Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-13

protect certain ladies travelling with me
from tho violence Of q crowd, which, un-
der q misapprchension, was threatening
to do us mischief"
The priest again shook his head and
smiled family at tho carved roof His COL
leagues were perhaps somewhat moved in
my favor, for few words passed between
them. However, in the end they shook
their heads, and the president mechanical.
ly asked me IL l bad anything further to
say.
''Nothing!" replied bitterly. The &C..
clesiastic's cynical heedlessness, his air Of
one whose mind is made up, seemed 10
cruel to me, whose life was at stake, that
lost patience. Except what have said, Z"
/ continued, THAT for tho wouhdinR, it
was done in error, and for the gate seiz-
ing, I would do it again to save the lives
of those with me. Only that and this
that I am a foreigner ignorant of your
language and customs, desiring only to
pass peacefully through your country"
THAT is all:' tho president asked i'm.
passivcly.
"Ali," answered, yet with q strange
Tightening ut my throat. Was 1t all! All
could say for my life:
was waiting, sore and angry and dcs-
rcrate, to hear the sentence when there
came all interruption. Master Lindstrom,
whose presence at my side had forgot
ten, broke suddenly into torrent of i'm
passioncd words, and his urgent voice,
ringing through tho court, seemed in a
moment to change its aspect-to infuse
into it como degree of life and sympathy
More than ono cultural exclamation,
which seemed to mark approval, burst
from the throng ut the back of the hall
In another moment, indeed, the Dutch
mans courage might have saved me- but
there was enc who marked the danger.
The subdcan, who had at first only glow.
cred at tho speaker in rude astonishment
now cut him short with Harsh question.
''Onc moment, Master Dutchman!" he
cried. Arc you one of the hcretics who
call themselves Protestantss'
Il am. But understand that there is
here liberty of conscience" our friend an
swered manfully, nothing daunted in his
fervor ut finding the attack turned upon
himself.
THAT depends upon the conscience, :"
tho priest answered, with a scowl. 1--WE
will have no A nabaptists here nor foreign
pratcrs to bring us into feud with our
neighbors. 1t is enough that such men rs
you arc allowed to live. We will not be
bearded by you. So take warning! Take
heed, say, Master Dutchman, and bc ST.
lcnt!' he rcpcSted, leaning forward and
clapping his hand upon the table.
l touched Master Lindstrom's sleeve,
who would Of himself have persisted, and
staid him. 1T is of no USE" muttered.
THAT dog ir crochet has condemned
me- Uc will have his wayv'
There was a short debate between the
three judges, while in the court you might
have herd pin drop. Master Lindstrom
had fallen back once moro. 1 was alone
again, and tho stained window seemed to
be putting forth its mystic influence to
Unfold Tue, when, looking up, saw q tiny
shadow fit across the soft, many hued
| rays which streamcd from it athwart the
| roof 1t passed again, once, twice, thrice.
pcercd upward intently. 1t was o swal-
low flying to and fro amid the carved
| work.
Yes, a swallow, and straightway for
got the judges, forgot the crowd. The
scene vanished, and Twas at Cotton End
again, giving Martin Luther tho nest for
Potronilla, sign, rs meant it then, that
should return. should never return
| now. Yet my heart was on sudden So
softened that, instead Of this reflection Civ
ing me pain, rs one would have expected,
it only filled mo with a great anxiety to
provide for the event She must not wait
| and watch for me day after day, perhaps
year after year I must see to it somehow,
and was thinking with such intentness
| of this that it was only vaguely heard
the sentence pronounced. 1t might have
been some other person who was to be be-
headed at the east gate an hour before
noon. And SO God save tho dukei
| Go be contnued.)