The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-06-18

I sure the ferryboat can cross" I asked.
! Our host was not certain. and there
upon an unexpected voice struck In.
"Oh, dear, do not let us run any
more risks IL said. IT was Mistress
Anne's. She was herself again. tremb-
| ling, excited, bright eyed, as different
as possible from the Anne of a few
minutes before. A great change had
come over her. Perhaps the warmth
had done It.
A third course was suggested--to
stay quietly where we were. The farm
house stood at some little distance
from the road, and though II was rough
1T was very rough, consisting only
of W rooms, In n OF which a COW
was ~stalled-still 1t could furnish food
and shelter. Why no. stay there?
But the duchess wisely, / think, de-
cided against this. 1T Is unpleasant to
go wandering again." she said with q
shiver. But I shall not, rest until we
are within the walls of a town. Master
Lindstrom laid so much stress on that.
And / fancy that the party who over
took US last night are not the main
party. Others Will have one to Vessel
by boat perhaps or along the other
bank. There they will viii meet, and
learning we have not arrived they will
probably return this way and search
for u.s."
Clarence
Yes, IL we have Clarence to deal
with" Master BERTHE assented gravely.
we cannot afford to lose a point. We
will try the ferry"
1t was something gained to start
dry and warm, but the women's pale
faces-for little by little the fatigue,
the want Of rest, the fear, were tell
ing even on the duchess-were sad
to see, I was sore and stiff myself.
The wound I had received so mys-
~teriously had bled afresh, probably
during last nights fight. We needed
all our courage to put a brave face
on the matter and bear up and go out
again into the air, which for the first
week In May was cold and nippinR.
Suspense and anxiety had told In var
ious ways on all of us. While I felt
a fierce anger against those who were
driving us to these straits, Master Ber-
tie was nervous and excited, alarmed
for his wife and child and inclined to
see an enemy In every bush.
However, we cheered up a little
when we reached the ferry and found
the boat could cross without much
risk. We had to go over in two de-
tachments, and 1t was nearly an hour
past noon when we all stood on the
farther bank n babe farewell to
the honest soul whose help had been
OF so much Importance to us. He told
us we had three leagues to go, and
we hoped Co be at rest in Santon by
4 o'clock.
more nearly five, while the road was
so founderous that we had again and
again to quit II. = -
The evening came OF, the light
waned. and still we were feeling our
way. so to speak--the women tired
and on the verge of tears, the men
muddy TO the waist, savage and impa-
tient. 1t was s o'clock and dusk was
well upon us before we caught sight of
the first lights OF Santon, and in fear
lest the gates might be shut pressed
forward at such speed as our horses
could compass.
do you go onl" the duchess adiured
us. Anne and I will be safe enough
behind you. Let me take the child and
&c o ride on. We cannot pass the
night in the fields"
The Importance of securing admission
was so great that Master BERTHE and I
agreed n cantered on, soon outstrip-
ping companions, and almost, In the
gloom, losing sight OF them. Dark
masses Of woods, the last remnants
apparently of a forest. lay about the
passing n of these, scarcely 800 PAGES
short OF the town, and / was turning
In the saddle to see that the ladies were
following safely, when I heard Master
Berthe, who was q bowshot In front of
me. give a sudden cry. ".
/ wheeled round hastily to learn the
reason and was just in time to see
three horsemen sweep into the road be-
fore him from the cover OF the trees.
They were so close to him-and they
filled the road-that his horse carried
him among them almost before he
could check 1t. or SO II seemed to me.
/ heard their loud challenge, saw his
arm wave and guessed that his sword
was out. / spurred desperately to ioin
him, giving a wild shout Of ncourag
ment as / did so. But before / could
come up, or indeed cross half the dis
lance, the scuffie was over. One man
fell headlong from his saddle, one horse
fled riderless down the road. and at
sight Of this, or perhaps of me, the
others turned tail without more ado
and made off, leaving Master BERTHE
in possession of the field. The whole
thing had passed In the shadow of the
wood in less than half a minute. When
/ drew rein by him, ne was sheathinR
his sword. rs it Clarence?" 1 cried.
eagerly.
mo, no, I did not see him. I think
not" he answered. He was breathing
hare and was very much excited. "They
were poor swordsmen, for S~paniards."
he added-''very poor, I thought" -
1 jumped off my horse and, kneeiing
beside h man, turned him over. He
was badly hurt, IL not dying, cut across
the neck. We looked hard at him by
such light as there was and did not
recognize him as n of our a~ssaiIants
of the night before.
"I do not think he is a Spaniard," I
said slowly. Then a certain suspicion
occurred to my mind. and / stopped
lower over him..
(Continued Next Weekly
The Character Of Labor Has Improved