Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-03-03
Chapter XXI.-(Continucd.)

gwil e to 'member of all dem questions
to ply to dem? Sides which you mus
know huff more bout it dan do! All
l know, boa. went ashore up de erik
Soli,'ers bout 'twiX' midnight an day.
an fotch you fall wrap up II sheet
in dead swoon; an dey carry you down
here: an me :l"bo,r see de sight OBJ
vour face till little While ago. when
cap'p tel! me come down an ten to
sou. So how l know anything bout
~"
"Captain9 OH" exclaimed the still
hewildered girl, in flash OF false lishl,
''you mean Captain Fulioy, my dear
gr,,.di;n. but still don't understand
ii. Why - Whatever AStrea was
:!bou: to ask WIS interrupted by the
Ecsress saying:
"Cap'n t'ull-ob-joy? No, honey,
don know muffin Il II bout no Cap'n
Iull.cb-joy. l 'fers to de cap'n of dis
slip
Then what does all this mean? And
where is Colonel Greville? Why has
he left me-" wildly exclaimed Astrea.
,.Colonel-who. honey" inquired the
ncgress
Colonel Grcvil!c, Oh. why has he
left me alone so long in this strange
place? | must have had fever. and
been out of my mind, and lost my
memory. fer have no recollection ut
all of why came here. Oh. you said
] was insensible when they brought
me in here. All. to be sure! that was
it. have had long illness. and have
been delirious.-indeed, my head feels
very queer still-and they brought me
while was in a stupor! and they are
taking me sea-voyage for my health.
/ have heard of such cases before. Is
not that it, my good woman?' inquired
-AStrea. smiling.
Chaps so. chile! l don't know nuf
fin tall bout it. any more an l told
YOU"
why, certainly it is so! But how
strange! Do you know. all these long
weeks of illness are perfect blanks in
my existence The last thing l remem-
Der was sitting in my bedchamber very
late at night, waiting for my husband
to come in; and feeling very i'll and
nervous, and oeing afraid to look
around. and fancying l felt or saw a
tall, black spectre behind me. and
screaming and fair ting-and that is
ALL That must have been the com
mencement of my illness. 1t must have
been the sudden congestion of the
brain-followed by long few er and deli
rum. Thank Heaven. l am better
now. But why does Colonel Greville
stay away so long: Pray go and let
him know that the crisis of my fever
has raised, and that l have recovered
MY senses. and Wish to see him above
all things"
Chile, l don know what you're
talkin' 'bou-. no more'n de dead. An
s'pects you don't. nuther! l don't
know muffin bout 10 Colonel Grivill.
Dere'S no sicl hece-neber was"
What? Colonel Greville not here!
Nor Captain Fuljoy, neither" ex-
claimed .Astrea, falling back into per-
plexity.
'Nyther de one nor yet de oder. Neb-
er III all my borl days heard tell on
EN-
What? GA! surely. they never sent
me. i'll. ana On this voyage alone?
Who came With ne? In whose charge
was l plac asked Astrea. hurled
ly. aGxiously.
'.Lor'. chile. amt | done tell We
already all know bout it? How de
cap'n fetch you here an put you in my
charge? But what spects bout it. #
YOU want to know dat. is dis: hcw
yoll marse. Toionnl Grivill. if he was
youl. marse. lone sold you on de sly to
Marst Cap'n. OATS what l 'spects!
Cause YOU see white gem'n will do
dem dere dirty tricks sometimes. an
don't think muffin tall OF 'em. either"
Sold? Mastcv? Why. woman. what
are ycu talking about: Colonel Gre
vile IS my husband" exclaimed AS
trea, ready to Weep With veXation.
which was. however quite underlined.
for she was is yet far-vrry far--from
susrecting the real horrors of her posi-
ton.
He. he he. Colonel Grivil!e your
h, sbaDd Az now he's done sole YOU!
Pity 100. for you're q purity gal, too.
for I, latte.
'.Wcman. you ore crazy or intnAi-
Gated! JIow dare you talk Of HE and
my husband in that way!.' exclaimed
Astrea, Indignantly starting up.
In the suddenness of her action. her
hair fell forward, and flowed, a long,
black veil, down over her bosom.
She snatched it up and gazed at it
with unmltigated Amusement. She
pulled at it, expecting it to fall off like
a wig; but when she found that these
raven tresses grew upon her head
l;er head, that had been glorious in it's
wealth of golden hair-her mouth
opened, and her lips dilated with Won
der: While thus staring aghast at her
changed hair, she noticed the pale
brown hue Of her once lily-fair hands
and arms. And she raised those af-
frighted eyes to the face of the wo-
man. exclaiming:
''Fiend! What diabolical art Is this
YOU have been practicing upon me:
Where is my dear old guardian!
Where is my husband? Oh, Fulke.
Fulke! where are you? Oh. wake ne!
wake me! from this hideous dream.
l'nlke! Fulke! / have the nightmare.
Throwing her arms wildly forward,
she rushed from the berth: but she was
instantly stopped by the negro woman,
who said:
''Sit down. honey; call de captain.
He tell you all about it better AN
can"
More from giddiness ana exhaustion
than in the spirit Of compliance, AS
trea sank in the sole chair Of the cab
in. and again turned her eyes in wild
:mazement upon her own changed hail
and skin.
The negro w0nlan-shc was short, fat
~.