Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-03-20

And I was muddy and travel stained.
and quick of my tongue for one so
young, which the middle aged never
like, though the old bear 1t better. He
hesitated.
DO not be a fool, Master Host!' I
said. II have somthing here and
touched my pocket, which happened to
be near my sword hilt-"that will make
YOU rue it if you interfere with mel"
"Ho! ho!" cried the bailiff i'm haste
and triumph. $50 that is his tone! we
have a tavern brawler here, have we?
A young sw~ashbuckler! His tongue
will not run so fast when he finds his
feet in the stocks. Master landlord.
call the watch! Call the watch at once,
| command you!"
You will do so at your peril! l saiu
sternly. Then, seeing hat my manner
had some effect upon all save the
angry official, l gave way to the temp
tation to drive the matter home and
secur my safety by the only means
that seemed possible. 1t is an old story
that one deception leads inevitably TO
another. | solemnly drew out the white
staff | had taken from the apparitQr.
Look here," l continued, waving it.
DC you see this, you BOBBY? | am
travelling in the queens name II on
her service. BY special commission,
too, from the chancellor. Is that plain
speaking enough for you? And let me
tell you, master bailiff," l added, fixing
my eye upon him, that my business
is private. and that my Lord OF Win
chester will not be best pleased when
he hears how | have had to declare
myself. Do you think the queens SER
wants go always in cloth of gold, you
fool? The stocks indeed
l laughed out loudly and without ef-
fort. for there never was anything so
absurd as the change in the baiiiff's
visage. His color fed, his cheeks grew
%pendulous, his lip hung loose. He stared
at me, gasping like a fish out of water
and seemed unable to move toe or hng-
err. The rest enjoyed the scene, as peo-
pie will enjoy a marvellous sudden
stroke OF fortune. 1t was as good as "a
stage pageant to them. They could not
take their eyes from the pocket in
which | had placed my wand, and con-
tinued long after I had returned to my
meal to gaze at me in respectful sill
ence. The crestfallen bailiff presently
slipped out, n I was left cock of the
walk and for the rest of the evening
enjoyed the fruits of victory.
They proved to be more substantial
than I had expected, for as l was on
my way up stairs to bed, the landlord
preceding me with a light. a man &C
costed me and beckoned me aside mys-
teriously.
1.-The bailiff is very much annoyed
he said, speaking in a mufhed voice be-
hind his hand, while his eyes peered
into mine.
We'll, what is that to me-" replied.
loking sternly at him. | was tired and
sleepy after my meal. He should no.
make such a fool Of himself
Tut, tut, tut, tut! You misunder-
stood me. young sire" the man an
swered. plucking my sleeve as | turned
,-,O ssIIa rnoraf thu nnnnNl noe he
has caused you. A mistake, he says, a
pure mistake, and he hopes you will
have forgotten it by II rning." Then
| with a skillful hand which semed not
unused to the task, he slid two coins
into my palm. / looked at them for a.
moment, not perceiving his DRIFT. Then
| found they were two gold angels, and
I began to understand. "Ahem!" | said,
lingering them uneasily. Yes, Well,
well, / will look over it, l will look over
1t. Tell him that from me" | continued
gaining confidence as | proceeded with
my new role, that he shall hear no
more about it.. He is Jealous, perhaps
| over-zealous."
That is it" muttered the envoy Gag
| erIy. That is it. my dear sir. You see
perfectly how it is. He is Jealous
Jealous in the queens service"
T be sure, and so will report him.
Tell him that so | will report him. And
here, my good friend, take one of these
for yourself | added, magnitiCently
giving him back half my fortune, young
donkey that l was. Drink to the
queens health. and so good night to
you"
He went away, bowling to the very
ground, and when the landlord likewise
had left me | was very merry over this,
being in no mood for weighing words.
The world seemed-to be sure, the ale
was humming in my head, and | was
i'm the landlords best room-easy
enough to conquer, provided one pos
sessed a white staff. The fact that L
| had no right to mine only added-be it
remembered I was young and foolish
to my enjoyment Of its power, l went
to bed In all comfort with it under my
pillow and slept soundly. untroubled
by any dream of a mischance. But
when did a lie ever help a man in he.
End?
When I awoke, which l seemed to do
on a sudden, il was still dark. L won
oered for q mGment where L was and
what was the meaning of the shouting
and knocking / heard, Then; discern
ing the faint outline of the window, L
remembered the place In which | bad
gone TO bed, and / sat up and listened.
Some one-nay, several people-were
drumming and kicking against the
wooden doors of the inn yard and
shouting besides loud enough to raise
he dead. I'm the next room to mine L
caught the grumbling voices of persons
disturbed, like myself, from sleep. And
nv and by a window was opened. and I
beard the landlord ask what was the
matter.
{Continued Next Weekly
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