The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-04-07
By oRMoND GREY.

patrons to declare InaC SnOulu at
once sail away for Spain and offer my
sword as a soldier of fortune. 1 would
depart within a week, and as for Lady
Betty. she might marry whom she
pleased or die spinster.
81 think myself that the FLY has
romped long enough continued Sir
Hugh as he laid kindly hand on my
shoulder, land that the halter should
now be slipped over her head. But
how to do it, Jeffry-how to do it?
Indeed, let US PLAN"
And plan we did.
Four days after our planning the
Lady Betty set out for the country seat
of the Marchioness of Littleton, nine
leagues distant, there to tarry for the
space of two weeks. Naturally her
maid accompanied her, and besides the
coachman and footman there were two
armed and mounted servants to pre-
vent the knights of the road from COM
ing too close
Sir Hugh and myself were to follow
on horseback two days later, or so it
was understood. Scarce had we waved
the coach out of sight when the good
man pinched my ear In playful way
and said:
"The plan worketh thus far without
hitch or suspicion. The adventures of
the night wilt give thee a bride within
a month. Jeffry, the capricious FLY is
battered"
AT 8 o'clock that afternoon, when
the coach had reached Featherstone,
hardly more than half the journey, the
capricious Lady Betty decided to re-
main there for the night. At sun
down she decided to push on to the
White Hart inn, two leagues farther,
saying it would be romantic to ride
beneath the stars of the summer night.
Her great coach had rolled out of
the courtyard. The last league had
been entered upon, and the night had
become fairly dark when an uproar
suddenly occurred. That uproar should
have been caused by two pretended
highwaymen hired for the occasion,
and the guards should have fired a
shot or two at them and then fed, as
per orders, but alas, for our well laid
plans against the maidl
Our hired varlets lost their way
and did not appear in time, and the
two that did come forward were genu-
inc members of the profession. Our
two merry thieves were to abduct the
Lady Betty and her jewel box and
hang on to them until meeting me on
foaming steed, and I was then to drive
them away in short order with pistol
and rapier and rescue the damsel all
forlorn.
In her gratitude and admiration, how
could she say nay when asked that
the marriage day be named and that
there should be no more triiing?
Fate ordained that my horse should
cast a shoe and that l should be an
hour late at the rescue, and even then
1t was to learn that the Lady Betty,
suspecting my plans and determined
to balk them, had actually remained
behind at Featherstone and sent only
her maid forward in the coach. Sir
Hugh and l had planned according to
military tactics, but simple maid
had brought our endeavors to naught
The weather had changed, and the
rain was pouring down, and yet
must ride back to Featherstone and
secure corroboration of the maids
story before could feel at ease. Back
/ rode to be told that when the coach
left the inn Lady Betty had taken to
horse to complete her journey by an
other road.
If she had accomplished this without
adventure, then I would have been
butt of ridicule indeed. Fate was wait
ing to play her a shabby trick, how
ever
The highwaymen who had stopped
the coach on the east road had gallop-
ed away to the west by a crossroads,
and as she reached this In her ride she
fell into their hands. A hut in the
woods, in which they were making
a temporary home, was close at hand,
and thither they conducted the fright
ened and Iamenting maiden, to shut
her up In the back room while they sat
down In the front one to eat, drink and
make merry over their plumber.
Flowing my way over the execrable
roads amid the downpour, my eye sud
denly caught the twinkle of light in
the forest, and ! dismounted and APP
preached on foot Through the open
windows l heard the talk of men.
Passing to the rear of the hut, l drew
myself up to sashless opening and
softly called to know If any one was
here.
THANK heaven, tbs thee, Jeffryw
came the voice of the Lady Betty in
prompt response. 81 am in the hands
of highwaymen and almost dead with
fright. Hast thou sword and pistol
with thee, dear boyT'
sIn truth / have, but as you have oft
asserted that the former is but toy
snd the latter danger for youth to
experiment with, l know not how such
arms can aid you in this emergency"
"Nay, nay, Jeffry. may have spoken
slightingIy, but it was only the way
of a willful maid. However, if thou
hast taken it too much at heart, or If
thou doubtest thy courage or skill''-
Then | was beside her and my arm
around her. 1t was well that had
not remained longer outside. OF sud
den the men in the front room rose up
and flung open the door between us,
one of them having a faring candle In
his hand, and at the sight of them the
girl moaned and covered her face with
her hands.
The ruffians started for a moment
and then drew pistols from their belts.
The three of us pulled triggers togeth-
er, but our powder was damp and
there was no explosion. Then one
sprang back and possessed himself OF
their swords, and next moment / was
fighting the pair Of them.
/ love to look back on that hour. The
glance that my sweetheart gave me
would have put heart into a coward.
She stopped and lifted up the candle
and backed into corner and held 1t
during all the fight. l took the corner
opposite, brave of heart, and then the
blades began to sing.
The fellows were bold and lusty and
no bunglers with the steel, but within
| two minutes knew that was master
despite the odds. Sometimes the white
hand holding the candle was steady
enough, and our three blades caught
| the flame and sent it back a hundred
times over, and again it wavered about
and sent shadows across our faces as
we emf and thrust. parried and re-