Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-29
CHAPTER XIII.
AUTHOR or THE Mh'l IN BLACK,
~ GENTLEMAN OF FRANCE: E~E~.
eu1raenr arearS RESERVED

cloak before lin, and thus buricnod could
not well go beyond n smooth amble, while
the guides, who were On foot, and the
pack horses found this pace as much as
they could manage. a little while, and
tho cxhiluration Of the start died away.
The fine morning was followed by wet
evening, and before VIC had left Emmerich
three miles behind us Master Berthe and
had como to look ut ono another meaning
1y. We were moving in a dreary, silent
procession through heavy rain, with the
prospect of the night closing in carly.
The road, too, grew moro heavy with each
furiong and presently began to DO covered
with pools If water. We tried to avoid
this Inconvenience by resorting to the hill
slopes on our left but found the attempt
n waste Of time, rs n deep stream or back
water, bordcrcd by marshes, intcrvcrcd.
The narrow road, raised but little above
the level of tho swiftly flowing river on cur
right, turned out to be cur only possible
path, and when Master Berthe discorned
this his face grew more and moro grave.
Wo soon found indeed as wo ploddcd
along that sheet Of water, which palcly
reflected the evening light, was taking the
place OF the road, and through this we
had to plash and plnsh ut snail's pace,
ono OF the guides on pack horse leading
tho WY and Master Berthe in charge Of
his wife coming next; then, at some dis
tanco, for her horse did not take kindly to
the wntcr, tho younger woman followed in
my caro-. Tho other guide brought up the
rear. In this way, stopped constantly by
tho fears OF the horses, which were scared
by tho expansc of flood before them, We
crcpt weurily on until the moon rose. 1t
brought, alasi an access OF light, but no
comfort. The water seemed continually
to grow deeper, the current on our right
swiftcr, and each moment ! dreaded tho
announcements that farther advance was
impossible.
1t seemed to have conc to that Mt last
for l saw tho duchess and her husband
stop and stand waiting for me, their dark
shadows projected far over tho noonlit sur
face.
what ia to be dcnc?' Master Bertio
called out "a We moved up to them. 1.-The
guido tells me that there is broken piece
of road in front which will be impossible
with this depth of water
had expected to hear this, yet was so
dumfoanded-for, this being true, we
were lost indeed-that for time I could
not answer. No one had uttered word
of rcproach, but knew what they must
be thinking. l had brought them to this.
1t WIS my foolish insistenco had done it.
Tho poor beast under me shivCred. l
struck him with my heels. "Wo must go
forward'' said desperately. 'Or what?
What do You think! Go back?"
STEADY, steady, Master Knight Err
rant!'' tho duchess cried in her calm,
bravo voice. Il never knew you so bad a
counselor before"
1T is my fault that you arc here"
said, looking dismally around.
Perhaps tho other road is as bad"
Master Berthe replied. AT any rate, that
ia past and gone. Tho question is, What
arc VIC to do now2 To remain here Is TO
dio Of cold and misery. To go back may
DO to run into tho encmy's arms To go
forward''-
xviii be to be drowncd" Mistress Ammo
cried, with pitiful Sob
could not blame her. A moro gloomy
outlook than ours, rs VIC sat on our jaded
horses in the middle of this waste of wa
tcrs, which appeared In tho moonlight to
DO boundlcss, could scarcely be imagined.
The night was cold for the time of year,
and tho keen wind pierced our garments
and bcnumbcd our limbs. At any mo-
mcnt the rain might begin afresh and tho
moon bc overcast. OF ourselves, we could
not takc n step without danger, and our
guides had Tunifcstly lost their heads and
lonacd only tn return.
Yet l am for going forward" the
duchess urged. If there be but this one
bad place. we may pass 1t with care
I've may" her husband nsscntcd dubi-
ously. But suppose when we have passed
IL We can 20 no farther. Suppose the
1t is TO good supposins!" she rctortod,
with some sharpness. Let us cross this
place first, Richard, and wo will deal with
tho other when VIC como TO 1t "
He nodded assent, and We moved slowly
forward, compelling tho guides to go first.
In this order VIC wndcd some hundred
yards through water which grew deeper
with each step, unit! it rose nearly to our
cirths. Then the lads stopped.
Arc We OVER said the duchess eagerly.
For answer one of them pointed To the
food before him, and peering forward
mado out n current sweeping silently and
swiftly across our path-a current with an
c.ninous rush and swirl.
Overt" Gruntcd Master Bertie. "Noi
this is the place. Sec, the road has given
way, and the stream Is pouring through
from the river. / expect 1t Is getting
worse every minute ns tho banks crum-
bic"
We all cranod forward, looking Mt It, 1t
was impossible to say how deep tho water
was. or how far the deep part might ex-
tend, and We had with Us child and two
women.
1--WE mus. go bnck!" said Master Berthe
rcsolutely. There Is nd doubt about it.
The flood is rising. II VIC do not take
care, we shall be cut of and be able to go
neither backward nor forward. ! cannot
SEQ n foot OF dry land, as it is, before or
behind u.s."
He was right Far and wide, wherever
our eyes could reach, the moonlight was
reflected in o sheet of water. We were
nearly up to our girths in water. On one
side was tho hurrying river; on the other
were tho trcacherous depths Of the back.
water / asked tho guide rs we'll as
could whether the road was good beyond.
He answered that he did not know. He
aad his companion were sosterrified that
We only kept them beside US by threats.
II fear we must go back" said, as.
scnting sorrowfully.
Even the duchess agreed, and we were
IN the act - turning to retrace or step
with what scirit VIC might when dis
tapt sound bought us all TO a stan6stil