The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-07-28
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~ OwEyER graceful the French
man might be on foot. and
no one denied his elegance
of bearing. he was but an
amateur on horseback, and when his
stecd unexpectedly plunged forward
he reiinquished the reins and grasped
the name. For one brief moment the
attention Of the troop was diverted
toward the unexplained antics Of the
maddened horse and the imminent
overthrow Of Its rider. II 1t had been
the horse OF Armstrong that had be
gun these dancings. his guards would
have been instantly on the alert for
an attempted escape, but at the very
moment their eyes should have been
on the Scot their attention was with
drawn. Armstrong did not laugh. but.
thrusting back his knife. whipped out
his sword and struck De Courcy's
horse twice with the broad of 1t. His
own steed leaped forward under the
prick of the spur. and before the colo
mel could give n word OF command the
two had disappeared in the fog ahead.
Even then the colonel, who was the
only man that had his wits about him.
did not think there was the least
chance Of escape. for he heard the
troop coming toward him, and Arm
strong must run directly into 1t. He
rose in his stfrrups to give the alarm
to those ahead. when all heard ring
ing shout: Charge. cavaliers! God
save the king! Charge!"
Out Of the fog came scattering
Ore. then q volley. Two horses and
three men went down. while the other
troopers hastily unslung their carbines
and fired down the street without wait
ing for the word of command.
stop. you fools" yelled the colonel.
"You are shooting your own men,"
Then to the oncomers he roared like
warning. which was drowned In anoth-
err volley. The Lichfield men were not
to be taken In. even II they had heard
the warning. With their own eyes
they had seen two cavaliers burst upon
them out Of the fog with strident cry
for the king De Courcy. coming first.
they concentrated upon him, and he
went down before them. Armstrong.
swinging his sword, shifting right and
left. believing like fend in true cav
alier style. a very Prince Rupert come
again. dashed at the weakest spot. and
his impetuosity carried all before him.
Never mind him." cried the leader
as some would have pursued. Fire,
and break their charged" And fire they
did right stoutly until a maddened Of
ficer, with bravery that scorned the
bullets around him. galloped along
their front. waving his sword and CON-
manding them to stop.
''You are killing your own menr'
There nre no royalists. but an interfer-
ing fool of Frenchman and an escaped
Scot. Back to Lichfieldr' Neverthe-
less battle Is not quelled at word,
and the brave colonel pressed through
among them and galloped in pursuit of
his late prisoner.
Once clear OF the clash Armstrong
was not sparing of a horse that belong
I'd to some one else. At great risk to
his neck he raced through the blind
fog, sword in hand, ready for further
opposition should he meet ii. He emerg-
ed from the fog with suddenness that
startled him. The sun had set, and
there. barely a mile away. stood out
against the darkening sky the great
red bulk OF the cathedral with it's war
broken towers and the little town hud-
died ut It's feet. At the same moment
he became aware that some one was
laundering after him. and again he
dug the cruel spurs into the laborins
horse.
A glance over his shoulder showed
MIN the colonel breaking through the
bank Of fog, and he thought of turning
and fighting him on the run, but the
sound OF firing had ceased. and he
knew the colonel would prove a stouter
combatant than the Frenchman, so he
hurried on. Aside from this, Lichfield
had been reused by the sound Of the
guns, and he saw the long, narrow
street that lay between him and the
cathedral becoming alive with pikemen
and knew he would have his work cut
out for him II he was to get safely
through the town. As soon as he came
within earshot he shouted to them:
"Barricade the street! The king is
upon US. I have just escaped. Our
men are on the retreat. Defend the
town to the south. Barricade! Barri-
cade"' Thus he clattered through
Lichfield. shouting.
The soldiers began the running out Of
carts ana whatever other distractions
they could lay their hands upon to
make the way difficult for the oncom-
Ing colonel. who swore as loudly at
their stupidity as IL he were the kings
own.
What are you about, you accused
clodhoppers? Don't you know a kings
man when you see one? Leave that
rubbish and follow me to the cathe-
dral"
Armstrong; horse, nearly done, stag
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