Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-04-30
cit Is a good name" auoth Master
Berthe. pausing with his knife
ed In the air. "A right good Protestant

but I have no claim to it," I re-
| joined, more and more hurt. Il rave
all to make. I am a new 1et do
not fsar!" I added quickly as saw
what l took to be a cloud OF doub
cross by lady's face ~ WI! Follow
WELL" said the duchess. a smile
| again transforming her open features.
Il will answer for that. Master Carey.
Deeds are better than names. ana as
for being a new man, what with FACETS
and C~avendishes and S%pencers. we have
naught but new men nowadays. So
| cheer up!" she continued kindly. And
we will poke no questions at you.
though I doubt whether you do not
possess more birth and breeding than
! you would have us think. And II. when
we return to England, as l trust we
may before we are old men and m
we a advance your cause. then let US
have your secret. No one can say that
friend"
o forgAve her enemy o%verquickly."
quoth her husband naiveiy.
She raped his knuckles with the
back of her knife for that. and under
cover Of this small diversion I had time
ter left me sore at heart and more than
n little homesick. And l sought leave
to retire early.
you are right" said the duchess.
rising g%raciously. Tonight. after be-
ing out in the air. you will sleep sound
ly, and tomorrow you will be a new
man" with a lain smile. believe me.
1 am not ungrateful, Master Francis.
and 1 will diligently seek occasion to
repay both your gallant defense Of the
other day II our future service" She
gave me her hand to kiss. and I bent
over it. Now she continued. do
homage to my baby. and then I shall
consider hat you are really n of US
and pledged to our cause."
1 kissed the tiny fist held out to me.
a soft pink thing looking like some
dainty seashell. Master BERTHE cordially
grasped my hand. And SO under the
oil lamp in the e cabin of that old
Dutch boat. somewhere on the Waal
between Gorcum and Nimuegen, we
plighted our troth to one another. and
In Il sense l became n Of them.
l 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.
~ 1t was long before /. slept. When I
did. I had n strange dream. I dreamed
that I was sitting in the hall at Cotton.
and that P%etronilla was standing on the
dais looking fixedly at me with gentle.
sorrowful eye l wanted to go to her.
but I could not move. Every dreamer
knows the sensation. I tried to call to
her, to ask her what was the matter,
n why she SO looked at me. But I
could utter no sound. And still she
continued to fix me with the same, sad.
r~eproachful eyes. In which I read a
| warning, yet could not ask it's mean
ing.
1 struggled SO hard that at last the
spell was. in a degree broken. Follow
ing the 6irarfSnp ~ how ouoo II 100xoH
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 I had ever
since carried in my bosom More. I
saw. with a singular feeling of anger
and sorrow. that q and which came
over my shoulder was Juggling hard at
the ribbon in the attempt to remove It.
This gave me horrible concern, yet at
the moment I could lot move nor do
anything to prevent 1t. AT last, making
a ~stupendous effort. 1 awoke, my last
strange hand working at my breast.
My first waking idea "a the same. so
that l threw u my arms and
cried aloud n sat up light"
exclaimed. trembling in the in
tenstty of my relief as I looked about
and welcomed the now familiar sur
roundings. 1T was only q dream. It
was"
4 stopped abruptly. my eye falling
on a form lurking in the doorway. I
could see it only dimly by the light Of
a hanging lamp, which smoked and
burned redly overhead. Yet I could SEQ
1t. 1t was real. substantialEa walk
ing figure. Nevertheless a faint touch
of superstitious terror still chung to me.
Speak. please!" I asked. "Wilo is to-"
1T Is. only l." answered a soft voice,
we'll known to me-Mistress Anne's.
II came in to see how you were," she
continued, advancing a little. land
afraid I awoke you. But you seemed"
she added. Ito be having such painful
dreams hat perhaps it was as we'll I
did"
I was fumbling in my breast while
she spoke. and certainly. whether in
my sleep ! had undone the f~astenings
OF had loosened them Intentionally be-
fore L lay down-th0ugh I could not
remember doing sony doublet and
shirt were open at the breast. The vel
vet knot was safe. however. In that tiny
inner pocket beside the letter. and I
nreathed again. II am very glad you
gratefully at her. II wasshavine a hor.
rible dream. But how sood It wa
Of o to think of me. when you are
not we'll yourself. too"
"Oh. I am BETTER she murmured.
her eyes. which gllstened in the light.
fixed steadily on me. Much better
Now go to sleep again. and happier
dreams to YOU. After tonight" She
added pleasantly. II shall no longer
consider o an invalid nor intrdue
upon you.
And h was gone before I could re.
iterate my thanks. The door fell to,
and was alone. full OF kindly feelings
toward her and Of thankfulness thaf
my horrible vision had no
"Thank heaven." I murmured NOR
than once as I lay down. ut was ONLY
a DREAM
Next day we reached Nimueeen.