The Delta independent., 1906-08-17

SO set down In writing what nath DeIallen
ut Twynhaln, and an that concerns the
death OF thy Ill neisnbor the Socmnn oi
| NJ Miusteud. For when ye had ieit US, this
Ieyil man gathered .i.ound him all outlaws.
| villcins, ana nastericss men. until thcy
| we're come to such lorce tnat they sic"
and scattered the King men VINO went
against them. Then, coming FORA from
| he woods, they laid siege To thy castle,
| I'D tor two days they girt US In and snot
| ard against Us. with such numbers as
| we're marvel TO see. Yet the Lady l.of-
| ug held the place stoutiy, ana on the
| second day the SocInuu was slaiu-Dy
ais 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 Aleync. with n
flush on his wenthcr-stained cheeks, 81
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. lyon
aim high In this matter. Our blood Is
very old"
And mine also Is very DID, answered
the squire.
"And the Lady Maude is our single
child. All our name and lands center upon
her.
Alas! that | shorld say 1t, but ! also
| am the only Edricson.'
''And why have l not heard this from
you before, Allcynei In sooth, think
you have used me m
Nay. my fnir lord. say not so: for
know not whether your daughter loves
me. and there Is no pledge between us. -
Sir Nigel pOndcred for a few moments.
and then burst ont a-laughing. by st.
| PAUL. said he. ~ know not why I should
mix in the matter: for I have ever found
that the Lady Mnude vas very well nbi"
10 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 II she set her heart on thee.
Alleync. and thou =, I do not think
that this Spanish king. with his three
score thousand men. could hold you apart.
Yet this l will say. that would see you
a full knight er" you 70 to my daughter
with words OF love. ! have ever said that
brave lance should wed her; and. 10y INV
that you Will acquIt yourself well. But
enough of such trihes. for have our
work before US. and II Will be time To
speak Of this matter when the
white cliTs OF England once moe. Go To-
Sir William Fc'ion. I pray you, ond ask
him to come hither. for II Is time that
we We're marching. There is no pass at
the further end OF the valley. and II Is
ttrllOuS plnte sNDuiI nm enemy come upon
us" d.
wandered forth from the camp, for his
mind was all In n whirl with this nm
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 Mandc In her bedrngglei rid
lng-drcss. Of the gray old castle. of tn"
proud pale face In the nrmory, aud Of tho
last fiery words with which she had sped
him on his way. Then he was but n
pennllcSs. monk-brcd lad. unknown nnd
unfrl.nded. Now he WINS hlms.lf Socman
OF MInst"hd. the head OF an old stock, aud
the Lord Of an estate which. " reduced
from It's former size, was stlll nmpl. TO
preserve the dlgni'- of his family. Further.
he had become a man OF experience was
c"""'ed brave among men. had won the
!, 5sfeem and confidence OF her father. aud
npoyevau, has been listened TO hy him
when h. told him the secret Of his love.
As 10 the gaining OF knighthood. In such
stirring times II was great matter for
n brave squire OF gentle birth TO aspire {"
that honor. He would leave his bones
among these Spanish rayines, or he would
do some deed which would call the eyes
of men upon him.
AlIcyne was stil seated on the rock, his
griefs nnd his joys drifting swiftly over
| his mind Ike the shadow Of clouds upon
a sunlIt meadow, when OF q sudden h"
became conscious Of low, deep sound
which came booming up TO him through
the fog. He shouted an nlarm 10 the
camp.
"It is great body Of horse said Sir
| William FELTON,, aud they are riding very
| swiftly hithcrwarhs.'
The Company stood pcering into the
dense fog wreath. amidst a silence 50
| profound that tn" dripping Of the water
| from the rocks and tn" breathing OF the
horses grew loud upon the ear Suddenly
fr., fh., .f mi ~ 10
Of n neigh. followed Icy u long blast Of
buglc
ct is n Spanish call. my fair lord said
| Black simon.
by my faith, said Sir Nigel. smiling
| "w. may promise them some sport ere
| they sound the mort over us. But thcr.
| Is a hill In the center OF the gorge upon
which we might make our stand.
| ~ marked It ycstcr night" said FELTON,.
land no better spot could he found for
| our purpose, for It II very steep at tn"
| back
| The whole Company. leading their
| horscs passed across to the small hill
which loomcd up from the mist. 1t was
indeed admirably designed for defence. for
II sioped down In front. NIL Jagged ana
| boulder strcwn, while II fell away behind
| in n sheer clir OF u hundred feet or more.
| On the summit was small. uneven
| plateau, with n stretch across OF u hun
| dred pnces, and n depth Of half AZ much
| again.
| '.Ifnloose 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
| trailed from the edges OF the cllns. and
| the sun broke through It CLEANED and
| shimmered with dazzling brightness upon
| the nrmor and hcndpleccs OF n vast body
| OF horscmcn who stretched across the
| barrnnca from one cIIn to the other, and
| ok tended backwards until their renr-guard
were far out upon the plain beyond. Line
| after line. and rank after rank. they
checked the neck OF the valley with q
| long vista Of tossing pennohs. twinklng
lapces, waving plumcs and streaming
bapderoles, while the curycts and gam
bndes Of the chargers lent constant mo-
| 20, I'm oil m