The Breckenridge news., 1906-08-08

God be with thee, my honOred lord,
and have thee in his holy keeping. The
Lady Loring hath asked me, the priest,
so set down In writing what hath befallen
at Twynham, and ali that concerns the
death of thy III neighbor the Socman OF
Minstead. For when ye had LETT us, this
evil man gathered around him all outlaws,
villcins, and masterless men. until they
we're come to such a force that they slew
aud scattered the kings men who went
against them. Then, coming forth from
me woods, they laid siege TO thy castle,
aud for two days they grit us in and shot
nard against US, with such numbers as
we're a marvel to see. Yet the Lady Lor-
ing held the place stoutly, and on the
econd day the Socman was slain-by
ds own men, as some think-so that we
we're delivered from their hands; for
which praise he To all the saints, and
more especially to the holy Anselm, upon
whose feast 1t came to pass. The Lady
Loring and the Lady Maude, thy fair
daughter, are In good health. May all
the saints preserve thee"
My fair lord" said Alleyne. with n
flush on his veather-stained cheeks. Il
love your daughter. the Lady Maude; and,
unworthy as ! am. would give my
hearts blood to serve her.
by st. PAUL. Edricson. said the
knight coldly. arching his eyebrows. 'you
aim high in this matter. Our blood Is
very old -"
And mine also is very old" answered
the squire.
And the Lady Maude Is our single
child. All our name and lands center upon
her
Alas! that I should say it, but also
am now the only Edricson.
And why have I not heard this from
you before. Alleyne? In sooth. think
you have used me III. "
Nay. my fair lord. say not so for I
know not whether your daughter loves
me, and there Is no pledge between MS. -
Sir Nigel pOndered for n few moments.
and then burst out a-laughing. by St
Paul. said he. 81 know not why I should
mix in the matter; for 7 have ever found
that the Lady Maude vas very well able
to look to her own affairs Since first
she could stamp her little foot. she hath
ever been able to get that for which she
craved; and n she set her heart on thee
Alleyne. and thou O" =, I do not think
that this Spanish king. with his three
score thousand men. could hold You apart
Yet this ! will say that I would see You
full knight ere YOU go 10 my daughter
with words Of love. I have ever said that
a brave lance should wed her; and. by my
soul! Edricson. n God spare you. ] think
that YOU will acQuit yourself well But
enough of such trifles. for we have our
work before MS. and II will be time to
speak Of this matter when we see the
white clfs Of England once more Go to
Sir William FELTON,. I pray you. and ask
him to come hither. for II Is time that
we were marching There Is no pass at
the further end OF the valley. and II is
perilous place should an enemy come upon
us"
Alleyne delivered his message. aud then
wandered forth from the camp, for his
mind was all In q whirl with this un-
expected news, and with his talk with
Sir Nigel. Sitting upon rock. with his
burning brow resting upon his hands he
thought Of his brother. Of their quarrel.
of the Lady Maude In her bedraggled rid
ing-dress. OF the gray old castle. OF the
proud pale face IN the armory. and Of the
last fiery words with which she had sped
him on his way. Then he was but
monk-bred lad unknown and
Now he was himself Socman
OF Minstead the head OF an old stock. and
the Lord OF an estate which. II reduced
from Its former size was still ample To
preserve the dignit- OF his family Further
he had become man Of experience was
counted brave among men. had won the
esteem and confidence Of her father and
above all. has been listened To 10y him
As TO the gaining OF knighthood. In such
stirring times II was no great matter for
a brave squire OF gentle birth to aspire 10
that honor. He would leave his bones
among these Spanish ravlnes. or he would
10 some deed which would call the eyes
NJ men upon him.
Alleyne was still seated on the rock. his
griefs and his joys drifting swiftly over
his mind like the shadow OF clouds upon
a Sunlit meadow. when OF sudden he
became conscious OF a low. deep sound
which came booming up to him through
the fog. He shouted an alarm to the
camp.
1T is great body Of horse" said Sir
william FELTON,, ''and they are riding very
swiftly hitherwards
The Company stood peering into the
dense fog wreath. amidst silence so
profound that the dripping Of the water
from the rocks and the breathing ~ the
horses grew loud upon the ear Suddenly
from out the sea of mist came the sound
N neigh. followed by a long blast Of
bugle.
"It is Spanish call. my fair lord" said
Black Simon.
BY nv faith. said Sir Nigel smiling
I'VE may promise them some sport ere
they sound the mort over us. But there
is a hill in the center Of the gorge upon
which we might make our stand.
u marked It yester night" said FELTON,
''and no better spot could he found for
our puIppNFs loi ~ - WY N'N'b - ~
back. 80
The whole Company. leading their
horses. passed across TO the small hill
which loomed up from the mist. II was
indeed admirably designed for defence, for
II soped down in front, all Jagged and
boulder strewn. while IL fell away behind
in a sheer cliff Of hundred feet or more.
on the summit was a small, uneven
plateau. with a stretch across Of hun
dred PAGES. and a depth Of half as much
again
"'Unloose the horses" said Sir Nigel
Now order the ranks. and ding wide the
banners for our souls are Gods and our
bodies the kings. and our swords for
Saint George and for England
Sir Nigel had scarcely spoken when the
mist seemed to thin In the valley, and to
snred away into long ragged clouds which
traiIed from the edges OF the cliffs, and
the sun broke through. IL cleaned and
shimmered with dazzling brightness upon
the armor and headpieces OF a vast body
Of horsemen who stretched across the
barranca from one cliff 10 the other, and
extended backwards until their rear-guard
were far out upon the plain beyond. Line
after line. and rank after rank, they
checked the neck OF the valley with
long vista OF tossing pennons, twinkling
lances. waving plumes and streaming
banderoles while the curvets and gam
bades Of the chargers lent a constant mo-