The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-04-21

M~:tcae:$ " !ssc s:eSGa0f thus in u,
SIN room, = Is att,e ~ be vendors
at tha. = ear;na> unadDess ctme owe
me, ~ that | forsot for The naomer
I tAe loyalty due 10 my dsar lady. Coui
!. have stood Before her and. readiu
but halt consent IN the deep wSlle
eyes, have elipt hev in my arms an
laid my lips 10 hers. l would have ru
10 pay the price, IL earth or heaven 70
he'll. / thought, deeming the fierce 10
OF i welt wo,tt any penalty.
~ this l should nave stirred. | sun
pos. 1nr s4e caRle quickly aud stoo,
beside ae.
Non have slept long and Well. cap
tain lrstoS. She said, and in all tn,
thrilling JOY Of her bearer presence
ound space 10 mark that her voice ha,
In 1t n a sweet quaiity of sympath,
which IS all womauiy They say l an
good only to fetch and carry-may
fetch You anything2'
lear the madness of the momen
still ave been upon me. Tor
SAID since you are here yourself
dear lady. l need nausht else"
At a dash l had my whipping in q
low dipped curtsy and a hooking smile
like h a she had flung to F%alconnet.
"Mercii mon Gapitaine.' she said;
and for all my wincings under the
sharp lash of her sarcasm l was moved
TO wonder how she had the French o.
it. And then she added: rs it the
custom tor her Apostolic Majesty's Off
GERS to come out Of a death-wound
only to pay pretty compliments"
Twas no compliment" l denied:
and, indeed. I meant it. Then l asked
where was. n to whom Indebted.
though l had long since guessed the
answer TO both questions.
In a trice the hooking mood was gone
n she became my lady hostess.
STEPPED TO her finger tips in gracious
dignity.
You are at .Appleby Hundred. sir.
Twas here they fetched you because
there was no other house so near. and
you were sorely hurt. Richard Jenni-
fer and my black boy made a litter of
els and Mr.. 1'ybee to help,
L think She must have seen that this
thrust was sharper than that of the
German long-sword, for she stopped in
mid sentence and looked away from
me. And. surely. 1 thought it was the
very irony Of fate that L should thus be
brought half dead to the house that
was my fathers. with my enemy and
MS second to share the burden of me.
But your father" l aueried, when
the silence had grown over long.
My father is away at Queensbor-
ough. so you must cen trust yourself
TO my tender merctes. Captain Ireton.
-hie " SlIDIS enough To nave tOnr
wound dressed?"
She asked. but waited for no answer
OF mine. Summoning a black boy to
mold the basin of water. she fell to upon
the mountaineering With as little ado
as If she had been a surgeons appren-
tlce on a battle field. and | a b%loodless
ancient too old to thrill at the touch
OF a woman's hands.
Dear heart, it's a monstrous ugly
hurt" she declared. replacing the wrap
pings with deft fingers. How came
You to go about picking a quarrel with
Sir Francis?"
Twas not OF my seeking" I re-
turned, and then l could have cursed
my foolish tongue.
We hear something OF the talk of the
town. and that says"
That says l struck him without suf-
fclent cause. l am content to let it
stand So"
Nay, but you should not b content.
Is there not strife enough in this UNI
happy land without these causeless
bickerings?"
Here was my lad turned preacher
all in a breath and I with no words
to answer her. But 1 could not let 1t
thus.
II knew Sir Francis Falconnet in
England. said /. hoping to turn her
oIit
All; then there was a cause. Tell
1t me-
Nay. that I may not"
Ihough she was hurting me Sorely
in the mountaineering, and knew it. she
laughed.
TITS most ungallant to deny a lady.
Sir. But I shall know without the tell
twas about a woman. Tell me,
Ireton. is she fair"
Seeing that her mood had changed
again, 1 tried to give her quip for Jest:
but what with the pain of the sword
thrust and h sweet agony of her
l could only set my teeth
against a o a She went on drawing
the bandaseings. little heedful how she
racked me, | thought; and yet when all
was done she stood beside mo all of a
tremble. as any tender-heartcd woman
There" she said: Its over for a
time. and | make no doubt you are CAD
enough. Now you have nothing to do
save to lie quiet till it heals"
And how long will that be, think
We shall see: a long time. 1 hope.
You shall be punished properly for
your hot temper, l promise you, Cap
1reton."
CONTINUED Next Week.)
T.