Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-18
CHAPTER VII.


against tic hull ccInos in TING to bc an
intCleraE!c torment. Tut b2d as this may
lie it en- &c nothing in comparison with
tho pains l suffered from the same cause
- recovered my senses. Ny hTain seemed
to Ijo a cavern into which each moment,
with a rhythrnical regularity which added
the pan-s OF anticipation to those OF real
ity, tie sea rushed, booming ard thunder
ing, Earring every nerve and straining the
walls to bursting ard making each mo-
mcat OF consciousness ayivid agony. And
this lasted iong-how long 1 cannot say.
But IL had subsidized somewhat when first
opened Iny eyes and duly, not daring to
move my head, looked up.
was lying ON my hack. About O foot
from my eyes were rough beams of wood
disclosed by "A smoky yellow light, which
fickered On the knotholes and rude joists.
The light svayet. to and fro regularly, and
this adding To my pain closed my eyes
with "a moan. Then some one canc to me,
and heard voices which sounded a long
way of aud promptly fell again into n
deep sleep, troubled still, but less painful
ly, by the same rhythinical shocks, the
same dull -'rashings in NY brain.
When / awokc again, / had scpse to
know what caused this and whcre I was
in a berth on board ship. The noise
which had 50 troubled me was that of the
waves beating against her forefoot. The
beams so close to my face formed the deck;
the smoky light came from the ships Ian
tern swinging on "a hook tried to turn.
Some one came again, and with gentle
hands arranged my pillow and presently
began to feed me with a spoon. When l
had swallowed q few mouthfu,5, gained
strength to turn.
Who was this feeding me? The light
was ut her back and dazzled me. For a
short while 1 took her for Petronilla, my
thoughts going back at orc bound to Co
ton and skipping all that had happened
since left home. But as grew stronger
! grew clearer, and recalling bit by bit
what had happened in the boat recog-
nizcd Mistress Anne. l tried to murmur
thanks, but she laid cool finger on my
lips and shook her head, smiling on me.
You must not talk" she murmured.
'YOu are getting well. Now go To sleep
again.
1 shut my eyes Z. once rs n child might.
Another interval Of unconsciousnoss, pain
less this time, followed, ard again | awokc-
I was lying on my side ROW, and without
moving could sea the whole of tho tiny
cabin. The lantern still hung and smoked.
But the light was steady now, and heard
ing and creaking of the timhers within.
There reigncd quiet which seemed bliss
to RE. and / lay wrapped in 1t, my
thoughts growing clearer and clearer each
moment.
on sea chest at the farther end OF the
cabin were sitting two people engaged in
tall. The one. a woman, i recognized i'm
mediately. The gray eyes full Of COM
mard, the handsome features, the reddish
brown hair and gracious figure left ire in
no doubt, even for moment, that looked
on Mistress Bertram. The sharer Of her
seat was tall, thin man, with n thought
full face and dreamy, rather melancholy
eyes. One OF her hands rested on his
knee and her lips rs she talked were close
tn his ear. n little aside, sitting on the
lowest step of the ladder which led TO the
deck. her head leaning against the timbcrs
and "a cloak about her, was Mistress Anne.
/ tried To speak and after more than
one effort found my voice. ''Where am
I'' whispered. My head ached sadly,
and fanciei, though / was too languid
to raise my hand To il, that it was band.
aged My mind was so far clear that
remembered Master Clarence and his pur-
suit and the fight in tho boats and knew
that we ought 10 he on our way to prison.
Who, then, was the mild, comely gentle
man whose length of limb made the cabin
seem smaller than it was! Not jailel
surely? Yet who else2
could compass no more than a whis
per, but faint as my Voice was they al
heard me and looked up. Anne th'
elder lady cried sharply, seeming by hcl
tono 10 direct the other to attend To me
Yet was she herself the first to rise anC
como and lay her hand on my brow. All
i. ian S.,iI frlc n
parently 70 the gentleman, who kept hi
scat. His head is quite cool He will ii
well now, / am sure. Do you know me-
she continued, leaning over me.
looked up into her eyes and read onl,
Kindness. Yes" l nlptteTed. But TIL
effort If looking was so painful that
closed my eyes again, with sigh. Never
thcless my memory of the events which
had gone before my illness grew clearer
and l fumbled feebly for something whicl
should have been at my side Where i
-whcrc is my swordl" l made shift {,
whisper.
Sho laughed. show it to him, Anne,
she raii. What a never die it Is! There
masrcI knight Grant, we did not forget Z
bring it off the field, you see"
..Rut how" murmurod, how did yo'
escape:" l saw that there was no qucs
lion Of n prison. Her laugh was gay, he
voice full of content
That is long story" she answers
kindly. Are you well enough to hear II
You think you are, Then take some @
this first. You remember that knav
Philip striking you on the head with a
oar as you got up, MOI Well, it was
cowar,ily stroke. but il stood him in littl
stead, for we had drifted, in the excite
,nent Of the race, under the stern Of tn
ship which you remember seeing it'll
before There were English searaen O.
her, and when they saw three rlen in III
act OF boarding two defenseless wome
they stepped in and threatened to sen
Clarence and his crew TO the bottom ur
less they steered of. ;"
''Har' murmured, "Goodr'
And so We escaped prayed the cai
tim to take US on board his ship, IN
Franlingham, and he did So. More, put
ting into Leigh on his way to the More, b
took of my husband There he stand,
and when you are better he shall than
you
Nay. he will thank you now, said III
10 INV