Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-04

light would probably have shown to be of wood.
 There was n little dry ground round the church, a mere patch in sea of wa ter, but my horso rang its hoofs on 1t with every sign of joy and arched Its neck as 1t trottcd up to tho ncighborhood of the church, whinnying with pleasure. From the back of the building, was not sur prisod, came an answering neigh. As I pulled up man. his weapon in his hand. came from the porch, and a woman fol lowed him. 1 called to them gayly. II fancied you would be here the moment I saw the church!' I said, sliding to the ground
 Thank heaven you arc safer' tho duch ess answered. and to my astOnishment she flung her arms round my neck and kissed me. What has happened?" she asked, looking in my eyes, her own full of tears
 II think have stopped them, I an sworcd, turning suddenly shy, though, boylike, 1 had been longing n few minutes before to talk of my victory. They tried to CroSs nnd'-
 had not sheathed my sword. Master Bertio caught my wrist, and lifting the blade looked at it. ''SO, sO!' ho said nod ding. Arc you hurtf"
 Not touchcd!" answered. Before moro was said he compelled his wife to go back into tho porch. The wind blew kcen- ly across the open ground and wo were all wet and shivering. When we had fas tened up tho horses, wo followed hor. Tho door of tho church was locked, 1t seemed, and the porch afforded the best shelter to be had. Its upper part was of open wood work and freely admitted the wind. but wido caves projected over these openings and over tho door, so that at least it was I NH-it in TSN, nD hp floor against tho windward side wo got some protection. hastily told what had happened
 "So Clarence Is gone!" My lady's voice as shc said tho words trembled. but not in sorrow or pity, as judgcd-rather in re- lief. Her dread and hatred of the man wcre strange and terrible, and so seemed to me then. Aftcrward 1 learned that something had passed between them which made almost natural such feelings on her part and made natural also Q bitter resent ment on his. But of that no more. You arc quito sure," she said, pressing mo anxiously for confirmation, that 1t was he!"
 dead, explained.
 "You seem to bear a charmed lifo your self, " she said
 "IIush!" cried her husband quickly. Do not say that to tho lad. It Is un- lucky. But do you think. ho continued tho porch was in darkness, and we could | scarcely make out one anothcr'G faces that there iS any further chance of pur- suit:
 Not by that party tonight" l said grinly. Nor l think tomorrow" 'Good," hc answered, for I can see | nothing but water ahead. and 1t would be madness Ia Eu on by night without a guide. We must stay here until morning. | what, yer the risk,
 He spoke eloumily, and with reason. I Our position Was a miserable, almost a desperate one, even on the supposition that pursuit had ceased. We had lost all | our haEIa2v food, wraps. We had no | guides, and we were in the midst of a | flooded country, with two tender women and baby, our only shelter tho porch of Gods house. Mistress Auno. who was cruuching in the darkest corner next tho church, S,Tmrd to have collapsed entirely. | remembered aftcrward that did not once hear her speak that night. The duch- CSS tried tO maintain our spirits and her own, but in tho facc of cold, damp and | hunger she could do little. Master l}ortiC and took il ny turns to keep kind of l watch, but hy morning-it was a long I | out and slept despite our misery. We should have hrcn surprised and captured l without blow if the enemy had come | upon Ills then.
 | l awukr with A start tO find tho gray l light uf raw, misty morning falling up on and showing up our WrUtChCd group. l The duchess head was hidden in her | cloak, her husbands had sunk on hi> | breast, hut Mistress Annr-l looked ut | her and >hu:Htr>ll. Had she sat so all | night->ht staring with that stony fact l of pain and thu-r fearless eyes on tht | moonlight, on tho darkness which had been before the dawn, on the cold first | rays of morning: StarCd on all alike and seen none? l shuddcrrd and pcrrrd at her alarmed, doubtful. wondering, asking | myself what this was that had happened to her Had fear and cold killed her ol | turned her brain? Amer I said timid | ly. Anne"
 She did not answer nor turn. nor did the fixed gaze o< her eyes wavor. IthouGht she did not hear. Anne" cried again so loudly that the duchess stirred ant muttCred something in her sleep But tn, girl showed no sign of consciousness. put out my hand and touched her.
 She turned sharply and saw mo and 1T an instant drew her skirt away with | as froze me, while a violent shudder con
 vulsCd hor whole frame. Afterward shI seomcd unable to withdraw her eyes from
 me, hut sat in the same attitude, gazing at mo with a fixed look of horror as ont
 might gaze at a serpent while tremo
 after trcmor shook her.
 was frightened and puzzled and wal
 still staring at her, wondering what haC
 Lone when fOOtstep on the road outsid,
 called away my attention. turned froIg
 her to scc n mans figure looming dark il l the doorway. Hc looked al us-I suppos,
 he had found tho horses Outside-gazins
 in surprise at tho queer group. I bad
 him good morning in Dutch, and ho an
 swered as well as his astonishment would
 let him. He was a short, stout fellow
 with big face, capable of expressing
 good deal of astonishment. He seemed t.
 be peasant or farmer. What do yol
 here!" he continued, his guttural phrase
 tolerably intelligible to mo,
 explained as clearly as could tha
 we were on the way to Wesel. Then
 awoke the duchess and her husband, ant
 stretching our chilled and aching limb We went outside, the man still gazing a
 us Alas! the day was not much hette
 than the night We could see but a yer,
 little way, a couple of hundred yard
 round us only. The rest was mist-al
 mist. Wo appealed to the man for foot and shelter, and he nodded, and obeyini
 his signs rather than his words we kicke, up our starved beasts and plodded out in
 to the fog by his side. Anne mounted si
 lently and without objection, but it Wa
 plain something strange had happened t
 her Her condition was unnatural. Tn
 duchess gazed at her very anxiously, an,
 getting no answers or very scanty ones t
 her questions shook her head grAvely. But we were on the verge of one pleas ure at least. When we reached the hos } pitable kitchen of tho farmhouse, it wa