Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-08-23

heard IN g cIamn Lon come from behind
! the curt ains, which were drawn close. and atI
the sames time they parted discovering 8
youth clad in long Quaker cloak which de-.
gacended halfway down his shapely calves
For the moment ] was startled, but at once.
aurmised that he was the dumb brother 81
my companion. Anes sprang forwa~A to.
meet HIM, the boy greeting him with = gmile.
land q hand clasp, but, pushing past my
s guide, he advanced to where ] stood by the.
table, end with q ripping laugh which there
was no installing astonished me by saying.
Donald Thorndyke here! Has he, too,
escaped! Heaven is indeed good! / have no.
need of counterfeiting dumbness with him.
Beverly, by what fortune S$5 81
! che flow Of words was cut short here, for.
Ames let out y5just as Icleared my mud
died brain and recognized the girl, Gertrude
King, disguised, as q Quaker. With the
cloak gathered about her as though to con-
ceal her altered apparel, and slightly bent as
in shrinking modesty, she stood with eyes
and lips apart, while my late guide grasped
my hand and said: ..
.By the Lord! but struck better than I
knew. Why, man, twas you who gave me
the first hand in help, and that at the fire,
but / have never seen your face closely till
now. I knew you as the savior of my sister,
but had no guess was in your debt for my
self" -: =.s ".s,.
Were quits, as you said, but It's small
debt. She is your sister, then!" / ex-
claimed, in my bewilderment referring to
the matter which had been bothering me.
"How is it am thus hoodwinked? Have
We not just sworn .- 49,. Z
"Nay, friend" he broke in entreatingly.
II but guessed at you at first. This dumb
ness has been a mask from the start. Twas
that and your pass which got Gertrude
through the lower lines. but continued it
with you, fearing you would shirk the risk
OF having girl share what adventure we
might have in store. You gave me to un-
derstand that much. Be not offended"
"Nay, Beverly, could have told you bet
teri" said the girl. Capt. Thorndyke, you
must pardon my appearance, nor think am
unsexed inwardly as outwardly when I say
that know you will not refuse your help
to me; for, as you once risked your life for
mine, you will not leave us and put it be-
yond my power to do my share in making
good the debt. The same feeling which babe
you defy Clinton will surely not allow you
to leave me while am still unfortunate!
And / can help. I will not faint nor lose my
head and cry out if danger comes. can
shoot; ay, and will, if need BET"
She was striking object as she stood
there in the light of the single candle. AS
she spoke she stepped forward, the cloak
slipping from her hands and falling about
her in graceful folds.# Not whit less of a
beauty was she for all that her hair was
shorn for more than hair it's length and
stained almost black, for in her male at
tire there was no mistaking the grace of her
sex, which in her accentuated. In her pres
ent rig she seemed less tall than in her
proper costume, but it gave freedom to her
movements, and there We're ease and supple
ness in even the small gesture of extending
her arms toward me as if to add weight to
her words. From top to toe there was
witchery about her, and I little wondered
at ScammelPs infatuation. How on earth
she had passed the lines without having
been suspected was puzzle, unless, indeed,
she too, like her brother, was skilled in act
ing part. !
mistress Gertrude" I replied, bending
my head, whereat she attempted courtesy,