The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-10-08
CHAPTER XIV.

EAtttllOityU dtlSWCTC0 Sbd lhgt AOhoAN
himself with wonderful energy from
the prostration into which my story
had thrown him. Il will send after her.
She shall be brought back. Ho! Bald
wini Martini" he cried loudly. Send
Baldwin hither. Be quick there!"
Out OF the ruck of servants In and
about the hall Baldwin came rushing
presently. wipiug his lips as he APP
preached. A single glance at our face
sobered him. send Martin down to
the mill!v Sir Anthony ordered curt
ly. ibid him tell my daughter IL she
be there TO CORE back, and do you sad
Ole a couple OF horses and be ready to
ride with Master Francis to Watneys
farm and on TO Stratford IL It be neces-
sary. Lose not a minute. My daugh-
ter is with Master Ferdinand. My order
is that she return"
The fool had come up only a pace
or two behind the steward. DO you
hear, Martini" I added eagerly, turnip7
to him. My thoughts, busy with the
misery which might befali her In their
hands, maddened me. you will bring
her back IL you find her, mind you"
He did not answer. but his eyes gilt
tered as they met mine, n l knew
that he understood. AS he fitted ST.
Iently across the court and disappeared
under the gateway I knew that no
hound could be more sure. knew
that he would not leave the trail, until
he had found Petfonilla, though he
had to follow her for many a mile. We
might have to pursue the fugitives TO
Stratford, but 1 felt sure that Martins
lean figure and keen dark face would
be there TO meet us.
Us? No. Sir Anthony indeed said to
me, You will 81. of course"' speak
Ing as II only n answer were posi-
BILE.
But IT was NJ to be so. mo" I said:
you mad better 60. SIR. Or Baldwin can
be trusted. He can take W or three
OF the grooms. They should be armed
1 added In q lower tone.
My uncle looked hard at me and then
gave his as~ent. no longer wondering
why I did not go. Instead, he bade
Baldwin do as I had suggested. In
truth. my heart was SO hot with wrath
and indignation that l dared not fol-
low. lest my father. I'm his stern, mock
Ing way should refuse to let her go,
and harm should happen between US,
n I were right in my suspicious, and
he had capped his intrigue by deliber-
ate;y getting the girl / loved into his
hands as a hostage, either as a surety
that I would share with him IL l sue
ceeded TO the estate or as a means of
e1tortlng money from his brother. then
7 dared not trust myself face to face
with him. III I could have mounted
n ridden after my love, / could hav
borne it better, but the curse seemed to
cling to me still. MY worse foe was
n against whom / could not lift my
hand.
.But what" my uncle asked, his voice
ruiverlng, though his words seemed in
tended TO combat my fears. what can
he do. lad? Shells his niece"
.sWhat?" I answered, with q shudder.
ty In not knnpo Int II fnnr aNnrUfhfnO
IL he should elude us and take her
abroad with him-heayen help her. sir!
He viii use her somehow to gain his
ends-or kill her."
Sir Anthony wiped his brow with a
trembling hand. Baldwin will over
take Them" he said.
Let US hope sofi / answered. Alas,
how far fell fruition short OF antiei-
pationi This was my time of triumph.
You had better go In, sir" l said
presently, gaining a little mastery
over myself. II see Sir Philip has re-
turned from. settling his men for the
night. He andSGreyille will be wonder
Ing what has happened
And you9" he said.
III cannot" I answered. shaking my
head.
After he had gone I stood awhile In
the shadow Ai. the far side OF the court
listening to the. chatter OF knives and
dishes, the cheerful hum OF the ser.
wants as they called to one another,
the hurrying footsteps Of the maids
A dog crept out and licked my hand
as 1t hung nerveless by my side. Sure
ly Martin or Baldwin would oYertake
them. or IL not H. still was rot so easy
60 take a girl abroad against her will
But would hat be hts plan? He must
have hiding places In England to which
he might take her, telling her any wild
IN a n NJ - kArr a fIA "a "a. a :. "A ~ -.
even perhaps of her own danger IL heI
whereabouts were known. I had had
experience OF his daring. OF his cum
ming. his plausibility. Had he not taker
In all with whom he had come into
contact, except by some strange fate
myself TO be sure. Anne was not alto.
gether without feeling of conscience
but she was his-his entirely, body and
goul. Yes. II I could have followed.
could nave borne It better. 1t was this
dreadful inaction which was killing
me.
The hustle and voices OF the servan
who were in high spirits, so i~rritated
me at last that I wandered away, goinl
first to the dark, silent gardens, where
walked UP and down I'm a fever Of
doubt and fear. much as / had don,
cl. the last evening I had spent a.
Cotton. Then "A fancy seized me. anC
turning from the flshpond I walked
toward the mousse. Crossing the mOat
r made for the church door and triet
tt. It was unlocked. / went I'm. Her,
at least In the sacred place / shoulc
And quletness and unable to help my
self In this terrible crisis might get he'll
from one to whom my extremity wa
bit an opportunity.
I walked up The aisle, and finding al
N darkness. the moon at the momen
Being obscured, felt my way as far O.
Sir Piers fiat monument and sat dow
upon it. I had been there scarcely
minute when a faint sound, whicl
seemed rather a sigh or an audibl
shudder than any articulate word
rame out OF the darkness in front, O
me. My great trouble had seemed {
make superstitlous fears for the tim
Impossible, hut at this sound / starte,
and trembled. and holding my breatl
felt a cold shiver run down my BIRCH
Motionless / peered before me n We
could see nothing. All was gloom, tn
only distinguishabie feature being tn
east window.
What was that? A soft rustic as @
ghostly garments moving in the aisl
was succeeded by another sigh whic
made me rise from my seat, my hal
stiffening. Then I IA the outline d
n east window growing brighter an