Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-06-19
CHAPTER xIII-continued

word as his horse stopped uddeni
with its fore feet spread out on the
edge of the stream, n his dark race
grew darker as he saw the swirling
eddies and me standing fronting him
In the moonlight with my sword out.
He discerned at once, | think, the
strength OF my position. Where stood
the water was scarcely over my horses
fetlocks. Where he stood II was over
his horses knees, and TIVE US III
flowed nearly -four feet deep.
He held a hasty parley with his COM
panions, and then he hailed me. Will
you surrender" he cried in English.
1--WE will give you quarter"
Surrender? To whom" l said.
And why-why should l surrender?
Are you robbers and cutpurses?"
Surrender In the name OF the en-
peror, you fool!" he answered sternly
and roughly.
II know nothing about the emperor"
/ retorted. What emperor
In tho queens name, then!"
1.-The duke of Cleves Is queen here!"
/ cried, and as the food is rising" l
added scornfully, II would advise you
10 so home again"
"You would advise, would you? WHO
are your" he replied in a Ill or
wrathful curiosity.
] CAV him no answer. l nave OFTEN
since reflected, with a fuller knowledge
of certain facts, that no stranger In
terview ever took place than this short
colloquy between us: hat no stranger
fight ever was fought than that which
we contemplated as we stood there
bathed In the May moonlight with wa
ter all round us and the cold sky above.
A strange fight indeed it would have
been between him n me had 1t ever
come TO the swords point!
But this was what happened. His
- ...a.1. IAl go ~an Ia ann "a, ont n haF
my horse began to culver under me n
sway backward and forward. | a
just time TO take the alarm when the
poor beast sank down and rolled gently
over, leaving be bestriding Its body,
my feet In the water. Whatever the
cause of this, / had to disentangle my
self, and that quickly, for the -four men
opposite me, seeing me dismounted,
plunged with a cry OF triumph into the
water n began to founder across.
Without more ado / stepped orwa
to keep the ford.
The foremost and nearest to me was
Clarence, whose horse began. half way
across, to swim 1t was still scrambling
10 regain its footing when IL came
within my reach, and l slashed 1t cruel-
ly across the nostrils. 1t turned in an
instant on its side. | saw the riders
face CLEAN white in the water. His
stirrup shone a moment as the horse
rolled over; then In a second the two
were gone down the stream. 1t was
done so easily, so quickly, ii amazed
me. One gone, hurrahi | turned quick
ly to the others, who We're about land
ing. My blood was fired, and my
yell OF victory, as | dashed at them,
scared back two of the horses.
Despite their riders urging they
turned and scrambled out on
the side from which they had en-
%r.aI noIu ono tNvn lpft-fhn far
thest from me. He got across indeed,
yet he was the most unlucky OF all, for
his horse stumbled or landing, came
down heavily on it's head Inc flung him
al my very feet.
1t was no time for quarter a to
think OF my friends-and while with
one hand / seized the flying rein as the
horse scrambled, trembling, TO its feet,
with the other | lunged twice at the
rider as he half tried 10 rise, half tried
70 grasp at me. The second time l ran
him through, and he screamed shrilly.
In those days / was young and hot
headed, and answered only by a shout
of defiance as / flung myself into the
saddle and dashed away through the
water after my friends.
Voc victisl l had done enough to
check the pursuit n yet escaped my
self. If / could join the others again,
what a triumph 1t would be! | had
no guide, but neither had those in
front OF me. and luckily at this point
"a row Of pollard willows defined the
line between the road and the river.
/. Keeping this on my right, | made good
way. The horse seemed strong under
me. the water was shallow and ap-
peared to be growing more SO, and
presently across the waste of flood l
discerned before me a dark, solitary
tower. the tower seemingly of a church,
- - ..a-. fannAI IN a GfnfaENF gnlraI
which daylight would probably have
shown to be cf wood.
There was a little dry ground round
the church, a mere patch in a sea OF
water, but my horse rang its hoofs on
1t with every sign of JOY and arched
its neck as ii trotted up TO the neigh
borhood of the church, whtnnying with
pleasure. From the back OF the build
Ing. | was not surprised, came an an
swering neigh. AS / pulled up a man.
his weapon in his hand. came from the
porch. and a woman followed him.. ]
called TO them gayly. Il fancied you
would be here the moment | saw the
churchi" / said, sliding TO the ground,
Thank heaven you are safe!" the
duchess answered. and TO my astonish-
ment she flung her arms round my
neck and kissed me. What has hap
pened 2" she asked, looking in my eyes
her w full of tears.
II think l have stopped Them" / an
swered, turning suddenly shy. though
boylike, / had been longing a few min
utes before TO talk Of my victory. They
tried TO cross, and"
I had not sheathed my sword. Mas
ter BERTHE caught my wrist. and lifting
the blade looked at II. $50, sol" he
sald nodding. Are you hurt?"
Not ~touchedi" / answered. Before
more was said he compelled his wife
to go back into the porch. The vino
blew keenly across the open ground
and we were all wet and shivering
When we had fastened up the horses
we followed her. The door of che
church was locked, Ii seemed, and the
porch afforded the best shelter TO bs
had. Its upper part was OF open wood.
work and freely admitted the wind. buI
wide caves projected over these open
ings and over the door, so tina at ieas
IL was dry within. BY budding to-
gether on the loo against the wind.
ward side we got some protection.
hastily told what had happened.
$50 Clarence Is gone!" My lady's
voice as she said the words trembled
but not in sorrow or pity, as 4 judgec
rather in relief. Her dread n hatree
of the man We're strange and terrible
aud so seemed TO me then. Afterwarc
Il learned that something had passed
between them which made almost nat
nrai such feelings on her part am
raaia natural also n bitter reyentmani