Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1911 — The Kinght of the Silver Star [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Kinght of the Silver Star

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By PERCY BREBNER

CHAPTER VII. ■sTlt STOOD bending over the 1 handkerchief for a moment Sjng and then hastily concealed It I had almost forgotten what occasioned the gift until rudely reminded by Walen as we left the hall together. “I fear you have played into Vasca’s hands, Verrall,” he said. “Or he into mine.” “True, or he into yours. It is difficult to Judge.” "Knowing so little of me, you would say,” I went on, putting, I knew, his thoughts into words. “My dear Walen, I ask only a fair field and no favor. A few true friends and a good cause and success half won.” “Men fall in a good cause, Verrall.” “To prove that it is good to those who remain,” I answered. 11l news gets abroad quickly, and O’Ryan had heard what had taken place before I joined him. “Verrall, you’re an almighty fool. Sure, it's sorry I am to be compelled to tell you the truth,” “I don't fancy you’ve succeeded in doing it now. There.was nothing for | it but a bold move. Vasca had de-j termined to force me into this fight I and to leave no loophole for escape. Better surely to grip the situatfon firmly and trust to luck.” “Luck”’ he exclaimed. “I know what Vasca can do. You don’t” “I very soon shall.” ’ “I’d like to change places with you,” O’Ryan said. “A piece of national conceit. My lance play may be as good as yours.” “Sure, that's not it at all. The one who fights dies fighting; the one who is left dies there. I’m the one who’s left. That is what troubles me.” And he waved his hand toward the square. “It’s a bad sign when a man barks as loudly as Vasca does,” I said. “That’s a sound enough argument when civilization has knocked half the fighting power out of a man, but it’s just meaningless here. In Drussenland a man daren't bark unless he can bite. I’d give a good deal to be back in Yadasara. The place is full of blackguards, to be sure, but they’re blackguards you can understand—none of these tournament businesses and nonsense of that kind.” There were three days of waiting before the tournament, three days in 'which I had to steel myself to behave calmly, as usual, three days during which I could hardly remain still for a moment. The day dawned bright and sunny, but with a keenness in the air? which perhaps my nervous excitement exaggerated. I woke early and never, surely, have hours been so leaden winged as they were that morning. “We will not be the first to arrive,” said O’Ryan, curbing my impatience. “It would only be to show anxiety.” “Which, of course, we do not feel,” I said, with a nervous laugh. We waited in silence until it was' time to go, and in silence we rode to the camp. Plentiful as the accommodation in

the lists had seemed to me, it was evidently not too much. Every seat, ev- , ery point of vantage, had been taken. There were two entrances reserved for the knights who were to take part in the day’s proceedings, facing each other and shut off from the arena by a barrier which was only opened to let a knight pass in to combat. On one side of the lists was a gallery, In which were the marshal and his

heralds, and opposite a similar gallery, where Princess Daria sat with her retinue. My eyes were riveted, on this gallery, but I could not tell whether she had noticed me or whether she looked anxious or indifferent.

“Your time approaches. Verrall,” said O’Ryan, looking to the harness of my horse. The trumpets sounded, and a roar of welcome came from a thousand .threats. Other combats had excited, but my entrance heralded the performance which had brought this crowd together. As I rode past the gallery the marshal and his attendants rose to give me courteous welcome. So had they risen to each knightr as he entered the lists, but there was keener criticism in their eyes as they rose to me. Some friends I had among them, some enemies. I could probably have divided friends from foes by the expression on their faces. I kept my horse well in hand. I had no desire now to show off gallantly. The business before me was too serious and

might all too soon give the lie to my warlike appearance. Slowly I walked the horse round the lists until I was opposite the gallery in which Princess Daria sat. The princess rose, and I saluted ber gravely, wondering if at that moment the same thought ran through both our brains—the thought of. the handkerchief which she had given and which even then was lying close to my heart. Then I rode back and stood beneath the marshal’s gallery. “Heralds, sound the challenge of the Knight of the Silver Star—once!” he cried. The trumpets’ music filled the air.

and before the echoes bad died among Ah' hills the barrier at the opposite side of the lists to which I had entered was thrown open, and Count Vasca rode into the arena.

“I accept the challenge.” he cried, and then, approaching me, he sc id in a lower voice: “No love creeps into our combat, Sir Verrall. You have willed that it shall be for honor.” “For honor, Count Vasca, and for love, too, if you will,” I answered defiantly. “So soon a different tale! Danger gives increasing beauty to.a fair face likely to be lost.” “It is rather to challenge you to your best. You harp on love so constantly perchance honor is not enough to strengthen your arm against me.” A hiss of rage was his only answer. “To achievement, knights!” cried the herald. “Sound trumpets!” As the blast rang out I turned my horse, and the next moment the count and I were rushing madly at each other. In that instant my mind was a blank. Action had driven out even the thought of fear. We met. His lance shivered against my shield, a blow* which shook me, but did not make me reel in the saddle. Either my aim was untrue or he avoided the blow, for my lance only glanced along his armor, and I continued my rush toward the opposite side..of the lists. Perhaps there was some surprise that I was still in the saddle, a satisfaction that the combat was not to be a one sided affair, that if not all I claimed to be I was at least no craven carpet knight. At any rate, a cheer rang out, and I felt encouraged. Turning, I saw that the count had been supplied with another tpnce and was ready to charge again. There was a moment’s pause; then the trumpets sounded, and once more we rushed upon each other. The spirit of battle was upon me. I had more confidence, and I dug the spurs into my horse, leaning forward to the charge. I hardly knew what had happened, brought as I was to a sudden standstill by a blow which seemed to strike me full in the body. I reeled backward, but my horse, being thrown upon his : haynches, saved me. and with a mighty effort I succeeded in keeping: my seat As my horse st niggled up I regained my full consciousness, to find Vasca’s horse also struggling to his feet, his rider still In the saddle, and to sCe that both our lances were broken short to the handle. My blow had been as fierce as his. Victory was with neither of us yet. A great roar of applause arose around us as we passed to opposite j sides of the lists.

Both of us had to be given a fresh lance, and probably the count, like myself, felt the need of recovering himself a little before again rushing to the onslaught. I had no knowledge of how much of this kind of thing he could stand without showing signs of weakness, but I was perfectly sure that another blow like the last would be quite enough for me. Even now r we seemed a long time reaching each other, and my eyes refused to see my enemy clearly as he came, yet I felt that he, too, wished to end the combat; that he. too. was bent on making a desperate endeavor. Gathering all my strength together, I rushed to meet him, and even as I did so 1 remembered advice.. Perhaps even at that late moment I feared to receive such a blow as the last, but whatever the motive w r as that decided me I acted upon the advice. I slightly checked my pace, and as we met i sw’erved a little and leveled my lance at Vasca’s helmet. . The sudden action made me reel, and had the count’s lance struck me then I should have been unhorsed. But fortune favored me. Vasca attempted to alter his course in a similar manner, but his horse, going faster than mine, stumbled forward. His lance missed me altogether, while mine only struck him lightly. It was not my blow that unseated him, but his stumbling charger. The count made a frantic effort to keep his horse from falling, but in vain, and he rolled heavily from his saddle to the ground.

Shout after shout rent the air. Who could tell how the count had fallen? The fact remained that, while he rolled in the dust, I remained in the sad die. So they shouted as men will at. Victory, satisfied and jubilant. “Sir Verrall! Sir Verrall! The Knight of the Silver Star!” The count struggled to his feet. “A stumbling steed is no knight’s dishonor. Another horse!” he cried. “Or on foot. Sir Verrall, as you will.’’ I sat still and mute. As through a mist I saw waving hands in the galleries; as through a thick fog I heard my name and Vasca’s. The sharp note of a bugle aroused me somewhat. For an instant I fancied it the summons to another charge and turned my horse mechanically. But there was other business in hand. A blare of trumpets had summoned to the mimic battle, but this was one sharp, lopg drawn note, a note of alarm always in Drussenland. The shouting ceased; hands no longer waved. I think I saw the princess rise and leave her gallery suddenly. I know that there was a mass of movement on all sides of the lists. Knights and soldiers rushed across the turf, and I was borne along with them to the barrier. “To arms! To arms!” was now the cry on every side. “Bravely done, Sir Verrall!” And'l saw O’Ryan press toward me through the crowd. “What is it?” I said almost in a whisper. “Faith, it’s what suits us best—real fighting. The enemy are in force before the town.” f “I—I” And then I should have slipped from my saddle had not O’Ryan

literally lifted me to the ground. The excitement at the news of coming conflict was so great that fortn-

nately little notice was taken of me, and O’Ryan managed to get me away quietly. He plied me with more wine. “Do you want to rob me of what little sense I have?” I said.

“Anything to make you sleep for a few hours,” O’Ryan answered. “You have a short time to rest before we go out against the enemy.” “Did any one notice that I fainted?” “No; I took care of that. Not a soul knows but what you were still full of fight when the summons to more serious business came—more serious, that is, to some, but far less to us, Verrall.”

“You laughed this morning w’hen I spoke of luck.” “Luck! Don’t say the w r ord. Sure, it wasn’t luck at all. but fine fighting." The intense strain of the day was

loosened, the danger was over; almost I believed that luck had had nothing to do with my success, and then—then dreams came, light fancies, feathers borne on the bosom of a wind, whispering voices calling softly. “Daria,” and then a vision of her with arms outstretched, a smile upon her lips, radiant as the smile of morning, and then, before I could hear her \ speak, before I could throw myself j at her feet, deep sleep with no dream in it. “Time. Verrall.” I started up. “You ought to be rested,” said O’Ryan. “I’ve been shaking you long enough, and, by St. Patrick, your snoring has been mighty.” It was early morning. The world at our feet was still in twilight, but the! top of Khryrn had caught the sun. I felt refreshed, but certainly not in condition for a hard day’s fighting. “It’s to be real war this time, not games,” said O’Ryan. “The other was no game to me, and I would sooner wait a little while for the real fighting,” I answered. The camp was in considerable confusion as O’Ryan and I rode In. “You’re a much bigger man than you were yesterday,” said O’Ryan. Surrounded by her guards and by several knights, the princess was in earnest conversation with Count Vasca as I went to salute her. Naturally het mind was full of anxious thought, and J should not have noticed her casual acceptance of me had not a knight saluted her just before me. To him she smiled graciously; to me she gave a bare acknowledgment. “Your prowess yesterday argues ill for many a brave knight yonder in Yadasara,” Couht Vasca said. “You nre gracious to say so, count," I answered.

“Truly I speak only as I have cause to know. I can prove honestly a friend, although I fear you do not so consider me.” . “I have a habit of being honest too.” “Which means that you do not believe me?” “I have judged by actions,” I said. “I ask no more than that you continue'to do so,” he replied. He held out his hand, and I took it. I could do no less, and his frankness almost deceived me. “There is work before us,” he went on. “You will march your, men toward Yadasara. Tonight, maybe, we will pledge our friendship in a cup of wine. Perhaps tomorrow we shall ride side by side in pleasant rivalry against our common enemies.” (To be continued.)

HE ROLLED HEAVILY FROM HIS SADDLE.