Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-05-21
CHAPTER 1x-contlnued.

SSS "ty Ott w ~ dihC. iS SAtSS.
I had stumbled oil to the latter. l
found I had lost sight of both figures.
but 1 ran along at the top Of my speed
calculating that the two. who could not
be far apart. the man being the nearer
TO me. were about a quarter OF a mile
or rather more from the road. l a
gone one-half OF this distance perhaps
when a shrill scream in front caused
me to %redouble my efforts. l expected
to find h rutiian in the act of rob-
bling h girl, and clutched my cudgel-
for. alas. l had left my sword at home
more tightly in my grasp so that
1t was an immense relief to me when.
on turning an angle in the dixie. l saw
her running toward me. Her face. still
white with fear. however, n her hair
streaming loosely behind her, told how
narrow had been her escape, If escape
1t could be called. For about ten feet
behind her. the mood he had plucked
off still in his grasp. came Master
Spantard. hotfoot and painting, but
gaining on her now with every stride.
He was a tall fellow. gayly dressed.
swarthy. mustachioed and fierce eyed.
His corslet and sword belt shone and jim
gled as he ram and swore. but he had
dropped his feathered bonnet in the
slight struggle which had evidently
taken place when she got by him. and
1t lay a black spot in the middle of
he grassy avenue behind him. The
sun-it vas about three hours after
noon-was at my back and shining di-
as I raised my cudgel and jumped
aside to let the girl pass. for she in
her blind fear would have run against
me.
1t was almost the same with him.
He did not see me until l was within
a few PAGES OF him. and even then I
think he noticed my presence merely
as that Of an unwelcone spectator. He
fancied I should step aside. and he
cursed me, calling me a Dutch dog for
getting in his way.
The next ~moment--he had not drawn
his sword nor made any attempt to
draw tive came together Violently.
and 1 had my hand on his throat. we
swayed as we whirled round one an
other in the first shoe. of the collision.
A cry of a~stonishrne-t escaped him
astonishment at my hardihood. He
tried. his. eyes glarinu into mine and
MS hot breath on my cheek, to get at
his dagger. but it was too late. 1
brought down my staff with all the
strength Of an arm nerved at the mo-
ment by rag and despair, upon his
bare head.
He went down like a stone, and the
blood dubbed from his lips. l stood
himself out and turned with a cons
vulsive movement on his face. His
hands clawed the grass. His leg moved
twice. a third time family. Their
he lay still.
There was q lark singing Just over
head. and it's clear notes seemed
during the long. long minute while I
stood bending over him in an awful
fascination to be tho only sounds in
nature. ! looked so long at him in
that dreaded stiffness and absorption
. dared not at last look up lest I
hnN H0nA vH 0vrv vH0k ~A~A A,-A 49,
q touch fell on my arm I did not start.
You have killed him." the girl whis-
pered, shuddering.
yes, I have killed him." I answered
mechanically.
l could not take my eyes off him. It
was o as IL I had done this thing
after q long conflict, or in q melee
with others fighting round me, or on
the battlefield. I should have felt no
horror then such as I felt now, stand
Ing over him in h sunshine, with the
lafk's song In my ears. It had hap
pened so quickly. and the waste about
US was so still, N I had never killed
a man before nor seen q man die.
oh. come away!" Dymphna walled
suddenly. Come away"
. turned then. n the sight Of the
girls wan a n strained eyes re-
called me in some degree to myself.
I saw she was i'll. and hastily I gave
my arm and partly carried, partly
supported her. back to the road. The
way seemed long. and / looked behind
me often. but we reached the cause
way at last, n there in the open
! felt; some relief. Yet even then. stop
ping to cast a backward glance at the
msrsn. l anew. espying a
0rlght white spark cleaning amid the
green OF the PUSHES. It was the dead
mans cOrAlet. hut IL 1T had been his
y ! could scarcely -have shrunk from