Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-08-06

a thick mat of dull red hair, which fell
over his face, and from among 1t small
fierce eyes cleaned darl<ly. He smiled
| upon my companion and stared hard
at me. heard a low, choking sound
at my elbow, and turned to see my
hostess, with white face and big
frightened eyes, looking from one to the
other of the last corners. Her bosom
rose and sweled as If with dreadful
apprehension, when 1t happened that
the swordsman turned and observed
4 her.
He raised his hand and spoke to her
eagerly and rapidly In low, caressing
tone. In another instant she regained
command of herself, and began once
more to be busy with the food, but
Ing mood quite departed. The dwarf
seated himself unbidden, his harp rest
| ing upon his knee.
People seem to walk in and out OF
this place as freely as If 1T were an
inn" said I.
"oh. yes; why not?" said the tall
man. carelessly. Everywhere on the
something when you pass a house. 1t
iss the custom with us. Now. in Eng
land they would put dog to tear
your clothes and bite you If you walked
straight to the fire."
oh no. said I. THE English are
not 30 bad as that"
IT has happened to me, indeed" he
replied, and more than once. Here,
every one passing would come into this
house and take rest, or something
like that"
As If in proof of his words, the latch
clicked again and the door opened. This
time l knew the figure which stood on
the threshold. for all that she was
nuffied high.
They are coming my road again" I
thought. My hostess slipped down the
room swiftly, pressed the gray figure
backward into the thick dusk that was
gathering, and swung the door to after
them. AT a sharp word the dwarf
flung his harp to the poet and went up
the wall like q cat. and vanished
through the hole which served as VIM
dow.
whats the reason of all this ?"
said 1.
Indeed, do not know" said the tall
man, gently running his fingers over
the harp and drawing out soft, sweet
notes. Then he struck into a bold, live
ly air, playing loudly, and singing as
he played.
You have two ideas In this my
friend" thought L: First, to persuade
people that you and the harper are
both here, the one singing and the 9TH
er playing; second, to avoid conversa-
| ton with me-"
felt full of an uneasiness for which
I could not account. | had nothing to
go on but the fright OF the woman of
the cottage at the sight of the dwarf
harper and the fact of the queer little
creature flying out through the win
dow. Local matters which could not
concern me in the least might account
for these things quite res Oily, and yet
felt myself impressed with sense
/ of things of deeper mystery and of
a darker complexion.
A slight scraping on the wall drew
my eyes to the window, and in came
| the red head of the dwarf. His eyes
flashed with malicious glee full on my
companion, and he sprang down into
the room and leaped for his stool. He
seated himself seized the harp, and
continued the air without the slightest
pause. Under cover of the strumming
and singing he said q few words to my
companion, but could not catch them,
nor could have been any the wiser
If had.
The tall mans eyes lighted up with
equal fire, and he continued to chant
his song in a still louder and gayer
tone. The door opened, and my hostess
returned alone. She gave a sigh of
relief on seeing the harper and his
friend busy with their chorus, and
neither took the slightest notice of her
She returned to her pot and began
to stir milk into the slab mass. when
with few rousing twangs and a clear
high note from the singer, an end was
made Of their ditty.
| Without further ceremony, the tall
man fetched bowl from shelf on
the further side of the cottage, took
the wooden ladle from the wonan's
hand, and began to help himself from
the pot. She seemed to expnstulate,
as If begging him to wait little, but
he laughed and began to eat rapidly.
His companion at once provided for
himself in similar manner, and the
scalding poridge disappeared down
their throats at wonderful rate. In
less than ten minutes they had de-
1 voured huge bowlful each, and then
4 they prepared for departure. rose
also, and the bard looked at mo with
surprise.
4 II thought you were stopping here
for the night" he said.
Not at ALL" said l. Il intend to put
up at an Inn which | understand lies
eight miles ahead. straight along this
road"
SO wet"
Il am dry enough now.'' l returned
and further. l have dry cloak which
I threw off before entering the water
Which way are you going?"
"Oh. l am going that way,"he said
Then we will travel together"
Yes, yes he said but with no great
heartiness. Upon signs of my starting
with her visitors. the woman had run
for Whitesock, and now led her to the
door.