The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-06-18
Storyof Francis C1udde
Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.
BY STANLEY ]. WEYMAN.

yourself" she said.
Hush" cried her husband quickly
not say that to the lad. 1t is un
lucky. But do you think" he continue,
the porch was in darkness, and w
could scarcely make out one another
laces-"that there is any furthe
chance of PURSUIT."
Not by that party tonight" I SALE
srlmly. Nor l think tomorrow"
Good" he answered, FOR I can Sc,
nothing but water ahead, and it woul,
De madness to go on by night withou
a guide. We must stay here unit
morning, whatever the risk"
He spoke gloomily, and with reason
Our position was a miserable, almos
a desperate one, even on the supposi.
,lon tnat pursuit had ceased. We hae
iost all our baggage, food, wraps. w.
a no guides. and we were in thu
midst of a flooded country, with two
lender women n a baby, our onl,
shelter the porch of Gods house. Mis-.
Iress Anne, who was crouching In the
darkest corner next the church
seemed to have collapsed entirely.
remembered afterward that did moi
once hear her speak that night. The
duchess tried to maintain our spirits
and her own but in the face of cold
damp and hunger She could do little
Master BERTHE and 1 took it by turns
10 keep a kind of watch, but by morn
80 ''S ' ioiiB hight, ana a bitter
one--We We're worn out and slept de-
spite our misery. We should have been
surprised ana captured without q blow
IL the enemy had come upon us then.
l aWoke with a start to find the gray
ilsnt OF q raw, misty morning falling
group. The duchess head was hidden
IN her cloak, her husbands had sunk
on his breast, but Mistress Anne-I
looked at her and shuddered. Had she
sat SO All night-sat staring with that
story face OF pain and those fearless
eyes on the moonlight, on the darkness
winch had been before the dawn. o.,
the cold fine rays of morning? Stared
on all alike and seen none? shud-
dered and peered at her alarmed
doubtful, wondering, asking myself
wat this was that had happened to
ner. Had fear and cold killed her or
turned her brain? "Anne!" I said
timidly. "Anne!"
She did not answer nor turn. nor did
the nxed gaze Of her eyes waver. l
tlought she did not hear. "Anne!" I
cried again. so loudly that the duchess
stirred and muttered something in her
Steep. but the girl showed no sign Of
touched her.
she turned sharply and saw me and In
instant drew her skirt away with a
gesture OF such dread, loathing repulsion
as froze me, while a violent shudder
her who'll frame. Afterward
sns seemed unable to withdraw her
eyes from me, but sat in the same at
tlt,de, gazing at me with a fixed look
or horror, as one might gaze at a SER
pent, While tremor after tremor shook
her.
was frightened and puzzled and
was sun staring at her, wondering
what I had done, when q FORSTER on
the road outside called away my at
l turned from her to see q
mans figure looming dark in the
doorway. He looked at us-I suppose
ne a found the horses outside-gaz-
ing IN surprise at the queer group. I
bade him good morning in Dutch, and |
answered as Well as his astonish-
1nent would let him. He was a short
stout Fellow, with a big face, capable |
OF expressing a good deal of astonish-
nent. He seemed to be a peasant or |
[arrnef. What do you here" he con-
lined. his cultural phrases tolerably
to me.
explained as clearly as could
hat we were on the way to Vessel.
l awoke the duchess and her
usband and stretching our chilled
ma aehing liInbs we went outside, the
nan stil gazing at US. Alas! the day
vas not much better than the night.
could see but a very little way. a
OF hundred yards round us
MY. The rest was mist-all mist. We
.prealed to the man for food and
,.aeiter. n ne nodded, and obeying
lis signs rather than his words we
licked up our starved beasts and
out into the fog by his side,
anne mounted silently and without OBJ
ection, but it was plain something
TRANCE had happened to her. Her cons
lltion was unnatural. The duchess
sazed at her very ~anxiously, and get
ing no answers or very scanty ones
Q her questions shook her head grave
y.
But we We're on the verge of one
pleasure at least. When we reached
ne hospitable Kitchen of the farm
1t was joy indeed to stand be-
ore the great turf fire and feel the
leat stealing into our half frozen
,odtes, to turn and warm back and
ront. while the good wife set bread
md hot milk before US. How differ
'ntiy we three felt in half an hour.
low the duchess eyes shone once
nore. How easily rose the laugh TO
'ur lips. Joy had indeed come with
he morning. To be warm and dry and
veil fed after being cold and wet and
,ungry-what a thing his is.
But on n neither food nor warmth
eemed to ave any effect. Mistress
Anne did indeed. in obedience to my
ady's sharp words raise her bowl to
Ter lips, but she set 1t down quickly
md sat looking in dull apathy at the
peat. What had come over
yer?
Master BERTHE went out with the
armer to attend to the horses, and
he came back he had news.
There is a lad here" he said In
ome excitement, who has Just seen
foreigners ride past on the road.
long with two Germans on pack
,orses-five In all. They must be three
4 the party who followed us y~ester-
/ whistled. Then Clarence got him
'elf out. / said. Struggling my shout
'ers. Well! Well!'
Il expect that is So" Master Berthe
answered the duchess remaining ST.
ent. The question arises again. What
8 to be done 2" he continued. we may
,ollow them to Vessel, but the good
nan says the foods are deep between
aere n the town, and we shall have
Clarence n his party before US ali
way-shall perhaps run straight
nto their arms"
But what else can we do?o 1 said.
1t is Impossible to go back,
We held q long conference, and by
much questioning Of our host learned
hat half q league away was q ferry
which could carry as many as
horses over the river at a time.