Country life -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Kentucky -- Fiction
Not all will be mentioned, but among them was the Knight of the
Holston--Athelstanic in build--in black stockings, white negligee shirt,
with Byronic collar, and a broad crimson sash tied with a bow at his
right side. There was the Knight of the Green Valley, in green and gold,
a green hat with a long white plume, lace ruffles at his sleeves, and
buckles on dancing-pumps; a bonny fat knight of Maxwelton Braes, in
Highland kilts and a plaid; and the Knight at Large.
“He ought to be caged,” murmured the Hon. Sam; for the Knight at Large
wore plum-colored velvet, red base-ball stockings, held in place with
safety-pins, white tennis shoes, and a very small hat with a very long
plume, and the dye was already streaking his face. Marston was the
last--sitting easily on his iron gray.
“And your name, Sir Knight?”
“The Discarded,” said Marston, with steady eyes. I felt the Blight start
at my side and sidewise I saw that her face was crimson.
The Hon. Sam sat down, muttering, for he did not like Marston:
“Wenchless springal!”
Just then my attention was riveted on Mollie and little Buck. Both had
been staring silently at the knights as though they were apparitions,
but when Marston faced them I saw Buck clutch his sister's arm suddenly
and say something excitedly in her ear. Then the mouths of both
tightened fiercely and their eyes seemed to be darting lightning at the
unconscious knight, who suddenly saw them, recognized them, and smiled
past them at me. Again Buck whispered, and from his lips I could make
out what he said:
“I wonder whar's Dave?” but Mollie did not answer.
“Which is yours, Mr. Budd?” asked the little sister. The Hon. Sam had
leaned back with his thumbs in the arm-holes of his white waistcoat.
“He ain't come yet. I told him to come last.”
The crowd waited and the knights waited--so long that the Mayor rose in
his seat some twenty feet away and called out:
“Go ahead, Budd.”
“You jus' wait a minute--my man ain't come yet,” he said easily, but
from various places in the crowd came jeering shouts from the men with
whom he had wagered and the Hon. Sam began to look anxious.
“I wonder what is the matter?” he added in a lower tone. “I dressed him
myself more than an hour ago and I told him to come last, but I didn't
mean for him to wait till Christmas--ah!”
The Hon. Sam sank back in his seat again. From somewhere had come
suddenly the blare of a solitary trumpet that rang in echoes around the
amphitheatre of the hills and, a moment later, a dazzling something shot
into sight above the mound that looked like a ball of fire, coming in
mid-air. The new knight wore a shining helmet and the Hon. Sam chuckled
at the murmur that rose and then he sat up suddenly. There was no face
under that helmet--the Hon. Sam's knight was MASKED and the Hon. Sam
slapped his thigh with delight.
“Bully--bully! I never thought of it--I never thought of it--bully!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account