Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-04-14
THE KINGS GRANT.
BY r. TOWNSEND SMITH,.

England, vas about to march from
Bosworth field to London to assume
the government Of the kingdom. he
called to him young Wilfred Boying
ton, who had fought bravely during
the battle, and said to him:
There is an estate some twenty
leagues from here that belonged to one
of the stanchest adherents Of our en-
envy and is therefore forfeit. Its own.
er. Sir Charles Beachurst, lies dead
yonder among the slain."
Then, directing the young man tc
kneel, the king laid his sword on his
shoulder and said:
"Rise, Sir Wilfred, and take posses.
sion of this forfeited estate"
"Now?" asked the young man, as.
tonished.
"Now if you like, but do not fail to
join us before we march,"
"And that is
Tomorrow at cockcrow."
Furnished with a parchment signed
n sealed by the king, Sir Wilfred
rode to the Beachurst estate. The re.
cent owners widow was so overcome
by grief at her husbands death, of
which she had just heard, that she
could not see him. She therefore sem
her daughter Ethelreda, q girl of nine.
teen and fair to look upon. Sir Will
fred showed her the kings grant. Be.
yond a shiver there was no indication
Of her feelings.
"The kings will is indisputable."
she said calmly. 1.-THE estate is yours
The young man was about to with.
draw when the girl said to him:
MAY it please you to inspect your
estate?"
Sir Wilfred had no especial desire to
see his new domain at that time, but
to be shown about by this girl, whose
presence affected him with a desire to
know her better, was another matter.
II must join the king at dawn tomor-
row." he said. Meanwhile I would be
pleased if you will show me as much
of the estate as there is time to see."
The lady retired and presently ap-
peared in the courtyard, where she
mounted a horse that stood ready for
her, and the two, followed by attend
ants, rode away to inspect the estate.
1.-THE estate is very large,' said Sir
Wilfred after they had ridden miles in
one direction.
ut u.s." she replied. You possess a
noble domain. 1t belonged to a Saxon
baron and was given by the Conqueror
to II Of his adherents. 1 have al
ways felt that an injustice was done
which some day we would be called
upon to %expiate."
Sir Wilfred said nothing. These
transfers from the weaker to the
stronger were in those days common,
and he had no idea of giving I'D so
splendid an estate from any qualms
Of conscience. But he revered the in
nocence Of the girl from whom he was
to take it, thinking that if she desired
to win him to decline it she should
have taken him over a part Of it, let
ting him believe that it was a small
estate.
And still they rode on The u
went down, but the full moor rose.
Under the soft twin light Of night and
day Ethelreda was very beautiful. Sir
Wilfred had no thought Of turning
back. To ride over an estate fit rather
for a duke than a knight in company
with so beautiful a companion was
delightful. Once and only once he
had evidence of the struggle going ON
within her. He caught a ray of mooa-
light reflected from a tear.
Men are less prone to realize their
feelings than M Sir Wilfred was
falling in love. but he was not aware
of 1t-at least he was not aware that
he was falling in love with Ethelreda.
He supposed he was enchanted by this
splendid estate. So he rode. conscious
only Of a faint regret in his heart that
he was to dispossess SO gentle a being
as she who rode beside him. but not a
whit bent on resigning the property.
Suddenly in passing through a hamlet
a bell struck the hour Of midnight.
Sir Wilfred was a%stonished. So hap
py had he been that when the bell be-
gan it's strokes he supposed it would
strike the hour of 9. when all good
people were supposed to be in their
homes. He drew rein suddenly.
"How far have we come from YOUR
CASTER" he asked Ethelreda.
'Twenty leagues"
"Twenty leagues! And 1 rode twen-
ty from the camp! Forty leagues!
Heavens! Four hours to ride forty
leagues! No horse will do it! I I'M
ruined! The king will scorn my e
cuses!'
The last few words were a moan.
"But you possess a fine estate" said
E%thelreda.
II would give it all for a horse ana
BILE Of taking me back to camp by
sunrise"
"Done!" said Ethelreda, throwing off
her lethargy. "a knight cannot go
back on his word. On a farm near by
Is the white horse the pride Of our
family, the feetest in all the country
around. Give up the kings grant and
l will conduct you to his stable"
Sir Wilfred took out the parchment.
hesitated but one moment +hon +ora