Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-21
CHAPTER VIII

Merr1ly on the afternoon OF tne same
day | swung into the saddle, fecked
good Hagart with my gloves and set
the tall houses and noisy streets slip
ping behind me. Out of the gates, past
the staring sentries and sullen towers,
| rode with cheer.
The mud had dried mp wonderfully
since our advent to the city, and Ha-
CART tossed his name back into my face
with the sheer JOY of the open road.
We passed through the outlying vii
lagos and into the open country in less
than an hour. Then | drew rein and
walked Hagart up a hill. The willows
and poplars were so full of leaves and
summer wind that they seemed things
/ of the air-not gross vegetables with
their roots deep in the ground. The
fields We're bright with young grain,
the woods with birds.
So we went, forgetting the scenes Of
| battle, both man and horse glad with
the fullness of life.
Dark was drawing down when far to
the north | made out the blue heads of
the mountains and knew that LISTENS,
with all its cheer and love. lay not five
miles in front of me.
Then | fell to dreaming and entered
the firwood of the Monks Cross at a slow
walk, with no thought of rapier or dag.
and, as in an ugly dream. Hagart was
thrown back on to his Launches. and
was dragged from the saddle
I sYore a full mouthed oath and
kicked over some of the men who held
me Hagart jumped clear battered
down two rognes with his unshod feet
and Numbered away toward LISTENS
Swearing nightly ut HagHrt's escape,
they bound me viciously and tied me
astride a mountain pony What joy
full ending, this to all my dreams Then
n horrible feeling Of sickness came oven
ne, and | shivered with a cruel chill
My wound, which before | had though,
little Of. now began TO pain and my
head to swim | swOoned, and upon re-
covering consciousness found the pony
upon which rode picking its way ovel
rocks and around gullies Owing.to the
darkness could not make ont tn,
number of the fellows about me, bu
by their fierce and MIXED jargons
knew them to be robbers from tn,
North mountains
Presently a fellow at my stirrup said
"Now lordling, what do you thinl
your father will pay to get you back Z
"DOgl" | muttered
keep that talk for the dead bodies
of the men hanged by the neck anC
answer my question. he growled in /
threat aning voice.
"Not penny if can help it. 4
sword and well aimed dag would Sc
me free of you in half minute, 20,
scum of the pot T.
He laughed at my words. though
think they suited him none too pleas
antly.
You are a gay little cock" he re
torted, land worth about / 900 crown
. to the baron.
, ! was faint but this speech touched
3 me to the anger of child
, " Little cockl you canaillel Jus
+ let me down, and will show you N.
six feet of littleness, raved.
| After that, for what seemed to m
years we rode in silence Our path be
came steep and rough, and three Ian
terms had to be lighted. Dizzy though
l was, | managed to count IL men il
the party around me
r II am surprised that such brave me
make such poor horse catchers," | saiG
I thinking of the valiant Hagart
8 They swore hotly at this, and on
fellow said he would knock my head O
= if didn't keep quiet When we halle
= and they unbound me from the saddle
l | fell prone with exhaustion. Some on
. took me by the heels and dragged m
! into little burrow hoored with stray
r and there let me lie ! was hungry an
t tired. but as nothing came in the wa
r OF food ! fell into fitful sleep
s When opened my eyes the sun wa
g falling cheerfully into my rough abode
and my hands were free At my elbo,
= stood can of water and small loa
of black bread ! drank the watf
greedily and tried to eat few crumt
of the loaf, but could not NV hea
ached, and my limbs trembled
A lout armed to the teeth strolle
o mp and down in front of my dool
. From all around came the shrill laugh
ter and vile jests of slatternly wome