Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-04-27


ing still and watching her over
steadily l fell asleep again. When /
awolle the day was in its cleaning and
she was gone.
After this / saw her no more for six
full circlmgs of the clock hands. and
grew fair famshed for sight of her
sweet face. But to atone, she, or
SOME messenger of Richard Jennifers.
brought me my faithful Darius. and he
1t was who fetched me my food and
drink and dressed my wound. From
him 1 CLEANED that the master of APP
pleby Hundred had returned from
Queensborough, and that there We're
officers in red coats continually going
back and forth. always with a hearty
welcome from Gilbert Stair
Now. though the master of my stolen
heritage had little cause to love me-
thought he had still less to fear me;
SO it seemed passing strange that he
rame not once to my bedchamber to
Ass the time of day with his unbidden
guest, or to ask how he Jared. But in
this as in many other things. l reck-
oned without my enemy, though l
might have known that Sir Francis
would be oftenest among the red-coat-
I'd officers coming and going.
! But stranger than this. or than my
/ .ady's continued avoidance of me, was
/ The lack of a visit from Richard Jenni-
/ ee.. Knowing Well my dear lads loyal
" to the patriot cause, ! could only
\ conjecture that he rad finally broken
EMargery's enforced truce to go and
Join MIR. Ruthcrford's militia, which. as
| Darius told me. Was rallying to attack
a Tory stronghold ut Ramsour's Mill.
4 With this surmisc was striving to
/ ,ontent myself on that evening of the
third day, when Mistress Marsery
burst i'm upon me, brig eyed and With
ner cheeks ailame.
4 captain lreton, | will know the true
cause of this quarrel which. failing i'm
yourself. YOU pass ON to Richard len-
nirer," she cried. WAS it not enough
that you should get yourself slain
Rithout sending this headstrong boy
SO his death??'
Now in all my surmisings / had not
Thought of ths. and truly ii She had
sought far and wide for Il whip 10
scourge me With she could have founG
40 throng to cut SO deep.
God help me-" j groaned. Has this
fiend incarnate killed my poor lad"
No. he is not dead. she confessed
relenting a little. But he has the bar
onet's bullet through his sword arm
for The sake of your over Seas dis
agreement with Sir Francis"
| could not tell her that though my
avcngng of poor Dick Coverdale'.
wrongs, Richard Jennifer's was fol
Me baronets affront to her. So Dor,
the blame in silence glad enough To b,
assured that my dear lad was only
wounded,
"Why don't you speak. sir" sh'
snapped, flying out at me in a passion
tor my lack of words.
What should 4 say? ! have not for
r.,t ~, called IN ,n,
ous
You should defend yourself if yo,
ran And you should ask my pardon
for calling my fathers guest har,
names
The last / viii do right heartily
Twas but the simple truth but il VA
ll-spoken in your presence, Mistrcs
stair.
AT this she laughed mcmly; and il
all my world wanderinGs | had neve
heard n sound 50 gladstone as thi
sweet laugh of hers when she would b
On the forgiving hand
surely amy one would know YOU an
n soldier, Captain lreton. 80 othc
could make an apology and renew th
offense so innocently in the sam
BREATH" Then her mood changed aga
IN the dropping of an eyelid. and sh
sighed and said: Poor Dick'
AS even when she WAS With me, m
Eyes We're devouring her, and at tn
sigh and the trembling OF the swee
lips in sympathy | found that curiou
love madness COMING; upon me again
Then | saw that | mast straightwa
dig some chasm impossible betwec
this woman and me. as j should hop
to be loyal to my friend. So ! said
He loves you well Mistress Margery.
She glanced up quickly with IL smil
which might have been knocking on 10y
ing. could not tell which III was.
Ibid he make YOU his deputy to te
me so, Captain lreton?'
Now | might have known that sh
was only luring me ON to some pitfa
of mockery, but L did not and mu,
needs burst out in some clumsy dis
clailner meant To shield my dear La
again.
ooh, you do amuse me nightly, mo
Capitaine, she cried. II do prote.
l shall come to see you oftener. II
as good as amy play"
Saw you ever Il play in this bacl
: woods wilderness?" asked. glad of an
: excuse to change the talk and keep ht
by me.
I aNo. indeed But you are not
world save only yourself, Captain lr'
I ton. What would you say il | shout
) tell you that i. too, have seen you
London, and even your Paris"
Here l must biunder again and sa
that | had been Wondering how else 81
came by the Partisan French; but /;
9 this her TESTING mood vanished sudden
e ly and she spoke softly.
II had it of my mother, who came
5 the Hugucnots. She spoke it alwa.
to me. But my father speaks it no
and now | ann losing it for want
practice"
How is 1t that love transforms t.
once contemplate into a thing mo
highly to be priced? My eight years
campaigning on the continent had gi'
en- me the French speech, or so mu,
of it as the clumsy tongue of me cou
A master, and | had always held it
n hearty English scorn. Yet now W;
eager enough to speak it with he
y and To take as my very own the lit
: cry of joy wherewith she welcome
q my hesitant mounting of it.
I From that we fell to talking in h
f mothers tongue of the hardships
s those same Huguenot emigres. al
h when ] looked upon her my heart be-
e faster and my blood leaped quickl
: and / knew not always what it was
I said.
:, After time-'twas when Daril
: fetched me my supper and the candl
She went away; and so ended d;
: which saw the beginning of a strugg
: fiercer than amy the turbaned Tu
n had ever given me- For when / h;
: eaten and was alone with time to THU
knew Well that ! loved this WON;
and should always love her, this
spite OF honor. or loyalty to Richa
Jennifer, or any other thing in heav'
or earth.
d
CHAPTER V.
HOW | LOST WHAT 1 Had NEvf.
GAINED.