The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-07-03

struck the blow must be given up"
The man who struck the blow" l
repeated slowly. DC you mean-you
mean the man who cut the patrol
down 2"
Yes" he said. He was peering very
closely at me, as though he would learn
from my face who it was. And ] stood
thinking. This was as much as we
could expect. | OWNED, and most truly.
that but for the honest Dutchman's in
i%luence. promises. perhaps bribes, such
terms would never have been offered
to us by the men who. hours before,
had driven US to hold as if we had
been vermin. Yet give up Master Ber-
tie? What" said. will be done to
him? The man who must be given up.
mean?' Master Lindstrom shook his
head. ut was an accident" | urged,
my eyes on his.
He grasped my hand firmly. and
turning away his face seemed for
whispered: II must suffer for the
others. lad. l fear so. 1t is Il hard
fate. a cruel fate. But 1 can do no
more. They will not hear me on this.
1t is true he will be first tried by the
magistrate. but there is no hope. They
are very hard"
My heart sank. l stood irresolute,
poildering on what we ought to do,
bordering OH I should say to the
wife who so loved the man who must
die. What could say. Yet somehow
l break the news. l asked Master
Lindstrom to wait where he was while
l consulted the Others, adding you
Will answer for 1t that there Will be no
attack while you are here, l suppose?"
II will" he said. i knew l could trust
him. and L went in to the duchess. clos
ing the door behind me. a change had
come over the room since l had left it..
The moon had risen and was finging
its cold white light through the twisted
and shattered framework of the win
dow to fall in three bright panels on
the floor. The torches in the street had
for the most part burned out or been
distinguished. In place of the red glare,
the shouts and the crash of glass, the
atmosphere of battle and strife l had
left; found this silvery light and a
stiffness made more apparent by the
distant hum Of many voices.
Mistress Anne was standing lust
within the threshold. her face showing
pale against the gloom, her hands
clasped. The duchess was kneeling by
her husband, but she looked up as /
entered.
They will let us all 60" said blunt
ly--it was the best to tell the tale at
onee--"eScept the one who hurt the
patrol, that is"
1t was strange how differently the
two women received the news. While
Mistress Anne flung her hands to her
lelSC oil u SODDlIlS CRY OIL ln1Qk1ul-
ness and leaned against the wall cry
ing and shaking. my lady stood up
straight n still, breathing hard, but
saying nothing. l saw that she did
not need to ask what would be lone to
the II who was excepted. She knew.
NO" she ml1rlnured at last, her hands
I'll" ~ oo
II fear we must" I said gently. calm
ly, too, l think. We in saying it l was
not quite myself. An odd sensation
was growing upon me in the stiffness
did not know why, to thrill with ex-
element, to tremble with nervousness,
such as would rather have become one
of the women than a man. My head
grew hot. my heart began to beat
quickly. l caught myself looking out,
listening. waiting for something to
happen, something to be said. 1t was
something more terrible. as it seemed
to me, than the din and crash of the
worst moments of the assault What
was 1T? was 1T that was threat
ening my being? An instant and !
knew.
"oh, no. n~ever!". cried the duchess
again, her voice quivering. her face full
of keenes pain. I'VE will not give
you up. We will stand or fall togeth-
er, friend"
Give you up! Give you up. Ha! The
veil was lifted now. and l saw what the
something with the cold breath going
before 1t was. I looked quietly from
her to her husband, and 1 asked
fancy she thought my question strange
ly irrelevent at that moments: How
is Re? Is he better?"
Much better. He knew me for a
moment" she answered. Then he
seemed to sink away again, but his eyes
We're quite clear"
l stood gazing down at his hin face
which had ever looked so kindly into
mine. My fingers played idly with the
knot OF my sword. He will live?"
asked abruptly, harshly.
She started at the sudden question;
but, brutal as it must l1ave sounded, sh
was looking at me in pity SO great and
generous that it did not wound her
"Oh, yes" she said, her eyes still cling
ing to me. II think he will live, thanl
heaven!"
Thank heaven! All. yes, thank
heaven!
1 turned and vent slowly coward the
door, but before l reached it she was
at my side-nay. vas on her knees b,
me-clasping my hand. looking up t.
me with streaming eyes. VIVA are
you going to dog" she cried, reading,
suppose. something in my face.
II will see If Master Lindstrom can.
not get better terms for u.s." an.
swered.
She rose. still OBTAINING me. "Yo,
are sure?" she said. still eying m,
jealousy.
quite sure" I answered. forcing {
smile. II will come back and report t.
!, you"
She let me go then. and I went GU
and Joined Lindstrom on the staircase
Are you certain" l asked, speaking
in a whisper, that they will: that tn,
town will keep it's word and let the 9th.
ers go?"
Il am quite sure of it," he replied
3 nodding. They are Germans, an,
hard and pitiless. but you may trus
them. So far l will answer for them.
: Then we accept" l said gravely. q
I give myself up. Let them talk me-"
9 CHAPTER XIV.
; I had not seen the first moonbeam
pierce the broken easement of the towe
room. but l was there to watch the las
tiny patch Of silver glide aslant fror
wall to Sill and sill to frame and S
pass out. Near the fire. which ha
been made up and now glowed an
o cracked bravely on the hearthstone a
my elbow. my three iailers had set