The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-11-30

lenIy sobered, stood biting his nails.
Enough. gentlemen" interrupted the
! officer. "There Will be time Tor that.
have his excellency's orders to bring
all here In his command to the fort.
Captain Toy, Mr.. Rolph, lieutenant. I
call on you to accompany me without
delay to town.
"You are hurt, monsieur" cried Hen-
ry, throwing an arm about the young
Frenchman, who staggered slightly.
"Sir, you will not leave him 30, bleed
ing, here by the roadside2 Greenway
Court is not far distant In the name
OF humanity 1 ask you to assist me to
take him where he can have proper
attention for his wound"
II have imperative orders, sir. Mount,
gentlemen"
"Well to leave him to the dogsP'
burst forth Foy In sudden simmer Of
white fury as he turned in his saddle
"And you, you upatart rebel, Virginia
would long have been the easier for
your gibbetingp
Their hoof beats grew fainter, then
were gone i'm blankness and echo, and
Henry, feeling the young mans form
grow suddenly limp, laid him gently
down upon the turf.
The baron had driven from Winches-
ter that night with hurt In his gal
liant old breast. When he settled back
In his seat his hands trembled greatly,
clasped atop his sword The huge
chariot, drawn by four wild ponies
that would go at any gait except trot
together, swung swaying from its
leathern springs, and the road seemed
very long.
care we almost there, Joer he ask
ed more than once.
And the old negro riding behind him
would reply stoutly, "Almos' dar, Mars
Torn; almos' dar."
The fog, fold ON fold, shut out the
beauty Of the way. Lower in the
wooded valley the shadows lay very
thick, like dead men strewn ON battle
field. Riding, he heard the leaves, fall,
like the illusions Of youth, Hike hap
piness, like glory, like power.
almost there, Joe9'
"Almos' dar, Mars Torn, aimos'
dar"
Up the craggy way flicker OF light
stabbed down through the drab-lace
tree traceries, and the chariot, turning
In to the clearing amid clamorous dogs,
woke the cloistrai silence Of Greenway
Court. negro came out, beat back
the dogs and let down the step, and
the old man descended, leaning on Joe's
arm.
Joe brought my lord his supper of
vcnison and bordeaux, standing behind
l,y al, L.. LIT, I'M.
was not long tonight
My lord took up book, burt threw 1t
down again Then he lit his pipe and
| sat long silent till the fire domed black
ening. Joe came in, piled pine knots
| on it and went shufiling out again
| The hounds yawned about the hearth
or whimperod softly in their dreams.
Cracking steps reused them, and
thoy scrambled out to bay and sniff
and yelp, when the negro dubbed them
back.
a heavy tread stumbled up the steps
An aged mastiff, curlcd under the old
mans chair, hunchcd shoulders, growl-
ing, and the baron, sitting by the dead
hearth, with the ashes fallen from his
pipe, turned his head.
Henry stood on the threshold, carry
ing Armand in his arms.
| AS his bearer stood, rocking, the
young man stirred, opened his eyes
wide on the baron and thrust down his
legs. "My lord" he cried gayly, but
with weakness and husking breath, "I
come early to = keep = my appoint
mont" He took step and lurched for
ward on to the floor.
Lord Fairfax stood up like blasted
tree with two dead boughs left swing
ing. Great heaven! The lad! Has
Toy killed him?"
mot yet" Henry answered. "No
fault of his, my lord"
The baron shouted for his servants
and for cloths, hot water and lily vine
gar. "IIc must have leech," he said
81 will ride myself for the doctor at
Ashby's Cap" Henry answered. "But
| will dress the wound first" With
Joc's help skins were spread on one of
| the couchcs and Armand laid thereon.
| Then, with woodsman's knowledge
of wounds, Henry drew his knife and
cut away the clothing.
1T is not mortal?" asked the old man
anXiously.
"No. But twas foul lunge Think
not he was the poorest swordsman.
Never was such skill seen in the Yir-
ginias as he showed this night"
"Is it so?"
"Sir, he held that rats life on the
point of his steel. 1 swear to you he
could have run him through score
of times an he would. They stopped
the duel-soldiers from the fort-and
that red devil of Dunmorcs attacked
him when he had thrown his weapon
by and was empty handed"
"Ah" cried the baron.
AT length Henry stood up. 81 am Off
to the Gap now I shall not return
with the doctor, since must go OH to
Williamsburg tomorrow. But for safe
tvs sake L shall pray him speed"
A struggle showed in the baron's
face. No one had ever gone unchccrcd
from his door. lie kept open table at
the Winchester courts, fed the poorer
settlers with his own produce and
would have filed the ragged hat of a
bcggar with guineas. One passionate
L