Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-05-10
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D'ri and /
BY IRVING BAChELLER
Author Of "Eben Holden" "Darrel Of
the Blessed Isles" Etc.
CHAPTER VII.-CONrIxuEp,
Copyright, 1901. by Lothrop Publishing Company

tCopyright, 1901. by Lothrop Publishing Company
CHAPTER VU.-CONrINuED.
lie knew little about rough, fighting
with saber. He had seen my father
and me so at each other hammer and
tongs there in our dooryard every day
OF good weather. Stormy days he had
always stood by in, the kitchen, roar
ing with laughter, as the good steel
rang and the house trembled. He had
boon slow to come to it, but had had
his try with us, and had learned to
take an attack without flinching. went
at him hard for final lesson that day
IN the woods great folly, I was
soon to know. We got warm and
made more noise than had any
thought of. My horse took alarm and
pulled away, running into a thicket. I
turned to catch him.
Judas Priest!" said D'ri,
There, within 10 feet of us, l saw
what made me, ever after, a more pru-
dent man. 1t was an English officer
leaning on his sword, a tall and hand
some fellow Of some 40 years, in shiny
top-boots and scarlet blouse and
sauntlets Of brown kid.
"You arc quite clever" said he,
touching his gray mustache.
I made no answer, hut stood pulling
myself together.
You will learn" he added. smiling.
With tone OF encouragement. Let
me show YOU a trick"
He was most polite in his manner,
like play-hero, and came toward me
as he spoke. Then I saw four other
Britishers coming out close in upon
lis from behind trees.
He came at me quickly, and met
him. He seemed to think it would be
no trick to unhand my weapon. Like
a flash. with a whip Of his saber, he
tried TO wrench it away. Dri had
begun to shoot. lodging between trees,
and a redcOat had tumbled over.
bore in upon my man, but he came
back at me with surprising yigor. On
my word, he was the quickest swords
man l ever had the honor Of facing.
But he had mean way of saying
Hal" as he turned my point. He
soon angered me, whereupon l lost
bit Of caution, with some blood, for he
was at me like a flash. and grazed me
on the hip before could get my head
again. 1t was no parlor play, 1 can
tell you. We were fighting for life, and
both knew it, We fought up and down
through brakes and bushes and over
stones-a perilous footing. I could
feel his hand weakening. I put all
my speed to the steel then, knowing
we'll that, barring accident, I should
win. I could hear somebody coming
up behind me.
Keep away there my adversary
shouted, with a fairness admire when
l think of it. Il can handle him. Get
the other fellow"
l went at him to make an end of it.
IN make you sQuint, you young
cub he Kissed, lunging at me.
He ripped my blouse at the shoul-
der and, gods Of war! we made the
sparks fly. Then he went down, wrig-
Cling; I had caught him in the side,
poor fellow! Like a fash I was OF
In thicket. One of the enemy got
out OF my way and sent bullet after
me. could feel it rip and sting in
the muscle as it rubbed my ribs.
kept foot and made for my horse. He
had caught his reins, and I was on
him and off in the bush, between bull
lets that came ripping the leaves about
me. be1ore they could give chase.
Drunus were beating the call to arms
somewhere. I struck the trail in a
minute, and, leaning low in the saddle,
went bounding over logs and rocks
down steep hillside as if the devil
were after me. I looked back, and was
nearly raked off by Dough. l could
hear horses coming in the trail behind
with quick and heavy jumps. But l
Was up to rough riding and had little
fear they would get sight of me-
However, crossing long stretch of
burnt timber, they must have seen me-
heard a crack Of pistols far behind;
whiz of bullets over my head.
shook out the reins and let the horse
90, urging with cluck and spur, never
was a wilder ride than any I have
known since or shall again, can
promise you, for, God knows, I have
been hurt too often. Fast riding over
= new trail is leaping in the dark and
worse than treason to ones self. Add
to 1t saddle wet with your own blood,
then you have something to give you
a turn of the stomach thinking of it.
When l was near tumbling with a
kind of rib-achc and could hear no pur-
suer, pulled up. There was silence
about me, save the sound of light
breeze in the tree-tops l rolled of
my horse, and hooked my elbow in
the reins, and lay on my belly, grunt-
ing with pain. 1 felt better, having
got my breath, and rod of beech to
bite uEon-a good thing if one has been
badly stVng and has a journey to make
I'm five minutes I was up and of at a
slow jog, for knew was near safety,
thought much of poor D'ri and
how he might be faring. The last I
had seen Of him, he was making good
uso of pistol and legs, running from
tree to tree. He was dead shot, little
given to wasting lead. The drums were
what worried me, for they indicated
= big camp, and unless he got to the
stirrups in short order, he must have
been taken by overwhelming odds
It was near shutdown when I came to
brook and falls could not remem-
Der passing. looked about me, Some