Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-05-11
THE MASTER OF APPLEbY|
E=- BY Francis Lynde
CHAPTER VI.-continued.

ius to fetch my supper and the candles
You may be sure l questioned him. and,
If you know the blacks. you'll smile
and say had my labor for my pains
the which 1 had. His place was at
the quarters. and of what went on
within the house he knew no more
than I. But this he told me; that COM
pany surely was expected. and tina,
some air of mystery was abroad.
When he was gone l ate soldier g
portion, knowing of old how Ill a thing
1t is to take an empty stomach into
battle. For the Same cause l drank a
second cup of wine-'twas old MADEIRA
of my fathers laying -in-and would
have drunk a third but that the bottle
would not yield 1t.
1t was fully dark when l had finish
ed. and, thinking ever on my plan,
would strive afresh to weld its weakest
link. This was the hazard of the weap-
on-getting. With full-blood health and
strength l might have gone bare hand
ed: but as it was. l feared to take the
chance. So with a candle l Went "a
prowling in the deep drawers of the old
oaken clothes press and In the es-
critoirc which once had been my moth
er's. and found no weapon bigger than
a hairpin.
1t was no great disappointment. for
had looked before with daylight In the
room. Besides. the wine was mount
Ing, and when the search was on the
hazard seemed the less. So | could
rush upon him unawares and put my
knee against his back. | thought the
Lord of Battles would give me strength
to break his neck across 1t.
At that l capped the candles. and.
a king in h, f,pt 4,
dow. set myself to watch for the light
Ing of the great room at the front.
This had two windows on my side and
while could not see them, | knew
that l should see the sheen of light
upon the lawn.
The night was clear but moon
less. and the thick -leafed masses
of the oaks and hickories rose
n wall of black tn curtain
AS always in our forest land. the hour
was shrilly vocal. though to me the
chirping din of frogs and insects hath
ever stood for silence. Somewhere be
yond the thicket- wall an owl was CALL
Ing mournfully, and | bethought me OF
that superstition-old as man. for aught
know. And then laughed. for surely
death would come to one or more of
those beneath my fathers roof with the
compass of the night
Behind the close drawn curtain.
though I could see 1t not. the virgin
forest darkened all the land, and from
affair within Its secret depths | heard.
or thought l heard. the dismal bowling
of the timber wolves. Below, the
house was silent as the grave. and this
seemed strange to me. For i'm the time
of my youth Il wedding was joyous
thing. Yet ! would remember that these
present times We're pcrilous, and also
that my bridegroom captained but II
little band of troopers in a land but
now become tiercely debatable.
1t must have been an hour or more
before the sound of distance mufied
hoofbeatS on the road broke i'm upon the
chipping silence of the night. | looked
and listened, Straining eye and ear,
hearing but little and seeing less until
three shadowy horsemen issued from
the curtain wall of black beneath my
window.
1T was plain that others watched as
we'll as !. for at their coming a sheen
of light burst from the opened door be-
low, at which there Were sword clank
ings as of armed men dismounting. and
then a few low-voiced words of well
come. Followed quickly the closing OF
the door and silence: and when my eyes
grew once again accustomed to the
gloom. saw below the horses standing
head to head. and in the midst man to
hold them.
SO" l thought; but three in all.
and one of them a servant. Twill be
scantly guested wedding" And then
ragged within again to think of how
my love should be thus dishonored In a
corner when she should have the world
~ clap its hands and praise her beauty.
AT that. and while | looked the
lawn was banded farther on by two
broad beams of light; and then | knew
my time was come.
Feeling my way across the darkened
chamber l softly tried the door latch.
1t yielded at the touch, but not the
door. pulled. and braced myself and
pulled again Twas but "A waste of
strength. The door was fast with that
contrivanea wherewith my father used
to bar me in what time l was a boy
and would go raccooning with our
negro hunters My enemy was no fool.
He had been shrewd enough to lock
me in against the chance of interrupt
ton.
wish you might conceive the help
less horror graphing with me there be
hind that fastened door, but this. in
deed, you may not. having felt it not.
For one daZcd moment was sick as
.'.' ~, ''',i ~ hioW
i'o. ma. y.''u, anu ~ 'ne
VI wy i'i6 ,,,, swain su'i'iei i',u pelofe
eye, the madness left me cool and sane.
as If the fit had been the travail pain
W some new pii.h OF s"ui. ana altef
.iiae hs ieiiie'iipei hileM iiot rage
~. NJ, iiao.e NJ. Aiiem no otiei
sn ,s saNe ,'is. tila INA han SCI my
'e,, .ash ~ uo ana : Mou,u oo ~,
Wy "iiiuow WaS III s,'alpt IKE nam
cen VI hoi'es .oiiio, anu eiose 'eside ~
~. 'iis ~. I'LL. sieS az, ai,Gieii.
Ivy ~ ii.,s. ,lh i e, ..a o',s iiau fieiu
my "enl "i'e" "aa spui,ser ana
"1'iu eNau ~. my ia''iei Nisiiai,ce'
swung tHe easement h,lSeleSSly ana