The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-10-31

aaught but strike his point down and
then put all my strength Of arm, wrist
al body to turn my blade under his.
did so, God knows how, but in an in
slant I felt my point at his hilt and
with a wrench his rapier jumped twen-
ty feet away. By the force of the twist
he was swung half round sic ,Ways to
me, and, tripping over his own feet, he
fell towards me-'twas all so quick l
could not tell how it happened-but I
suddenly felt my sword touch his left
side under The arm, n ~inStinctively l
jumped back n drew my blade away.
Down he went, fla on his side, with one
foot twirled around the other, and l
stood waiting as he got up. ID,
The others jumped forward to him.
But he pushed them hastily aside and
strobe up to me, as I stood there dazed
and painting, and grasped my hand.
Not a word did he say for an instant.
Then, turning to the others:
".My friends, It's a new thing for
Anterior to do. But you saw him! He
could have run me through by stand
Ing still, and I say, by God, I'll fight no
more with such a mani" Then, turn
Ing to me, he went on: "Mr. Merton, I
was drunk last night, and what I
Said"
Mot another word, captain" said +.
""Tis over, and, thank God, no harm
done. Let the thing die here and now"
They crowded about me and shook
my hand, and I know not what that I
had done, and quite naturally the
prince said:
"And now to Faunce's Tavern for
breakfast" And, moving off, we left
Hazeltine n his two men on the field
without a word. But after passing the
shipyards they went on into Rutgers
street, and just before we came to Cow
Foot Hill the whole party, Acton and I,
with them, turned suddenly into a gar
den and entered what I found later
was the famous Walton mansion of the
Rutgers family, where the prince for
the time lived.
Twas a magnificent mansion with
great pieces of furniture; the banquet
hall alone as large as two ordinary
dwellings. We passed into the hall
and through it into a library, where
sat a table covered with bottles and
cold food, enough for a hundred, it
seemed to me. I could not but express
my surprise at this plenty and magnif-
cence in the midst Of so much poverty
and scarcity elsewhere in the city.
All, you do not know how we live"
cried Sproat. For whole weeks we
eat nothing but salt beef, and then in
comes a foraging party, and the whole
town gorges for a week."
The young prince took the head of
the table and all set to work in the hot,
murky air, opening bottles and dishing
out the food. No one waited on us,
and we were indeed a iovial party, all
there but the doctor, Who said he must
go, and looked at me meaningly as he
added:
Come to my office, young man,
when you've eaten, and let me dress
your arm" Indeed, what could be a
simpler way of completing my plan
with him than by this ordinary ap-
pointment. Strange that I should be
sitting with these enemies of my coun-
try and yet growing to like them!
Strange that I should be deceiving men
that, whatever else they might be, were
men of honor through and through!
Strangest of all, that Anterior could
not do enough for me since my uncon-
scious saving of his life!
No one referred to my near arrest,
nor questioned us as to it's cause. And
Acton soon had them roaring with
laughter with his quaint remark and
his jovial songs. The only thing I no.
iced was a man at the rear door and
another at the front in the hall, both
standing motionless and evidently
watching to guard that We should not
be surprised.
.Mr. Merton" cried the prince, rising,
you are a good sword and a better
gentleman, and I give we long life and
the girl most to your hearth"
may, nay, sir" cried I, for the wine
went to, the proper spot, and I felt at
least one load off my back since the
early morning, "'tis the wrong order.
Atoasu to his royal highness frst!"
There was a cry of applause. But he
would not have it So. And. I still in
sisting, we stood there, glasses in hand,
laughing and protesting and all talk
IA n O. a r #p1aoa fill A afnn In hiS hitr xr1i,a
reared that twas a hame to lose the
chance o>drink the wine, and Atherton
cried out: = ~, a. -.-[
$50 it is! Then I give you them both:
The first gentleman Of Europe and the
first gentleman of the last hour!"
Out must come another roar of ap-
splause, and SO went the toast. And as
the major dipped out the newly~made
punch from a huge bowl, Acton set the
key for Landlord, fill the flowing
bowl" and we roared ou the song into
one another'S ears, standing, ana with
the glasses in our hands, turning now
Ito one now to another, with the glasses
blinking, some beating time with the
left hand, till Atherton began a march
ling movement around the table, and we
all must needs fall into line, tran1ping
round and round, and yelling out the
brave old song cover and over again.
aFinally8lWe Topped down into chairs,
and up jumped Sproat and cried:
IAN now, gentlim n: and he held up
his glass, now, confus'nt, our en.mies!
Egad!! TIM a bit confus'd mesel, no!
ho! Joke! d We see? IS a joke, IS
Tn sinner! Ho hot ha! hal"
S.tConfusI 'em,s If We like" roared Ac-
ton,,ES.1but%thy're brave men, too!'s
s..Ay theaare! S tn are!" cried
the prince, banging his hand down on
the table with a bump and a swish that
sent half 81 the bottles crashing on the
hoor..$S5#'sI'VslearnedIth that since I've been
here. And we Britishers always want
agooden'my Eth, my friends, is't not
go. eh??', ~ s4E3E
isi 50 u is. y'igghness!, roared
the crowd. f I
confoulad and good luck t, 'em!n
cried Anterior. S
Aye,ggood luck to emf T cried, put
ting my glass high above my head. In
q Observation-Disclosures was on the table.
and we standirg3round him on the floor
trying togreach our glasses up t his.
luck to cried the crowd,
and down wentthe extraordinary toast
with no heel-taps forsat least two IN
that joYiaI gang. n
sasAs they began OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
sing more-the ounggMprince
came me and said unstead-
sily ss