Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-06-13

Wesel road. the last / heard of our
good friends being Master Lindstrom's
| charge, shouted after us. ito beware Of
the water If it was OUT"
CHAPTER XIII.
Only to feel that we were moving
was a relief, though our march was
very slow. Master BERTHE carried the
child slung in cloak before him. and
thus burdened could not we'll go beyond
a smooth amble while the guides, who
were on foot, and the pack horses found
this pace as much as they could man
age. A little while, and the exhilara-
tion of the start died away. The fine
morning was followed by a wet even
ing, and before we had left Emmerich
three miles behind us Master Bertie and
] had come to look at one another
meanngly. We were moving in
dreary, silent procession through heavy
rain, with the prospect of the night
closing in early. The road. too, grew
more heavy with each furlong and pres
emily began to be covered with pools
of water. We tried to avoid this incon-
venience by resorting to the hill slopes
on our left, but found the attempt a
waste of time. as a deep stream or
backwater, bordered by marshes, inter
Vened. The narrow road. raised but
little above the level of the swiftly
flowing river on our right, turned out
to be our only possible path, and when
Master BERTHE discerned this his face
grew more and more grave.
We soon found, indeed, as we plodded
along that sheet of water. which pale
ly reflected the evening light, was TAX
ing the place of the road, and through
this we had to plash and plash at a
SnaiIs pace, one of the guides on a
pack horse leading the way and Master
BERTHE in charge of his wife coming
next; then, at some distance, for her
horse did not take kindly to the water,
the younger woman followed in my
care. The other guide brought up the
rear. In this way, stopped constantly
by the fears of the horses, which were
scared by the eXpanse of flood before
them, we crept Wearily on until the
moon rose. 1t brought, alas! an access
of light, but no comfort. The water
seemed continually to grow deeper, the
current on our right swifter. and each
moment / dreaded the announcement
that farther advance was impossible.
1t seemed to have to come to that at
last, for / saw the duchess and her hus-
band stop and stand waiting for me,
their dark shadows projected far over
the moonlit surface.
What Is to be done?' Master Bertie
called out as we moved up to them.
The guide tells me that there is
broken piece of road in front which will
be impossible with this depth of water"
had expected to hear this yet / was
so dumfounded-for this being true, we
were lost indeed-that for a time l
could not answer. No one had uttered
a word of reproach but l knew what
they must be thinking. l had brought
them to this. 1t was my foolish insist
ence had done it. The poor beast under
me ShiVered. l struck him with nv
heels. We must go forward" l said
desperately. 'Or what? What do you
think? Go back?"
STEADY, steady, Master Knight Err
rant" the duchess cried in her calm,
brave voice. Il never knew you so bad
u counselor before."
1T is my fault that you are here" /
said, looking dismally around.
Perhaps the other road is as bad"
Master Bertie replied. AT any rate,
that is past and gone. The question is,
What are we to do now? To remain
here is to die of cold and misery. To
go back may be to run into the enemys
arms. To go forward
"Wii be to be drowned" Mistress
Anne cried, with a pitiful sob.
l could not blame her A more gloomy
outlook than ours. as we sat on our
jaded horses in the middle of this waste
of waters, which appeared in the moon
light 10 be boundless, could scarcely be
imagined The night was cold for the
time Of year. and the keen wind pierced
our garments and benumbed our limbs
At any moment the rain might begin
afresh and the moon be overcast. OF
ourselves, we could not take a step
without danger, and our guides had
manifestly lost their heads and longed
only TO return.
yet 1 am for going forward" the
duchess urged. IF there he but this
one bad place, we may pass it with
care"
I'VE may" her husband assented du-
biously. But suppose when we have
passed it we can go no farther. Sup
pose the
1T is no good supposing," she retort-
ed, with some sharpness. Let us cross
this place first, Richard, and we will
deal with the other when we come to
it,"
He nodded assent, and we moved
slowly forward, compelling the guides
to go first. In this order we waded
which grew deeper with each step.
until it rose nearly to our girths. Then
the lads stopped.
Are we over?" said the duchess,
eagerly.
For answer one of them pointed to
the flood before him, and peering for
ward l made out a current, sweeping
silently and swiftly across our path
a current with an ominous rush and
swirl.
"Over?" grunted Master BERTHE. mo;
this is the place. See. the road has
given way, and the stream is pouring
through from the river. / expect 1t is
getting worse every minute as the
banks crumhle."
We all craned forward, looking at It.
1t was impossible to say bow deep the
water was, or how far the. deep part
might extend, and we had with us a
child and two women.
I'VE must go back!" said Master
Berthe resclutely. There is no doubt
about 1t. The flood is rising. If we do
not take care we shall be cut off and be
able to go neither backward nor for
ward. / cannot see a foot Of dry land,
as 1t is, before or behind u.s."
He was right. Far and wide, wher-
ever our eyes could reach. the MOON
light was reflected in a sheet of water
We were nearly up to our girths in
water. On one side was the hurryinS
river; Oh the other were the treacher-
Gus depths of the backwater. / asked
the guide as we'll as I could whether the
road was good beyond. He answered
that re did not know. He and his COM
panion were so terrified that we only
kept them beside us by threats.
II fear we must go back" said, as
senting sorrowfully.
Even the duchess agreed, and we were
in the act of turning to retrace our
steps with what spirit we might when a
distant sound brought US all to a
standstill again. The wind was blow