such time as his humol
should have changed. Then the trou,
bles broke out in this quarter, SO my
good mother lent me this peasants
dress, that l might be the less easily
recognized, and here for six days ]
have abided.
"You have told me much, madam,
and yet not that which l most desire
to learn. Your father being the Ear
of Morvale. have the privilege of ad
dressing Lady Constance Temple?"
She inclined her head to signify as
sent.
cit is then possible that the courtiel
of whom you speak is Sir Lionel Nor
daunt?"
"You have again guessed rightly,
said the lady, gazing at me in some
astonishment.
"For the moment we must make
your safety our chief concern. TIL,
castle of Morvale lies from here no
six leagues distant. The night is fine
and by pressing forward without de
lay we should reach it before the dawn
Shall we go thither?"
'But the courtier, sirrah?" ex
claimed the lady. My father will
surely still seek to force this marriag,
upon me-"
"As to that" I replied, "you neec
apprehend no further embarrassment
and for this reason, that the unwittinI
cause of all your troubles stands be
tore you" made her a low bow.
When at last she looked up she wa
smiling through her bushes.
'Yet fear, sir" she said, with
comical look, shat the Earl will still
refuse to relinquish his DESIRE"
"And you, madam" I answered
"you can refuse"
"But, sirrah"-she looked at m
with merry twinkle in her eyes, an
yet with passing sweetness-'I am
dutiful daughter.
I took her tiny hand in mind, and
bending low before her, kissed it. =
Black and White.