Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 61: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

52 THE ARGOSY. I was determined not to do so, and managed, while it was still early in the afternoon, to make my _ resolution known to Dick, whereupon he did a clever thing. “Know, Knight of the Star Spangled Banner,” he said, “that the King feels ill; he needs the medicine that is found in the root of the Sassa- frannic spegaloris; take thy receiving vessel and go into the forest and make search for it, and see that thou dost not delay too long, or I shall visit dire pun- ishment upon thy head.” “It shall be done as thou command- est, O King,” I replied, donning my hat, catching up my traveling bag, and moving toward the door, thrilled by the prospect of something being done. The women looked wonderingly at us. There was no suspicion on the face of the daughter, but there was on that of the grim, silent mother, who was seated near one of the windows, mend- ing a pair of corduroy trousers that be- longed to the son pining in jail. I drew the door open and stepped across the threshold. Just beyond range of the women [ looked back sig- nificantly at Dick. There was no full understanding between us, and it was necessary there should be. He knew it as well as I and was equal to the occasion. “ Halt, Sir Knight,” he called in his most peremptory manner, striding anprily after me; “ halt until thou re- ceivest the instructions of thy king.” “T await the orders of your maj- esty,” I replied, pausing a single step beyond the doorstep. “Go to the highway,” he added in the same loud tones, “and on the northern side of the rock which the countess ascended that she might learn what strangers were approaching our gates, and there thou shalt find the medicinal herbs I named to thee.” This pompous command was no sooner out of his mouth than he dropped his voice and spoke rapidly: “Don’t do any such thing; take that path to the left and follow tt to the spring; hide in the bushes and wast for me; it's now or never!” Without an apparent break in his utterance, he added in the same loud voice as at first: ‘* Didst thou hear my commands, Sir Knight ? ” . “T did, O King.” “Then, why dost thou stand there gaping like a thick skulled dolt, in- stead of making haste to obey them? ” “T crave thy pardon, O King, and hurry from thy majesty’s presence.” “ And seest that thou dost not tarry, or I shall hasten after thee and chop thy pate from thy shoulders.” Fearing that the widow or daughter . would peep from the window and de- tect the artifice, I bent my steps toward the trail which his majesty had digni- fied with the name of “ highway,” wait- ing until it was safe to circle about and approach the other path that I had ob- served from the door of the cabin. This path was another reminder of Tom Auckland’s home, for it wound from the clearing into the wood just as his did, though it was more lengthy, and the water bubbled from under a black, mossy rock. The spring was surrounded by dense undergrowth, which offered the best possible con- cealment. Carefully parting the shrubbery, I picked my way forward until beyond danger of detection of any one in the trail which I had followed, when I sat down, using my bag for a ctshion, to await the coming of Dick Montgom- ery. His experience was more trying but briefer than mine, for he was in a fever of misgiving and was beginning to feel the effect of the continuous strain, but it was all important that he should play his part out to the end. He strode up and down the floor, feigning a growing impatience with each passing minute. His anger was so well assumed and became so violent ecomicooolKs eco