The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-17

1
Now" he said, Il rest here, and
you will see that L am not disturbed.
Any man who attempts to enter this
room gets the contents of this gun in
him, and III trust to my two daggers
TO take care OF the rest"
He had no dagger with him, but he
spoke for the benefit of the company
in the taproom. Something in his
resOlute manner seemed to impress
the landlord, who grumbled, mutter-
ing half to himself and half to his
companions, but he nevertheless re-
tired. leaving the king alone. where
upon James fortified the door. and
; afterward slept unmolested the sleep
of tired man, until broad day woke
him.
Which way may your honor be
! jOurneying?' asked the innkeeper,
for see that you are no beggar."
Il am no beggar at such an inhos-
| pitable house as this replied the way
| farer, but elsewhere 1 am a beggar
| that is to say, the gold come by is
asked for and not earned"
"Ah, that's il, is it?" said the other
with a nod, but for such a trade you
need your weapons by your side"
THE deadliest weapons rejoined
| the king, mysteriously. ARE not al
ways those most plainly on view. The
| sting of the wasp is generally felt be-
| fore il is seen"
The landlord was plainly disturbed
| by the Intelligence he had received,
| and now made some ado 10 get the
| change for the gold piece, but his guest
replied airily that it did not matter.
! With whatever's coming to me-" he
| said, feed the next beggar that ap-
/ plies to you on a rainy night with less
/ at his belt to commend him than 1
| have"
Well, good Day to you, and thank
| you,' said the innkeeper. IF you're
| going Stirling way, you roads straight
/ through the forest. and when you
come to st. Ninians you'll be in time
! to see a fine hanging. for they're throt-
! tling Badly Hutchinson today, the big
gest man between here and the border
yes, and beyond it, 1 warrant"
That will be interesting" replied
! the King. Good day to YOU"
Entering the forest at last. he re
| Taxed no precaution, but kept TO the
middle of the road with his stout stick
/ ready in his hand. At the second turn
/ ing five stalwart ruffians fell upon
! him, two armed with knives and three
! with cudgels. The Kings early ath-
| letic training was to be put to a prac-
! teal test. His first action was to
! break the wrist of one of the scound-
! rels who held a knife, but before he
| could pay any attention 10 any of the
others he had received two or three
| resOunding blows from the cudgels,
and now was fully occupied warding
| OFF their strokes, backing down the
road TO keep his assailants in front Of
him. His great agility gave him an
| advantage over the comparative clum-
| siness Of the four yokels who pressed
4 him, but he was we'll aware that any
/ Unguarded blow might have lay him
/ at their mercy. He was more afraid
/ of the single knife than of the three
| clubs, and, springing through a for
/ tunate opening, was delighted to crack
/ the crown of the man who held the
/ blade, stretching him helpless in cart
/ rut. The three who remained seemed
! in no way disheartened by the disCom-
1 future of their comrades, but came en-
| with greater fury. The King retreated
! and retreated, battling their evident
! desire to get in his rear. and thus the
| fighting four came TO the corner Of
/ the road that James had passed a
I short time previously. One of the trio
/ got in d nasty crack on the top of The
/ beggar's bonnet, which brought him
/ to his knees, and before ne could re-
/ cover his footing blow on the sho IL
( der felled him.
At this critical juncture there rose q
wild shout down the road. for the
! fighting party, in coming round the
turn, had brought themselves within
J view Of a sturdy pedestrian forging
/ along at a great pace, which he never
/ theless marvelOusly accelerated on see
| ing the melee For a moment the
dazed man on the ground thought that
! the landlord had come TO his rescue.
but IL was not so. 1t seemed as IL a
! remnant OF the storm swept like a
| whirlwind among the aggressors, for
! the newcomer in the fray, with savage
! ordinations which showed his de
/ light in a tumult. scattered the enemy
| as a tornado drives before it the leaves
of forest. The King raised himself
on his elbow and watched the gigantic
stranger lay about him with his stick,
I while the five. with cries of terror.
disappeared into the forest, for the
! two that were Frustrated had now re-
/ covered wind enough to run
/ "Losh." painted the giant, returning
/ 10 the man on the road, II wish I'd
been here at the beginning.
/ Thank goodness you came at the
end" said the king, staggering IN
! steadily 70 his feet.
Are you hurt?' asked the stranger
! I'm not just sure vet" replied the
{ king, removing his bonnet and rubbing
/ the top Of his head with a circular
movement % his hand.
What's wrong wi those scamps to
I lay on poor beggar MANI" asked the
! stranger.
Nothing except that the beggar
man is not so poor as he looks, and
has a belt Of gold about him which he
was foolish enough TO show last night
! at the inn where these lads were drink
I ing
Then the lesson hasn't taught you
much, or you wouldn't say that to a
I complete stranger in the middle OF d
black forest, and you alone with him
that is, unless they've succeeded in
1 reiving the belt away from your"
J mo. they have not robbed me, and
10 show you that I am not such a fool
as you take me for. 1 may add that
/ the moment you came up I resolved
/ to give to my rescuer every gold piece
! that is in my belt. SO. you see. If you
/ thought Of robbing me, there's little
use in taking by force what n man is
more than willing to give you Of his
| own free will.'
The giant threw back his head and
the wood resoUnded with his laughter.
What ] have said seems 70 amuse
! YOU" said the king. not too we'll
! pleased at the boisterous merriment of
| his companion.
1T does that" replied the stranger,
/ still struggling with his mirth then,
! striking the king on the shoulder, he
/ continued: Il suppose there Is not an
/ other man in all broad Scotland today
| but me that wouldn't give the snap Of
/ his finger for all the gold you ever
/ carried"
Then you must be wealthy" COM
mented the king. Yet II can't be that,