Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-01
THE ARGUS. SATURDAY, JUNE !. 1896

which lay on my LEFT, n quaking marsh
many miles round, overgrown with tall
rushes and sedges, which formed the head
of the bay in which our island lay.
looked up tho long, straight road to Arm
helm and saw only group of travellers
moving slowly along it, their hacks to-
ward me. The road before me was bare
Of passengers. Where, then, was Dymph-
M, if she had crossed the BRIDGE In the
last resort I scanned the green expanse of
r,ishes and willows which stretched, with
intervals of open wafer, as far as the eye
could reach On my left. 1t was all rustling
and shimmerinS in the light breeze, but
my eye picked out one or two raised
Gikes which penetrated it here and there
and served at once as pathways to islets in
the mere and as brcastworks against
further cncroachmcnts of the river. Pres
emily on one of these, of which the course
was fairly defined by lire of willows, /
made out tho fiutter of a woman's hood,
and remembered that the day before l
! had heard Dymphna express a wish to go
to the marsh for some herb which grew
there.
"Riehtl' said, seating myself with
| much satisfaction On the last post Of the
bridge. She is safe enough there! And
road she is likely to be in danger from our
Spanish gallants!''
My eyes, released from duty, wandered
idly over the landscape for awhile, but
presently returned to the dixie across the
mere. 1 could not now see Dymphna. Tho
willows hid her, and waited for her to
reappear. She did not, but some one else
| did for by and by, on the same path and
crossing an interval between the willows,
there came into sight a mans form.
'Ho, no." said, following it with my
eyes, so I may so home! Master Van
| Tree is OIL the track, and now hope they
will make it up" added pcttishly.
Another second, and started up with
| q low cry. Tho sunlight had caught a
part of the mans dress, shining some
| thing which flashed back n point of in
tense light. The something guessed at
once was corselet, and it needed scarce
another thought to npprise me that Dymph-
| mas follower WINS not Van Treo ut all, but
| a Spanish soldier!
lost no timo, yet 1t took mo n minute
| "a minute of trembling haste and anxi-
| ety-to discover the path from tho cause
| way on to the dixie. When once l had
! stumbled Oh To the latter, i found / had
| lost sight of both figures, but ran along
| at the top of my speed, calculating that
| the two who could not be far apart, the
| man being the nearer to me, were about q
| quarter of n mile or rather more from the
! road. l had gone One-half of this distance
| perhaps when n shriL scream in front
caused me to rcdoublc my efforts. l ex-
| pcctod to find the ruflan In the act of rob
| bling the girl and ciutchod my cudgel-for,
alas, Lad left my sword at home.-more
| tightly in my grasp, so that 1t was an i'm
| r,alin IN rpn
| anglo in the dixie, saw her running to-
ward me. Her face, still white with fear,
however, and her hair streaming loosely
| behind her told how narrow had been her
| escape, If escape it could be called. For
| about ton feet behind her, the hood he had
| pluckod oil still In his grasp, came Master
| Spaniard, hOtfoot and painting, but gain
| ing on her now with every stride.
He was tall fellow, gayly dressed
swarthy, InUstachiocd and fierce eyed
! HIS cCrselet apd sword belt shone and jim
| gled rs he ran and sworc, but he had
dropped his fcatt,ered bonnet in the slight
struggle which had evidently taken place
when she got by him, and it lay black
spot in the middle of the grassy avenue
behind him. The sun-it was about three
hours after noon-was at my back and
| shining directly into his eyes, and 1 mark
| Si thio Us 4 itisSu NY ScHe-'i anu
aside to let the girl pass, for she in her
blind fear would have run against me.
1t was almost the same with him. He
| did not see mo until / was within few
PAGES of him, and even then think he
noticed my presence merely as that of an
| unwelcone spectator. He fancicd should
step aside, and he cursed me, calling mo
Dutch dog for getting In his way.
The next momcnt-hc had not drawn
his sword nor made any attempt to draw
two came together violently, and had
my hand OH his throat. We swayed as wo
whirlcd round ono another in the first
shock of the collision. A cry of astonish-
mcnt escaped Observation-Disclosures at my
har,iihood. He tried, his eyes glaring into
mine and his hot breath on my check, to
get at his dagger. but it was too late. I
brought down my staff, with all tho
strength of al arm ncrved at the moment
by rage and despair, upon his bare head.
He went down like n stone and tho
blood bubblcd from his lips stood over
him watching him. He stretched himself
out and turned with convulsive move
mcnt ON his face. His hands .clawed tho
grass. His leg moved once, s.,icc third
time family. Then he lay still.
There was lark singing just over my
head, and its clear notes seemed during
the long, long minute while stood bend
r.. a