The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-05-29
- HE-
Storyof Francis C1udde
ARomanee Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.
BY STANLEY ]. Y M

SIc IlulSildnL widening or her beautiful
eyes. she replied by a curt Dutch sem
tence.
What does she say?" my lady ex-
claimed. eagerly.
She says" replied Master Lind
strcm. VINO was looking on gravely,
that it is a base lie, madam"
On that we became spectators. 1t
seemed to me. and | think to all of us.
that the two girls stood apart from u
In IL circle Of light by themselves. con-
fronting one another With sharp
Chances. az though a curtain had been
raised from between them and they
saw n another in their true coiors
ana some natural antago-
nistn, or it might be some rivalry each
IN h other. I think I was not peculiar
m feeling this. for we all kept silence
for a space. as though expecting some
thing to follow. In the middle OF this
silence there came a low rapping at the
door.
One uttered n faint shrek; another
STOOD as il turned to stone. TIL OUCH
ess cried for her hid The rest OF
us looked at one another. Midnight
was past. Who could be abroad. who
could want us at this hour? AS a rule
We should have been In bed and asleep
long ago. We had no %nelghbors save
the cotters on the far side OF the ISL
aud. We knew of no one likely to ar
rive at his time with any good In
tent.
Il will open.' said Master Lind
strom. but he looked doubtfui!y at the
women folk as he said it.
One minute whispered the OUCH
ess. table Is solid and heavy.
Could not"
Put 1t across the door?" concluded
her husband. Yes, we will" And it
was done at once. the two men-my
lady would not Aet me help-so arrang-
| i1C 1T that III rrnvapt,J tho ,jn,. b.;.-.
opened to Its full width.
n VIII stop a rush." said Master
Berthe. with satisfaction.
1t did ~strengthen the position, yet
10 vas a nervous moment when our
host prepared to lower the bar. Who
is there" he cried. loudly.
We waited. listening and looking at
one another. the fear OF arrest and the
horrors OF the lnquisitiop looming
large in the mind OF some of us, at
least. The nswer. when 1t came, did
not %reassure us. 1t was uttered in q
COINED no Information and rather au-
cured ~treachery the more. remember
noticing how each took the crisis; how
Mistress Anne's face was set hard and
her breath came in jerks: how Dymph-
ma, pale and trembling. seemed yet to
have eyes only for her father; how the
duchess c the entrance like a queen
NJ bay All this 1 took in at a glance.
Then my gaze returned to Master
lAindstrom as he dropped the bar with
a jerk The door was pushed open at
once as far as 1t would go. A drift OF
cold air am in and with 1t Van Tree.
He shut the door behind him.
Never were six people so taken aback
as we We're. But the newcomer, whose
face was flushed with haste and excite
ment. observed nothing. Apparently he
saw nothing unexpected ven in our
presence down stairs at that hour.
nothtns hostile or questioning In the
half circle OF astontshed faces turned
toward him. On the contrary he seemed
pleased. "Ah.'' he exclaimed, gutter
ally. Ut is we'll! You are up! You
have taken the atarn!"
II Was to me he spoke. and I was
so surprised by that and by his sud
den appearance. 50 d~umbfounded by his
easy address and the absence Of ali
Observation-Disclosures on his part, SO
struck by a change in him that
stared In silence. I could not believe
that this was the same half shy, half
fierce U man who had flung away
n few our before in a passion of ieaI-
My theory that he was the assassin
seemed on a sudden
trough mere he was on the spot. When
Master Ltndstrom asked: alarm?
What alarm?' I listened for his an.
swer as I should have listened for the
answer Of a friend and ally, without
hesitation. without distrust, for. In
truth. h man was TRANSFORMED
changed by the rise Of something to
the surface which ordinarily lay hid
~ MIN. Before he had seemed churl-
hour Of our need and of his op-
~portunity he showed himself as he
was. Action and purpose lifted him
above his outward seeming. / caught
the generous sparkle In his eye and
trusted him. NAu
low. You do not know? They are
coming to arrest you. Their plan is to
surround the house before daybreak.
Already there is a boat lying In the
river watching the landing stage"
.WhOm are they coming to arrest e'
asked. The other were silent. looking
at this strange messenger with mingled
feeling.
All. fear" he replied. you, too,
Master Ltndstrom. Some one has
traced your English friends hither and
informed against you I know not on
what ground you are included. but |
fear the worst. There is not q mo1ne
to be lost II you would escape by the
bridge before the troop who are on the
way to guard 1t arrives"
The landing stage. o say. is al
ready watched?' our host asked. his
pHleStHaliC COOlneSS at its
best. His eyes roved round the room.
n he tugged. as was his habit when
deep in thought. at his beard. l felt
sure that he was calculating which Of
his possessions he could remove.
Yes" Van Tree answered. My
father got wind OF the plan in Arnheim.
An English envoy arrived there yes
terday on his way to Cleves or some
part of Germany. 1t is rumored that
he has come out OF Dad way to INQUIRE
after certain English f%ugitives whom
his government are anxious to seize.
But, come. we have no time to lose!
Let us got"
D. you come. too?" Master Lind
strom said. pausing in the act of turn
ing away. He spoke in Dutch, but by
some inspiration born of sympathy
understood both his question and the
answer.
Yes: I come. Where Dy1nphna goes
I go, and who're she stops 1 stop,
though it be al Madrid ITSELF" the
young man answered CALAMITY. His
eyes kindled. and he seemed to grow
taller and to gain majesty. The barrier
Of race. which had hindered me from
viewing him fairly before. fell in a
trice. I felt now only a kindly sorrow
that he had done this noble thing and
not I. I went to him and grasped his
hand. III though I said nothing he
seemed. after g. single start Of sur
prise. to understand me fully. He un-