Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-10-21

the full payment Of the debt / 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, ! made burst OF
speed, and in doing so q trampled
down and ran over several pedestrians,
one Of whom I 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, ana
upon my shouting, "Open in the name
of the princew 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 had no difficulty as
yet in keeping to the path, and US put
mile after mile between us and our
enemies my confidence arose, and felt
that with Aldebaran beneath me and
Ippolita beside me, or, rather. behind
me. I could defy the whole population
of that pestiferous land. When we had
gone some miles in 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. ] there.
fore turned my steed's head around.
and, chuckling to myself at tie humor
Of the joke which was about to enact
I 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, saw. to
my delight, that it was Prince Timo
thy, alias Brother Ambrose, and. draw
ing my sword and holding the point to
ward him, clapped spurs to Aldeba-
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 carth
like a clod, while his horse ran back
toward the city.
"By st. Reparata." exclaimed lppo-
lita, her arms tightening upon me in q
fond hug, "but thou art a merry youth
and handy one with thy weapon"
We now set forward again upon our
way, and presently found, to my NOR
tification, that in the bout with PrlAc,
Timothy-if really the knaye had right
to that title-my noble charger had got
q sprain and had become dead lame.
The heavens We're now completely
clouded over, and the rain began to
fall in great drops, there were sudden
and violent gusts of wind, and ever
thunder, so that it behooved us to get
straightway to some place OF shelter
lifted the willowy form Of lppoIita
from Aldebaran, and, leaving him IL
the road for lack Of knowing what else
to do with him, we struck across coun'
try and ascended great rocky hill. up
on which it seemed to me that beheid
q light. When we got to the top OF II.
we found no habitation whatever, but
there were some trees and oyerhanging
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. had never imagined anything
like it, and | really believe that there
never was q worse one. The gusts o.!
wind became hurricane which tore
the very trees out by the roots. the
rain fell in solid sheets, the lightning
was so continuous that | could have
read good sized book through without
once stopping, and the thunder was 50
terrible and stupendous that it seemed
to be ripping the very bowels out OF
the earth. We had found fairly rea
sonable shelter from the blasts ana tor
rents en- the lea side Of a great over
hanging rock, and here, with her dear
head upon my shoulder. 1ppolita. worn
out with the fatigues Of that day and
| night and crushed by the ghastly eX-
periences to which her innocent and
gentle nature had been subjected, fell
| into sweet and untroubled sleep,
which lasted through all that great and
frightful storm.
Soon after she began to slumDer
felt something cold and moist touch
the hand by which l held her to me.
and. turning, beheld that it was the
nose of that faithful beast Nero, who
had followed us all those weary miles
and who now stood guard, like trusty
Cerberus, over the sleeping form or his
Incompatible mistress.
| shall never forget one feeling which
I had when the storm was at It's
|
pitching sensation, as though | were in
a boat on a rough sea. This kept up
for quite awhile. and then ! felt sud
den sinking, a sudden qualm about my
stomach and my heart. which lasted
for fully five minutes. so that my bow
els seemed to come up into my throat.
1t was exactly the sort of feeling
which man has when going quickly
down the lift Of one Of those thirty
story buildings, only much worse. ana
wouldn't like to experience the like
again. And now the whole ground
around us seemed to be flooded with
water, and the waves dashed almost
to our very feet, and / thought 1t was
something strange that the floods could
have risen to the top Of that high hill.
The lightning now ceased and the
storm went down, and l must have