Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-04-21

all their stays ana IufDcioWSs Nouiu
match her supple grace and lissom fig
ure.
What with the blood lettings and the
wound fever. coupled with the subtle
witchery OF her presence thus I'M my
sick room, IL is little to be wondered
at that q curious madness came over
me, or that l forgot for the moment
the loyalty due To my dear lady. Could
! have stood before her and, reading
but half consent in the deep welled
eyes, have clipt her in my arms ana
laid my lips to hers. | would have run
10 pay the price. i'm earth or heaven or
hell. i thought. deeming the fierce JOY
OF 1t well worth any penalty.
Al this / should have stirred, sup
pose. for she came quickly and stood
beside me.
You have slept long and well, Cap
tain Ireton." she said: and In all the
thrilling Joy OF her nearer presence l.
found space to mark that her voice had
in it that sweet quality of sympathy
which is all womanly They say am
good only to fetch and carry-nhay i
fetch you anything 2"
fear the madness of the moment
must still have been upon me, for /
said Since you are here ysurself,
lear lady. / need naught else"
At a flash / had my whipping in a
~ ADR hAAAtA IL AAA8kE 49,
like that she had flung TO Falconnet.
''Merci! IN 10 Capitaine, she said;
and for all my wincings under the
sharp lash of her arcasm / was moved
to wonder how she had the French of
II. And then she added: rs IL the
custom for her Apostolic Majesty's Off
GERS to come out OF a death-wound
only to pay pretty compliments"
Twas no compliment" | denied;
and fpdao1# Il 1aaaffH ~ fNhpr" asked
where / was. and to whom indebted,
though l had long since guessed the
answer 20 both questions.
In a trfcc the mocking mood was gone
and she became my lazy 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
o were sorely hurt. Richard Jenni-
fer and my black boy made a litter of
the saddle cloths. and with Sir Fran
els and Mr.. Tybee to help
/ think she must have seen that this
thrust vas sharper than that of the
German long-sword, for she stopped In
mid sentence and looked away from
me. And. surely, l thought it was the
very irony of fate that / should hus be
brought half dead to the house that
vas AAI y II EBlCllls oiiN
his second to share the burden OF me.
But our father" l queried, when
the silence had grown over long.
MY father is away at Queensbor-
ough, so you must cen trust yourself
TO my tender mercies. Captain Ireton.
Are you strong enough TO have your
wound dressed?"
She asked, but waited for no answer
of mine. Summoning a black boy 20
hold AhA hnOtN 80 xnvn tAo che fnIl ~ rntanFn
the mountaineering with as little ado
as IL she had been a surgeons appren-
tice on a battle field. and / a bloodless
ancient too old to thrill at the touch
OF a woman's hands.
Dear heart! tits a monstrous ugly
hurt" she declared, replacing the wrap
pings with deft fingers. How anne
you co go about picking a quarrel with
Sir Francis?"
turned, and then / could have cursed
my foolish tongue.
rs that generous. Captain Ireton?
We hear something of the ak of the
town, II that says"
THAT says / struck him without suf-
fieient cause. l am content TO let ii
stand so"
May, but you should not be content.
lis there not strife enough in this un-
lid Ply ldnd MltLIDht ltCSt CduSEttSS5
bickeringS?'
Here was my lady turned preacher
all in a breath and | with no words
TO answer her. But | could not let it
go thus.
II knew Sir Francis F~alconnet in
England" said /, hoping to turn her
safe aside.
"Ah; then there was a cause. Tell
1t me-"
May, that | nay not"
Though she was hurting me sorely
in the wound dressing. n knew it, she
laughed.
Ills most ungallant to deny a lady,
ing: twas about a woman Tell me.
Captain Ireton. is she fair?"
Seeing that her mood a changed
again. ] tried to give her quip for jest,
but what with the pain OF the sword
thrust and the sweet agony OF her
touches / could only set my teeth
against a groan. She went on drawing
the b~andageings, little heedful how she
racked me. / thought; and yet when all
was lone she stood beside me all of a
tremble. as any tender-hearted woman
might.
There she said: '"tis over for a
time, and / make no doubt you are glad
enough. Now you have nothing to do
save to lie quiet till 1t heals"
And how long will that he-.tat
you
We shall see; a long time. + hope.
You shall be punished properly for
your hot temper, ! promise you, Cap
tain Ireton.''
(Conf;nued Ne.f M..L