Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-05-29
Storyof Francis Cludde
A Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMA
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.
cI1AprER xI.-continued.

III - WI AACA5 - $3.50
was ooZing fast. / made no doubt that
] was a dead man, for had never been
wounded ia This way before, and the
blood scared me. J remember my pre-
vailing idea vas n kind of stunned pity
for myself. Perhaps later-I hope So
I should have come TO think of Pc
tronilla and my uncle and other peo-
pie. But before this stage was reached
the duchess treasured ms. Courage,
Iad!' she cried heartily. 1t is all
right, Dick. The villain struck him on
the breast bone. an inch too low, and
has just ripped mp a scrap of skin. II
has bloodcd him for the spring. that is
ALL a bit of plaster
"And a drink Of strong waters sug-
gested the Dutchman soberly; his
thoughts were always 20 the point when
they came.
YES. that, too" quoth my lady, "and
ne Will be all right"
j thought so myself when | a
enlptied the cup they offered me. l
had been n good deaI shaken by the
events of the day. The sight OF blood
mao further upset me. ] really think
It possible | might have died Of this
Sigh; inrt and my imagination If j
had heen left to myself. But the
duchess assurance and the draft OF
s%chnapps. which seemed 20 send new
blood through my veins. made me feel
ashamed OF myself. " the duchess
would have let me. | would at once ia
gone TO search the premises. AS ii
was she made me sit still while she
ran to and fro for hot water and plas-
ter. and the men searched the lower
roonl and secured the door afresh.
And so you could see nothing OF
nim2' our host asked when he and
Master BERTHE returned. weapons in
hand. Nothing of his figure or face?'
Nothing, save that he was short"
answered. "shorter than | am. at any
rate, and | fancy a good deal"
"A good deal shorter than you are?"
my lady said uneasily. That is no
clew. IN this country nine people out
of ia are that Clarence. now, is not. .
mo Z said. He is about the same
height. j was not Clarence
Then who could ii be-" she mu.-
tered. rising and then with a quick
shudder sitting down again. Heaven
heir rs, we seem to be in the mids of
foes What could be the motive? And
why should the villain have selected
you? Why pick you out?"
~Tbereupon a strange thing happened.
Three pairs Of English eyes met and
signaled a common message eye to
eye. No word passed. but the message
Van Trect" When we had glanced I
at one another. we looked all OF us at
Dur host--loohed somewhat guiltily. He
was deep in thought, his eyes ON the
stove, bat he seemed to feel our gaze
upon him. and he looked up abruptly.
Master Van Tree'-he said and
stopped.
You know him well?'' the duchess
said. appealing to him softly. We felt
. kind % sorrow for him and some deli
too about accusing one of his
Country!nen or a thing SO cowarGly. +
"Do. You think It is possible" she con-
sanEee, with an effort, possible that
he can have done this, Master lind
strom?"
u have known him from a boy the
merchant said. looking UP. a hand on
knee. = speaking with a SIM
plicity almost majestic. 'ano never
knew him do a mean thing, madam. |
know no more than that" And he
looked round on us.
"rhat is a good deal. Still he went
in q fit of jealousy when Master
CareX brought Dymphna home. We
must remember that"
Eyes. / would he knew tie rights of
that matter" said the D%utchnan
heartily
And he has been hanging about the
s'lace an day" my lady persisted.
Yes. Mcster Lindstrom rejoined pa
Hiently, "yet / do not think he did this
Then who did?' she said, somewhat
Melted.
That was the question. I had my
opinion, as l saw Master BERTHE and
the duchess had. | did not doubt IL
WAS Van Tree, yet a thought struck me.
cit might be we'll" / suggested, that
someone should ask Mistress Anne
svhetner the door was open when she
teft the room. She passed out just in
front Of me-"
but she does not go by the door.
my lady objected.
NO; She would turn at oncc and go
"a, tw,ff IA I - r~~O Ms IN,.E .I.n @-.,f4
soe the door from the foot OF the stairs
Iii she looked that way. / mean"
The duchess assented ind went out
OF the room TO put the question. We
Threc. left together, sat staring at the
dull flame Of the lamp and We're for
the most part silent, Master BERTHE only
reIiai King that 1T was after midnight.
The suspicion he and I entertained OF
Van Trees guilt seemed to raise q bar
rier between us and our host My
wound. slight as Ii was, stnarted and
burned. and my head ached. After
midnight, was it.? What d day it had
been!
Wren The duchess came back. as she
did IN 2 few mute both Anne and
Dymphna came with her. The girls
had risen hastily n We're shiveTing
with cold and alarm. Their eyes We're
bright. their manner was excited. They
were full of sympathy and horror and
Wfffuef, as was natural, OF nervous
fear for themselves, too. But ms lady
cut short their EXPLANATIONS.
Anne said she did not notice the
Z door she said.
No" The girl answered, trembling
visibly. as she spoke. Il went up
straight 10 bed. But who could Ii be
Did you see nothing of him as he
struck you? Not d feature Not an
Nc.r ! nurn,sred.
did he not say y svor1?'' she con-
tinued, with strange insistcnce. Was
be tall or short? Her dark eyes.
dwelling on mine. seemed 10 probe my
thoughts. as though they challenged
me 70 keep anything back from her.
Was II the man you hurt this MORN
FMS" she suggested.
No" | answered, reluctantly This
man Nas short"
Short, was heg Was ii Master Van
TnSc, Them s,
We. who felt also certain that il WAS
Nan Tree. started nevertheless at hears
ing the charge put into words hefole
pyynphDa. I wondered. and I think thu
Others did. too. al Mistress Anne's
harshness. Even my lady. sc blunt ians
oulspcken by nature. had shiUilk +
trying 10 question the Dutch girl abou
her lover We ookcd ut py9aphra
wondering how she would tfNe ~
NtH&N&Xe +ad Fofyoftrn foaf she could no