The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-04-16
THE
o Francis Cludde
A Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.
BY " J. wEYMAN.

| was very weak, n MS words
brought the tears to my eyes. "She
You foolish boyl" she cried, smiling
down on me. her hand on her husbands
shoulder. You got your head broken
in my defense. 1t was a great thing,
was IL not, that I did not leave you to
die in the boat? There, make haste
and get well. You have talked enough
how. Go to sleep, or we shall have the
fever back again"
"one thing first" I pleaded. Tell
me whittier We are going"
In a few hours we shall be at bort
in Holland she answered. But be
content. We will taxi care of o and
send you back IL you will, or o shall
still come with us. as o please. BE
content. Go to sleep now and get
strong. Presently perhaps we shall
have need of your help again." .#. ...r..
They went n sat down then on
! theit former seat n talked in whis-
pers, while Mistress Anne shook up my
pillows and laid q fresh, cool bandage
on my head. l was too weak to speak
my gratitude, but / tried to look IL, and
so fell asleep again, her hand in mine,
and the wondrous smile OF those lus-
trous eyes the last impression Of which
/ was conscious.
A long. dreamless sleep followed.
When l 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
OF the windlass, the humping and clat-
tering OF barrels hoisted in or hoisted
out, the harsh sound of voices raised in
d foreign tongue and In queer keys,
sufficed as l grew wide awake to tell
me we were in port.
But the cabin was empty, n ! lay
for some time gazing at its dreary in
~ fnrInr a MI uFnnAnrtnr yrhnt mo Nnh ~
come or me. Presently an uneasy fear
! crept into my mind. What IL my COM
4 panions had deserted me? Alone, Ill
and penniless In a foreign land, what
should l do? This lear in my sick
state was so terrible that l struggled
to get up, n with reeling brain and
nervous hands did get out of my berth.
But, this feat accomplished, l found
that I could not stand. Everything
swan before my eyes. l could not take
q single step. but remained, clinging
helplessly to the edge of my berth, de-
SPAR at my heart. l tried to call out,
but my voice rose little above a Wills
per. and the banging II shrieking, the
babel without, went on endlessly. Oh,
II was cruel, cruel! They a left me!
l think my senses were 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
Oh IL, TIC certainty OI my neiDtSSSneSS
and the sudden relief of her presence
bringing the tears to my eyes. She
famed me n gave me some restora-
tive, Gliding me the while for getting
out Of my birth.
Il thought that you lac gone and
left me-" ! muttered. / 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, 1t is well you are up,
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 WAL, a branch OF
the Rhine, to Arnheim. Gut the boat Is
here, close to this one. and with help /
think you VIII be able to walk to it."
II am sure / shall II you will give
me y arm" I answered gratefully.
But you will not think again." She
replied. chat we have deserted your
No" / said. Il will trust you al
was"
l wondered why a shadow crossed her
face at that. But / had no time to 10
more than wonder. for Master Bertram,
coming down. brought our sitting to an
end. She hustled about to wrap me up,
and somehow, partly walking, partly
carried. | was got on deck. There 1 sat
down on a bale to recover myself and
: felt at once much the better for the
l fresh, keen air, the clear sky and
wintry sunshine which welcomed me
to "A foreign land.
T On the outer side of, the vessel
stretched a wide expanse OF turbiG
water. five or six times as wide as the
Thames at London and foam tleGFed
? here and there by the up running tide
! on the other side was q wide and spa.
ciOus quay, paved neatly with roInt
\ t-.,- a.,J -tlaI kA.n A-I kEa.z :. Z L
merchandise, but possessing, by virtue
=, of the lines Of leatless elms which Dor,
. dered 1t, a quaint air OF rusticity IL
the midst of hustle. The sober bearing
of the sturdy landsmen. going quietly
I about their business, accorded we'll will
the substantial comfort OF the rows o
tall, steep rooted houses | saw beyond
$ the quay and seemed only made NOR,
homely by the occasional swagger anC
: uncDuth cry of some half barbarou,
seaman, wandering aimlessly about
Above the town rose the heavy squar,
tower OF u church, a notable Landmark
y where all around, land and water, la,
! so low. where the horizon seemed S,
d far and the sky so wide and breezy.
$50 you have made up your mind T.
D., come with u.s." said Master Bertram
u returning to my side. He a left m
= TO make some arrangements. "YoI
. understand that II o would prefer t
go home l can secure your tendanc
q here by good, kindly people and provid
7 for your passage back when you fee
: strong enough to cross. You under
= stand that? FAnd that the choice is en-
y tirely your own? So which will yo
- Top" .......
q 1 changed color and felt / did.
- shrunk, as being we'll and strong
- should not have shrunk. from losin
sight OF those three faces which l ha
q known for SO short a time, yet whic
> alone stood between myself and lionel
. Tess. II would rather come with you,
n l stammered. But l shall be a greu
W burden to you now, / fear"
. 1T Is not that" he replied, wit
hearty assurance in his voice. %.
% weeks rest and quiet will restore you I
a strength, and then the burden will b
on the other shoulder. 1t Is for you
~ own sake / give you the choice. becaus
re- our future is for the time uncertain
"a Very uncertain" he repeated, his bro
clouding over, and to become our CON
Id panion may expose you TO fresh dai
10 gers. We are refugees from Eng
Id land. That you probably guess. Oh
Y Dlan was to go to France, where al