The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-01-17
TheStranger
A Story of Medieval Times
By EMMA STURC(S
By EMMA STURCIS

each of which IL baron had built II of
these fortrcsses and lived in sight of
each other. At first. they were friends.
but Ii day Sir Herman rode over to
Sir Wilhetin's castle and asked for the
hand of the lattei''s daughter, Wilhel-
nina. for his sou. Frederick. Sir Will
helm loved his daughter dearly and
had no wish for her to leave him. so he
referred the matter to her. She had
met Frederick while hawking and
found him an i'll favored young man.
not ut all to her liking. so she declined
the honor offered her.
Sir Herman rode angrily back to
his castle and informed his son that
the cffer had been declined. and the
Tolll,S man, who was of a vengeful
disposition. made Il VOW that he would
eitle-. marry N'iihelmina or destroy
her fathers castle. And when he got
her he would let he, understand that
no maiden could refuse him with i'm
punity.
From that time forward Sir Herman
und his son We're constantly on the
lookout for :, cause for picking a quar-
rel with Sir Wilhelm. In those days
the htrons lived by plundering travel
ers, and both these nol,lemen sup
ported themselves and their reti iners
in that way. One dark night. when
young Frederick was lying in wait for
some merchants who were expected to
pass through the valley between his
fathers and Sir Wilheim's castles. Sir
Wilhelm. who was looking for the
same plumber, passed along the road
with Il number of men at arms.
Now. Frederick knew who was riding
by. but. pretending that he thought
them merchants. fell upon them sud
denly. n fierce fight ensued, and Sir
Wilhelm's force. having been surprised.
was routed, with the loss of several
men, while Frederick's escaped with q
few wounds.
Sir Wilhelm knew that this was IL
mere preteXt and that he must fight
for having declined to give his daugh-
ter to wife to the mar who had attack
ell him. SO he strengthened his castle,
rebuilt some of the ramparts, laid in an
increased stock of arms and awaited
the next mov of his enemy. 1t came
very Sir Wilhelm robbed a party
Of travellers. and the next day Sir Her
man sent him word that they had been
plundered on his own domain and de-
mauded the goods that had been taken.
| Sir Wilhelm sent back word that if his
neighbor thought he was entitled to the
property he had better come and take 1t.
Meanwhile Sir Herman had been pre-
pairing for the approaching fight and
vas ready for it. His son Frederick
claimed the leadership. and his father
gave it to him.
There is a principle of war that the
advantage is with the attacking party.
This is because the impetus is on their
side. while their enemies are on the
defensive. At any rate Frederick moi
only besieged the castle. but led one
attack after another against it. making
Il breach here and a hole there. killing
off men who could not be replaced,
while the stock of provisions within
the walls was constantly growing less.
And so it came about that Sir Wilhelm
saw that the end of the struggle must
soon come with the capture of his cas-
tie. He sen 81 messenger to know
what sum his enemy would ask to re
tire and leave him in peace. Frederick
replied that the only price he asked
was the hand of the Lady Wilhelmina.
This was a sad blow to the besieged.
W.ilheimina would rather die than give
herself to the man SHE hated, but she
could not bear to bring destruction on
her father aud his retainers.
Now. among the travellers who had
been robbed was n young man who
had been fighting in the service of the
king Of France against the English.
Hearing the sound. of war, he sent
word from the cell in which he was
confined and held for ransom, request
ing that he be released and be permit
ted to take part in the defense. When
all hope was gone Sir Wilhelm sent
for him. The young man proposed to
lead u sort;e against the enemy and
was permitted to do SC.
Just before dawn one morning he
fell upon them so furiously and kept
up the fight 10 vigorously that within
a few hours he had them in full re-
treat. Catching sight of Frederick
endeavoring to rally his men. tue
stranger drove his horse straight at
him and felled him with a battleax.
The sutton never arose from his fall,
and the attack was not renewed.
The stranger had been badly wound
I'd, but did not know 1t till the end of
the struggle. when he tainted from
loss of blood. When he came to him
self he vas lying in a chamber of the
castle. and a young girl was bending
over him. She nursed him. dressing
his wounds herself and giving him
fevery attention as the savior Of the
castle. He asked her what had oc-
casioned the war, and she told him
how marriage was proposed for the
Lady Wilhelmina and rejected.
When the stranger recovered the
baron asked him what boon ne could
sonfer upon him as repayment for his
services. The hero replied that IL the
young girl who had nursed him didn't
i II - . 49, ~ . q - ~ . 500 ~ . ANt III