The Kalispell bee., 1902-08-22

droUe qay rdpier through his thoraG.
tions and the crashing of crockery and
the rattling of tin, so that it was nearer
pandemonium than anything had seen
before, and it happened that most OF
them had laid aside their weapons at
the beginning of the banquet, and those
who had weapons could not use them
by reason of the crush or, if they did
use them, the blows fell upon their
own friends, so that Aldebaran and Ip-
polita and L broke through them all and
gained the vestibule and from there
dashed into the street and so away.
"Gramercy," quoth the spirited and
lovely countess with her arms clasped
tightly around me and her laughing
mouth at my ear, 'but that swift
course that we did run around the ban
quet hall was a rare and joyous one,
and do swear by Peter Martyr that l
have not had so much plaisaunce since
did ride upon the carousal last Can
dlemas at the county fair, and as for
those scurvy, unwashed knights, may
they take the infinite and exceeding
number of broken bones and dark pur-
pie bruises which they did receive from
thy right noble steed as guerdon for
the full payment of the debt l owe
them for having hewn the head from
my beloved sire, which same was much
too short before they did lay hands up
ON him"
We went down across the city to-
ward the western gate, and our course
for the greater part of the way was
somewhat slow on account of the great
number of people in the street. Once
in awhile, however, 1 made a burst of
speed, and in doing so 1 trampled
down and ran over several pedestrians,
one of whom had good reason to be-
lieve-the wish being perhaps father
to the thought-was none other than
Clan Jacopo, the man who had so foul
ly and cravenly betrayed me. When
we reached the gates, we found them
closed, but the keepers were there, and
upon my shouting, "Open in the name
of the prince!" they Immediately flung
them wide, and we passed out upon
the broad highway of the principality.
The air was sultry, and the heavens
were fast clouding over with an ap-
preaching storm. The moon still shone,
however, so that l had no difficulty as
yet in keeping to the path, and as put
mile after mile between us and our
enemies my confidence arose, and 1 felt
that with Aldebaran beneath me and
Ippolita beside me, or, rather, behind
me, l could defy the whole population
of that pestiferous land. When we had
gone some miles in a westerly direc-
ton, heard hoof beats upon the road
behind us and at once knew that we
were pursued. Listening awhile, came
to the conclusion that the sound was
made by but one horseman. I there
fore turned my steed's head around,
and chuckling to myself at the humor
of the joke which was about to enact,
/ rode to meet this solitary enemy at
| full speed. When had come to within
a hundred feet of him, the moon shin
ing brightly at the moment, l saw, to
my delight, that it was Prince Timo-
thy, alias Brother Ambrose, and, draw
ing my sword and holding the point to-
i
ran and, coming up to him with great
! velocity, drove my rapier through his
thorax so completely and powerfully
that the hilt of it snapped off against
his breastbone, and he fell to the earth
like a clod while his horse ran back
toward the city.
"By st. Reparata," exclaimed Ippo-
lita, her arms tightening upon me in a
fond hug, ''but thou art merry youth
and handy one with thy weaponw
We now set forward again upon our
way, and presently found, to my NOR
tification, that in the bout with Prince
Timothy-if really the knave had right
to that title-my noble charger had got
a sprain and had become dead lame
The heavens were now completely
clouded over, and the rain began to
fall in great drops, there were sudden
and violent gusts of wind, and ever
and anon came distant rumblings OF
thunder, so that it behooved us to get
straightway to some place of shelter
I lifted the willowy form of Ippolita
from Aldebaran, and, leaving him in
the road for lack of knowing what else
to do with him, we struck across coun.
try and ascended a great rocky hill, up
on which it seemed to me that beheld
light. When we got to the top of it
we found no habitation whatever, but
there were some trees and overhanging
crags, beneath which we found some
sort of protection from the storm
which now came upon us in full force.
shall never be able to describe that
storm. 1 had never imagined anything
like it, and really believe that there
never was worse one. The gusts OF
wind. became a hurricane which tore