Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-06

hearth Jumped mp and wh.ned- "No. not
for all the base bishops IL England" /
continued, taking a step this way and
that. He had better not do it again! If
he does, tell you it will be the worse for
some onei"
Francis" she exclaimed abruptly,
''you ,nust not speak in that way!"
st1t ! WIS too angry to be silenced,
though inst;nctively changed my ground
stephen Gardiner" cried furiously.
"Who is Stephen Gardiner, should like
to know? He has no right to call himself
Gardiner at ell! DIR. Stephens he used to
call himself, have heard. A child with
no name but his godfather's; that Is what
he is, for all his airs and his bishopric!
Who is he to look on and see a Cludde
beaten? II my uncle does not take care''-
''Francisl" she cried again. cutting me
short ruthlessly. BE silent, sir.' And
this time ] was silent. You unmanly
boy" che continued, her face glowing
with indignation, Ito threaten my father
before my face, How dare you, sir: How
dare you? And who arc You, you poor
child" she exclaimed, with a startling
change from invcctive to sarcasm-''who
are you to talk Of bishops, l should like to
know?'
''Onc, " said sullenly, "who thinks less
of cardinals and bishops than some folk,
Mistress Petronilla!'
Aye, / know" she retorted scathingly
II know that you are a kind of half
hearted Protestant-nCither fish, flesh nor
fowl"
II am what my father made mel"
muttered.
AT any rate, she replied, "you do not
see how small you are, or you would not
talk of bishops. Heaven help US! That n
boy who has done nothing and seen moth
ing should talk Of the queens chancellor
Go! Go on, you foolish boy, and rule a
country or cut off heads, and then you
may talk of ouch men-men who could
unmake you and yours with q stroke of
the pen! You, to talk SO of Stephen Gar
diner, Fie, fle, say! For shame,'
looked at her, dazed and bewildered,
and had long atterward in my mind a pic
ture of her as she stood above me, in the
window bay, her back to the light, her
slender figure drawn to its full height, her
hand extended toward me. / could scarce
ly understand OF believe that this was my
gentle cousin. / turned without q word
and stole away, not looking behind me. I
was cowed.
IL ustIItIeu tEdt CiiIuc nuI-
rying in at the moment with a chatter of
dishes and knives, and the noise covered
my retreat had a fancy aftcrward that,
as l moved away, Petronilla called to me.
Eut at the time, what with the confusion
and my own disorder, 1 paid no heed to
her, but got myself blindly out Of the hall
and away to my own attic.
1t was sharp lesson. But my feelings,
when, being alone, l had time to feel,
need not be set down. After events made
them of no moment, for ! was even then
on the verge of a change SO great that all
the threats and misgivings, the fevcrs and
agues of that afternoon, real as they
seemed ut the time, became in few hours
rs immaterial as the dew which fell before
yesterdays thunderstorm.
The way the change began to come about
was this: / crept in late TO supper, facing
the din and lights, the rows of guests and
the hurrying servants, with mixture OF
shame and sullenncss. Twas sitting down
with a scowl next the bishops pages-my
place was beside them, half down the table,
and was not too careful to keep my feet
clear Of their clothing-when my uncle's
voice, raised in n harsher tone than was
usual with him, even when he was dis
pleased, summoned me.
SOI2t =
Come here, Master Francis! l have q
word to speak to your
Invent slowly dragging my feet, while all
looked UP, and there was n partial silence
l was conscious of this, and it nervcd me-
For a moment indeed, as l stepped ON tc
the dais, had vision of scores of candle:
and flashlights floating in mist, and of in
Vulnerable bodiless faces all turned up t.
me. But the vision and the mistines.
passed away and left only my uncle.
long, thin face inflamed with anger, anG
beside il, IN the same ring of light, the
| watchful eyes and stern, impassive fea
lures of Stephen Gardiner. The bishop.
face and his eyes were all saw then; thu
| same face, the same eyes, l remembered
| which had looked unyiclding into those o.
the relentless Cromwell and had scarce
dropped before the frown of Tudor. Hi.
| purple cap and cassock, the lace and ricf
fur, the chain Of Office, remembered aft
erward
Now, boy" Numbered Sir Anthony
| pointing out the place where / shouli
stand. what have you to say for yourself
Why have you so misbehavcd this after
noon: Let your tongue speak quickly, ID
! you hear, or you will smart for it. And
let it be to the purpose, boyn'
l was about to answer something
whether it was likely to make thing:
worse or better cannot rcmcmbcr-wher
| Gardiner staid me. He laid his hand
gently on Sir Anthonys sleeve and inter