The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-04-06
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SWORD.
The summer day was all but spent
when Richard Jennifer. riding express,
brought me Captain ~f'alconnet's chal-
lenge.
Twas a dayfall to be marked with a
white stone, ever in u Carolina cal
endar. The sun, reaching down to the
mountain-girt horizon in the west, filled
all the upper air with the glory of its
departing, and the higher leaf plumes
OF the great naples before my cabin
door wrought lustrous patterns in gid
ed green upon 4 zenith background Of
turquoise shot with crimson, like the
! figurings OF some rich old tapestries ]
had once seen in my field marshals
castle in the Mark Of Moravia.
Beyond the naples Il brook tinkled
and FLASHED over the stones on its way
to the nearby Catawba; INC It's peace
full Drawing, and the eVensong of n
pair of Clear-throated warblers poised
IN the topmoSt twigS OF n OF the
trees. should nave been sweet music IN
the ears of a returned exile. But on
that natchleSs brides month evening
Of dainty sunset arabesQues and brook
and bird songs, / was in little huNnor
for rejoicing.
The road made for the river lower
down and followed its windings up the
valley; but Jenniier came by the In
dian race through the forest. [ can
see him now as he rode beneath the
naples, bending 10 the saddle horn
Where the branches hung lowest. a
pretty figure of a handsome young pro
vincial. clad in fashions three ear be-
hind those l had seen in London the
winter last past. He rode gentleman
wise. In small clothes OF rough gray
WOODEN and with stout leggings over his
hose; but he wore.his cooked hat atilt
like a troopers, and the sword on his
thigh was a good service blade, and no
mere hilt and scahbard for show such
as our courtier macaronis We're Just
then beginning to affect.
Now l had known this handsome
youngster when he vas but g little
lad: had taught hin how 10 bend the
Indian bow and loose the reed-shaft
arrow in those happier days before the
tyrant Governor Tryon turned hang
man. and the hattie OF the Great Al
manac had left me fatherless. More
over, / had drunk a cup of wine With
him at the Mecklenhurg Arms no long
er than yesterweek-this TO d renewal
Of II early friendship. Hence, l must
needs be so!newaattakcn aback when
he drew rein at my doorstone, doffed
his hat With a sweeping bow worthy q
courtier Of the great Louis, and said,
after the best n of Sir Charles
Grandson:
y have TIE IiaTor Il addressing Cap
tain John Ireton, sometimes of his
majestyss Royal Scots Blues. n late
II her apostolic maiesty's Twenty
ninth regiment of H~usSars2"
1t was but an %euphuisln of the time,
this formal preamble, declaring that
his GRAND had to do with the preliHn-
~iilaries of a private quarrel between
gentlemen. Yet l could scarce re-
= ~ n n ~ liz JNn rh1ea. s,NA~,n-SrrC
of courtier etiquette with the free
stride of L western ~backwoods None
the less, YOU are TO suppose that / made
shift to match his bow in some fashion.
and to say AT you service. sir
Whereupcn he bowed again. clapped
han. to head and rendered me a sealed
packet.
From Sir Frances Falconnet, Knigl,t
Bachelor CT Eeaumaris, volunteer cap
tain in his majcsty's German Legion"
he announced with stern dignity.
Having no second to refer him to, I
broke tie seal az tne cartel myself.
Since Icy neT1v had seen fit to coma
thus far on the way to his end in some
gertlemanly manner, it was not TO:
me to frd difficulties in the formalities.
In good tr.itl., / was overjoyetl to be
thus assured that he would fight me
fair; h q he would not compel me to
kill him as kills a wild beast at
bay. For certainly / should have killed
hill in any event; so much | had prom
ised my poor Dick C~overdale on that
dismal November morning when he had
choked out his life in my arms, the VIC
tim first of this mans ~treachery. and,
atsthe last, OF his sword. So, as / say.
was nothing loath, II yet | would
aot seem too eager.
Il might say that / have no unsettled
quarrel With Captain Falconnet." I de-
rlrrreG. when L had read the challenge.
He spoke slightingly of a lady, and j
did but
Your answer, Captain %Ireton,,.
1uoth my youngster, CURLY. II am not
empowered to give or AXE in the mat
ter OF accommodations
N Sc fast, IL you please l re-
Joined. IT have no wish to disappoint
your principal. or his master, the devil.
Let it be tomorrow morning at sunrise
in the oak grove which WAS once my
fathers wood field. ZACH man With his
own blade. And i give you fair warn
ing, Master Jennifer; | shall kill your
~bullyragging captain of light-horse as
| would a yeiniin of any other breed
At this Jennifer flung himself from
This saddle with a great laugh.
III you CAM he qualified. But
3enough OF these by your leave, sirs.
| am near fa1nished, and as dry as
King DavId's bottle In the smoke. VIII
you give NE a bite and SUI before
mount and ride again? 'Tis a long
sa1lop back 10 town on an empty stom-
acfl, ard With a gulIet as dry as Mr.
Gilbert Stairs gs!t..
Here Was .y fresh-hearted Dick
Jcanifcr hack again all In a breath;
and : made haatc to shout for Darius
land for Tomas To take his horse. anG
otherwise to besttr myself to do the
ho.iors OF M poor forest fastness as
we'll as I might.
Luckily, my haphazard larder was
not quite empty, and there: were pres.
entity a bit OF cold deei.smeat and som
cakes OF maize bread baked In the
ashes to s.t before the guest. Also
there ives a cup of sweet Wine, home
pressed from the berries of the Indial
seuppernong, to wash them down. Nnt
afterWard, though the evening Vas n,
more than n1olntain-breeze cool, W,
had d handful of fire on the hearth TO
1.-THE cheer of 1t while we smoked on
reed-stelnmed pipes.
It was over the pipes that Jennie
unburdend himself of the gossip of tn
day in Queensborougn.
Have you heard the newest? But
Know You haven't, since the post-rider
Ecame only this morning. The var ha
shifted from the north in good earnes
at last, and we are like8t have a tast
Of the halryings the J~erseymen hay