Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-01
AyraoR or THE MAN IN BLACK,
n GENTLEMAN OF FRANCE. E"E'.

caiiy to the others, this boy is full of
starts and surprises. You never know
what he will produce next. The other day
it WAS warrant! Today it is n grand
mother and a temper!''
could not be angry with her, and per-
hnps was not sorry now that my quarrel
with the young Dutchman had stopped
whore it had. l affected AS well us l
could to join in the laugh at my expense
and took advantage of the arrival of our
hest, who at this moment came up the
slope from the landing place, his hands
outstrctched and smile Of greeting on
his kindly face, to slip away unnoticed
and make amends to my humor by switch
ing off the heads of the witheS by the
river.
But naturally the scene left degree Of
i'll feeling behind it, and for the first time
during the two months we had spent I'M
der Master Lindstrom's roof the party
who sat down to supper were under some
constraint. l felt that the young Dutch
man had had the best of the bout in the
Garden and talked loudly and foolisbly
in the boyish attempt to assert myself and
to set myself right at least in my own cs
| timation. Master Van Tree mcanwhile
sat silent, eying me from time to time in
no friendly fashion. Dymphna seemed
nervous and frightened and the duchess
and her husband exchanged troubled
glanccs Only our hest and Mistress
Anne, who was in particularly good spir-
its, were unaffected by the prevailing
chill
Mistress Anne indeed in her ignorance
made matters worse She had begun to
pick up some Dutch and was fond Of air
ing her knowledge and practicing fresh
sentences ut mcaltimcs. by some i'll luck
she contrived this evening-particularly
after, finding NJ one to contradict me, l
| had fallen into comparative silencc-to
frame her sentences SO as to cause as much
EN- barrsssment as possible to all of us.
Where did you walk with Dymphna this
morning." was the question put to me.
| You are fond of the water-Englishmen
are fond of the water" she said to Dynph-
ma. "Dymphna is tall; Master Francis is
| tall. sit by you tonight; the Dutch lady
| sat by you last night" and so on, and so
on, with prattlc which seemed to amuse
| our host excccdingly-hc was never tired
| of correcting her Inistrkos-but which put
| the rest of us out of countcnancc, bringing
| the tears to poor Dymphna's cyes--shc did
not know where to luok-and making her
lover glover at me as though he would
| cat mo.
1t was in vain that the duchess made
spasmodio rushcs into conversation ana
in the intervals nodded and frowned at
the delinquent. Mistress Ammo, In her In
nola,.tc, saw nothing. She went of until
Van Tree could stand it no longer. and
with u half smothcred threat, WHICH was
| perfectly intelliginlo to me, rose roughly
| from the able and went to the door as If to
look ont at the night.
What is the matter?'' Mistress Anne
| said wondcringly in English. Her eyes
seemed at length to be opened to the fact
| that something was amiss with US.
Before l could answer the duchess. who
had risen, camo behind her. You little
fool" she whispered fiercely, If fool you
are you deserve to DO whppedr'
why, what have l done?" murmured
the girl, really frightened now and appeal
ing to me.
| "Donel' whispered the duchess, ana I
think she pinched her. for my ncighbor
WINGED Moro harm than you guess, you
MINK! And for you, Master Francis, a
word with you. Come with me to my
| room, please"
went with her, half minded to be an
| cry and half inclined to feel ashamed of
myself She did not give me time how
| ever, to consider which attitude / should
take up, for the moment tho door of her
room was closed behind us she turned
upon me, tho color high in her checks.
| Now, young man." she said in q tonc of
ringing contempt, do you really think
that that girl is in love with your
what eirls" asked shecpishly. The
| unexpected question and her tone put me
out of countanance.
What g!rl' What girl?" she replied
impatiently. Don't play with me. boy!
You know whom / mean - Dymphna
Lindstrom"'
"Ob, thought you meant Mistress
Anne" l said somewhat impcrtinently.
Her face fell in an extraordinary fash
ion, as If the suggestion were not pleasant
TO her. but she answered on the instant:
Well, the vanity of the lad! Do you
shink all the girls are in love with you;
ESrause You have been sitting with pref
~ face on each side of you do you think
you have only to throw the handkerchief
this way or that: II you do, open your
eyes, and you will find it Is not so. My
kinswoman can take care of herself, so we
will leave her out of the discussion, please,
and for this pink and white Dutch girl,
| my lady continued yiciously, let me tell
you that she thinks more OF Van Trees
little finger than of your whole body"
l shrugged my shoulders, but still l wa.
mortified. \ Young man may not be in
love with girl. yet it dispieascs him Il
hear that she is indifferent To him.
The duchess noticed the movement
; Don't do that. p" she cried in impatient
scorn. You do not see much in MASTER
Van Tree perhaps? l thought not. There
fore you think girl must be of the SAINT
mind as yourself Well" with fiorc,
little nod, you will learn some day tba
it is not so; that women are not quit
: what men think them, and particularly
| Master Francis, that six feet Of manhood
, and pretty face on top of it do not al
, ways have their way. But, there, I did no
bring You mere to tell you that. want {,
q. know whether you are aware hat you AZ
doing"
mutte-ed something to the effect tina
did not know was doing any harm.
3 You do not call IL harm, then" til
duchess rctorted, with energy, Ito en-
t danger the safety of every ono OF US: Can
! not you see that if you insult and offeB'
this young man-which you are doing OF
l of pure wanton mischief, for You are no
= in love with the girl-he may ruin us;"