Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-10-24
CHAPTER Xxx.
FOITI, PLAY.

roOh
The next morning there was no sign
or leuan, or, indeed, OF any of the men
about the place, and l seddled White
sock and galloped off in the direction
had followed the previous day. l
kept a sharp lookout as l rode over the
naked hills, but saw no sign Of
people abroad. l did not know when IT
was intended TO beat up the quarters
Of the REQ Men Of the Dusk, and half
expected to meet scouting parties over
any rise. But the mountain opened be-
fore me, mile after mile, bare and SOM
Der and ~lifeless.
Within an hour l had ensconced my
self among the boulders commanding n
view OF Nant-y-BTyn, and here l began
a patient watch. / saw plenty Of move
ment about the house-men coming
and going, carrying water II groom
Ing horses out on the hillside before
the gate, figures rambling idly, figures
running busily, but among them no
sign of the tall, straight form for which
| looked.
Hours slipped slowly away, and l
glanced at the sky and saw that h
sun was at its zenith. l rubbed my
eyes and turned them On Nant-
y-Bryn again. A cluster OF figures
moving in my direction
through the bright fog which, staring
~ Az sun, ldu SbtCdh ptlplt lhC' L
shut my eyes for a few moments, then
out eargerly. Yes, four people
were walking up the hill, two and two,
CareleSsly, and Owain was one
Of the leading pair. They came slowly
on, not heading directly toward me, but
more in a line fer the spinney be-
At some distance from the house
they glanced back, and Immediately
began to walk briskly. with the air Of
men carrying out a definite plan. From
my perch | had the whole country be-
low me, n In a | fanCied l
the meaning of it.
A dip in the hill had hidden them
from the house, and there was now no
for them to assume q careless
air. They were bent on something in
which they wished to avoid interior
ence, and, knowing Owain as l did, l
was half assured what it was. l OBJ
that they walked strictly two
two, and that there was no turn
ing of heads, as there would, be were
a general conversation going on.
In a short time they passed out OF
sight behind the further edge of
the spinney, n l made dow for the
trees, leading Whitesock by the rein. |
trod softly through the larches and
peered out. 1t was exactly as l had
fancied. Forty yards away the our
figures were gathered on a level patch
of turf. Owain and another young fell
low about his own age had their coats
already off and their naked swords in
their hands.
His opponent and the two seconds
were the young men whom l n seen
riding with him on the previous eve
ming, and I shook my head as I thought
how hot-blooded and foolish 1t all
/ am not one myself always TO run
away from the like invitations, but
with such business or hand as root
ing out the Red Men Of the Dusk II
seemed to be a very i'll time to be turn
ing their weapons against each other.
1t is true hat l vas blessed, fer
could l nave enjoyed my way | would
never have had Owain go a yard from
his sister until she stood In safer ctr
cumstances than the present. Yet !
never dreamed Of the bloody end TO
which matters were shortly TO run but
waited to see one or the other get q
scratch sufficient to satisfy ali parties.
| have never known to this day what
the quarrel was about, but hat it was
over a trivial affair l am assured by
the way the duel commenced, going
forward for a time more like q calm
fencing match than aught else.
This was greatly to my satisfaction,
for l felt certain hat first blood would
settle the affair, and l observed, too,
that the seconds never offered to en-
gage, as is commonly done in case of
a serious quarrel.
Yet the tingle and crate Of cold steel
had, before long, it's customary mad
dening effect. 1t excited even me, as l
stood in shelter of the larches; how
much more the actual combatants!
They gradually grew warmer, the
lunges became faster and ~tiarCer, |
could hear their painting breaths at
each swift bound and rebound, and the
formal fitting swiftly merged into
deadly combat.
l watched with ell my eyes, longing
to see Owain safely through IL, and
o o / heaved Il sigh Of relief. There
was no question as 10 the better man,
and ] saw that Owain was completely
master OF his opponents play. The lat
ter began to give ground, and Owain
followed steadily up. The losing mans
second, q short red-haired fellow, be-
gan to shout and scream in his excite
ment, seeming beside himself at pros
pect OF Owain's victory.
This strange conduct in q second
caused me to view him more attentive
ly, and | discovered a great likeness
between him and the fighting "a l
judged them, and / found afterward
that / had Judged rightly, 10 be
brothers.
Lunge by lunge. Owain drove his cp-
pOncnt back, and, suddenly engaging
him more fiercely than ever, p!ucked
his sword from his grasp. The defeat
ed Gwordsman CAV a s1Iill, thin cry
upon finding himself defense.ess, put
up his hands, and covered.
The little red fellow gave a horrible
yell like a mGdman, leaped IL, whip
ping out his sword as lie sprang, and
drove it clean through Owain's body.
My poo friend, already reaching for
ward, dropped on MS face, b.lndly
cropping the tur with his hands, and
6aspiEg out blood and faint groars.
For an instant he was the only fig
ure. My heart stood still, and | was
immovable under the shock and horror
of such treachery. The murderer had
held tightly TO his weapon, and Owain's
fall had plucked it out again. He looked
with q fascinated eye upon the blood
slowly dropping from the point as If
he could scarce believe that he had
struck the blow; his companions were
rooted TO their places.
With n great bound my blood raced
again through my veins. l burst
through the trees and darted at full
speed upon the holder of the dark and
smoking sword. / was not a dozen
yards from him, when a great shout
from the other second caused him to
start and look round. He leaped aside
and ran from me as nimbly as a hare.
He was in light shoes and l in heavy
riding boots.
i stopped and bent over Owain. The
had been driven in under the
armpit and had reached the heart. He
was quite dead. his eyes liked ard
glazing. l closed them and stood up,
and drew off my boots.
WHO is this?" cried the duellist, who
had now picked up his weapon.
THE a who killed Owain," cried
the ~red-haired murderer. do you take
me?"
I'VE do" answered the other two.
/ took his meaning also, n looked
upon OWain's second. IT was