Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-07-07

NAY, 1 am a nan of peace" said
Alleyne Edricson. Besides / have
other work to do"
"Pestet" growled the soldier, strik-
ing his flagon on the board until the
dishes danced again: What, in the
name of the devil, hath come over the
folk Why sit We all moping by the
f1reside, like crows round a dead horse,
when there is mans work to be done
within a few short leagues of ye? Out
upon you all, as a set of laggards and
hang-backS! By my hilt! | believe
that the men of England are all In
France already, and that what is left
behind are in sooth the women dressed
up in their paltocks and hosen."
Archer" quoth Horde John, you
have lied more than once and more
thar twice: for which, and also be-
cause / see much in you to mislike. I
am sorely tempted to lay you upon
your back"
"By my hilti then, I have found a
mar at last" shouted the bowman.
And. fore God, you are a better man
than I take you for If you can lay me
on my back For seven long years 1
have found no man in the Company
who could make my jerkin dusty"
we have had enough bobance and
Boosting" said Horde John. rising ard
throwing off his doublet. at will show
YOU that there are better mer left In
England than ever went thieying to
France"
"Pasques Dieu!" cried the archie.
loosening his ierkin. and cycling his
foeman over with the keen glance of
one who is a Judge of manhood. "I
have only nee before seen such a
body of a man. BY your leave, my red
headed friend, 7 should be RIGHT sorrv
to exchange buffets with you; and I
will allow that there is no man in the
Company who would pull against YOU
on a rope; SO let that b. n salve Il yorr
pride. On the other hand, I should
Judge that you have led n life OF ease
for some months back, and that my
muscle is harder than your own. 7
am ready to wager upon myself
AGAINST you, II you are not afeard"
"Afcard, thou lurden!" growled big
John. Il never saw the face yet Of n
man that I was afeard Of. Come out,
and we shall see who is the better
man"
"But the wager?"
IT have nought to wager. Come out
for the love and the lust Of the
thing"
"Nought to wager!" cri d the soldier.
why. idiot, you have that which I
covet above all things. It is tina big
'pbF 80 I'M THAI L LII Ett
I have a French feather bed there,
which / have been at pains to keep
these @ a back. had II at the sack
ing of Issodun. and the king himself
hath not such a bed. If you throw me,
1t is thine; but, IL l throw you, then
-ou are under n vow to serve the White
Company as long as we be enrolled"
Then you may bid farewell to your
bed. soldier" roared Horde John.
NAV T chon Eaan fho had on1 \
shall have you to France in spite of
your teeth, and you shall live to thank
me for it. How shall ii be, then. my
infant? Collar and elbow, or close
lock. or catch how you CAM"
"To the devil with your tricks!" said
John, opening and shutting his great
red hands. "Stand forth. and let me
clip thee"
SHALT clip me as best youcan, then"
quoth the archer, moving out into the
open space. and keeping a most wary
eye pom his opponent. He had
thrown of his green jerkin, and his
chest was covered only l. a pink silk
upon, or un~dershirt. cut low in the
neck and sleeveless. Horde John was
near stripped from his waist upward,
and his huge body, with his great
muscles swelling out like the gnarled
roots of an oak, lowered high above
the soldier. The other. however,
though near a foot shorter, was a man
Of great strength; I'd there was a
gloss upon his white skin which was
wanting in the heavier limbs of the
renegade monk. He was quick on his
feet too. and skilled at the game: so
that 1t was clear, from the poise OF
head and shine of eye. that he counted
the chances to be in his favor. 1t
would have been hard that night,
through the whole length of England,
to set I'M a finer pair in the face Of
each other.
Big John stood waiting in the centre
with a sullen, menac''g -.e, and his
red hair in a bristle, while the archer
paced lightly and swiftly to the right
and the LETT with crooked knee and
hands advanced. Then with = sudden
dash. so swift and fierce tat the eve
could scarce follow il. he flew in upon
his man and locked h leg around
him. 1t was n grin that between men
Of equal strength would mean a fall:
but Horde John tor hin off from him
as he might a rat. and hurled him
ros the room, SO that his head
cracked up against the wall,
Ma foil" cried the bowman. PASS
ing his fingers through his curls "you
we're not far from the feather-bed
then. mon gar"
Nothing daunted. ne approached his
man once more: but this time with
more caution than before. With a.