Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-06-20
CHAPTER XIII-Continued.


eddies and me standing fronting him
In the moonlight with my sword out.
He discerned at once, think, the
strength of my position. Where l STOOD
the water was scarcely over my morse
fetlocks. Where he stood 1t was over
his horses knees, and between US II
flowed nearly four feet deep.
He held a hasty parley with his com,
panions, and then he hailed me. VIII
you surrender" he cried In English.
I'VE will give you quarter"
Surrender? To whom?" / 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.
Il know nothing about the emperor"
retorted. What emperor"
In the queens name, then!'
"The duke Of Cleves Is queen here!
cried, "and as the flood Is rising" l
added scornfully, II would advise you
to go home again"
You would advise. would you? Who
are YOU" he replied in a kind OF
wrathful curiosity.
/ gave him no answer. l have often
since reflected, with a fuller knowledge
Of certain facts, that no stranger IN
terview ever took place than this short
collOquy between US; that 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.
strange fight indeed it would have
been between him and me had II ever
come to the swords point!
But this was what happened. His
last words had scarcely rung out when
my horse began to culver under me ana
sway backward and forward. | had
just time to take the alarm when the
poor beast sank down and rolled gently
over, leaving be bcstriding its body,
my feet in the water. Whatever the
cause of this, had to dsentangle my
self, and that quickly, for the four men
opposite me, seeing me dismounted,
plunged with a cry of triumph into the
water and began to founder across.
Without more ado l stepped forward
to keep the ford.
The foremost and nearest 20 me was
Clarence, whose horse began, half way
across. to swim. 1t was still scrambling
to regain its footing when 1t came
within my reach, and slashed II cruel
" across the nostrils. 1t turned in an
instant on its side. l saw the rider
face gleam white in the water. His
stirrup shone a moment as the horse
rolled over; then in second the two
were gone down the stream. 1t was
done so easily. so quickly, 1t amazed
me. One gone, hurrah! turned quick
ly to the others, who were about land
ing. My blood was fired, and my
yell Of victory, as l 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-
tered Only one was left-the far
thest from me. He got across indeed,
yet he was the most unlucky Of all, for
his horse stumbled on landing, came
down heavily on its head and flung him
at my very feet.
1t was no time for quarter-I had TO
think of my friends-and while with
one hand l seized the flying rein as the
horse scrambled, trembling. to its feet,
with the other / lunged twice at the
rider as he half tried to rise, half tried
to grasp at me. The second time l ran
him through, and he screamed shrilly.
In those days / was young and hot
headed. and l answered only by a shout
OF defiance as l flung myself into the
saddle and dashed away through the
water after my friends.
Voc victis! l had done enough to
check the pursuit and yet escaped my
self. If l could join the others again.
what a triumph it would be! l 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, l 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
disCerned before me a dark, solitary
tower, the tower seemingly OF q church,
for it was topped by u stumpy spire.
which daylight would probably have
shown to be of wood.
There was Il little dry ground round
the church, mere patch in sea of
water, but my horse rang it's hoofs on
it with every sign Of JOY and arChed
its neck as it trotted up to the neigh
bOrhood of the church, Whinnying with
pleasure. From the back Of the build
ing, / was not surprised, came an an
swering neigh. AS l 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 l saw the
churCh!" l 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?" she asked. looking in my eyes
her own full of tears.
Il think l have stopped them," l 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"
had not sheathed my, sword. Mas
ter BERTHE caught my wrist and lifting
the blade looked at it. so so." he
said nodding. Are you hurt?"
Not touched" l answered. Before
more was said he compelled his wife
TO go back into the porch. The wind
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 the
church was locked ii seemed, and the
porch afforded the best shelter to be
had. Its upper part was of open wood
work and freely admitted the wind. but
wide caves projected over these OPEN
ings and over the door, so that at least
II was dry within. BY huddling to-
gether on the floor against the wind
ward side we got some protection. ]
hastily told what had happened.
so Clarence is gone!" My lady's
voice as she said the words trembled
but not in sorrow or pity, as l judged
rather in relief. Her dread and hatred
Of the man were strange and terrible
and so seemed to me then. Afterward
I learned that something had passed
between them which made almost nat
ural such feelings on her part and
made natural also a bitter resentment
on his. But of that no more. You
are quite sure" she said, pressing me
anXiously for confirmation. that ii was
he!"
= Yes, but I am not sure that he is
dead" l explained.
You seem 10 bear . charmed life
yourself" she said.
'Hush!" cried her husband quickly
DO not say that to the lad. 1t is un-
lucky. But do you think" he continued
the Torch was in darkness, and we
could scarcely make out one another's
faces--'that there is any further
chance of pursuit."
mot by that party tonight" said
grimly. Nor l think tomorrow"
Good" he answered, "for l can see
nothing but water ahead, and it would
be madness to so on by night without
guide. We must stay here until