Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-05-09

what else was 10 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 tho
footbridge. Mind you bring her back,
she cried after me. DO not let her
come alone" And these were her last
words.
After we had separated did not
think for moment that 1t was pity
l had not asked her to come with me.
But the thought occurred too late, and
l strode on toward the head of the
bridge resolving that as soon as had
sighted Dymphna / would keep away
from her and content myself with
watching over her from distance. As
passed by the little cluster of cot
tages on the landward side of the is
land I glanced sharply about me, for /
thought II not unlikely that Master
Van Tree might be lurking in the
neighborhood. But / saw nothing either
OF her or him. All was quiet, the air
full of spring sunshine and warmth
and hope and the blossoms OF fruit
trees, and with an indefinable pleas
ure, feeling OF escape from control
and restraint, crossed the long foot
bridge and set foot almost for the first
time since our arrival-for at Master
Iindstroms desire we had kept very
close-on the river bank.
To the right a fair road or cause
helm. AT the point where / 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
track of swamp and mire which lay
on my left, a quaking marsh many
miles round, oVergrown with tall rush
es and sedges, which formed the head
of the bay In which our island lay. /
looked up the long, straight road 10
Arnheim and saw only group OF traN-
elers moving slowly along It. their
backs toward me. The road before me
was bare Of passengers. Where, them
was Dymphna if she had crossed the
bridge? In the last resort ! scanned
the green eXpanse OF rushes and viii
lows which stretched. with intervals
of open water, as far as the eye could
reach on my left. II was all rustling
and shimmering in the light breeze
but my eye picked out one or two
raised dykes which penetrated ii here
and there and served at once as path
ways to islets in the mere and breast
works against further encroachments
of the river. Presently on one of these,
OF which the course was fairly defined
by line OF willows, / made out the
hutter of woman's hood, and i re-
membered that the day before l had
heard Dymphna express a wish to go
to the marsh for some herb w6ich
grew there.
Right" | said seating myself with
much 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
dixie across the mere. | could not now
see Dymphna. The willows hid her
and | 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 mans form.
"Ho. no." / said. following 1t with my
eyes, so l may go home. Master Van
Tree Is on the track, and now | hope
they will make it up" | added pet
tishly.
Another second, and l started up
with low cry. The sunlight had
caught a part of the mans dress, a
shining something which flashed back
point of intense light. The some
thing i guessed at once was a corslet,
and II needed scarcely another thought
to apprise me that Dymphna's follower
was not Van Tree after all, but q
Spanish soldier.
(Continued Next Week1