The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-06-25
CHAPTER XIV.

What was to be done? That was the
question, and q terrible question 1t was,
Behind us we had the i~nhospitable
country, dark and dreary, the night
wind sweeping over 1t. In tront, Mhere
the lights twinkled and the smoke OF
the town went up, we were X to meet
with a savage reception. And 1t was
no time for Weighing alternatives. The
choice had to be made--tnade In a mo-
ment. I marvel to this day at the
quickness with which I made 1t for
good or LII. -.
we must get into the town." cried
imperativeIy, "and before the alarm Is
given. 1t is hopeless to fly, Master
BERTHE, and we cannot spend another
night in the fields. Quick, madam!" /
continued to the duchess as she came
l did not wait to hear his opinion,
for I saw ne was stunned by h Ncatas-
trophe. I'VE have hurt one OF the town
guard through a mistake. We must get
through the gate before 1t Is discoV-
ered!"
/ seized her rein and logged UP her
horse and gave her no time to ask
questions, but urged On the party at a
hard gallop until the gate was reached.
The attempt, I knew, was desperate.
for the two men who had escaped had
ridden straight for h town, but I saw
no other resource. and 1t seemed to me
to be better to surrender ~peaceably, IL
that were possible, than to expose the
women to another night of such cold
and hunger as the last. And fortune
so far favored US that when we reached
the gate II was open. Probably, the
patnol having ridden through to get
help, no one had thought At to close
It, and, no one withstanding US. we
spurred our sobbing horses under the
archway and entered the street.
"a -- IL. n~l ~ nN.NANRrn
scene we came upon. l remember now
how strange 1t all looked. The houses,
leaning forward In a dozen quaint
forms. clear cut against the pale even
ing sky, caused a darkness as OF a
cavern in the narrow street below.
Here and there In the midst OF this
darkness hung q lantern. which. maxi
ing the gloom away from II seem
deeper, lit up the things about It,
throwing into fiaring prominence some
barred window with q scared face peer
ing from 1t, some corner with a puddle,
q sinking dog, q broken flight Of steps.
Just within the gate stood a braZier full
OF glowing coal, and beside 1t a halbert
rested against the wall. I OWNED that
the Waterman had run into the town
with the riders. and I drew rein in
doubt, listening and looking. I think
If we had ridden straight On then all
"a II ~ We bSSAA 'SAAl Va CIV NSS WV
might have been allowed to give our
selves ID.
But we hesitated q moment and were
lost. No doubt, though We saw but one,
there were a score Of people watching
us, who took US for four men. Master
BERTHE n I being in front, and these.
Judging from the boldness Of our entry
that there were more behind, concluded
that this was q foray upon the town.
At any rate, they took instant advan-
tage of our pause. With a swift whir
an iron pot came hurting past me and,
missing the duchess by a hands
breadth, went clanking under the gate
house. That served for a signal. In a
moment an alarm of hostile cries ros
all round us. An arrow whizzed be-
tween my horses feet. Half a dozen
odd missiles, snatched up by hasty
hands, came raining in on us out of the
gloom. The town seemed to be rising
as one man. A bell began to ring, and
q hundred yards in front. where the
street branched off to right and left,
the way seemed suddenly alive from
wall to wall with lights and voices and
brandished arms, the CLEAN OF steel and
the babel Of a furious crowd-a crowd
making down toward US with a purpose
we needed no German to interpret.
1t was a horrible moment. the more
horrible that I had nQA expected this
fury and was unnerved as well as
taken aback by 1t. Remembering that
] had brought my companions here, and
that two were women, one was q child,
I quailed. How could I protect them?
There was no mistaking the
that a so much surprising anything
I had feared. Though I did not know
that the man we had struck down
was a bridegroom, and that there were
those In the crowd In whose ears the
young wife's piercing scream still rang.
I yet quailed before their Heiis and
curses.
AS 1 glanced around for a place
Of refuge my eyes lit on an open door
way close to me, and close to the bra
zier and halbert. 1t was a low stone
doorway. beetle browed, with a coat
of arms carved over 1t. I saw In an
instant that 1t must lead to the tower
above us-the gatehouse--and / sprang
from my horse. a fresh yell from the
houses hailing the act. / saw that
If we were to gain a moment for par
do not know nov I did 1t, but some
how 1 made myself understood by the
others and got the women or their
horses and dragged, Mistress Anne in
side, where at once we both feii In the
darkness v Q the lower steps OF a
Eplfal staircase. InAS nlnQefe0 the
duchess, who was following, and ]
! heard a scuffie taking place behind us
But in that confined space-the stair
case was very narrow could give nc
help. I could only stumble upward
dragging the fainting girl after me
until we emerged through an oper
doorway at the top into a room. What
kind of room I did not notice then
only that It was empty. Notice! II
| was no time for taking notice. The
bell was changing louder and loudel
outside. The mob were yelling likt
| hounds In sight OF their quarry. Thu
J shouts, the confused cries and threat,
ana questions deafened me. / turned
to learn what was happening behint
me. The other two had not com'
UP.
felt my way doWn again. one hant
on the central pillar. my shouldel
against the outside wall. The stall
foot was family lit by the glow from
outside, and on the bottom step I cam,
on some one, hurt or dead, just a dari
mass at my feet. 1t was Master Ber.
Tie. I gave a cry and leaped over hh
body. The duchess, brave wife, wa
standing before him, the halbert which
she had snatched up presented at thu