St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-11-16

fearing to assume too much. A de-
spised guest, tolerated only because
of my errand and my wound, ] could
notbesurefhat my assistance was well
come till violence itself should force
me to the front.
Presently the door was timidly
opened by old Parker, the serving
man, who alone of all the men sery-
ants had remained faithful. Inswag-
gered the burly ruffian till he stood
in the center of the great hall.
Bring hither thy mistress, thou
old dolt, and in haste; bid her delay
not an instant, or she will fare but
the worse,Y stormed the brute. With
that he sent one Of his yarlets to the
kitchens to lay hands on what he
could and another to the stables.
Then down the broad stairway
came Lady Fairfax and Mistress Della
Fairfax, CAIN and stately and proud,
the frightened maids above peering
over the balusters. Not SO much as a
look did they cast on me in passing.
asend your maids to gather up
your jewels and plate in hot haste
and have them brought here to me, "
cried the ruf1ian. 'SNo words; I will
not listen. Haste thee, lest worse be-
fall; thou art helpless"
At thatsI could wait no longer for
the rage that possessed me. Istepped
forward with what GOODNESS I could
muster, and thus Ispoke:
s'Thou art liar, as ever, Sir John
BalIington. These ladies are for the
present in my care. But for their
presence thou shouldst taste steel; get.
thee gone, and that speedily"
The cowardly scoundrel, taken by
surprise, whitened and cringed as |
advanced, cunningly made as if to
retreat to the door and then in an
instant turned and thrust at my heart,
shouting to his man to lay on. But
l was ready, and, turning aside his
steel, I evaded his rush and struck
down the varlet, giving him the steel
deep enough in the shoulder to keep
him quiet for many day. At his
masters shout in came the other fell
low from the kitchens, sword in hand,
just as Sir John rushed again to the
attack with the ferocity of mad
beast, shouting vile oaths andlendeav-
oring to beat down my guard with a
whirlwind Of blows. Doubtless he
thought me some country yokel who
could not stand an instant before
him, one of the best swords in either
army.As for me, a fierce joy possessed
me; I could have shouted for very
happinessI was fighting for my love
and under her eye. Yet two to one is
no child's play, and with my back to
the wall Ifeneed for a moment warily
till / saw my chance. Then, spring
ing out like lightning, { got in deep
on the varlet's sword arm SO that he
set up a howl and made for the door.
Then I turned to the master, and,
driving him to the center Of the hall,
thus / spoke:
Now, Sir John Ballington, thine
hour Of retribution hath come. Thou
deservest well to die; but for the pres.
ence this hour were thy last. And
first, for the shame thou hast done the.
army Of the parliament take thou
that, SO all men may know theefor the
villain thou artp So saying, ] cut
his left ear clean from his head. For
the insult to these gentle 1adies-this
as thy punishment And with that
Il sprang and caught his blade with
mine and sent steelWhirling across
the. great hall. Well I knew that.
death itself were not so bitter.
Now, thou coward, thou dishon-
ored gentleman, thou beast in human
form, down oh thy knees and ask par
don Of those thou wouldst have
wfonged; aye beg thou for life itself;
else thou di9st."
Down went Sir John Ballington to
his knees and abjeetly did he pray for
pardon and for Life. In the end ]
bound him with his own sword belt
and drove him before me from the
hall. But at the door he turned his
liyid face, in which ragged all the pas
sions Of the damned, and spoke:
@Most worshipful ladies and loyal
to your king, know ye the crop-eared
spy ye shelter? I know him By his
fence, for none other in all England
can 50 put me to shame with the
sword. 'Tis that base-born churl,
John Charlton, lately made colonel
Of Cromwell's Own, and the most.
bloody malignant in all the Army of
Parliament. | wish you joy IN him. 7
@Good-by, Mistress Della Fairfax, ;.
/ said, bowing low before her ere I