The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-03-22
SILVER SPUR


alOHS the Slope we UeuTu tie OlHSI tIulh-
peters sounding in answer.
Billy Pottery was ranged on my right,
in the first rank, and next to me, on the
other side, a giant, near seven feet high,
who said his name was Anthony Payne,
and his business to act as body servant
to Sir Bevill. And he it was that struck
up a mighty curious song in the Cornish
tongue, which the rest took up with a
will. Twas incredible o it put fire
into them all; and Sir Bevill toss'd his
hat into the air; and after him like
schoolboys were pelted, straight for the
masses ahead.
For now over the rampant came q COM
pany of red musketeers, and two of rus
set-clad pikemen, charging down on us.
4 moment, and we were crushed back;
another, and the chant rose again. We
were graphing, hand to hand, in the
midst of their files.
Taking breath, | saw the enemy melt
ing off the summit like a mans breath
off a pane. And Sir Bevill caught my
hand and pointed across to where, on the
north side, a white standard embroidered
with gold grifins was mounting.
"'Tis dear Nick S~lanning!" he cried;
God be praised-the day is ours for
certain!"
The rest of the signal victory Tin which
LOO prisoners were taken, besides the
Major General Chudleigh; and all the
rebels camp, cannon and yictualsl /
leave historians to tell. For very soon
after. the rout was assured (the plain
below full of men screaming and run
ming, and Colonel John Digby's Dragons
after them, chasing, cutting and killing,
a wet muzzle was thrust into my hand,
and turning. l found Molly behind me,
with the groom to whom l had given her
in the morning. The rogue had counted
on a crown for his readiness.
I determined to see the end of it, and
paying the fellow, climb'd into the saddle.
Billy Pottery strobe at my stirrup,
munching at a biscuit he had found in
the rebels camp.
We turned into a lane, which gradu-
ally led us to westward, out of the main
line of the rout, and past a hamlet, where
every door was shut and all silent. And
at last a slice of the sea fronted US,
between two steeply shelving hills. On
the crest Of the road, before it plunged
down toward the coast, was a wagon ly-
ing against the hedge, with the horses
gene; and beside it, stretch'd across the
road, an old woman. Stopping, we found
her dead, with a sword-thrust through
the left breast; and inside the wagon a
young man lying, with his jaw bound up
dead also. And how this sad spectacle
happen'd here, so far from the battle
field, was more than we could guess.
l was moving away, when Billy, that
was kneeling in the road, CHANGED to cast
his eyes up toward the sea, and dropping
the dead woman's hand, scrambled on his
feet and stood looking, with a puzzled
face. Following his gaze, l saw a small
sloop moving under shortened canvas,
about two miles from the land. She made
q pleasant sight, with the last rays of
sunlight flaming on her sails: but for
Billy's perturbation | could not account,
so turn'd an inquiring glance to him.
"Suthin' i the wind out yonder," was
his answer. whats a sloop doing on
that ratch so close in by the point. There
she goes again'-as the little vessel
swung off a point or two further from
the breeze, that was breathing softly up
camel. thine to sup, lad, for the both
of u.s." he broke off shortly.
Indeed, | was faint with hunger by
this time, yet had no stomach to eat
thus close to the dead. So turning into
a gate on our left hand, we cross'd two
or three fields, and sat down to sup off
Billy's biscuits, the mare standing quiet
ly beside us, and cropping the short
grass.
The field where we now found our
selves ran out along the top of a small
promontory, and ended at the cliffs edge.
As / sat looking southwark, | could only
observe the sloop by turning my head;
but Billy, who ~squatted over against me,
hardly took his eyes off her, and between
this and his meal was too busy to speak
a word. / stretch'd myself out, and
found it very pleasant TO lie still; nor,
when Billy stood UP and sauntered off
toward the far end of the headland, did
l stir more than to turn my head and
lazily watch him.
He was gone half an hour at the least,
and the sky by this time was so dark
that | had lost sight Of him, when, ris-
ing on my elbow to look around, / noted
a curious red glow at a point where the
turf broke off, not three hundred yards
behind me, and a thin smoke curling up
in it, as it seem'd, from the very face
of the cliff below. In a minute or so the
smoke ceased almost; but the shine
against the sky continued steady, tho not
very strong. BILLY has lit a fire." |
guessed, and was preparing to go and
look, when | spied a black form crawling
toward me-, and presently saw twas Billy
himself. Coming close, he halted, put a
finger to his lip and heckened; then be-
gan to lead the way back as he had
come.
Thought /, ''these are queer doings;''
but left Molly to browse, and crept after
him on hands and knees. He turn'd his
| head once to make sure I was following.