Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08

opening and shutting his great red hands.
Stand forth. and let me clip thee
shalt clip me as best you can, then"
quoth the archer moving out into the open
space and keeping a most wary eye upon his
opponent. He had thrown off his green
Jedkin. and his chest was covered only by
pink SILK 1upon, or undershirt. cut low In
the neck and sleeveless Horde John was
stripped from his waist upward. and his
huge body, with his great muscles swelling
out ike the gnarled roots of an oak. tow
cred high above the soldier. The other.
however, though near foot shorter was a
man or great strength, and there was a
gloss upon his white skin which was want
ing IN the heavier limbs of the renegade
monk He was quick on his feet too and
skilled at the game; so that IL was clear,
from the poise- of head and shine of eve
that he counted the chances to be in HIS
favor. 1t would have been hard that night.
through the whole length of England to set
up finer pair in face of each other Big
John stood waiting in the center with a
sulien, menacing eye, and his red hair in a
bristle, while the archer paced lightly and
swiftly to the right and the left with
crooked knee and hands advanced. Then
with a sudden dash, SO swift and fierce
that the eye could scarce follow it, he flew
In upon his man and locked his leg round
him. 1t was a grip that, between men of
equal strength, would mean a fall; but
Horde John tore him off him as he might a
rat, and hurled him across the room so
that his head cracked up against the wood
en- wall.
Ma foi!' cried the bowman, passing his
fingers through his curls You were not
far from the feather bed then, mon gar A
little more, and this good hostel would have
new window"
Nothing daunted, he approa ched his man
once more; but this time with more caution
than before. With quick feint he threw
the other off his guard, and then, bounding
upon him, threw his legs round his waist
and his arms round his bull neck, in the
hope of bearing him to the ground with the
X. below
Horde John squeezed him limp in his huge
arms, and then, picking him up, cast him
down upon the floor with force which
might well have splintered bone or two
had not the archer, with the most perfect
GOODNESS, chung to the others forearms to
break his fall As it was. he dropped upon
his feet and Kept his balance, though II
sent jar through his frame which set
every joint a-creaking. He bounded back
from his perilous foeman; but the other
heated by the bout, rushed mady after him.
and so1gave the practiced wrestler the very
vantage for which he had planned. AS big
John flung himself upon him the archer
ducked under the great red hands that
clutched for him, and catching his man
round the thighs, hurled him over his
shoulder-helped much by his own mad
rush as by the trained strength of the
heave. To Alleynes eye it was as if John
had taken unto himself wings and flown.
As he hurtled through the air. with giant
limbs revolving, the lads heart was in his
mouth. for surely no man ever yet had such
IL.
truth. hardy the man was, his neck had
been assuredly broken had he not pitched
head first on the very midrin of the drunken
artist, who was sIumbering so peacefully
in the corner, all unaware of these stirring
doings. The luckless thinner, thus suddenly
brought out from his dreams, sat up with
piercing yell, while Horde John bounded
back into the circle almost as rapidly as he
had left it.
"One more fall, by all the saints!' he
cried, throwing out his arms
: Not ], quoth the archer pulling on his
clothes. Il have come well out of the bust
ness. would sooner wrestle with the great
bear of Navarro"
1T was a trickir cried John.
"Ay. was 1t. BY my ten finger bones 1t
Is trick that will add a proper man to
the ranks of the company"
"Oh. for that" said the other Il count 1t
not fly, for had promised myself good
hour ago that / should go with thee since
the life seems to be goodiy and proper
one. Yet / would fam have had the
feather bed
II doubt 1t not. mon ami" quoth the
archer. going back to his tankard. Here
Is to thee, lad, and may be good COM
rades to each oaher But, holai what Is 1t
that ails our friend of the wrathful face?'
The unfortunate thinner had been sitting
up rubbing himself ruefuliy and staring
about with vacant gaze. which showed
that he knew neither where he wa5 ncr
what had occurred . tc him. Suddenly
however. flash of intelligence had come
over his sodden features and he rose and
staggered for the door.
WARE the ale!" he said in hoarse
whisper, shaking warning finger at the
company. "oh, holy Virgin, ware the
aler' and ciapping his hands to his injury.
he fitted off into the darkness, amid a
shout of laughter, in which the yanquished
Joined as merrily as the victor.
The remaining forester and the two Ia
borers were alss, ready for the road. and
the rest of the company turned to the
blankets which Dame eliza and the maid
had laid out for them upon the floor. Al
leyna weary with the unwonted excite
ments of the dag, was soon in deep SUM
Der broken only by fieeting visions OF
twittering legs. Gursing hegg ars. black rob-
bers and the many strange folk whom he