The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-04-16
Francis Cludde
A Romance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY j. wEYMAN.
BY N Y J. WEYMAN.

iiOl lcudy, loIlloIIDN, anu IL " oIilo
row the day after"
l was very weak, and his words
brought the tears to my eyes. She
has saved my life already l murmured
You foolish boy" she cried, smiling
down on me. her hand on her husbands
shoulder. You got your head broken
In my defense. 1t was a great thing
was it not, that l did not leave you tc
die in the boat? There, make haste
and get well. You have talked enough
low, Go to sleep, or we shall have the
fever back again"
one thing first" / pleaded. Tel
me whittier we are gong
In a few hours we ANAL be at bort
in Holland" she answ cred. But be
content. We will take ture of you and
send you back If you VIII, or you shall
still come with us, as you please. Be
content. Go to sleep now and get
strong. Presently perhaps we shall
have need of your help again
They went and sat DOW then on
their former seat and talke1 in whis-
pers, while Mistress Anne shook up my
pillows and laid a fresh. cool bandage
on my LEI | was too weak to speak
my gratitude. but l tried to look it, and
so fell asleep again, her han in mine,
and the wondrous smile of those lus-
trous eyes the last impression of which
l was conscious.
A long. dreamless sleep followed.
When | awoke once more. the light still
hung steady, but the peacefulneSs of
night was gone. We lay in the midst
of turnoil h scampering of feet
over the deck above me, the creaking
of the ~windlass. the humping and clat-
tering Of barrels hoisted in or hoisted
out. the harsh sound of voices raised in
"a foreign tongue and IN queer keys,
sufficed as L grew wide awake to tell
me we We're in port.
But the cabin was empty and I Law
for some time gazing at its dreary in
terror and wondering What was to be-
come Of me. Presently an uneasy fear
crept into my mine What If my COM
panions had deserted me? Alone, i'll
and penniless in a foreign land. what
should l do? This fear in my sick
state was 50 terrible that l struggled
to get up, and with reeling brain and
nervous hands did get out of my berth.
But. this feat accomplished, l found
that could not stand. Everything
swan before my eyes. | could not take.
a single step, but remained, clinging
helplessly to the edge of my berth. de
spatr at my heart. / tried to call out,
but my voice rose little above a whis-
per, and the banging and shrieking, the,
babel Wlthout went on endlessly. Oh,
1t was cruel, cruel They had left me!
l him my senses were leaving me,
too, When felt an arm about my waist
and found Mistress Anne by my side
guiding me to the chest. sat down
on 1t, the certainty of my helplessness
and the sudden relief of her presence
bringing the tears to my eyes. She
tanned me and gave me some restora-
tive, Gliding me the while for getting
out of my birth.
4 thought that o had gone and
left me" ! muttered. l was as weak as
a child.
She said cheerily: Did you leave us
when we We're in trouDien OF course
you did not. There, take some more of
this. After all. it is we'll you are up.
tor In a short time W. must move You
to the other boat"
The other boat?"
Yes. we are at bort, you know. And
we are goirg by the Waal. a branch OF
the Rhine. TO Arnheim. But the BOAT is
here, close to this one. and With help |
think you Will be able to walk to it."
Il am sure | shall il you will give
me you arm" l answered gratefully.
But You will not thinll again." She
replied. that we have deserted you?'
No. l said. Il Will trust YOU all
ways"
l wondered why a shadow crossed her
face at that. But l had no time TO do
more than wonder, for Master Bertram.
coming down, brought our sitting to an
end. She hustled about to wrap me up.
and somehow, partly walking, partly
carried, was got on deck. There sat
down on a bale to recover myself and
felt at once much the better for the
fresh, keen air, the clear sky and
wintry sunshine which welcomed me
to a foreign land.
On the outer side of the vessel
stretched a wide expanse of turbid
water, five or six times as wide 30 the
Thames at London, and foam tie.lel
here and there by the up running tide.
On the other side was a wide and sna-
cious quay, paved neatly with round
stones and piled here and there NTH
merchandise, but possessing, by virtue
of the lines of ~leafless elms which Dor
aered 1t, a quaint air OF rusticity in
the midst OF hustle. The sober bearing
of the sturdy landsmer. going quietly
about their business, accorded well with
the substantial comfort of the rows of
tall, steep rooted houses ] saw beyond
the quay n seemed only made more
homely by the occasional swagger and
uncputh cry of some half barbarors
seaman. wandering aimlessly about
Above the town rose the heavy square
tower of a church, a notable Landmark
where all around, land water. lay
SO low, where the horizon seemed sc
far and the sky so wide and breezy.
S o have made up your mind t.
come with u.s. said Master Bertram
returning to my side. He had left m.
to max some arrangements. .Yo,
understand that If you would prefer t,
go home I can SECURE your tendanc,
here by good. kindly people and provid,
for your passage back when you fee
strong enough to cross. You under
stand that? And that the choice is en-
tirely our own So which will 70,
do?"
I changed color and felt I did.
shrunk. as being well and strong
should not have shrunk. from losin
sight of those three faces which I IA
known for so short a time, yet wfic
alone stood between myself and lionel
ness. Il would rather come with you,
I stammered. But / shall be a greu
burden to you now. l fear"
ut is not that" he replied, wit
hearty assurance in his voice. 4.
weeks res and quiet Will restore you I
strength. and then the burden will /
on the other shoulder. 1t is for you
own sake I give YOU the choice. becaus
our future is for the time uncertain
Very uncertain" he repeated, his bro,
clouding owe and to become our con
panion may expose you to fresh dar
, gers. We are refugees from Eng
land. That you probably guess. OF
! plan was to go to France where a,