The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-17

great room at the front. This had two
windows on my side. and while could not
see them ! knew that / should see the
sheen of light upon the lawn.
The night was clear but moonless, and
the thick-leafed masses of the oaks and
hickories rose a wall of black to curtain
ways in our forest land the hour was shril-
ly vocal, though to me the chirping din of
frogs and insects hath ever stood for ST.
lence. Somewhere beyond the thicket wall
an owl was calling mournfully, and / be-
thought me of that superstition-old as man
for aught i know-of how the hooting of
an owl betokens death. And then / laughed.
for surely death would come to one or more
of those beneath my fathers roof within
the compass of the night.
Behind the close-drawn curtain. though
could see ii not, the virgin forest darkened
all the land, and from afar within it's secret
depths l heard or thought l heard the dis
NAL hQwling of the timber wolves. Below
the house was silent as the grave, and this
seemed strange to me. For in the time of
my youth a wedding a joyous thing.
Yet 1 would remember that these present
bridegroom captained but little band of
troopers in land but now become fiercely
debatable.
1t must have been an hour or more be-
fore the sound of distance-muffled hoof-
beats on the road broke in upon the chirp-
ing silence of the night l looked and lis
tened. straining eye and ear; hearing but
horsemen issued from the curtain wall of
black beneath my window
1t was plain that others watched as well
as /, for at their coming a sheen of light
burst from the opened door below, at which
there were sword clankings as of armed
men dismounting, and then a few low
voiced words of welcome. Followed quickly
the closing of the door and silence. and
when my eyes grew once again accustomed
to the gloom 1 saw below the horses stand
ing head to head and In the midst man
SOL" 1 thought: "'but three in all. and
one Of them a servant. Twill be scantly
IL And then RACED within
thus dishonored in a corner when she
should have the world to clap its hands and
praise her beauty.
At that, and while 1 looked, the lawn was
banded farther on by two broad beams of
light, and then l knew my time was come
chamber 1 softly tried the door latch. 1t
yielded at the touch, but not the door.
pulled and braced myself and pulled again.
Twas but waste OF strength. The door
was fast with that contrivance wherewith
my father used to bar me in what time I
was boy and would go raccooning with
our negro hunters. My enemy was no fool.
He had been shrewd enough to lock me in
against the chance of interruption.
/ wish you might conceive the helpless
horror graphing with me there behind
that fastened door, but this. indeed. you
may not, having felt IL not. For one dazed
moment l was sick as death with fear and
frenzy and l know not what besides, and
all the blackness of the night swan sud-
den red before my eyes. Then In the
cool and sane, IL the MT had been the
travail pain of some new birth of soul
rage nor haste nor weakness-knew no
other thing save this. that / had set my
self task to do and would do it.
My window was in shape like half cell
of honey comb, and close beside it on the
outer wall there grew an ancient ivy vine
which more than once had held my weight
when / was younger and would evade my
fathers vigilance.
/ swung the easement noiselessiy and
clambered out, with hand and foot in proper
hold as if those youthful fittings OF my
breathless minute later 1 down and
afoot on solid ground, and then a thing
CHANGED which / would had not The man
whom / had called servant turned and
saw me.
Halt Who goes there?" he cried.
"A friend" said between my wishngs
for a weapon For this servant of my pre-
figurings proved to be a trooper booted
spurred ard armed.
by God, / think you lie.'' he said; and
after that he said no more; for he was
down among the horses hoofs and | upon
him. kneeling hard TO scant his breath for
shoutingS.
1t grieves me now through all these years
TO think that I did kneel too hard upon
this man. He was no enemy OF mine and
did but door seek TO do-his duty. But he
would fight or die. and | must tight or die;
some grim cracking Of ribs. and when /
rose he rose not with me.
With all the fierce excitement OF the
struggle yet upon ME / stayed to knot the
bride reins upon his arm TO make II plain
that he had fallen at his post. That done
/ took his sword as surer fer my purpose
than a pistol. and. hugging the deepest
shadow OF the wall approached the nearer
window. Ii was open wide, for the night
was sultry warm. and from within there
came the clink of glass and now toast
and now a troopers oath.
/ drew myself by inches to the easement
which was high, finding some foothold in
the wall. and when l looked within l saw
no wedding guests. no priest, no altar. only
this: table In the midst with bottles on IL
and round IL FIVE men lounging at their
ease and drinking TO the King. OF these
five two, the baronet and the lawyer, were
known to me. and have made them known
The other two were strangers
ITO Be Continued