Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-07-10

I'VE must get away" she begged
again.
You could not ride now, and an hour
| hence the men will be beyond the pow
er to follow us. Hark-they are at it
again." and, indeed, only the dead could
fail to hear them.
j got her to lie down again, and went
and sat outside the door, till she cried
out that l was leaving her to them.
And so ! came and sat by the bed. and,
as am sinner, nothing would do but
she must have her little hand in mine.
Twas strange thing for Merton Bal
| fort. And once turned, when dared,
to look at her, and saw her asleep with
her head lying on the pillow still in its
frame of Wonderful wavy hair.
CHAPTER Nv.
| AS TO THE MOODS OF A MAIDEN.
4 VIC had been walking the horses slow
/ ~ good hour northwartl. for / had no
choice but to get on With my journey.
The rain had stopped, and the first light
of September day began to show up.
over the high land to the eastward. Not
word had we said since getting we'll
started. j, for one, had more Ia thinl,
than talk on, and the girl was too wear
led to DO more than sit in her ungainly
saddle, while j led her wletched nag.
ffeaNen Knows am no poet, and
never was; but the break of that day
was a beautiful thing to see. All the
eafth was wet and glistening on the
Darest excuse for light. The trees all
but met over our heads, with now and
lhen an open bit of country, and here
and there sight of the big river. And
an the little noises of the morning-the
| insects, the hirds-kept up singing.
and Wheeling and a droning that
would make the heart bound within
| You.
linen would come little more light.
ana tne trees would separate and stand
up oi themselves. and You could toll
| houses from sand banks And from a
strange and ghostly whiteness there
came big rcd glow like n sun
| SET, out still never WAS that light aft
setting sun. Here and there was a red
olPPed bough. while the big rocks
across the stream burned With the
color. Then l watched the color 90 Tx,
and the first white light Of the ~ sm ny
pil'h against the cliffs, catch the trees
above US, and then come dropping
around US ON the Wet turf and the red
mud at cur feet. And another clear
day was come out OF as filthy "a ni,.ht
as one could guess at.
is 9 Very fine day." said a strange
Voice at my side
r.
found her looking up at the trees over
mead ana the sky through them. and
Then turned back in my saddle and
said not word. What might be her
\ iadysliips next mood? AS for myself.
! VAS too worn out too uncertain as
70 my next move, TO see aught in the
situation but desperate outlook and
small chance of my mission finishing
that day or Week
So the noisy silence of the wood he.
gan again.
You have not the manners of his
majesty S court. SIR" said she blandly.
II nave never had occasion to be
lhere' MISTRESS, l answered, with
some meaning to my tone
No.. said she, and studied the green
leaves about her for a space. Ills a
wretched thing" She added, after a bit
What, the court?'
Nay, the want of manners"
Perhaps You would prefer to return
to the others" and then / stuck a spun.
into old Roger and cursed myself for q
fool.
SHE said not word for moment.
and then:
"A courtly response, indeed. Where
We're sou bred sir?''
In what. God be thanked, is n free
country, mistress. The town of Isos-
ton in Massachusetts colony"
"0h | have heard tell of it. lit
tie wandering town, where men pray
Tor eight days in the week, and a won-
an may Wear only black and never
raise her eyes from the buckle of her
slipper
:" lis n town of great men and big
hearts, Mistress l'hlipse. And It's not
for even II British butterfly to demean
it,
Am ], wonder, Mistress Philipse?,
said she, looking at me with CLINT in
her eye OR"
Il do not know, madam That was
the name you took but few hours
since She had look In her face
that for the life of me / could NOT
read. Was IT Il bursting desire to laugh,
or viXen's love of teasing?
'Or, am | Mistress Mistress Bal
fort, is t?''
If you were so. indeed. you should
not speak thus of the Cradle of Lib
erty."
"Ah, indeed! And would you tell me
who should prevent it?'
THAT will, mistress. No other than
your husband"
"Ah. indeed!" said she again. II see
that you have lived much in the com
pany of women and know them full
we'll. Captain Balfort"
Lieutenant Ialfort. at your service,
MISTRESS
she. looking up through the trees.
You bore yourself as such not many
hours since"
The change of tone was so quick that
for some unknown reason | grew red
with shame, and asked seriously
enough:
"Mil you tell me Why you should 90
through bad scene as brave as any
any soldier, and then faint at sight of
a drunken MANI
All, do not speak of him. cried she.
turning u face that on a sudden had ],
bit OF that terror in it again. And then,
looking back on the road. Think you
they may follow u.s."
Nay. mistress. I answered. Not
one of them could stand"
Then why bring Inc back to that
tavern. when | am tired and would
talk of other thngs?'
Twas a lhoughtlcss query, and
ask your forgiveness" said i, riding
closer to her, for l thought she would
sway off the nag $ back.
But her eye grew bright again on a
sudden.
do not fear, sir said She with her
chin in the air II am no chicken
hearted maid. j do not require the
support of an arm-not even when that
arm belongs to husband,
Mistress Phlipse." said | earnestly,
resting Il hand on her horses name,
you have twice referred to part of
last nights performance with the scorn
that, God knows, you no doubt feel.
But you are in the wrong to give it
any credence, except as the brave act
of brave woman, who saved by her
ready wit her companion from sure
death and herself from worse Do you.
perchance, think that that companion
places any other significance upon it?"
M ,1rr IA, hoo Il