Evening star., 1928-05-07
Continued from Yesterdays starr
lNgTAILAKENT XxXv.

HE assembled gTUup deUctVDu uAIu
in silence. He walked straight
to the shed and faced them. the
A light from the forge behind him.
Without O moments hesitation
he began, his voice raised little TO
carry to the outer rim OF listeners;
| THE first question TO be settled here
| tonight concerns me alone. II there Is
one among you who is willing to step
| forward and accuse me Of disloyalty
let him do So"
He waited for a reply. Finally Julius
Broadaxe spoke.
II am not in accord with the rest
Jonifer. but I take 1t upon myself to
speak for ALL No one questions your
loyalty. Am 1 right, men2"
There was chorus of approval
And yet" said Jonifer coldly, you
are assembled here to question my mo-
tives. Let us get down to business
You have a spokesman. Let him stand
forth and present his grievance. ]
know what 1t Is, but we will understand
each other better II the matter is put
| into plain terms in the presence OF all.
l am man of few words, as you know
Let your spokesman be brief. stand
forth. Jan Melby, If you are the one
| selected"
yards of the stalwart chieftain.
II have been chosen, Jonifer." said
he. II speak first for every man in
this crowd. We are your friends. We
are content with your leadership. We
have no grudge against you. Let that
be understood, Jonifer."
| 1T is" said the chieftain.
But we are opposed TO the marriage
of your daughter and the man she de-
scribes as her beloved enemy 1t Is our
intention to prevent 1t by what We call
| fair means, but which TO you may seem
foul In short, this marriage is not to
take place. speak now for all save
| six or eight men. We are nearly Is to
| l. and we are determined. This man
Starcourt is a prisoner here. He was
| bent on destroying us. His hand is
| against us now and always will be.
Why. therefore, should we allow our
| enemy TO be rewarded? No man could
ask for greater reward than that
which is to be bestowed upon him-the
| hand of Gerane and all that goes with
| It, What have you to say Jonifer?"
Jonifer took his time about answer
ing.
"Gerane is my daughter" he said at
| last. Have ever questioned the right
of any father here to give his daughter
| in marriage to whomsoever he
1 chooses?"
mo father among us has given his
daughter to an enemy. and that you
| know full we'll" said Jan.
| Call Starcourt an enemy, II Ii
/ pleases you He is a gentleman. he is
in love with my daughter. and she with
him. He is our prisoner. He can never
| leave this valley alive without our con-
sent. You all knew what my intentions
we're when made captive OF him.
brought him here with but single
thought in mind. II things turned out
as I wished and hoped, Gerane would
fall In love with him and they would
be married. whether he was willing or
not. 1t has fallen out as desired There
fore. my friends. shall give my daugh-
ter to the man Of her choice. / can tell
by your faces that you have an alterna-
tive TO propose. Out with I'll"
I'VE expected you to take this stand"
said Melby loudly. I'VE know you we'll
enough for that. We ask you to deliver
| Starcourt over to u.s. peaceably, within
| the next "a hours. II you refuse to ac-
cept this offer. 1t Is our intention 10 take
him by force. We give you "A hours in
| which to decide the"
| II do not need "a seconds, my
| friends" broke In Jonifer ruthlessly, Il
! have 1aarezdyd decided Now. TT 9niake
| the same proposition to you. I win give
| you "a hours in which to change your
minds. II. at the end Of that time, you
are still determined to take him by
force, you will find him at my house.
| But ! warn you now that you will have
TO kill me first. Either I am the chief
tain here, or / am nobody. Well.