The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-05-07
/ nodded assent.

/ nodded assent.
But OF what weight Are resolutions,
with fate In the other scale? II was
some hours after this, toward 2 o'clock
indeed. when Mistress Anne came to
me, looking Hurried and yexed. Have
you seen Dymphna? she asked
abruptly.
No I answered. WHY"
Because she Is not In the house"
the girl answered. speaking quickly,
nor in the garden, m the last time
I saw her che was crossing the is-
land toward the footbridge. I think she
has gone that way to be on the look-
out-you can guess for whom with q
smile, but ] am fearful lest she shall
meet some one else, Master Francis
She is wearing her gold chain and one
OF the maids says that h saw two
OF the Spanish garrison on the road
near the end of the footbrtdge this
morning. That IS the way by and TO
Arnheim, you know,
THAT is bad" 1 said. What Is to
be done?"
"You must go and look for her."
Anne suggested. she should not be
alone"
Let her father go or Master Berthe"
II answered.
Her father has gone down the
river to Arnheim, I expect, and Master
BERTHE Is fishing in q boat somewhere.
~ IN NAAA INV " III It'll III
cannot you go? II she has crossed the
footbridge. she will not be far away"
She seemed so anxious as she spoke,
for the Dutch girls safety that she
infected me with her fears, and / let
myself be persuaded. After all, there
might be danger, and / did not see
what else was to be done. Indeed Mis-
trcss Anne did not leave me until she
had seen me clear OF the orchard and
half across the meadows toward the
footbridge, Mind o bring her back"
she cried after me. do not let her
come alone" And these were her last
words.
After we had separated I did not
think for q moment that it was a pity
I had not asked her to come with me.
But the thought occurred too late, and
/ strobe on toward the head OF the
bridge, resolving that as soon as I had
sighted Dymphna / would keep away
from her and content myself with
watching over her from a distance. AS
l passed by the little cluster OF cot
tages on the landward side of the is
land l glanced sharply about me, for I
thought II not unlikely that Master
Van Tree might be lurking I'm the
neighborhood. But 1 saw nothing either
of her or him. All was quiet. the air
full OF spring sunshine and warmth
and hope and the blossoms OF fruit
trees, M with an indefinable pleas
ure. a feeling OF escape from control
and restraint, l crossed the long foot
bridge and set foot almost for the first
time since our arrival-for at Master
Iindstrom's desire we had kept very
close-on the river bank.
To the right a fair road or cause
way along the waterside led TO Arm
helm. AT the point where / stood this
road on its way from the city took a
turn at right angles, running straight
away from the river to avoid q wide
track OF swamp and mire which lay
on my left, q quaking marsh many
miles round, oyergrown with tall rush
es and sedges, which formed the head
OF the bay in which our island lay. 1
looked up the long. straight road to
Arnheim and saw only a group OF trav-
elers moving slowly along IT, their
backs toward me. The road before me.
was bare OF passengers. Where, then,
was Dymphna, IL she had crossed the
bridge? In h last resort l scanned
the green expanse OF rushes and will
lows which stretched, with intervals
OF open water, as far as the eye could
reach on my left. It was all rustling
and ~shimmering in the light breeze.
but my eye picked out one or two
raised dykes which penetrated II here
and there and served Mt once as path
ways to islets In the mere and breast
works against further encroachments
OF the river Presently on one OF these,
OF which the course was fairly defined
by a line OF willows, I made out the
fiutter OF a woman's hood, and I re-
membered that the day before I had
heard Dymphna express a wish to go
to the marsh for some herb which
grew there.
Right" I said, seating myself with
much satisfaction or the last post OF
the bridge. 'She Is safe enough there.
And I will go no nearer. 1t Is only on
the road she Is likely to be in dan
ger from our Spanish gallants.'
My eyes, released from duty, wan
dered idly over the landscape for
awhile, but presently returned to the
dixie across the mere. / could not now
see Dymphna. The willows hid her,
and / waited for her to reappear. She
did not, but some one else did, for by
and by, on the same path and cross
ing an interval between the willows,
there came into sight q mans form.
"Ho, no" / said, following 1t with my
eyes, so / may go home. Master Van
Tree Is on the track, and now / hope
they will make 1t up" ! added pet
tishly.
Another second, and I started up
with a low cry. The sunlight had
caught a part of the mans dress, a
shining something which flashed back
a point of intense light. The some
thing I guessed at once vas a ~corslet,
and it needed scarcely another thought
to apprise me that Dymphna's follower
was not Van Tree after all, but a
Spanish soldier.
(Cont.nued Next Weekly