The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-05-07
I nodded assent.

I nodded assent.
But of what weight are resolutions.
with fate In the other scale? 1t was
some hours after this, toward 2 o'clock
indeed. when Mistress Anne came to
me. looking Hurried and vexed. Have
you seen Dymphna" she asked
abruptly.
No" I answered. Why"
Because she is not in the house."
the girl answered, speaking quickly,
nor In the garden, and the last time
1 saw her she was crossing the is
land toward the footbridge. l think she
has gone that way to be on the look
out-you can guess for whom" with a
smile. but L am fearful lest she shall
meet some one else, Master Francis.
She is wearing her gold chain and one
of he maids says that she saw two
of the Spanish garrison on the road
near the end of the footbridge this
morning. That is the way by land to
Arnheim, o know"
That is bad" l said. What Is to
be done?"
You must go and look for her."
Anne suggested. She should not be
alone"
Let her father go or Master Bertie,"
/ answered.
Her father has gone down the
river TO Arnheim, l expect. and Master
BERTHE is fishing in a boat somewhere.
1t will take time to find him. Why
cannot you go? If she has crossed the
footbridge. she will not be far away"
She seemed SO anxious as she spoke,
for the Dutch girls safety that she
infected me with her fears, and l let
myself be persuaded. After all. there
might be danger. n 1 did not see
what else was to be done. Indeed Mis-
tress Anne did not leave me until she
had seen me clear OF the orchard and
half across the meadows toward the
footbrfdge. Mind you bring her back
she cried after me. DO not let her
come lone. And these We're her last
words.
After we had separated did not
think for a m that it was a pity
l had not asked her to come with me.
Blu the thought occurred too late, and
| strobe III toward the head of the
bridge. resolving that as soon as | had
sighted Dymphna l would keep away
from her and content myself with
watching over her from a distance. AS
| passed by the little cluster OF cot
tageS on the landward side of the is
land 1 glanced sharply about me, for I
thought it not unlikely that Master
Van Tree might be lurking in the
neighborhood. But I saw nothing either
OF her or lin. All was quiet, the air
fnll of spring sunshine and warmth
and hope and the blossoms Of fruit
trees, and with an indefinable pleas
ure. a feeling of escape from control
m restraint, l crossed the long foot
bridge and set foot almost for the first
time since our arrival-for at Master
Lindstrom's desire we had kept very
close--on the river bank.
To the right a fair road or cause
way along the waterside led to Arm
helm. AT the point where l stood this
road on Its way from the city took a
turn at right angles, running straight
away from the river to avoid a wide
I rnr y Hnf wv =, " - nj Z ,-l.: 4 ~
on my left, a auaking marsh many
miles round. overgrown with tall rush
es and sedges, which formed the head
of the bay in which our island lay. I
looked up the long, straight road to
Arnheim and saw only a group of tray-
elers moving slowly along it, their !
backs toward me. The road before me
bare of passengers. Where, then,
was Dymphna, il she had crossed the
bridge? IN the last resort I canned
the green expanse of PUSHES and will
lows which stretched, with intervals
of open water, as far as the eye could
reach on my left. 1t was all rustling
n shimnlering in the light breeze.
but my eye picked out one or two
raised dykes which penetrated it here
and there and served at once as path
ways to islets in the mere and breast
works against further entertainments
of the river. Presently on one of these.
or (which the course was fairly defined
by a line OF willows, / made out the
flutter of a woman's hood, and I re-
that the day before / had
heard Dymphna express a wish to go
to the marsh for some herb which
grsw there.
Right" I said. seating myself with
satisfaction on the last post OF
the bridge. "She is safe enough there.
And will go no nearer. 1t Is only on
the road she is likely to be in dan
ger from our Spanish gallants."
MY eyes, released from duty, wan
dered idly over the landscape for
awhile, but presently returned to the
across the mere. I could not now
see Dymphna. The willows hid her.
and l waited for her to reappear. She
did not, but some one else did, for by
and by. on the same path and cross
Ing an interval between the willows.
there came into sight a mans form.
aHo, no" I said, following it with my
eyes, so I may go home. Master Van
Tree IS on the track. and now I hope
they will make 1t up" / added pet
tishly.
Another second. and / started m
With a low cry. The sunlight had
caught a part of the mans dress. a
shining something which flashed back
a point of intense light. The some
thing | guessed at once was a corslet
and 1t needed scarcely another thought
to apprtse me that Dymphna's follower f
was not Van Tree after all. but a
Spanish soldier.
tCont,nued Next Week.)
Fresh.