The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-03-15

Il HdllNlSOlle gin.
She looked up in my face-dear heav-
en-, that l should have to write it.-with
eyes brimful, sick with love; tried to
speak, but could only nod, and broke into
a wild fit of tears.
/ was standing there when / heard the
clear notes of a bugle blown, away Oh
the road to Launceston.
Looking that way, l saw a great com
pany of horses coming down over the
crest, the sun shining level on their arms
and a green standard that they bore in
their midst. Joan spied them the same
instant, and checked her sobs. Without a
word we flung ourselves down full length
on the turf to watch.
They were more than a thousand, as
l guessed, and came winding down the
road very orderly till, being full of them,
it seemed a long serpent writhing with
shiny scales. The tramp OF hoofs and
j~ingling of bits were pretty to hear.
'Rebels!" whispered l..
There were three regiments in all,
whereof the first was of Dragons. SO
clear was the air | could almost read the
legend on their standard, and the calls
Of their captains were borne up to us
extremely distinct.
AS they rode leisurely past | thought
of Master Tngcomb's threat, and Won
dered what this array could intend. Nor,
turning it over. could l find any explana-
ton. for the Earl of Stamford's gather
ing, he had said, was in the northeast,
and knew such troops as the Cornish
generals had to be CHARTERED at Launces-
on. Yet here, on the near side Of
/ 0nnaaStpn yrnS N lnrrn hnl,, 80 ,,,ln1
horses marching quietly to the sou'west.
Where was the head or tail to it?
Turning my head as the last rider dis
appeared on the way to Bodmin, l spied
a squat, oddly shaped man striding down
the hill very briskly; yet he looked about
him often and kept to the hollows of the
ground; and was crossing below us, as it
appeared, straight for Joan's cottage.
Cried /: There is but one man in the
world with such a gait-and that's Billy
Pottery:
And jumping to my feet l caught up a
great stone and sent it bowling down
the slope. Bounce it went past him,
missing his legs by a foot or less. The
man turned, and catching sight of me as
L stood waving, made his way up the
hill. Twas indeed Captain Billy; and
coming up, the honest fellow almost hug
ged me for JOY.
WAS seeking thee, Jack" he bawled:
learned from Sir Bevill where belize |
might find thee. Left his lodging at
Launceston this morning, and trudged
livery foot o the way. A thirsty land,
Jack-neither horses meat nor mans
meat therein, nor a chair to sit down on"
JOAN" said l, this is Billy Pottery,
a good mariner and friend of mine; and
as deaf as a haddOck."
Billy made a leg; and as l pointed to
the road where the cavalry had just dis
appeared, went on with a nod:
That so; old Cargo C%udleigh's troop
o horse sent off to Bodmin to seize the
high sheriff and his posse there. Two
hour agone l spied 'em, and ha' been
ever since playin' spy"
Then where be the Kings fOrces?'
made shift to inquire by signs.
Marched out O. Launceston to-day,
lad-an' but a biscuit a man between
'em, poor dears-for Stratton Heath, i
the ~nor'east, where the rebels be en-
camped. Heard by scouts o these gentry
bein sent to Bodmin, and were minded
to fight the Earl o. Stamford whites his
oANSoOICIS was away. Anu mere > the
long an short OF: thou'rt wanted, lad. to
bear a hand wi III up yonder-an' the
good lady here can spare thee"
Joan put her hand in mine.
ITO fight, lad?'
/ nodded my head.
Then CO." she said without a shade
in her voice; and as l made no answer.
went on-'Shall a woman hinder when
there's fighting toward? Only come back
when the wars be over, for / shall miss
thee, Jack"
And dropping my hand she led the way
down to the cottage.
Now, Billy, Of course, had not heard a
word of this; but perhaps he gathered
some import. Any way, he pulled ND
short midway on the slope, scratched his
head, and Numbered:
What a good lass,r'
Joan, some PAGES ahead. turned at this
and smiled; wlereat, having no idea he'd
spoken above a whisper, Billy blushed
red as any peopy.
Twas but a short half hour when, the
mare being saddled and Billy fed, we
took our leave of Joan. Billy walked be-
side one stirrup, and the girl on the 9TH
er side, to see us a few yards on our
way. At length she halted.
No leave takings, Jack, but Church
and King" Only do thy best and not
disgrace me-"
And Church and King!!' she called
thrice after us, standing in the road. For
me, as rode up out of that valley. the
drums seemed beating and the bugles
calling to a new life ahead. The last
light of day was OH the tors. the air
blowing fresher as we mounted; and with
Molly's every step the past five months
apPear'd TO dissolve and fall away from
me as a dream.
On the crest tnrn,d In tho SaaaIa