Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-29


myself what this was that had happened
to her. Had fear and cold killed her or
turned her brain? ''Anncl'' said timid-
ly. ''Anne!''
She did not answer nor turn, nor did
the Gxcd gaze OF her eyes waver. 1 thought
she did not hear. ''Anner' cried again,
| so loudly that the duchess stirred and
mutto-ed something in her sleep. But the
! girl showed no sign Of consciousness.
| put out my hand and touched her
She turned sharply and saw me and in
| an instant drew her skirt away with
| gesture Of SUCH dread, loath,ng repulsion
Is froze me, whilc violent shudde. con-
vulscd her whole frame. Afterward she
seemed unable to withdraw her eyes from
lie, but sat in the same attitude, gazing
| at nc with a fzed look of horror, rs one
might gaze at a serpent, whiie tremor
| after trcraor shook her.
| was frightened and puzzled ana was
still staring at her, wondering what had
done, when a footstep on the road outside
called away my attention. turned from
| her to SEQ mans figure looming dark in
the doorway. He looked at us-I suppose
he had found tho horses outside-gazing
in surprise ct the queer group. / bado
him good morning in Dutch, and he an
swercd rs well Is his astonishment would
let him. He was short, stout fellow,
with big face, capable of expressing q
| good deal OF astonishmcnt. He seemed to
\ bo peasant or farmer. "What do you
hcre?" he continued, his cultural phrases
| tolerably ineligible to me.
/ explained as clearly as I could that
VIC were on tho way to Wesel. Then I
awoke the duchess and her husband, and
| stretching our chilled and aching limbs
We wcr:: outside, the man still gazing ut
us. Alas! the day was not much better
than the night. We could see but n very
little way, n couple of hundred yards
| round Us only. Tho rest was mis5-all
mist. We appealed to the man for food
| and shelter. and Ec nodded, and obeying
his signs rather than his words We kicked
up our starved beasts and plodded out in
to the fcg by his side. Anne mounted ST.
lently and without objection, but it was
| plain something strange had happened to
| her. Her condition was unnatural. The
| duchess gaZcd ct her very Gnxiously, and
| getting 70 answers CT very scan;y ones to
her questions shook her head gravcly.
But we were en- tho verge of ono pleas
urc ct least. When we reached the hos
pitable kitchen of the farmhouse, it was
| Joy indeed to stand before tho great turf
fire and feel the heat stealing into our half
frozen bodies, to turn and warm back and
front, while tho good wife set bread and
hot milk before us. How differently we
:hreo felt in half an hour! Flow the Ouch
ess' eyes shonc onco more! How easily
rose the laugh to our lips! Joy had indeed
como with tho morning. To bc warm and
dry and we'll fell after being cold and wet
| and hungry-what n thing this is!
Eut on one neither food nor warmth
seemed to have any effect. Mistress Ammo
did indeed, in obedience to my iady's
sharp words, raise her bowl to her lips,
but she set it DOVE quickly and sat look
ing in duh apathy at tho glowing peat.
What had como over herr
Master Berthe went out with the farmer
to attend 60 the horses, and when he came
back he had news.
There Is q lad here" no said in some
excitement, "who has just seen three for
eignors rido past On the road, along with
two Germans on pack horses-frs in all
They must be three CT tho party who fob
lowed us Yesterday
whistlcd. '.Thcn Clarence got himself
out" 1 said, struggling my shoulders
well, well!"
!. Il expect that is so," Master Bertie an
swcred, tho duchess remaining silent
Tho question arises again, What is to be
done., he continued. I've may follow
them to Vessel, but the good man says tho
floods arc deep between here and tho town,
and We shall have Clarence and his party
before us all the way-shall perhaps run
straight into their arms"
But what else can We dor" I said. ut
is impossible to so back"
We held long conference. and by much
questioning of our host learned that half
/ league away was n ferryboat, which
could carry rs many as two horses over
tho river at time. On tho farther side
We might hit road leading to Santon,
! three leagues distant. Should we go to
|, Santon after all? The farmer thought the
roads on that side of the river might not
DO flooded. We should then be in touch
, once moro with our Dutch friends and
might profit by Master Lindstrom's adj
, vice, on which !, for one, was now in
clined to set higher value.
! Tho river is bank full. Arc you sure
the fcrryboat can CROSSE" asked. Gu.
host was not certain, and thcreupon an
. unexpected voice struck in.
, oh, dear, do not let US run any moro
, risks!' it said 1t was Mistress Anne's.
She was herself again, trembling, excited,
bright eyed, as different as possible from
the Ammo of a few minutes before. A
great change had come over her. Perhaps
. the warmth had done it.
a third course was suggested-to stay
quietly where we were. Tho farmhouse
stood at some little distance from the road,
! and though it was rough-it was very
, rough, consisting only of two rooms, in
one Of which COW was stalled-still it
could furnish food and shelter. Why not
stay there?
1 But the duchess wisely, think. decided
against this. 1t is unpleasant to so wan
q dering again. she said with q shivcr.
Q But I shall not rest until we are within
a the walls of q town. Master Lindstrom
laid SO much stress on that. And fancy
that the party who overlook us last night
are not the main body. Others will have
a gene to Wesel by boat perhaps or along
n the other bank. There they will meet, and
1 learning we have not arrived they will
o probably return this way and search fol
n u.s."
n "Clarence"-
{ "Yes, il VIC have Clarence to deal with, "
s Master Berthe assented gravcly, I've can