Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-07-05

bride, lowered his head. and spurred
MS horse forward. The horse on the
ground rolled over, there was blood
and moving shapes upon the HANKS,
and the gaunt man suddenly leaving it
ran forward towards his master, per
maps ten PAGES. His legs we're swatEed
and incumbered with gray, he made
Intellectual movements with his sword
Gray strealers waved from him: there
was thin veil of gray across his
face. With his left hand he beat at
something on his body, and suddenly
be stumbled and fell. He struggled
TO rise, and fell again, and suddenly,
horribly, began to howl: "on-ohoo,
ohooh."
The master could see the great
spiders upon him, and others upon the
ground.
To the day of his death he never
knew just how the event Of tnat mo-
ment happened Did he, indeed. turn
his horse. or did 1t really Of It's own
accord stampede? Suffice il that in
another second he was galloping iul:
tilt down the valley with his swort
whirling furiously overhead. And al
about him on the quickening breeze.
the spiders air-ships, their air bundles
and air sheets, seemed 10 him 10 hGrrs
in a conscious pursuit.
He was so intent to escape the
spiders webs that only as his horse
gathered together for a leap did he
realize the ravine ahead
He was a horseman again in mid
air. He came off clear with rGere
brulse upon his shoulder, and his horse
rolled, kicking spasmodic legs. and lay
still
He was on his feet in a moment
breathlessly scanning the onrGsh ng
spider-webs. For a moment he was
minded 10 run, and then thought of the
ravine, and turned back. He ian
aside once to dodge one drifting ter
ror. and then be was swiftly clameer-
ing down the PERCEPTIONS sides, ana ott
OF the touch OF the gale
And there under the lee OF tire DRY
torrents sleeper banks, he mish.
crouch and watch these strange. gray
masses pass and pass in safety III lht
wind fell. and II became possible to 90
cape And there for long time ne
erouched, watching the strange, gray
ragged masses trail their streamers
across his narrowed sky.
And once a stray spider fell into the
rayipe close beside him-a fun loot II
measured from leg 10 leg, and us Doc!
was half a mans hand-and after NJ
had watched its monstrous alser.ty o.
+ search and escape for a little while
he lifted up his iron-heeled boot an
smashed Il into a pulp.
Then be heard 4 gathering oil hoois
snnmbling footsteps, and a reassufint
voice. The little man appeared, a rue
fnl figure. still with a trail OF white
cohweb trailing behind him. The itue
man was fatigued and shamed to lhe
pitch of hopeless bitterness, and csme
Ia a stop at last face to face WIN
his seated master The latter WINGED
a little under his dependents eye
.Wellg' he said at last, with no pre-
tense Of authority.
you left him."
MY horse bolted."
~ know. SO did mine"
He laughed at his master mirth-
lessly.
towards both, said the little man.
The other rnawed his knuckle
through some meditative moments
with his eye on his inferior
Don't call me coward he sad
at length.
"you are a coward, like myself. /"
mo man calls me coward, he sad
No A broken sword is bette,
than none. One spawned White
horse cannot be expected TO carry Two
men four days journey You begin
10 understand me? . ! perceive tha'
Won are minded on the strength q
What YOU have seen and fancy, 70
faint my reputation. II is men OF your
sort who unmake kings. BESIDES
which, never liked you
NV lord!" said the little man.
mo said che master. NO.
| He stood up sharply as the httle
man moved. For a minute perhaps lhe!
faced one another. Overhead IN,
spiders balls we're driving. There was
a ouick movement among the pcho es'
a running Of feet, a cry of despair a
gasp and a blow.
Towards nightfall the wind fsd Inc
eun set in a calm serenity anu tht
man who had once possessed the silver
hridIe came at last very cautiously
and by easy slope out of the 'favine
again. but now he led the white morse
that once belonged to the little man
And as he thought Of those COD
webs his eyes went across the Failey
u was hot with passion ne sac
and now she has met her reward
They also, no doubt"
And behold Far away out OF me
vooded slopes across the valley, but IL