Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-04-18
THE
Story Of rancis Cludde
A Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.


their former seat and talked in whis-
pers, while Mistress Anne shook up my
pillows and laid a fresh, cool bandage
on my head. / was too weak to speak
my gratitude but l 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
l was conscious.
A 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
of the windlass, the humping and clat-
tering of barrels hoisted in or hoisted
out, the harsh sound of voices raised in
a foreign tongue and IN queer keys,
sufficed as l grew wide awake to tell
me we were in port.
But the cabin was empty, and / lay
FOR some time gazing at its dreary in
terior and wondering what was to be-
come Of me. Presently an uneasy fear
crept into my mind. What If my COM
panions had deserted me? Alone, i'll
and penniless in a foreign land, what
should l do? This fear in my sick
state was so terrible that / struggled
TO get up, and with reeling brain and
nervous hands did get out Of my berth.
But, this feat accomplished, l found
That l could not stand. Everything
swan before my eyes. / could not take
a single step, but remained, clinging
helplessly TO the edge of my berth, de-
spair at my heart / 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 were leaving me,
too, when felt an arm about my waist
ana round Mistress Anne by my side
guiding me to the chest. | sat down
on 1t, 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, chiding me the while for getting
out Of my birth
II thought that you had gone and
left me- l muttered. l was as weak as
a child
She said Cheerily: Did you leave us
when we were in trouble? or course
you did not. There, take some more Of
this. After all. it is well you are I'D,
for in 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
here, close TO this one, and with help |
think you will be able to walk to it
Il am sure | shall if you will give
me you arm" | answered gratefully.
But you will not think again" she
replied, that we have deserted yOu?"
NO" l said. Il will trust you al
wavs"
l wondered why a shadow crossed her
face at that. But / had no time to do
more than wonder, for Master Bertram
coming down, brought our sitting to an
end. She hustled about to wrap me up
ana somehow. partly walking, partly
carried, was got on deck There | sat
down on a bale to recover myself and
felt at once much the better for the
fresh, keen air, the clear sky and
Wintry sunshine which welcomed me
to a foreign land.
On the outer side of the vessel
stretched a wide eXpanse of turbid
water, hVe or six times as wide as the
Thames at London, and foam ile Ell
mere and there by the up running tide.
On the other side was a 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 IT., quaint air of rusticity in
the midst of hustle. The sober bearing
of the sturdy landsmen, going quietly
about their business. accorded well with
the substantial comfort of the rows of
tall, steep rooted houses | saw beyond
the quay and seemed only made more
homely by the oCca Sional swagger and
unccuth cry of some half barbarous
seaman, wandering aimlessly about
Above the town rose the heavy square
tower of a church, a notable landmark
where all around, land and water, lay
SO low, where the horizon seemed so
far and the sky so wide and breezy,
so you have made up your mind 70
come with u.s." said Master Bertram,
returning TO my side. He had left me
to make some arrangements. You
understand that If you would prefer to
go home l can secure your tendance
here by good, kindly people and provide
for your passage back when you feel
strong enough to cross. You under
stand that? And that the choice is en-
tirely your own? SO which will you
do?"
! changed color and felt | did. |
Shrunk. as being we'll and strong
should not have shrunk, from losing
sight of those three faces which | had
known for so short a time, yet which
alone stood between myself and lonel-
Less. Il would rather come with you"
stammered. But shall be a greo
burden to you now, ! fear"
1T is not that" he replied, with
hearty assurance in his voice. "A
weeks rest and quiet will restore you to
strength, and then the burden will be
on the other shoulder. 1t is for your
own sake give you the choice. because
our future is for the time uncertain.
Very uncertain" he repeated, his brow
clouding over, and to become onr COM
panion may expose you to fresh dan
gers. We are refugees from Eng
land. That you probably guess. Our
plan was to go to France, where are
many of our friends. and where we
could live safely until better times. You
lvNn hnt bot r,la frttc tod
Here the Spaniards are masters
Prince Philips people-and If We are
recognized we shall be arrested and
sent back to England. Still my wife
and l must make the best of 1t. The
hue and cry will not follow us for some
days, and there is still a degree of
independence in the cities OF Holland
protect us for time. Now you know
something of our position, my friend.
You can make your choice with your
eyes open. Either way we shall not
forget you"
Il will go on with you, if you please"
answered at once. Il, too, cannot
GO home" And as l said this Mistress
Bertram also came up, and ! took her
hand in mine-which looked by the
way, so strangely thin l scarcely rec
ogniZed it--and kissed ii. Il will come
with you, madam, if you will let me-"
l said
Good" she replied, her eyes spark
ling. Il said you would. l do not mind
telling you now that | am glad of it.
And if ever we return to England, as
God grant we may and soon, you shall
not regret your decision. Shall he,
Richard"
IF you say he shall not. my dear"
he responded, smiling at her enthus-
iasm, Il think l may answer for 1t he
will not"
l was struck then, as l had been
before, by a certain air of Difference
which the husband assumed toward the
wife. 1t did not surprise me, for her
bearing and manner, as well as such of
her actions as l had seen, stamped