Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-11-19
Copyright. 1913. BY Stanley J. wsynaan.l
CHAPTER Nu-Conunued.

EtEEGE 0tl OAF DNI& w AAS AKA wv aANs
Let us say. in m8nus tuas
"Popishi Popish.' Bale muttered.
shaking his head. He spoke hoarsely'
his tongue cleayinE 20 his mouth. His
eyes were fun OF rage.
Into thy thands!" Colonel John said.
He stopped nearer 10 his mans ear.
When l shout, jump and rum! ne
breathed, II will hold two" Again he
lifted his head and looked calmly at
the threatening figures standing about
them, gaunt and dark, again the cur
tain OF mist. They were waiting Tor the
| signal. The priest was hall way through
his second Paternoster. His trembling
tongue was stumbling, tagging more
and more. AS he ended 1.-THE two men
were still handing hand in hand-Col-
onel John gripped Bales fingers hard'
but held him.
What is that?" he cried, in a loud
voice. but still he held Bale tight that
he might not move. What is THAR
he repeated. On the ear-on his ear
first-had fallen the sound Of hurry
ing feet.
They strained their eyes through the
mist.
"And what'n this be?" o'Sullivan
Og muttered suspiciously. II you
bulge a step he growled, I'll drive
"A messenger from The McMur-
rough Colonel John said. If he was
human, IL his heart, at the hope of
respite, beat upon his ribs as the heart
of a worse man might have beaten, he
did not betray II save by a light in his
eyes.
They had not TO wait. A tall. lathy
form emerged from the mist. 1t adj
vanced with long leaps, the way they
had come. A moment, and h mes
anger 90 "a them n1I1lA6 I'm and
walked the intervening distance, his
arms dropping and his breath coming
in gasps. He had run apace, and he
could not speak. But he nodded-as he
wiped the saliva from his parted lips
to O'Sullivan Og to come aside with
him; and the two moved off a space.
The others eyed them while the mes
sage was given. The suspense was
short. Quickly G'SuiiiYan 0g came
back.
Eye may be thankful" he said dryly.
"Ye've cheated the pixies for this time,
no less, and It's safe We are"
You have greater reason to be
thankful" Colonel John replied solemn
ly. You have been spared a foul
crime"
Faith and l hope may never do
worse" Og answered. hardly, than
rid the world of two black Protestants,
an them with a priest to make their
souls! Many's the honest man closed
his eyes without that same. But tbs
no time for prating! / wonder at
your honor, and you no more than out
OF the black water! Bring them along,
boys" he continued, We've work to
do yeti"
"Laus Deol" the priest cried, lifting
up his hands. Give Him the glory!"
Amen" the colonel said softly. And
for a moment he shut his eyes and
stood with clasped hands. Il hank you
kindly, father, for your ~prayers!" he
said. The words of a good man avail
much!"
No more was said. For q few yards
Bale walked u~nsteadily. But he re-
covered himself and, urged by O'Sul-
livan's continual ~injunctions to hasten,
the party We're not long In ~retracing
their steps. They reached the road
and went along 1t, but in the direction
OF the landing place. In O few minutes
they were threading their way in sin
gle file across the saucer like waste
which lay to landward of the hill over
looking the jetty.
Are o taking us to the French
sloop?" Colonel John asked.
You'll be as wise as the lave of us
by andsby!" Og answered sulkily.
They crossed the shoulder near the
tower and strobe down the slope to
the ston pier. The mist lay Now on
the water. The tide was almost at
flood. Og bade the men draw In one
of the boats, ordered Colonel Sullivan
and Bale to go into the bow, and the
pikemen to take the oars. He and two
hrelock men took their seats in the
stern.
Pull out. you cripples," he said,
and there'll be flood enough to be
bringing us back"
The men bent to the clumsy oars
and the boat slid down the inlet and
passed under the beam of the French
sloop, which lay moored farther along
the jetty. Not q sign of life appeared
on deck as they passed; the ship
seemed to be deserted. Half O dozen
strokes carried the boat beyond view
Of 1t, and the little party were alone
on the bosom OF the water that lay
rocking smoothly between it's unseen
banks. Some minutes were spent In
stout rowing. and soon the boat be-
gan 10 rise n fall On the Atlantic
rollers.
,Ts. sscstss tina. a pretty
colleen" O'Sullivan Og said. lis the
sea fog, bad cess to II. My own father
was lost in 1t. Will you be seeing her,
boys?"
YEN not see her till we touch her.
n OF the rowers answered.
And the tide running" the other
said. Save us from that same"
she's farther out by three gun
shots" struck In a firelock man. Wen
be drifting back. We thieves of the
world IL re sit staring there. Pull. an
We'll be inshore an We know It,"
For some minutes the men pulled
steadily onward. while one of the a
sengers. appraised that their destina-
ton was the Spanish war vessel. Eel,
anything but eager 10 reach 1t. A
| Spanish warship meant Imprisonment
possibly the inquisition, persecution
and death. When the men lay at last
on their oars, and swore that they
must hove passed the ship, he alone
listened indifferently.
"'Tis a black Protestant fog" O'Sul-
livan cried. "Where'li we be. I won
sure. we can make no mistake
one answered. The winds light on
the land
Wen be pulling back, lads"
That's the word"
Tfts men put tine boat about and
STARTED on the return journey. Sud
denly Colonel John, crouching In the