The Crossed Sabres Read Free Page A

from many of the ladies. The reception didn’t begin for an hour, so they drank more wine than was proper, and by the time they arrived, Marlene was a little unsteady.
    But she recovered quickly, and soon they were moving about, noting that the cream of the newly birthed Confederacy was gathered under the roof. The new president, Jefferson Davis, was a tall Mississippian with austere features, but his wife, Varina, was a beauty!
    For over three hours the pair enjoyed the music, managing to slip outside to a convenient garden while the speeches were being made. Finally, Marlene said, “Spence, I’ve got to get back to Belle Maison.”
    “You sure you want Tom to take you home?” he asked.
    “Yes, it’s too long a trip for you.”
    “All right. I’ll go find him. You wait here.” He disappeared into the crowd, and Marlene waited until he returned. “He decided not to come,” Spence reported. “His brothers came,but they said Tom stayed home to pout. Now, you’ve got to let me take you home.”
    She smiled, but was put out with Tom. “Well, if he doesn’t care any more than that—”
    They left the hotel, walked to the stable and were soon on their way back to Belle Maison. Marlene had had too much to drink, and giggled a good deal. When they got to the house, Spence pulled the buggy to a halt, and for some time they sat in the wagon, laughing and being foolish. He kissed her more than once, but finally she said, “No more, young man! I don’t trust either one of us tonight!”
    He protested, but when she insisted, he got down and helped her out. The house was dark, and he said as they approached the porch, “They’ve probably locked you out.”
    A voice spoke so unexpectedly that both Spence and Marlene started.
    “No, the door’s not locked.”
    Tom had been standing in the shadows, and now he came forward. The moonlight revealed the anger on his face, and he said at once, “It’s late Marlene. Go to bed.”
    Spence had a wicked temper, and Tom’s sudden appearance caused it to flare. “You get tired of spying on us?”
    “Go back to town, Spence. You’ve had too much to drink.”
    “I’ll go when I get ready!”
    “Do as you please then,” Tom said shortly. He had gone to town, but it had been an unhappy decision. He had tormented himself with the sight of Spence dancing with Marlene, and then had discovered that they had left. He knew that Spence had devised some way of getting Marlene to let him drive her home. Ordinarily he would have laughed at such a thing, but he was too much in love with Marlene to do that. He had left at once, taken a short cut and arrived at Belle Maison filled with anger. He felt betrayed and wanted to avoid a scene.
    But he had a temper of his own, and answered wickedly, “Spence, get in the buggy before I do something I’ll regret.” He stepped forward and took Marlene’s arm, but as heturned, Spence’s fist caught him on the neck, and he staggered to the side. At once he was caught by a blow on his cheekbone that drove him to the ground, and he rolled once, then came to his feet. Given his choice, he might have tried to talk to Grayson—but he had no chance, for the other man was driving at him, striking out with all his strength.
    Tom slipped the punch, knocking it aside with his arm, and caught Spence with a terrific right hand high on the head. It stopped the other man as suddenly as if he had run into a piling, and as Spence’s eyes went blank, Tom dropped his hands, saying, “Let’s stop this foolishness—” But he was stopped when a blow caught him in the mouth. He tasted the salty tang of blood, and then was forced to fight back as Grayson came at him like an animal.
    The two of them threw blows that struck and drew blood, and Tom was driven across the grass by Grayson’s superior weight. He caught one glimpse of Marlene, her hand over her lips and her eyes bright, but then he saw no more. Grayson was taller and stronger, and at first he drove