The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 15, 1903, Page 2

THE SUNDAY CALL. wrappings of contained my father's sword precious than this, & message ¢ e dead. My father's farewell was eaf torn from his jour- a hasty scrawl I here = I know not if this will ever your bands, but it and my be left in trust with the faith- We have made our ill-timed berty and it has falled, and row and five others are to dle = end bequeath you my he ant hath left me nd my blessing to go with it sther Ireton, shall onoe old blade in the sa- Thy father, OGER IRETON. conned thess few e words till I had them w by heart; ater, when my volce was surer and s Jess dim, ] summoned Dartus and T 11 me all ne knew. And it 4 what 1 have here set ¥ gone, I rode in, if so I yw the weight of into the patriot thence to Char- the bearings of the to learn what I though, pow I sought g or two this light-horse was far in ad- invasion—so far that it was dangerously isolated and be- op er was the air of secre ed and the holding of readiness for fight \ atul of British reg ulars . g so far Lord wallis' ma S s we he Wateree for the secrecy &n Coverdaie “My time has come s too bad!” and then m fair at is but hang London 1 heard ne arleton was delphia and was ladies mirthful sex,” he fondness h of the brute in it w hout bitterness Do you speak by Now here my lady manner breath and up- s baronet captain, d have seconded him pattern of his bruta two together. ms at Appleby f women made 1 in the heat of or rather some boi my secret then I could tongue. “Then this 1s not your first knowing of him?" L S0 much I said and no more. © rode on in silence for a little space, then my youthling must needs break again in fresh beseechings. at you know of him, and he said of Madge,” he en- “You can't deny me now, Jack.” *I can snd shall. It matters not to ¥ou or 1o any what he is or has been.” Why? Because, as God gives me strength end skill. 1 shall presently run him sgh, and so his sccount will be squared once for all with all men—and ell women. as well.” speed you,” quoth my loyal ajly. " l‘mm not your quarrel with him was #0 bitter.” “It it to the death.™ “80 it seems. In that case, if by any ao- cident be'— I divined what he would say and broke tn upon him. Nay. Dick, If he thrusts me out, you must not take up my quarrel. I know not where you learned to twir] the steel, or how, but you may be sure he would spit you like a trussed fow] In the first bout. 1 have seen him kill 2 man who was reck- oned the best sword In my old regiment of the Blues." “Content y._urself,” said my young Hot- spur grandly. *If you spare him he shall Goé be said of you and your own weapon. 'Tis your only enough at that, I fear. I From that we fell silent again, being but a little way from the rendesvous, an , at a sudden turn in the road, we came in sight of a rude bar- ricade of felled trees barring the way. Jennifer saw it first and pulled up short, loosing his pistols in their cases as he drew rein. “*Ware the wood!” he said sharply, and none too soom, for even as he spoke the glade at our left fllled as by magic with & motley troop deploying into the road to surround us, “Now who are these?” I asked; “friends r foes?” )es who will hang you in your own halter etraps; Jan Howart's Torles—the same that burned Westcotts in their cabin a for zht since. WIill your horse take Aye nd. “Then at them, in God's name. Charge!” It needed but the word and we were in the thick of it. I remembered my old field ms . im, “Von Feinden umring’ chmettern’ ; and truly, being so plentifully outnum- bered, we did strike both first and hard. A of the ragged horsemen strung itself awkwardly across the road to guard ricade and at this we « stirrup. In_ the cast ttering volley from the w , answered instantly by the bel- lowings of Jennifer's great pistols; and then we came to the steel It was my first fie Andrea, ng of the good old and a better palanced blade L had never swung in hand-to-hand mel- lay. As we closed with the half-dozen de- fenders of the barrier, Jennifer reined aside to give me room to play to right and left and in the midst of it went nigh to death because he held his hand to watch a cut and double thrust of mine. “Over with you!” I shouted, pricking the man who would have mowed him down with a great scythe handled as a sword Our horses took the barrier in a flying straining themselves for the race beyond. When we had pulled them down to a foot pace we were safely out of rifle shot and there was space to count the cost. There was no cost worth counting. A saddle horn bullet-shattered for me, and the back of Jennifer's sword hand scored lightly across by another of the random missiles summed up our woundings. Dick whipped out his kerchief to twist about the scored hand, while I glanced back to see if any Tory cared to follow. “Lord, Jack! 1 owe you one to keep end one to pay back,” quoth my young- ster, warmly. “] never saw a swordsman till this day!" “Mere tricks, Dick, my lad; I have had fifteen years in which to learn them. And these were but country yokels armed with farming tools. The two with swords h-dogme wit to use them.” “Ob, come!” sald he. *“I know a pretty bit of sword piay when 1 see it 1;: we come whole out of this adventure with the Baronet you shall teach me some of the ‘mere tricks’ of yours.” 1 promised, glancing back toward the Gust-vetled barrier in the distance. “Dick, you passed this way an hour ago; was that breastwork in the road then?” le: “Not & stick of it.” “Then we may ‘e say our volunteer captain fights unwillingly.” ‘“How s0?7' he demanded, being much top straightforward himself to suspect duplicity in others. *'Tis plain enough. This was a trap, meant to stop or delay us, and I'll wager high it wes the Baronet 0 set ‘and baited it. It would please hifn well to be able to say what our fallure to would give him warrant for. Let us gal- lop a bit, lest we be late and so play into his hand.” Jennifer smiled grimly and gave his horse the rein. *“I think you'd charge the fall of man to him if that would give you better leave to kill him. I'd hate to own you for my enemy, John Ireton.” For all our swift speeding we were yet a little late at the rendezvous under the tall caks. When we came on the ground the Baronet was walking up and down, arm in arm with his second, a broad- shouldered young Briton, fair of skin and ruddy of face. If Falconnet had set the Tory trap for us he veiled his disappointment at its fallure. His face, dark and inscrutable as It was, was made more sinister by the plasters knitting up his broken cheek, but I was right glad to make sure that my blow had spared his eyes. Richly as he deserved his fate, 1 thought it would be ill to think on afterward that I had had at a disadvantage of my own making. There was little time wasted in the pre- liminaries. When Falconnet saw us he dropped his second’s arm and began to make ready. I gave my sword to Jen- nifer and the seconds went apart to- gether. There was some measuring and balancing of weapons, and then Richard came back. “The Baromet's sword is a good inch longer than yours in blade, and is some- what heavier. Tybee has brought a pair of French short swords which he offers. ‘Will you change your terms?"’ “No; I am content to fight with my own ‘weapon.” Jennifer nodded. “So I told him.” And then: “There was no surgeon to be had in town, Dr, Carew having gone with the Minute Men to join Mr. Rutherford. Ty- bee says 'tls scarce in accordance with the later rulings to fight without one.” “To the devil with their hairsplittings!" said 1. “Let us have done with them and be at it. Falconnet was removing his coat, and I stripped mine. The seconds chose the ground where the turf was short and and yet ylelding enough to give good footing. ‘We faced each other, my antagonist bar- ing' an arm, which, despite the be- jeweled hand, was to the full as big- muscled as my own, My glance went from his weapon, a rather heavy German blade, straight and slender point- ed, to his face. He was smiling as one who strives to make the outer man a mask to cover all emotion, and the plas- ters on hig cheek drew the smile into a grimace that was all but devilish. The seconds fell back, but.when Jenni- ;elr would have given the signal 1 stopped m, 'Oné moment, if you please. Sir Fran- o ¥ you know me?”’ ‘The thin-lidded eyes were velled for an instant, ‘and then e led smoothly. “Your on, Captain Ireton; 1 have not, that or.” “is a small matter, but you do lls this m " as basely as you lled to Richard Coverdale nine years agons,” #ald 1. and then I signed Jennifer to give the word. ‘‘Attention, gentlemen! On guard!” enemy’s sword leaped to meet mine, and at the same instant I heard another click of steel, betokening that the sec- onds had fallen to in a bit of by-piay be- tween themselves, as was then the fash- fon. After that I heard nothing for a time gave the sibllant whisperings of the Ferrara and the German long sword, and saw nothing save the flerce eyes glaring at me out of the midst of the plaster- marred smile. Recreant though he was, I must do my adversary the justice to say that he was a skillful master of fence, aglle as a French dancer and withal well-breathed and persevering. Twice, nay, thrice, be- fore I found my advantage he had prigked me lightly with that extra inch of slender point. But when I had fairly felt his wrist I knew that his heavier weapon would shortly prove his undoing—knew that the quick parry and lightning-like thrust would presently lag & little, and then I should have him. Something of this prophecy of triumph he must have read in my eyes, for on the instant he wes up and at me like a mad- man, and I had my work well cut out to hold him at the blade's length. I was #0 holding him, was in my turn beginning to press him slowly, when there came & drumming of hoof beats on the soft turf, and then a woman's cry. I looked aside, and to my dying day I shall swear that my antagonist did like- wise. What I saw was Mistress Margery Stair ridine down upon us at & hand- RIPDED OU7T. YOURE T7ZE éPff])’G‘-f_Pfi'Bf £ Ay 21T, gallop, and I lowered my point, as any gentleman would. In the very act—'twas while Jennifer was clutching at her bridle rein to stay her from riding fair between us—I felt the hot-wire prick of the steel in my shoulder and knew that my enemy had run me through as I stood. Of what befell afterward I have but dim memories. There were many hoof- tramplings, and then I felt the dewy turf under my hands and soft fin- gers tremblingly busy at my neckerchief. Then I saw swimmingly, as through a veil of mist, a woman's face just above my own, and it was full of horror; and I heard my enemy say: *'Twas most unfortunate and I do heartily regret it, Mr, Jennifer. I saw not why he had low- ered his point. Can I say more?” How Richard Jennifer made answer to this lie I know not; nor do I know aught else, save by hearsay, of any further hap- pening In that grassy glade beneath my father's oaks. For the big German blade was a shrewd blood letter, and I fell asleep what time my lady was trying to lt‘l-?&h with her kerchief the ebbing tide of lite. CHAPTER IV. : 5 — WHICH ' MAY BE PASSED OVER LIGHTLY. ‘When I came back to some clearer sens- ing of things 1 found myself abed in a room which was strange and yet strange- ly familiar, Barring a great oaken clothes press in one corner, a raree show of curious china on the shelves where the books should have been and the face of an armored soldier staring down at me from its frame over the chimney Pplece, where I should have looked to see my mother’s portrait, the room counterpart of my old bed Appleby Hundred. There was €ven & faint odor of lavender in the bed linen, and the sense of smell, which hath ever a better memory than any other, carried was a ‘at ‘me swiftly back to my boyhood, and to the remembrance that my mother had always kept a spray or two of that sweet herb in her linen closet. A At the bedside there was a claw footed table, which also had the look of an old friend; and on It a dainty porringer, filled with cuttings of fragrant sweetbriar. This ‘was some womanly conceit, I said to my- self; and then I laughed, though the laugh set & pair of wolf's jaws at work on my shoulder. For you must know that I had lived the full half of King David's span of three score and ten yeags, and more, and what womanly softness had fallen to my lot had been well got and paid for. 1 closed my eyes the better to remem- ber what had befallen, and when I opened them again was fain to wonder if the moment of back-reaching stood not for some longer time. In the deep bay of the window was a great chalr of Indian wickerwork, and I could have sworn it had but now been empty. Yet when I looked again a woman sat in it Now of a truth I had seen this wo- man’s face but twice; and once it wore a smile of teasing mockery and once was full of terror; but I thought I should live long and suffer much before the winsome challenging beauty of it would let me be as I had been before I had looked upon 1t. She knew not that I was awake and slaking the thirst of my eyes upon the sweetness of her, and 80 I saw her then as few ever saw her, I think, with the womanly barriers of defense all down. 'Tis a hard test, and one that makes a blank at rest of many a face beautiful enough in action; but though this lady's face was to the full as changeful as any April sky, it was never less than tri- umphantly beautiful. What with the blood lettings and the young fever, coupled with the subtle witchery of her presence thus in my sick room, it is little to be wondered at that & curious madness came over me, 8o that I forgot for the moment the loyalty due to my dear lad. Could I have stood be- fore her and, reading but half consent in the deep-welled eyes, have clipt her in my arms and laid my lips to hers, I would have run to pay the price, in earth or heaven or hell, I thought, deeming the flerce joy of it well worth any penalty. At this I should have stirred, I sup- pose, for she came quickly and stood be- side me. *You have slept long and well, Captain Ireton,” she sald; and in all the thrilling Joy of her nearer presence 1 found space to mark that her voice had in it that sweet quality of sympathy which is all womanly. “They say I am good only to fetch and carry—may I fetch you any- thing?"” 1 fear the madness of the moment must still have been upon me, for I safd: “Since you are here yourself, dear lady, 1 need naught else.” * At a flash 1 had my whipping in a low dipped curtsy and a mocking smile ‘like that she had flung at Falconnet. how she had the of it. And then : “Is it the custom for her Apostolic Majesty's officers to come out pliments?™ ©**Twas no complimerit,” T denled: and, indeed, I meant it. - Then I asked where I was and to whom indebted, though I had long ‘since guessed the answer to both uestions. Q In a trice the mocking mood was gone and she became my lady hostess, steeped to her finger-tips in gracious dignity. ‘“You are at Appleby Hundred, sir. '"Twas here they fetched you because there was no other house so near and you were sorely hurt. Richard Jennifer and my black boy made a litter of the sad- dle cloths and with Sir Francis and Mr. Tybee to help—"* I think she must have seen that this thrust was sharper than that of the Ger- man long sword, for she stopped in mid- sentence and looked away from me. And, surely, I thought it was the very irony of fate that I should thus be brought half dead to the house that was my father’s, with my enemy and his second to share the burden of me. *But your father?’ I queried, when the silence had grown overlong. “My father is away at Queensborough, 80 you must e'en trust yourself to my tender mercies, Captain Ireton. Are you strong enough to have your wound dressed 7" Bhe asked, but waited for no answer of mi; Summoning a black boy to hold the basin of water, she fell to upon the wound dressing with as’ little ado as If she had been a surgeon’s apprentice on a battlefleld, and I a bloodless ancient too old to thrill at the touch of a woman's hands. “Dear heart! 'tis a monstrous ugly burt,” she declared, replacing the wrap- pings with deft fingers. ‘“How came you to go about picking a quarrel with Sir Francis?’ Twas not of my seeking,” I returned, and then I could have cursed my foolish tongue. *Is that generous, Captain Ireton? We hear something of the talk of the town, and that says—" “That seys I struck him without suf- ficlent cause. I am content to let it stand 80.” “Nay, but you should not be content. Is there not strife enough in this unhappy land without these causeless bickerings?” Here was my lady turned preacher all in a breath, and I with no words to an- swer her. But I could not let it go thus. “I knew Sir Francis Falconnet in Eng- land,” sald I, hoping by this to turn her safe aside. “Ah; then there was a cause. me.” “Nay, that I may not.” Though she was hurting me sorely In the wound-dressing, and knew Iit, she laughed. “"Tis most ungallant to deny a lady, sir. But I shall know without the telling; ‘twas about a woman. Tell me, Captain Ireton, 1s she fair?” Seetng that her mood had changed again 1 tried to give her quip for jest; but what with the pain of the sword thrust and the sweet agony of her touches 1 could only set my teeth against a groan. She went on drawing the bandagings, little heedful how she racked me, 1 thought; and yet when all was done she stood beside me all of a tremble, as any tender-hearted ‘woman might. *“There,” she said, ** "tis over for a time, and 1 make no doubt you are glad enough. Now you have nothing to do save to lie quiet till it heals.” “And how long will that be, think you?” “We shall see—a long time, I hope. You Tell 1t shall be punished properly for ur ot temper, 1 promise you, Captain Ireton.” ‘With that she left me and went to stand in the window bay; and mouse-still and watching be ily I fell asleep again. When I day was In its gloaming and she was gone. After this 1 saw her no more full circlings of the clock hands, and for six grew falr famished for a sigh sweet face. But to ato she or s messenger of Richard Je or's me my thtul Dari who fetched me my f dressed my wo that the master of Appleby H returned from Queemsboroug there were officers In red coats co Iy going back and forth, alwa hearty welcon om G Now, th master of s heritage ha e cause to love thought he still less to fear m seemed passing strange that he ca once to my bedchamber t of day with his how he feared other thin emy, thoug 8ir Francis v red-coated offi But stranger lady's continued the lack of a vi Jennifer. Knowing well loyalty to the patriot only conjecture that he had finy Margery's enforced t join Mr. Rutherford's Darfus told me, was rallying to at Tory stronghold at Ramsour’'s Mill With this surmise I was trying to con- tent myself on that evening of the third day, when Mistress Margery burst in _ upon me, bright eyed and with her cheeks lame. aptain Ireton, I will know the true cause of this quarrel which, falling in yourself, you pass on to Richard Jenni- fer!” she cried. “Was it not enough that you should get yourself half slain, with- out sending this headstrong boy to his death?” Now, in all my surmisings, I had not thought of this, and truly if she had sought far and wide for a whip to scourge me with she could have found no thong to cut so deep. “God help ** I groaned. “Has this flend incarnate killed my poor lad™” “No, he is not dead,” she confessed, re- lenting. “But he has the Baronet's bullet through his sword arm for the sake of your over-seas disagreement with Sir Franeis.” 1 could not tell her that, though my quarrel with this villain was but the avenging of poor Dick Coverdale's wrongs, Richard Jennifer's waas for the Baronet's affront to her. So I bore the blame in silence, giad enough to be as- sured that my dear lad was only wound- ed “Why don’'t you speax, sir?” she snapped, flying out at me in a passion for my lack of words. “What should I say? got that once you calied me ungenerous “You should defend yourself if can. And you should ask my pardon for call- ing ‘my father's guest hard names. “The last I will do right heartily but the simple truth, but it was ill spok in your pri ce, Mistress Stal At this she laughed merrily my world wanderings 1 had ne & sound so gladsome as this sweet of hers w she would be on giving hand “Surely, any one I have not for- would know yo No other a soldler, Captain Iretor make an apology and ew the o so irnocently the same breath again in the drog and s her mood change of an ey “Poor Dick!” As ever when she was with me eyes were devouring her; and at and the trembling of the sweet'l sympathy, I found that curious lo ness coming n me again. T! saw that 1 m straightway dig thasm impassable between this ~wom and me, 4s I should hope to beijoyal to my friend. So I d: “He loves you well, Mistress Margery.” She glanced up quickly, with a = &) which might have been mocking or luv- ing: I could not tell which. it was. “Did he make you his deputy to tell me so, Captain Ireton?” Now I might have known that she was only luring me on to some pitfall of mockery, but I did not, and muast needs burst out in some clumsy disclaimer meant to shield my dear lad. Azd in the midst of it she laughed again, “Oh, you do amuse me mightily, men capitaine,” she cried. “I do protest I shall come to see you oftener. 'Tis as good as any play!” “Saw you ever & play in this back- woods wilderness?” I asked, glad of any excuse to change the talk and keep her by me. “No, indeed. But you are not to think that no one bas seen the great world save yourself, Captaln Ireton. What would you say if I should tell you that 1, too, have seen your London, and even your Paris How is it that love transforms the once contemptible into a thing most highly te be prized? My elght years of campalisn- ing on the Continent had given me the French speech, or so much of it as the clumsy tongue of me could master, and I had always held it in hearty English scorn. Yet nmow 1 was eager enough to speak it with her and to take as my very own the little cry of joy wherewith she welcomed my hesitant mouthing of It From that we fell to talking in ber mother’s tongue of the hardships of those same Huguenot emigres; and when Jooked not at her I could speak in terms dispassionate and cool of this or aught se, and when I looked upon her my heart beat faster and my blood leaped quickly and I knew not always what it was I sald. After a time—'twas when Darius fetohed me my supper and the candles—she went away; and so ended a day which saw the beginning of a struggle flercer than ¥ the turbaned Turk had ever given me. For when I had eaten, and was alone with time to think, I knew W that I loved this woman and sho ways love her: this in spite of hon loyalty to Richard Jennifer, or an thing in heaven or earth. an: CHAPTER V. OW 1 LOST WHAT I HAL v GAINED. Though 1 dared not hope she would keep her promise and was sometimes so ) NEVER sorely beset as to 'r«"r‘\‘é"l;:e’:":z?\r. ing, Margery looked eeabrage 1o and soon there & - - 'hwk p the 1 . 1 think, e aves bedar een & woman loved ver been bet strained to play the part of hef t er's friend It 1 played t if at times the would not be d hand-cldsp not 1 have th time, wh: he forga s part but stumblingly: adness of my passion the 160k or word or ¢t of poor cool friendship. to comfort me; that after y my dear lad came to know, » me freely—nay, held me alto- blameless, as I was not. “L;;mwhu these looks and words and hand-clasps meant to Margery I had no hint. But in my hours of samity, when I would pass these slippings in review, I could recall no answering flash of hers to salt the woundings of the conscience whip. So far from it, it seemed, as this sweet comradeship budded and blossomed on the stock of a better acquaintance, she came to hold me more as if I were some cross between a father or an elder brother, and some closer confidant of her own sex. In some of these, her soberer times, I feit her lean upon me as my sister might, bad I had one; at others she would frank- Jy set me in her father's place, declaring 1 must tell her what to say or do tnl*q or that entanglement. Again and £ came oftener as our friendship grew, would talk to me¢ as surely woman never talked to any but a kinsman, telling me naively of her conquests, and sparias no gallant of them all save only Richard Jennifer. And of Dick and his devotion she spoke