Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-24
And I sought a

a little homesick. And I sought leave
to retire early.
You are right" said the duchess.
rising graciously. Tonight, after be-
ing out I'm the air, you Will sleep sound
ly. and tomorrow you will be a new
man." with a faint smile. Believe me,
/ am not ungrateful, Master Francis.
and / will diligently seek occa sion to
repay both you gallant defense OF the
other day n our future service" She
gave me her hand TO kiss, and ! bent
over 1t. Now she continued, do
homage to my baby. and then shall
consider hat you are really n OF us
and pledged to our cause"
| kissed the tiny fist held out 10 me.
a soft pink thing looking like some
dainty seashell. Master Berthe cordially
graSped my hand. And so under the
oil lamp in the neat cabin of that old
Dutch boat, somewhere on the WAL
between Gorcum and Nimuegen, we
plighted our troth to one another, n
in a sense | became one of them.
/ went to my berth cheered and en-
couraged by their kindness. But the
Interview. satisfactory as 1t was, had
set up no little excitement in my brain,
and it was long before l slept. When l
uAhp Il u a ultdih Il
that l was sitting in the hall at Cotton.
and hat Petronilla was standing on the
dais locking fixedly at me with gentle,
sorrowful eyes. | wanted TO go TO her.
but / could not move. Every dreamer
knows the sensation. l tried TO call to
her. 20 ask her what was the matter,
and why she so looked at me. But |
could utter no u And still she
continued to fix me with the same. sad.
reproachful eyes. in which | read a
warning, yet could not ask its mean
ing.
l struggled so hard that at last the
spell was in a degree broken. Follow
ing the direction of her eyes, | looked
down at myself and saw fastened to
the breast of my doublet the knot OF
blue velvet which she had made for
my sword hilt, and which l had ever
since carried in my bosom. More. |
saw, with a singular feeling of anger
n sorrow, that a n which came
over my shoulder was tugging hard at
the ribbon in the attempt to remov it.
This gave me horrible concern, yet at
the moment l could not move nor do
anything to prevent it. At last, making
a stupendous effort, l awoke, my last
experience, dreaming, being Of the
strange hand working at my breast.
My first waking idea was the same, so
that l threw out my arms and
cfleu alouu ana SAT up. ign!
L exclaimed, trembling in the in
tensity of my relief as / looked about
and welcomed the now familiar sur
roundings. 1T was only a dream. 1t
was"
l stopped abruptly, my eyes falling
on a form lurking i'm the doorway. I
could see it only dimly by the light OF
a hanging lamp. which smoked and
burned redly overhead. Yet L could see
II was real hcfu nfial--a uvn1E-
ing figure. Nevertheless a faint touch
of superstitious terror still chung TO me.
Speak. please" | asked who is to"
1T is only l." answered a soft voice.
we'll Known to me-Mistress Anne's.
Il came in 10 see how you were,' she
continued, advancing a little. and
whether you were sleeping. / am
afraid / awoke you. But you seemed"
she added, Ito be having such painful
dreams that perhaps it was as Well l
did"
/ was fumbling in my breast while
she spoke, n certainly. whether in
my sleep | had undone the fastenings
or had loosened them Intentionally be
fore / lay down-though / could not
remember doing sony doubIet and
shirt were open at the breast. The vel
vet knot was safe, however, in that tiny
inner pocket beside the letter. and I
again. Il am very glad you
did awake me-" / replied, looking
gratefully at her. Il was having a hor-
rible dream. But how good Il was
of you to think of me, when you are
well yourself, too"
"Oh. / am better" she murmured.
her eyes. which glistened in the light,
steadily on me. Much better.
Now go to sleep again, and happier
dreams to you. After tonight" she
added pleasantly, Il shall no longer
nnnOtAov xynrt on fnxynIEI -
you"
And she was gone before I could re-
iterate my thanks. The door fell to,
and / was alone, full of kindly feelings
her and of thankfulness that
my horrible vision had no foundation.
Thank heaven." l more
than once as / lay down. TT was only
a dream"
Next day we reached Nfmuegen.
where we staid a sort time. Leaving
place in the afternoon, "a hours
journeying, partly by river. partly. if
] remember rightly, by canal, rough
US TO the neighborhood Of Arnheim on
the Rhine. 1T was the first of March.
but the opening month belied its repu-
tation. There was a brightness. a soft
ness in the air and a consequent feel
ing as of spring which would better
befitted the middle OF April. All
day we remained On deck enjoying the
Of nature, which was es-
pecially grateful to me. in whom the
sap of health was beginning TO spring
again. and we were still there when
one of those gorgeous sunsets which
are peculiar TO that country began to
fling It's hues across our path. We
turned a jWting promontory. the boat
began to fall off, and the captain came
up, his errand to tell us that our jour
ney was done.
Continued Next Weekly
Gypsy Song.