The Red Cloud chief., 1922-10-26
CHAPTER xI-continued.

"A the first opportunity"
From this moment / shall be wait
Ing for nothing else"
Barbara. reappearlng, heard their
last words, and she came forward pale
and with piercing eyes:
Cousin Erskine, I want to apolo.
gize to you for my little faith. l hope
you VIII forgive me. Mr.. Grey, your
horse will be ut the door ut once. |
wish you a safe j~ourney--to your com.
mand." Grey bowed and turned-furi.
Gus.
Ersklne was on the porch when Grey
came out to mount his horse.
you will want seconds?" asked
Grey.
They might try to stop us-no!"
II shall ride slowly" Grey said.
Erskine bowed.
81 shall not"
Nor did he. Within half an hear
Barbara, passing through the hall. saw
that the rapiers were gone from the
wall and she stopped, with the color
fed from her face and her hand on her
heart. At that moment Ephraim
dashed from the kitchen.
Miss BarDary, somebody gwlne to
git killed. / was wukkin' In de ole
field an Marse Grey rid by cussln' to
hlsself. Jist now Marse Erskine went
tearin' by de landin' wild a couple o.
swords under his arm" His eyes too
went to the wall. "Yes, bless Gawd.
dey's gomez" Barbara flew out the
door.
In a few moments she had found
Harry and Hugh. Even while their
horses were being saddled her father
rode up.
ITS MURDER" cried Harry, "and
Grey knows It. Erskine knows moth.
Ing about a rapier."
without a word Colonel Dale
wheeled his tired horse and soon
Harry and Hugh dashed after him.
barbara walked back to the house,
wringing her hands, but on the porch
she sat quietly In the agony of wait.
ing that was the role Of women In
those days.
Meanwhile, at n swift gallop Firely
was skimming along the river road.
Grey had kept his word and more: he
had not only ridden slowly but he had
stopped and was waiting at an oak
tree that was a cornerstone between
w plantations.
THAT I may not kill you on your
W land" he said.
Ersklne started. "The consideration
Is deeper than you know"
They hitched their horses, and Frs
kline followed into n pleasant glade
n grassy glade through which muir. |
INJURED a little stream. Erskine dropped
the raplers on the sward.
Take your choice" he said.
There Is none,' said Grey, picking
up the one nearer to him. al know
them both" Grey took off his cont
while Erskine waited. Grey made the
usual moves or courtesy and still Frs
Kline waited, wonderingly, with the
point of the napier on the ground.
"When you are ready" he said, twill
you please let me known"
Ready" answered Grey, and he
lunGed forward. Erskine merely
whipped mt his blade so that the clang
or 1t whined on the air to the break.
ing-point and sprang backward. He
was as quick as an eyelash and 1.-the
as n panther, and yet Grey almost
laughed aloud. All Ersklne did was
TO whip the thrusting blade aside and
leap out Of danger like a flash of light
II was like an ineypert boxer fail
ing according to rules unknown
ara Grey's face famed and actually
turned anxious. Then, as n kindly
rate would have ii, Erskine's blade
caught In Grey's guard by accident,
n the powerful wrist behind II seek.
ing merely to wrench the weapon
loose tore Grey's rapier from his grasp
and hurled II ten feet away. There
is no greater humiliation for the OK.
pert swordsman, and not for nothing
had Erskine suffered the shame OF
that long'ago day when a primitive
instinct had led him to thrusting his
knife into this same enemy's breast.
Now. with his swords point on the
earth, he waited courteously for Grey
to recover his weapon.
Again a kindly fate interviewed
EVER as Grey rushed for his sword,
Erskine heard the beat of horses
h0ofs. As he snatched II from the
ground n turned, with a wicked
smile over his grinding teeth, came
liarry's shout, and as he rushed for
Erskine, Colonel Dale swung from his
horse. The word.blades clashed,
Erskine whipping back and forth In a
way to make a swordsman groan-and
Colonel Dale had Erskine by the wrist
and was between them.
How dare you, slrT" cried Grey
hOtly