The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-05-01
knavasp"

Who are they?" I muttered. "Ths
cowardly knavesi"
oh. hush! husu!" the girl pleaded.
She had retreated behind me. And in
deed i need not have put my question.
for though 1 had never seen the Span
ism soldiery 1 had heard enough about
them to recognize them now. In the
year l5b5 their reputation was at It's
height. Their fathers had overcome the
Moors after a contest of centuries. and
they themselves had overrun Italy and
lowered the pride of France. AS a re-
suit, they had many military virtues
and all the military vices. Proud.
bloodthirsty and licentious everywhere.
IT nay be imagined that In the sub
ject Netherlands. with their pay always
IN a.rrear. they We're indeed people to
be feared. 1t was seldom that even
their commanders dared to check their
excuses.
Yet when the first fush of my anger
as It may seem. with mingled feelings.
with all their faults they were few
against many, a ~conquering race In a
foreign land. They could boast OF
blood and descent. They were proud
10 call themselves the soldiers and gen
tlemen of Europe. was gains them
yet l admired them with a boys admir-
atlon for the strong and reckless,
or course l said nothing Of Ibis to
my Indeed. when she spoke
20 me; did no hear her. My thoughts
had flown far from the burgher's
sitting by me and were with
my grandmother's people. 1 saw In
imagination the uplands of Old CASTLE.
as had often heard them described.
nor IN summer and bleak in winter.
Ioledo. with its hundred Moorish
trophies, the castles that crowned tire
NILS around. the gray olive groves and
the box clad slopes. l saw Palencia.
Where my grandmother. P%etronilla de
Vargas, was born; Palencfa dry and
brown and sun baked, lying squat and
low on Its plain, the caves of its cath
coral II mans height from the ground.
Al TINS saw. ! suppose the Spanish
plood IN me awoke and asserted itself
-. s,ent OF those other spaniards. And
then-then forgot it all aa I heard
behind me an alien voice, and I turned
and found Dymphna had stolen from
me and was talking to a stranger.
CHAPTER IN.
He was a young man. and a Dutch
man. but moi q Dutchman Of the stolt
burly type which I had most eom n,uu.'
~ seen In the country. He had. n ia
true. the usual fair hair and blue eyes
ana ne was rather short than tall. but
ms 1lg ure was thin and meager. and
ne had a pointed chin II a scanty fair
oeard- l took him to be nearsighted.
At a second glance 1 saw that he was
angry. He was talking fast to
Dymphna-of course in Dutchoan1
my first impulse, in face of his excited
sessures and queer appearance. was to
,a ain but ! a a notion what his
relationship to the girl was, and
~smothered this. and Instead asked. as
soon as l could get a word In. whethor
should leave them.
On. no" Dymphna answered, blush
tnS Ilshli n turning to me with a
troupied glance. l believe she had clean
forgotten my presence. This is Mas,ar
Jan q Tree. a good friend Of onrs
and this" she continued, still In Snan.
ish, but speaking to him, " is Master
earey, n Of my fathers guests"
We bowed formally, for he had NOT
recovered his temper, and i dave sa -
! stu had my Spanish ancestors In
my head-with condescension. We dis
ilked one another at sight, 1 think 7
annned him a mean little fellow, a
e ciaasel me- a pe - n.as md. however he
was no particular desire to please him
which led me to say with outward
sollcitude. I fear o are annoyed at
so IN thing N Master sa,a Van Tree"
half way. Ae
And: am I to know the cause?" r
asked, "or is 1T a secret?"
1T is no secret" he retorted "AIis-
tress Lindstrom should have been more
careful. She should not have exnosaS
herself to the chance of being seen nv
those miserable foreigners"
The -foreigners-in the boato" T said
dryly. : saio
Yes. OF course-in the boat" he an
sly .red. He was Obliged to saw thnt
but he gla1-sd at me across her as he
spoke. We turned and were WALKING
back to the house. the oplar casting
long shadows across our path.
'They We're rude" / observed care
lessiy. my chin very high. But there
is no particular harm done that / can
see, Master Van Tree"
Perhaps not. as far as you car. see.
he retorted IN great excitement. But
perhaps also you are not very farsirht-
ed. You may not see it now. vet harm
will follow"
Possibly" I said. and 1 was going
to follow up this seemingly candid adj
mission by something very boorish
vously.
My father is anxious" she explained.
speaking to me. that l should have
as little to do with our Spanish GOV
ernors as possible. Master Carey. 1t
always vexes him to hear / have fallen
in their way. M that is why nv friend
feels annoyed. 1t was not, of course.
your fault. since you did not know nj
this. 1t was l." she continued hurried
l@. who should not have ventured To
the elm tree without seeing that the
coast was clear"
tcontisued Next Week.l
A Courteous Repuise.