Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 July 1911 — The Knight of the Silver Star [ARTICLE]

The Knight of the Silver Star

A ©lf

By PERCY BREBNER

CHAPTER XVI. fIKI"WEN!f to O’Ryan. When ( I lyQ * J met him Ba,<^: IjjggH “I’ve made a discovery, Verrall.” “So have I.” “The same, perhaps.” “It Is likely. I hurried here to find you.” “A lot has happened since I was in Tadasara last, or else I didn’t keep my ea rs wide enough open when I was here. For a long time past Vasca has been In treaty with the king. At a favorable opportunity he is to deliver up the princess to her enemies." “The scoundrel!” “There’s a regular conspiracy. Vasca Is only one of the scoundrels. There are dozens of them at the princess’ court, and there are hundreds of men ready to desert at the count’s bidding. In Yadasara Vasca has many friends and. it is said, may play a double game with the king, openly serving him while he waits his opportunity to dethrone him and reign in his stead. A pretty piece of villainy, eh, Verrall?’’ “And our position, O’Ryan?” “Faith, It’s much the same to us whoever wins. We stand to lose. I overheard that the time to accomplish this villainy is ripe, it is to be done at once, Verrall; how I don’t know, but it’s quite likely we shall hear tomorrow.” ’ “Quite,” I answered. “Now the coming of the knight is explained.” “The coming of w’hat knight?” I told him what had happened that evening. “You did not. recognize him?” he asked. “No. Ills is familiar, but I do not know who he is.” “Some archer perhaps tricked out as a knight.” “Can we reach the top of the wall from the roof of this house?" “Yes.” “And drop down?’ “Yes. What would be the use of that?” “We should be free.” “We might if we happened to get killed. We should probably only break our legs, and that wouldn’t help us much.” “We could use a rope.” “The wall is guarded nij*ht and day. There is a sentry always behind this house.” He crossed to a window which commanded a view of the wall. “There Is always one stationed there. Just now there are two.” “Well, man, suggest something. We are wasting valuable time." I said somewhat irritably. “Let’s go and eat.” Food was upon the table ready for us, but Bridget was sullen. O’Ryan attempted to make the conversation general and did his best to be humorous. Bridget was not to be cajoled, and there was no smile in me. “Perhaps you’re right." he said sud denly after laughing at one of his owi sallies. “It’s not a time to be merry, and. faith, my tankard’s empty.” “Our friend here is in danger, Bridget.” said O'Ryan, leaning back after a long draft. “What kind of danger?" she asked. “We don’t quite know,” he answered. “The fact is, Bridget, the king has strange fancies, which vary often in accordance with what be sups upon. It may be that I shall not be able to convince the king how mistaken he is If he is inclined to think ill of Clinton, and in that event the best thing Clinton can do is to get out of his majesty’s way.”

“Easier to speak of than It is to do,” she replied. “I never yet heart! of a man escaping if the king was bent upon his punishment." “Our friend Clinton may be the first to do so,” said O’ltyan. “Being first is not always the place one would choose, but it’s a position somebody must always occupy. Think you there is a rope bandy long enough to reach from the top to the bottom of the wall?" “I think I could find the rope." “Very well. Now, is there a ring in the roof firm enough to fix this rope to—firm enough to bear the weight of a man ?*>’ “Yes.” “Then we’ll fix the rope in case of necessity." “The sentry will see you.” “I have a better way," she said suddenly. “I have been washing clothes today. I will hang them to dry. 1 can fix the rope and let it be hidden under some of the clothes. Does your friend go tonight?” “No.” Bridget left us. “Why not tonight?" I asked. “That road’s the last resource,” he answered. “It will be the most dangerous way you’ve ever traversed. The way you got into this country was child’s play to the road you’ll take out of Yadasara if you have to use the rope. Patience; we’re not caught yet This knight who came today may be a friend. Before we act it will be well to know that he has not come from the princess with a message for us.” “I should know him.” “She may have to use strange messengers if she is surrounded by treachery." v ■

“How was It the knight entered Yadasara. so easily ?’ I asked. “Since some about the princess are friends of the king some about the king may be friends of hers. Treachery was never yet One sided. Fill your tankard.” fie said, pushing me the wine. . ■ ■ Next morning early I took occasion to follow Bridget on to the roof. The sentry was on the wall, standing by a raised battlement, which formed a kind of sentry box. He was a man I knew something of, and he chaffed me for my devotion to Mistress Bridget. I laughed and asked him if he would change places with me. “If I were sure the captain were on duty,” he answered. “And there’s another you’d have to think 0f,." said Bridget as she lifted some clothes to show me where the rope lay curled ready for use. It was deftly done, and I no longer questioned her good will toward me. The wall rose only about six feet above the roof, and, casually asking permission of the sentry, I clambered up. I was anxious to measure the height of the wall with my eye to see what the ground Immediately below was like and to look at the surrounding country. “An impregnable city,” I said. “Yes," answered the sentry, “and this is one of the lowest parts of the wall.” I npdded him a farewell, hoping he would not be the sentry when the time came for me to go. “Sharp eyes and wide ears, remember,” said O'Ryan as I went to the palace. The day passed slowly. The king’s revels had been protracted to the early hours of morning, and I doubt not the generous wine had flowed freely. It Was late in the afternoon when the king came. He passed through the chamber in which I was stationed, leaning upon the arm of a friend and cracking some jokes with him as he went. Soon afterward the knight who caused me so much anxiety passed. Either he did not see me or else he had no message for me, for he went through the room looking neither to right nor left It was dark when I went off actual duty. The king not having retired, I was not at liberty to leave the palace, so made my way to the guardroom. A kind of cloister, open to the square, ran along outside the guardroom, and, the night being warm, we gathered there, two or three together, to drink our wine. Suddenly the tramp of men sounded in the square, and I saw O’Ryan at the head of his company. I was seated in such a position that he must have seen me. but he took no notice. It was an unusual thing for him to be there at all. I heard a captain of the guard ask him the reason. “The king’s orders,” he answered shortly. Then there was the flare of torches in the square, and the king came out. followed by' several knights. I only noticed one particularly, the one who walked lieside him. the strange knight who had come to the city yesterday. I saw the king whisper to him. and the knight’s eyes wandered round the square in search of some one. With my comrades I had risen to my feet and stood waiting. The king did not look toward me. but the knight did and our eyes met. Then he turned to the king and spoke to him. “Perhaps it is no sight for such eyes as yours,” I beard the king say. “Retire if you will.” The knight bowed and crossed the square toward one of the entrances to the palace. There he paused. “There is a traitor among us. Guard the square well. We shall find a short way of dealing with him. It is easy to play the traitor, but he shall find it difficult to bear the punishment.” Escape seemed impossible, but that short method the king spoke of came us a tonic to me and gave me the courage of desperation. I saw O’Ryau I with his company waiting for the I king’s command. I saw the knight still at the palace entrance regarding the scene as he might have watched an interesting comedy. Who was he? Surely it was he who had betrayed me. There was a pause—a silence which seemed long. Then the king looked at inc quickly, straight and without hesitation. He knew exactly the spot where I stood. “Seize the traitor, Clinton!” and bis arm shot out, pointing at me as he spoke.

It was no time to plead. My sword was in my hand in a moment and I rushed to the open side of the square. It never occurred to me that I could save my life, but I might escape the fortress. I looked to see O’Ryan rush to fight his way out with me, but he did not do so. Instead he gave a word of command to his company and. leading them, roared as he came: “For the king’s honor! Seize the traitor!” 1 was betrayed, indeed, and by the man I had trusted. I dashed onward. That the command to arrest me had come suddenly gave me the advantage for a moment. Those about me bad no time to Jay bands upon me. I was half across the space toward my only hope of escape before a man came within reach of my sword, and then 1 seemed to be surrounded. “Take him alive!” I heard a voice cry. The devil who cried it was behind me. The devil was O’Ryan! Into the thick of my enemies I went, always a little space before me cleared by the swing of my weapon. Yet they closed in upon me. Hands behind attempted to hold me, but I shook them off. They rushed in upon me on every side. I struck right and left with my sword. I struck out with my left arm. I struggled forward. My enemies fell back from me. Only one

\ man seemed to stand between me and freedom. I ent him from my path and sprang over him as he fell. ” “Take him alive!” The cry was behind me. My enemies were behind me, and I rushed madly through the streets of the city. I did not know the city well, and to my dismay I soon discovered that I had traveled in a circle. Suddenly a man across the street beckoned to me. It was the strange knight He led me into a narrow passage and through a door bpt a few moments before my pursuers rushed past ~ O’Rjran, it seemed, was the traitor, not the strange knight. “I believed that it was you who had betrayed me. I have wronged you,* I said. “I have a message for you from a woman who loves you well,” said the strange knight, “so well indeed that your heart is her only home, and thus she enters it.” The last words were hissed out as a swift blow struck me. f was saved from death by the mailed shirt I wore, ri knew the strange knight now—Lady Aldrida! She threw her arms around me and called to my pursuers. I had to tear' myself from her. She staggered backward and fell. I escaped into the next street and soon found myself opposite O’Ryan’s house. ' There were lights within. Two or three torches were before the door, throwing grotesque shadows of men standing there, and in the street to the left and to the right were torches. The place was well watched. I drew back into the passage down which I had come and considered my position. O’Ryan knew of the rope, and since he had turned traitor it was probably no longer in its place ready for use. Ti-W The more I weighed the possibilities so much the more did it seem to me that my only escape lay through the house opposite. There was another fact which hurried my decision. I heard the distant cries of other bands of enemies who had been scouring the city in search of me. If a desperate effort was to be made, now was the time to make it I gripped my sword firmly, made certain that the dagger in my belt could be easily drawn and then, with a prayer for safety, dashed across the street. The men before the door were taken by surprise, as I had calculated, but they recovered themselves more quickly than I had expected- I was >ot well within the doorway before the air was filled with shoutings and the darkness with rushing men. “Take him alive! Take him alive!” I dashed into the passage and sprang up the stairs, but I had little start in the race. My enemies were upon the steps behind me, and that I might not be struck in the back I was forced to turn upon them. It was a moment in which a man forgets the sacredness of human life. The first who sprang toward me fell back, with arms wide spread, clutching at nothing in the air. his soul leaping into the unseen ere his body lay still. A second fell toward me fiat upon his face. A third spun round and then pitched headforemost into the crowd of shouting men below. Step by step I mounted ■ backward, my face to the enemy, my ‘sword red from point to hilt, the perspiration standing heavy upon my face and arm. - . “What is all this?” The voice behind me nearly took me off my guard. • “Out of the way, old woman!” “Strike him down!” “Her husband shall cudgel her presently." Shouting, they rushed at, me again. Bridget was behind me, but she did not come close enough to hinder my defense. I thought I heard her growl with satisfaction as my foremost foes I reeled back down the steps. Still I retreated upward. ‘The rope!” she whispered. “Still there?’ “Yes.” She might be deceiving me, but her manner sounded honest How was she still my friend when her husband was so vile a traitor to friendship? (To bo continued.)