Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-18


bent, in whatever wilma might possess
their minds, occurred to me, aE.1 fastened
TO reply: ''Of course l believe it, Why
shouldn't I?''
''Ah, why shouldn't you, indeed? But
people are so skeptical nowadays. Now,
when Victor Emmanuel was staying at
my house, and Pope Plus came down
by way Of the Mediterranean Take care!
where are you GONG"
had thought TO take advantage of the
new path INFO which his troubled mind
had wandered TO direct the course of the
boat shoreward, but his cunning, rowing
eye was upon me in an instant.
Tit is getting very hot here" STAN
mered. Il thought, perhaps, we should
find it cooler on shore"
''Ah-h-hi' he Kissed, putting his face so
| close TO mine as to glare up into my eyes,
| under the very shadow of my wide brimmed
hat you re traitor and hypocrite, like
| all the rest of 'em! But I'm prepared for
you. Seei'
And with burst of laughter so disonant
that the very tide seemed to tremble and
CULVER, he flashed long, sharp knife in
the air, describing a circle of cleaning
light round his head Ny blood seemed
turned TO ice in my veins as it dazzled
across my vision.
Put up the knife, your royal highness,"
| said, counterfeiting an offhand ease that
by no means felt. where's the use of it
between friends? Let's talk about the
| queen"
was the more anxious to secure his at
| tention as | saw moving figures on the
shore, scarcely half mile away from us,
| the futter Of a white handkerchief, and
then total disappearance of the figures
| Help was at hand. l felt quite sure, if
| could only maneuver so as TO reach it.
No not about the queen said the poor
maniac; that grieves and afflicts me- He
closed his knife as he spoke But do you
( know he continued, Il am haunted?'
"Haunteds' l said.
"Yes-haunted by A horrible. ugly old
woman-a witch or ogress, female fiend
| Now. do you know, he said, moving close
| up to me, and speaking in low, mysteri-
Gus voice, she won't let me alone?"
MOI"
She won't. Sometimes she climbs up
| among the stars at night, and sits there
winking through my bedroom window all
/ night long Sometimes she comes jump
| ing down from the clouds among the rain
| drops, and sometimes- There she is now
with three pair of fins and a face like a
| ffsh'sy'
/ de uttered an eldritch screech as he
/ looked down into the clear. shining depths
Lets escape from herr l exclaimed,
| vigorously seizing my oars. She can't
/ follow US"
NO, she can't. We might hide among
| the woods, only, if she should turn into a
/ squirrel and jump up and down among the
/ trees-she does sometimes
| well. then. We'll borrow gun and dis
pose of her. said, still pulling desperate
| " toward the shore, while the perspiration.
| cold and clammy a midnight dews. steam
/ ed down my temples.
| "W hat areyou il such devil of a hurry
| .or:" demanded my companion, rather mo
/ rosely. Hold hard little, can't you?"
! l checked my eXertion. Evidently he
/ was in no humor to be trified with
! No hurry at all, | said, as calmly as
| possible: only, you see, the old witch is
| following you up pretty closely, and''-
we are too near the shore" he inter
! rupted abruptly.
| We were within few rods of the cluster
| ing bushes that l knew contained helm.
! Oh. heaven, could but reach their friendly
| shelter. How like a mass of lead my heart
| sank in my bosom as l saw him catch up
the oars and strike out once more in "a con-
! trary direction.
But as he turned his head away caught
! up the sheathed knife and flung it hurting
! upon the shore
! whats thats" he demanded turning
! quickly around.
Its your witch" said, a. unconcerne,l-
| ly as could. Don't you think we ought
to go ashore and see what has become of
| herr
His eyes roved restlessly along the green
/ bank
Il don't know; what do you Think"
why she is your enemy. No doubt it
| was she who spread the report of Your
! death You ought to address her in con-
ciliatory manner, and if you could once
bring her to terms what would prevent
you from assuming your proper station
once more in England
That's very true. Here, head her in
| toward the land. Iwonder l never thought
| of that before"
Poor fever Drained lunatic! Even in the
! consciousness of my own mortal peril my
! heart ached for the crazy flights of his
sick fancy
| We were close to the friendly land: the
| long, silver green tresses of the willows
almost touched the bow of the boat when
my strange companion started 10 his feet,
with yell that aroused all the echoes float
| ing over the peaceful lake
''TraitOr-spy, double-dyed villain! YOU
have been deceiving me. Your hirelings
Turk among yonder bushes. But it is in
vain! The royalty OF England shall never
| fall prey TO base articles like these"
He sprang toward me like an infatuated
| tiger. At the same time the shore seemed
to become alive with hurrying figures, and
with last impulse l caught up the rope
that lay cooled at the bottom of the boat,
with one end affixed to an iron hook, and
threw it desperately shoreward. | could
see tall form plunging waist deep in the
water to grasp at it, and then the clinging
arms of my terrible companion were
wreathed around me. and knew no more.
Are you better, sirs''
Better? Yes-no-I can't tell Where
| am l."
Here, at a little inn, snug in bed; but
you've had a stormy time of it. What on
earth possessed you TO go out in boat
! with that poor gentleman