Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-08
AUTHOR Or THE MAh IN BLACK,
"A GENTLEMAN OF FRANCE .: ErE~.
eprseHr DISTINGUISHING Rrexrs aesemep

y,
which had come with the blood from his
throat. When Lindstrom said the moon
was up and bado mo come with him to
the boat, went mechanically. No one
seemed to suspect me of fear. I suppose
they thought that, as had not feared to
kill him, l should not fear him dead, and
in the general silence and moodiness es
capped notice.
1T is a good night for the purpose"
the Dutchman said, looking about when
we were outside. 1T is light enough for
Us, yet not SO light that we run much risk
Of being SEEM"
/ assented, shivering. The moon was
almost at the full, and the weather was
dry, but scud after scud of thin clouds,
sweeping across the breezy sky, obscured
the light from time to time and left moth
ing certain. We loosed the smallest boat
In silence, and getting in pulled gently
round the lower end Of tho island, making
for the fringe of rushes which marked the
lire of division between river and fen. We
could hear the frogs croaking in the
marsh and the water tapping the banks
and gurgling among the tree roots and
making hundred strange noises to which
daylight ears are deaf. Yet as long as
was in the open water felt bold enough.
l kept my trcmors for the moment when
we should brush through tho rustling belt
Of reeds, and the willows should whisper
about our heads, and the rank vegetation,
the mysterious darkness of the mere should
shut us in.
For n time I was 20 be spared this. Mas
ter Lindstrom suddenly stopped rowing.
I'VE have forgotten to bring stone,
lad" he said in a low voice.
"a stone.' answered, turning. I was
pulling the stroke oar, and my back was
toward him. do we want n stone'''
ITO sink the body" he replied. I'VE
cannot bury it in tho marsh, and If we
could it were trouble thrown away. We
must have u stone"
What is to be dono'" I asked, leaning
on my oar and shivering as much in i'm
patience rs NERVOUSNESS. Must We go
back!'
mo; we arc not far from tho causoway
now, - he answered, with Dutch GOODNESS.
There are some big stones, fancy, by
the end Of the bridge. If not, there arc
some lying among the cottages just across
the bridge. Your eyes are younger than
minc, SO you had better 60 l will pull
on and land you"
nssented, and, the boats course being
changed point or two, three minutes
20 yards frorl tho landward bend Of the
bridge and just in the shadow Of the
causeway. / sprang ashore ard clambered
up. "Histr' he cried, warning me as
was about to start on my errand. Go
| about it quietly, Master Francis. The
| people will probably be in bed. But be
secret"
nodded and moved Off as warily as he
could desire. l spent minute or two
| peerine about the causeway, but found
| nothing that would serve our purpose
| There was no course left then but to cross
| the planks and seek what I wanted in the
hamlet. Remembering how the timbers
| had Crcaked and clattered when l went
over them in the daylight, stole across
on tiptoe. fancicd lad seen pile Of
| stones near one of the posts Mt that end,
but could not find them now, and after
cropping about awhilc--for this part was
| at the moment in darkness-I crept eau
tiously past the first hovel, peering to right
and left as l went. did not like to con-
fcss to myself that was afraid to be alone
In the dark, but that was nearly the truth.
! was fevcrishly anxious to find what l
wanted and return to my companion.
| Suddenly paused and held my breath.
| A slight sound had fallen on my ears,
/
paused and listened. Yes, there it was
again-a whispering of cautious voices
close by me, within q few feet of me.
could see no one, but a moments thought
told me that the speakers were hidden by
tho farther corner Of the cottage abreast OF
| which / stood. The sound Of human
voices, the assurance of living companion.
| ship, stcadied my nerves and to some ex-
tent rid me Of my folly. / took a step to
one SIDE SO as to be more completely in
the shadow cast by the reed matched
caves, and then softly advanced until
commanded a view of the whispcrers.
They were two-a man and a woman
and the woman was of all people Dymph-
ma! She had her back to lie, but she
stood in the moonlight, and knew heI
hood in n moment. The man-surely the
man was Van Tree, then, il the woman
was Dymphna? I stared. / felt sure il
must DO Van Tree. 1t was wonderful
enough that Dymphna should SO far have
rcRained nerve and composure rs to rise
and come out to meet him. But in that
case her conduct, though strange, was ex
piicablc. If not. however. II the man wcrs
not Van Tree
Well, ho certainly was not. Stare rs
might, rub my eyes as I might, 1 could
| Hut uittE tuc iIiitil hSuic, Nhieh "aS W
the tnllest, whereas l have said that thu
young Dutchman was short. This man.
face, too, though it was obscurod as la
bent over the girl by his cloak, which wa
pulled high up about his throat, wa:
swarthy-swarthy and bcartlless, mad
out. More, his cap had a feather, and ever
as he stood still thought read the sol
! der in his attitude-the soldier and thu
Spaniard!
What did it mean? On what strang
combination had lits Dymphna and |
Spaniard! Impossihlc! Yet n Thousand
! doubts and thoughts ran riot in my brain
! thousand conjcctures jostlcd one anothe
to get upperriost- What was I to do
What ought I to do: Go nearer to them
as near rs possible, and listen and lefri
the truth. or steal back the way hat
come and fetch Master Lindstrom, But
first, was it certain that the girl WAS Their
of her own free will. Yes; the question
was answered rs soon as put. Tho mai
laid his hand gently on her shoulder. Sh
did not draw back.
Confident of this, and consequently o
Dymphna's bodily safety. hesitated an,
was beginning to consider whether tn