Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-04-17


galloped at full speed down the lists.
as he dashed on, the ring flew the
full length of its tether and swung
back. whirling swiftly. 1t had been a
close thrust, for the iron pike-point
had smitten its rim. A cheer went up,
under cover of which the rider looped
back outside the lists to his former
position.
In an upper tier of the stand a spec
tator made a cup of his hands. The
Knight Of the Golden Spur against the
field" he called. what odds?"
Five to one, S~potteswood." a voice
answered.
Ten dollars" announced the first.
Good" And both made
dunn on their cuffs:
A second time the trumpet sounded,
and the Knight of Castlewood flashed
ingloriously down the roped aisle-a
miss.
Again and again the Gle note rang
out and a mounted figure hinged by,
and presently, in a burst Of cheering,
the herald proclaimed THE Knight of
the Black Eagle-oney and Chilly
Lusk, in old-rose doubled and inky
plume cantered back with a silver
ring upon his pike.
No simple thing, approaching leis-
urely and afoot, to send that tapering
point straight to the tiny mark. But
at headlong gallop, astride a blooded
horse straining to take the bit, a deed
requiring a nice eye, a perfect seat
and an unwavering arm and hand!
Those knights who looped back with
their pixies thus braceleted had spent
long hours In practice and each rode
as naturally as he breathed; yet more
than once a horse SHE'D in mid-course
and at the too-eager thrust of the spur
bolted through the ropes. Valiant
made his first essay-and missed
with the blood singing in his ears.
The ring flew from his pike, catching
him a swinging blow on the temple in
its rebound, but he scarcely felt 1t. AS
he cantered back he heard the majors
bass pitting him against the field.
And then, suddenly, stand and field
all vanished. He saw only the long
level rope-lined lane with its ~twinkling
mid-air point. An e~xhilaration caught
him at the feel of the splendid horse
flesh beneath him-that sense of one
ness with the creature he bestrode
which the instructive horseman knows.
He lifted his lance and hefted it, seek
ing its absolute balance, feeling its
point as a fencer with his rapier.
When again the ~blood-red sash
streamed away the herald's cry,
Knight of the Crimson Rose-One!"
set the field hand-clapping. From the
next joust also, Valiant returned with
the gage upon his lance. Two had
gone to the Champion of Castlewood
and two to scattering riders. When
Valiant won his fourth the grand stand
Numbered with applause.
The trumpet again pealed its silvery
proclamation. Judge Chalmers was on
his feet. Fifty to ten on the Crimson
Rose" he cried. This time, however,
there were no takers. He called again,
but none heard him; the last tits were
too absorbing.
Where had John Valiant learned
that trick of the loose wrist and In
flexible thrust, but at the fencing club?
Where that subconscious management
of the rein, that nice gage of speed
and distance, but on the polo field?
The old sports stood him now in good
stead. why he has a seat like a
centaur!" exclaimed the judge-praise
indeed in a community where riding
was a passion and horsefiesh a fetishl
"Oh, dearl" mourned Nancy Chal-
mers. I've bet six pairs of gloves on
Quint Carter. Never mind; if it has to
be anybody else, I'd rather it were
Mr.. Valiant. It's about time Damory
Court got something after Rip-Van-
Winkling it for thirty years. Besides.
he's giving us the dance, and l love
him for that! Quint still has a chance,
though. If he takes the next two, and
Mr.. Valiant misses"
Katharine looked at her with a lit
tie smile. He won't miss" she said.
She had seen that look on his face
before and read it Alright. John Va
liant had striven in many contests, not
only of skill but of strength and dar-
ing, before crowded grand stands. But
never in all his life had he so desired
to pluck the prize. His grip was tense
on the lance as the yellow doublet
and olive plume of Castlewood shot
away for a last time-and failed. An
instant later the Knight of the Grim
son Rose flashed down the lists with
the last ring on his pike.
And the tourney was won.
In the shouting and hand-clapping
Valiant took the rose from his hat
band and bound it with a shred of his
sash to his lance-point. AS he rode
slowly toward the massed stand, the
whole field was SO still that he could
hear the hoofs Of the file of knights
behind him. The people were on their