Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-05-21

sweeping across the breezy sky, OBJ
scured the light from time to time and
left nothing certain. We loosened h
smallest boat in silence, and getting in
pulled gently Oun the lower end OF
the island. making for the fringe Of
fusnes which marked the line OF 6ivis-
ION W river and fen. We could
near the frogs croaking In the marsh
and the water lappi1g the banks and
gurgling among the tree roots and
making a hundred strange noises to
which daylight ears are deaf. Yet as
Ions as 1 was in the open water / felt
nold enough. I kept my tremors for
me moment when we should brush
througn the rustling belt OF reeds. and
the Willows should whisper about our
"a and the rank vegetation. and
mysterious darkness Of the mere should
shut us In.
For a time was to he spared this.
Muster LindstroYn suddenly stopped
a stone. lad" he said III a low voice
"A stone?" 1 answered. turning
was pulling the stroke oar. and ruy
stone?" "A' ="
TO sink III body he replied. 1--WE
cannot bury 1T in the marsh. and il we
could 1t were trouble thrown away
we must have 81 stone.'
w nat is to be doneT" I asked. lean
ing OF my oar and shivering as much
M 'lllpatience as nervousness. Must
we go back?" AS
way now" he answered. with Tutch
CooinesS. There are some big stores.
! IAhcy, ny the n OF the bridge. II
not; there are some lying among the
cottages just across the bridge. Your
Ssss IRE younger than mine. so you
you" "" ''au
! Sassented, ana. the boats course
nsNNs changed a point Or two
.hree minutes' rowing laid her
Rows on the mud SONS SO yards
i hr.a,la ehe land ward bend Of the
pIiose ana Just in the shadow Of he
causeway. I sprang ashore and clam
oered up. Hist" he cried. warning
me as was about to start on nv err
rand Go about it quietly. Master
ffanc,s. The people viii probably be
IN ned. But he secret
L nodded and moved Off az wari,v y.
ne could desire. L spent a minute or
t"o peerlng about the causeway. but
j found nothing that would serye o,r
ufpos There was no course left
men put to cross the planks and seek
whas wanted in the hamlet. Remem-
osl,ig now the timber had creaked
ana clattered when 1 went over them
IA the daylight. [ stole across on tin
zoe I fancied I had seer q ptie OF
STONES near one OF the posts at that
END put could not find them now
I'M aIter cropping about awhile-for
ness.l crept cautiously past the first
novel. peering to right and left as 7
went. I did not like to confess to my
self That | was afraid to be alone in
the dark, but that was nearly
the truth. I was feveristly anxious to
find what I wanted and return To NV
companion.
Suddenly [ paused and held my
breath. A slight sound had fallen on
my ears. %nervously ready to catch the
slightest I paused and listened. Yes.
there 1t was again-a Whispering OF
cautious voices close to me. within a
rev rect OF me. I could see no one. hut
a Few thoughts told me that the speak
ers were hide by the farther corner
OF the cottage abreast of which I stood.
Inc sound Of human voices, the assur-
ance of living companionship. steadied
my nerves and to some extent rid me
OF my folly. I o a step to one side.
SO as to be more completely in the
hadow cast by the reed thatched
W and then softly advanced until I
commanded a view OF the ~whisperers.
They were two-a man and a woman
and the woman was Of all people
Dymphna! h had her back 70 me.
but she stood In III moonlight. and I
knew her hood In q moment The man
surely the man was Van Tree. then.
II the woman was DymphnaY I stared.
! 1elt sure 1t nus be Van Tree. 1t
was wonderful enough that Dymphna
should SO far have regained nerve and
composure as to rise and conn out to
meet him. But I'm that case her CON.
duct. though strange. was explicabla.
II not. however. II The man were not
Van Tree
Well. he certainly was not. Stare as
I might. rub my eyes az I might.
could not alter the mans figure. which
was OF the taliest. whereas u have said
that the young Dutchman was short.
This mans face. too. though 1t was OBJ
scured as he bent over the girl by his
which was pulled high UP about
his throat. was swarthy-swarthv am
beardless. I made out. More. his can
and feather. and ven as he stood stiil
! thOught I read the soldier in his at
titude-the soldier and the spaniard!
What did 1t mean? On what strange
combination had I 1T? Dymphna and q
Spanfard! Impossible! Yet q Thousand
doubts and thoughts AN riot in nv
brain; g thousand contectures iOstIed
one another to get uppermost. WHAT
was ! to do? Go nearer to them. as
near as possible. and listen and learn
the truth or steal back the way I had
come and fetch Master Lindstrom? Hut
frst. was@tt certain that the RirIs vas
there OF her own free will? Yes: the
question was answered as soon al nut.
The man laid: his hand gently On her
shoulder. She did not draw back.
Confident OF this. and conseouentlv ~
Dymphna's bodily safety. hesitated
and was beginning to consider whefher
the best course might not be to With
draw n say nothing. leaving the ques-
tioh OF future proceedings to be de-
cided after I had spoken to her On ths
morrow. when q movement diverted
my thoughts. The man at last raised
his head. The moonlight fell cold ana