The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-03-23
SILVER SPUR

John. what's the houry''
Suns been down these four hours"
She turned her face 70 look Mt me.
I've no business lying here"
Chose to come. lad: NONE axed thee,
that I knows by"
Where's the marel Must set me
across her back. Joan. and let me ride
on"
Mares In stable. WI fetlocks swelled
like puddens. Chose to come. lad: an
choose or no, must bide."
It's for the General Hopton. ne Bod
min. ! am bound. Joan; and wound or
no, must win there this night"
And that's seven mile away: WI a
bullet In thy skull, and n peat quag thy
burial"
But 20 must" cried I and hercupon
l broke out with NIL the trouble that was
on my mind. and the instant need 10 save
these gallant gentlemen OF Cornwall. ere
two armies should combine against them.
/ told OF the Kings letter In my breast.
and how l found the Lord Stsmford's
men at Launceston: how that Ruthcn.
with the vanguard OF the rebels. was now
az Lisbeard. with but bare days
marching between the two. and none but
l TO carry the warning. Aud "0h. JOAN
! cried. my comrade l left upon the
road. Brighter courage and truer heart
never man proved, and yet left by me
In the rebels hands. Alas. that could
neither save nor help, but must still ride
on: and here Is the issae-to lie struck
down within ten mile OF my goal, that
have Travelled two hundred. And II the
Cornishmen be not warned 10 give fight
before Lord Stamford come up. ais lost.
Even now they be outnumber'd. So lift
me, Joan, and set me astride Molly. and
I'll win to Bodmin yet"
Reckon. Jack. thou'd best hand me
thy letter"
Now. l did not ut once catch the CT.
tent OF these words. so simply spoken.
but stared at her like an owl.
There's horse in stall. lad" she went
on. 'Tcaraway's the name and straw
berry the color"
But, Joan, Joan. IL you do this--fcel
inside my coat here. 20 the left-you viii
save an army, girl, maybe throne.
Here tits. Joan. sce-no, not thnt-here!
Say the seal Is that OF the Governor OF
Bristol, who stole IL from me for n while:
but the handwriting will be known for
the Kings, and no hand but yours must
touch IL till you stand before Sir Ralph
Hopton. The King shall thank you,
Joan: and God will bless you fo't."
Hope so. I'm sure. But lhrn me what
TO say. lad: for he main thick witted."
SO I told her the message over and
over, I'll she had Il by heart.
"Shan't forgit now" she said. at
lans a.
change. Bide still. nor fret thyscl'.
Here's pasty an oat cake. an a keg o.
water that Ill stow beside thee. Pay no
heed TO feyther. an II he wills TO fight
WI Jan Tersagle-that's the cat-why.
lct'n. Drunk or sober. he's no count"
She had the letter In her bosom and
stepped 10 the door. In n minute or 80
/ heard the trampling OF q horse: and
then. with a scurry OF hoofs, Joan was of
on the Kings crrand and riding into the
darkness
Little rest had ! that night, but lay
awake on my brackcn bed and watched
the burning peat turye turn TO gray. and
drop. fake by fake, till only a glowing
point remained
As day began 10 break the old man
PiNANh hahiNesA UP saNH'h aua loHnEeu
| out. returning after a time with fresh
turves for the hearth. lie noticed me
no more than stone. but when the fire
was restackcd drew up his chair to the
warmth. and brcakfastcd on cat cake and
liberal deal Of liquor
All day long ] lay there helpless and
waiting eagerly for Joan TO return. Ii
was not until nightfall that there came
the tramplinE OF horse outside, and
then a rap OH the door. The old man
started M and opened IL, and in rushed
Joan, her eyes liz up, her breast hcay,
Ing. and ia her hand a naked sword
Church aud King. Jack!' she cried
and flung the blade with clang on TO IN,
table. Church and King. o brave day,
work. lad-0 bloody work this day"
| And | swooned again.