The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-04-16
CHAPTER VII.

$500
easick that the sound of waves beat
ny against the hull comes in time to
e an intolerable torment. But bad as
his may be 1t can be nothing In COM
arison with the pains / suffered from
he same cause as l my
enses. NV brain seemed to be n cavern
nto which each moment, with a rhyth-
neal regularity which added the panSs
t anticipation to those OF reaIlty, the
ca rushed, booming and numbering,
airing every nerve and stralnlng the
rails to bursting and making each mo-
lent OF consciousness a vivid agony.
ind this lasted long-how long l can
OF say. But It had subsidized, some
that when l first opened my eyes n
ully, not daring to move my mead.
BOXED up.
/ was lying on my back. About a
Dot from my Eyes were rough beams
{ wood disclosed by a smoky yellow
'ght, which fickered on the knotholes
nd rude joists. The light swayed to
nd fro regularly, and this adding to
by pain / closed my eyes with a moan.
hen someone I'm TO me, and l heard
oices which sounded n long way Off
nd promptly fell again into a deep
leep, troubled still, but less painfully.
8 the same rhythmical shocks, the
ulHe uull CTdBIlIilbS III lily
When l awoke again. l had sense to
now what caused this and where l
Vas~-in a berth on board ship. The
Disc which had so troubled me was
ne waves beating against her forelock.
he beams go close to my face formed
he deck; the smoky light came from
he ships lantern swinging on a hook.
tried to turn. Some one came again.
nd with gentle hands arranged my pill
wv and presently began TO feed me
nth a spoon When / had swallowed
few mouthfuls, l gained strength to
urn.
Who was this feeding me? The light
'as at her back and dazzled me. For
: short while i took her for Petronilla,
~ thoughts going back at n bound
o Cotton and skipping all that hap
ened since 1 left home. But as /
rev stronger / grew clearer. and re-
alllng bit by bit what had happened in
ne boat / recognized Mistress Anne. ]
ried to murmur thanks. but she laid
DOL finger OH my lips and shook
er head, smiling on me. You must
Ot talk" she ~:urmured. You are
citing well. Now go to sleep again.
/ shut my eye at once as q child
light. Another interval OF unconscious
ess, painless this time. followed, and
gain l awoke, / was lying on my side
O"' oiiu itllc lloNllS IDliu sec TIC
fhole of the tiny cabin. The lantern
till hung and smoked. But the light
las steady now, and l heard no splash
ng without nor the dull grooming and
reaking of the timbers within. There
eigned a quiet which seemed bliss to
pc, and l lay wrapped in it, my
thoughts growing clearer and clearer
ach moment.
On a sea chest at the farther end OF
he ga hin WprR oittinU tun nanpta an
aged in talk. The one, a woman, ]
ec0gniZed Immediately. The gray eyes
1ll of command, the handsome fea-
ures, the reddish brown hair and grac.
BUS figure left me in no doubt, even
pr q moment, that l looked on Mistress
Sertram. The sharer Of her seat was
. tall thin man, with a thoughtful face
nd dreamy, rather melancholy eyes
)ne of her hands rested on his knee
nd her lips as she talked were Close
b his ear. A little aside, sitting or
he lowest step of the ladder which
ed to he deck, her head leanine
ggainst the timbers and a cloak abouj
Ter, was mistress Anne.
/ tried to speak and after more thar
me effort found my voice. Where an
2" / whispered. My head aChed sadly
Ind l fancied, though l was too languic
o raise my hand to it.. that it wa!
Iandaged. My mind was so far clear
hat l remembered Master Clarence
md his pursuit and the fight in tn,
Ioats and knew that we ought to b,
IN u way to prison. Who, then. wa!
he mild, comedy gentleman who's,
ength of limb made the cabin seer
mailer than 1t was? Not a Jailer sure
" Yet who else?
Ter, but faint as my voice was the,
Ill heard me and looked up. Anne
ne elder lady cried sharply. seemin
~ her tone to direct the other to at
end to me. Yet was she herself tn
lrst to rise and come and lay her han
m my brow. "Ah, the fever Is gone,
The said, speaking apparently to tn
Sentlelnan who kept his seat. 'Hi
lead is quite cool. He will do well now
am sure. Do you know me?" sh
Continued. leaning over me.
1 looked up into her eyes and rea,
My kindness. Yes" ! muttered. Blu
ne effort of looking was so painful tina
closed my eye again, with a sigf
Nevertheless my memory Of the event
which had gone before my illness gre,
clearer, and I fumbled feebly for some
hing which should have been at m
nae. 'Where ls-where Is my sword?
| made shift to whisper.
She laughed. Show II to him Anne,
the said. What a never die 1t is
There, master knight errant we di
aot forget to bring it Off the field, 20
Tee"
But how" I murmured. how di
rou esCape?" ] saw that there was n
question OF a prison. Her laugh wa
ray. her voice full of content.
That is a long story" she answere
Kindly. Are you well enough to hea
t? You think you are? Then tax
some Of this first. You remember tbs
Snave Philip striking you on the hea
With an a as you got up? No? Wei
was a cowardly stroke, but 1t stoo
lin In little stead, for we had drifte,
N the excitement Of the race. under II
stern of the ship which you rememb,
seeing a little before. There WEI
English seamen on her, and when the
saw three men in the act OF bqar5tr
two ~defenseless ome they stepped
and threatened to send Clarence ar
his crew TO the bottom unless the
steered Off"
"Ha" I murmured, Good"
And so we escaped. 7 prayed Il
captain to take us on board his shi
the Framlingham, and re did so. Nor
putting into Leigh on his way t o Il
More, he took off my husband. The
Ie stands, and when yOu are better
Jhatl thank you"
Nay, he will thank you now" sa
the tall man, rising and stepping
my berth with his head bent. He cou
not stand upright. sc low was the dec