Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-04-23
Storyof Francis C1udde
Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.
BY STANLEY J. Y M

the tall man, rising and stepping to
my berth with his head bent. He could
not stand upright. SO low was the deck.
but for you" he continued. his earn
estness showing in his voice and eyes
the latter We're almost tender for a
mah's-'my wife would be now lying
IN prison her life in jeopardy and her
property as good as gone. She has told
me how bravely you rescued her from
that cur in Cheapside. and how your
at the riverside. 1t is we'll, young
gentleman. 1t is very we'll. But
these things call for other returns
than words. When 1T lies in
her power. my wife will make them. II
not today, tomorrow, and IL not tomor-
row HI day after"
l was very weak, n his words
brought the tears TO my eyes. She
has saved my life already" I m
You foolish boy!" she cried. smiling
down on me, her hand on her husbands
shoulder. You got your head broken
Was it not, that l did not leave You to
die in the boat? There, make haste
and get we'll. You have talked enough
low. Go to sleep, or we shall have the
fever back again."
One thing first" 1 pleaded. Tell
me whittier we are going"
I'm a few hours we snail be at bort
in Holland she answered.. "But be
content. We will take care of you and
send you back If you Will, or you shall
still come with us. as you please. Be
content. Go to sleep now n get
strong. Presently perhaps we shall
have need of your help again.
They went and sat down then on
their former seat n talked in whis-
pers, While Mistress Anne shook up my
pillows and laid a fresh. cool bandage
on my IA / was too weak to speak
m ytenf w I,,% Y Afzl
so fell asleep again, her hand in NINE,
and the wondrous smile of those lus-
trous eyes the last impression of which
L was conscious.
long. dreamless sleep followed.
When awoke once more. the light still
hung steady. but the peacefulness Of
night was gone. We lay in the midst
of turmoil. The scampering of feet
over the deck above me. the creaking
or the wtndlass, the humping and clat-
tering of barrels hoisted in or hoisted
out, the harsh sound Of voices raised in
q foreign tongue and IN queer keys,
sufficed as 1 grew wide awake to tell
me We were in port.
But the cabin was empty, and l lay
Tor some time gazing at it's dreary in
terror n wondering what was to be-
come of me. Presently an uneasy fear
crept into my mind. What il my COM
panions had deserted me? Alone. Ill
and %penniiess in a foreign land. what
should l do? This fear in my sick
state was SO terrible that I
to get up. and with Keeling brain and
nervous hands did get out of my berth.
but. this feat accomplished. 1 found
that could not stand. Everything
swan before my eyes. 1 could not take
a single step. but remained, clinging
heiplessly to the edge of my berth, de-
SPAR at my heart. I tried to call out.
but my voice rose little above a whis-
per. and the banging and shrieking. the
babel without. went On endlessly. oh.
II was cruel. cruel. They had left me!
think my senses We're leaving me,
too. when l felt an arm about my waist
and found Mistress Anne by my side
guiding me to the chest. sat down
on IL. the certainty of my helplessness
and the sudden relief of her presence
bringing the tears to my eyes. She
Tanned me and gave ME some restora-
tive. Gliding me the while for getting
out Of my birth.
II thought that you had gone and
lett me. muttered. l was as weak as
a child.
She said cheerily:: did you leave us
when We We're in trouble? Of course
you did not. There, take some more of
this. After all. it is we'll you are I'M.
for In a short time we must move you
to the other boat"
The other boat?"
Yes. we are at bort. you know. And
we are going by the Waal, a branch of
the Rhine, to Arnheim. But the boat is
mere. close to this one, and with help I
think you will be able to walk to it,"
Il am sure | shall If you will give
me . arm" I answered gratefully.
But you will not think again." she
replied. that we have deserted you?,
NO" I said. II will trust you al
ways"
I wondered why a shadow crossed her
face at that. But I had no time to do
more than wonder. for Master Bertram.
coming down, brought our sitting to an
end. h hustled about to wrap me up.
and somehow. partly walking, partly
carried. l was got on deck. There I sat
down on a bale to recover my self and
felt at once much the better for the
fresh. keen air. the clear sky and
to a foreign land.
On the outer side Of the vessel
stretched a wide expanse of turbid
water, v or six times as wide an the
Thames at London. and foam decled
here and there by the up running tide.
On the other side was q wide and spa
cious quay. paved neatly with round
stones and piled here and there with
merchandise. but possessing, by virtue
of the lines Of leafiess elms which bor-
dered 1t. q quaint air OF rusticity in
the midst Of hustle. The sober bearing
OF the sturdy landsmen. going quietly
about their business. accorded wei with
the substantial comfort Of The rows Of
tall. steep rooted houses I saw beyond
the quay and seemed only made more
homely by h occasional swagger and
uncouth cry OF some half %barbarous
seaman. wandering aimlessly about.
Above the town rose the heavy square
tower Of g church. a notable landmark
wsaere All around, land and water, lay
30 low. where the horizon seemed 40
far and the sky DO wide and breezy.
$50 Won have made I'm xo,si. mina 20