Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-05-26

knew for her stout Norman firing
maid.
she gave me little time for any word
Of welcome or OF depreciation. While
still | stood amazed she dragged the
woman i'm with her and closed the uoof'
Al that / found my tongue.
"Margery! Why have you come
/ spoke in French. and she was quick
to lay a finger on her lip.
speak TO me in English. IL you
please" she whispered. Jeanne knows
nothing, and she need not know. But
you ask why / come could | do less
than come. dear friend?"
/ had always marveled that she could
be SO knocking hard at times, and at
other times-as now-so soft and gen.
tie. And though l thought IT cruel
that / should have TO fight my battle
for the losing of her over again had
not the heart TO chide her.
You could have done much less,
dear lady" i said, taking her hands In
mine; much less, and still be blame
less. You have done too much for me
already. | would you had not done so
much, / would to God | had been
hanged before you went upon your
knees to that
She freed one hand and laid a finger
on my lip-nay, IL was her palm. and II
I took n dying mans fair leave n
I hlOoCu IL OAtAJ - 1865
not.
'Hush!" she commanded. rs this
o me to harbor bitter thoughts? L
Ought you might have other things TO
say to me. Monsieur John"
There Is not other thing that may
say"
mot anything at ALL?
"Naught but a parting hope for you.
I hope you will be true and loyal 10
o,,c.1If ATarnarHy mia - a
ITO myself? l do not understand
II hin you dol think o must
But l do not"
| turned 1t over more than once In
my mind IL I should tell her all l had
feared: should tell her how / came
to kill a man and was fair set to kill
another had I found a wedding afoot
In the great fore-room. l could not
bring myself TO do 1t. and yet thought
1t would go hard with me If | should
leave her still ~unwarned.
IF / should try to make you un-
derstand, you will be angry, as you
were before"
The wicker chair was close beside
the table and she sat down. And when
she spoke she had her hands tight
clasped across her knee and would not
look at me.
us it-about-Sir Francis?'
ut u.s." said l. pausing once more
upon the brink of full confession.
She waited patiently for me to speak
further. waited and let me fight it out
in slow pacings up and down before her
chair. Without, the night was calm
and still. and through the opened case
ment came the measured beat OF foot
falls on the gravel where the outer
sentry kept his watch beneath the
window. Within, the single candle
battled feebIy with the gloom and
lighted naught for me save my dear
lady's face, pensive now and sanity
sweet as ii had been that morning
when / had dwelt upon it and the while
she knew 1t not. And in the back
ground stood the sleepy tire woman.
giving no sign OF life save now n
then a tortured yawn behind her hand.
| think my lady must have known
how hard it was for me to speak, for,
when the silence had grown overiong'
she said gently: II bought these fly
ing minutes of the sentry, Monsieur
John. VIII you not use theme"
IF I should say the thing l ought
to say, you'll hin the minutes dearly
bought, l fear
mo, hat l shall not, If it will ease
your mind"
Then tell me why you sent for Fa-
Their Matthew"
The tight was dim. as / have said.
yet / could see the faint flush spread
from neck to cheek.
You are not of the church, Mon
ieur John. You would not understand
IL / should tell you
II think I understand without your
telling. You said Sir Francis Falcon
net had asked for YOU"
Twas you who drove me TO say IT."
Because l tried to warn you?"
go .,ax.1l ~ xyA,raf,,t
when you should have been forgivlng."
Twas not revenge, just then,
though while / live l shall have ample
TO hate this man"
was IL, them!
ut was love; love for you and-and
Richard Jennifer."
She rose, and / could see her eyes
ashine for all the half-gloom OF the
candle light.
You are a loyal friendi" she said,
and there was that within the words
to make me glad. whatever fate the
dawn should have In store for me.
You always think OF other first; you
think OF others now when-when
death-Oh. Monsieur joint what can
I do for you? Say quick! The man is
coming to the door!"
Now, l have told you this, there is
but one other thing. Margery, dear;
one little thing that will not let me
die In peace. III / might nave ten words
with Richard Jennifer-
She left me in a fever-ffutter OF ex-
element, whipped TO the door, and had
a word with him who stood Without
I heard the clink OF coin, and then she
fastened back to me, all eagerness and
tremulous impotence.
Tell me-tell me instantly what |
must do. I am not afraid. Shall | ride
down to Jennifer House and fetch Dick
here?'
HE is a prisoner. and II
he were not, they would
not let him see me. Besides, would
not let you go on UGH an errand. And
Vetoed help me, Margeryl there is
many an innocent life hanging on this;
the lives OF helpless women n little
children. Have you ever a messenger
to send. a man who will risk his life
and can be trusted fully?"
Yes. yes." she cried. Write 1t down
for me and Dick shall have it. Quick
for Our Lady's sake. be quick about
1T, O Sancta Maria, mater Del
The low impassioned chant OF the
Roman iitany was ringing In my ears
as l sat down to the table TO write my
message to Richard Jennifer. There
were quilts and an ink-pot at hand, but
not paper. felt in my pocket and
found. not some old letter, as ! hoped,
but the crumpled parchment map
snatched and hidden when Captain
stuart had WINGED and dropped II al
the bidding Of the whistling sword
about his ears.
How Al was they had not searched
me for 1t. 1 know not: though hapiy the
captain did not guess how he had los