The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-01

ssnr. came 10 l4ocDcNeI, III answer 10 his
aunt, Lady Douglas summons he held
the Lady o the Scots, the Romamst,
sNanton.
Yet for all that the Queen of the
Scots had forfeited her sovereignty
and was the instrument Of RomauiSh
intrigue against the peace Of Scotland,
he felt q certain awe when he first ac-
conpanied Ferguson, the keeper, to do
his cousin George Douglas Office as
A,AefoI. her.
a princess different from
And this one, an enticmg
rwith family pride strong
and with shame over his
llIness, he was determined
bewitched.
rs creaked in the great door,
Ferguson whispered under his
are, Master Douglas, and be
the Lord. If she were Queen
ever was the wicked woman.
- those her arts have slain
her
Pby the window where, at her
er companion, Mistress Seton,
ading in the French tongue. Her
a1Gported her chin, and her eyes
ed toward the free sky. Her
land worn, was framed by
Hwn hair, that morning
elessly in long folds over
RS. The hazel eyes seemed
dy hate or love or indiffer-
(glas was to see this charm
Flushing with excitement;
<exquisite fair, it was of clear pal
and the eyes underlined with a
SeAenciling. Her figure was dainti-
II
zfthrough the folds of the
Sch was of some gray stuff,
= Re. She wore no jewels, save
I4by on a ribbon at her throat.
Eetty lady like any other, the
gentleman decided and yet de-
\sometimes changing so rapidly
E.omen are concerned, ne put
and thought she was more.
raising with yawn she faced
\e saw she was of medium
d looked gracious and anna
a manner that had exactly
mt degree of unconscious tamil
with interiors, yet could not for
be wasssome great lady. fun
ae6eeyes were blush pencilings,
on her face the least suggestion of
she still had certain girlishness
h her voice confirmed-a sYoinan's
Ice with a maiden's quality. She
looked the lady that might be sad in
the morning, with the old zest OF gale
Ey by noon. lie felt she was noting
him carefully, and under her lashes
was seeing him ALL body and soul. He
thought OF what the preachers of
KnoN's following declared "Jeze
bel" '.the heathenish creature, "a
SIREN
Yet, after his second visit in the
duty of page, he began to say TO him
self, surely she is pleasant lady who
has been much belied."
But there were other moods, when
she paced the rooms length no longer
a charmings gentlewoman, with the
courtesies ofNthe court, but more some
Gagged tigress,l ready, if the bars were
but down, tot trend and tear, looking
cravingly into the open out of her win
dow, where birds and men seemed to
her TO do as they listed. Then, some
times, keeper and page did not see her
at all, only heard from the next room.
sobs, when Mistress Seton or Mistress
Jane Kennedy would very civilly dis
miss them.
Yet perhaps at breakfast the morn |
ing after, the Queen would appear
with a laughter-filled face, although |
her eyes might be hollow, and her |
gaiety suggested the effort to force /
forgtefulness.
And in this wise did Master William |
Douglas come TO know and think diff |
ferently of this Princess, never seeing
her alone, scarce noticed by her or her |
ladies, and always under the keepers |
eye. But he carried thought of her to
his sport with the men at arms, or to |
the hours he had in skiff on the lake, |
or to the castle chaplain who told his |
congregation again and again the tale
of the complete wickedness of man |
kind, the dreariness of this life, the |
DANES and the devils that await us in
the more painful future.
Now about this time the Queen at |
tempted to escape by DOMINIC the gar
ments OF the Iaundress who brought |
her linen from the village.
William Douglas. on the castle ter
race that afternoon training falcon, |
heard below the Keepers gruff cry. |
"a too neat-anl<ied laundress by half"
for. though, closely muffied, Mary
Stuart's foot had betrayed her. Yet, |
for all her disappointment at failure,
and the sarcastic gibes Lady Douglas
cast at her then, the detected prisoner |
carried herself with the simple dignity |
the Stuart princess always had in face
OF adyersitv. No circumstances did so |
much to change William Douglas en- I
tirely to her cause as this adventure.
Hardly more than lad, the Queen may |
have read it in his eyes. Did she, she
appeared to be looking beyond him, or
to notice him no more than the stone /
blocks of the flooring. Nor did her
ladies, who before, having no one else, |
had thought him worth an occasional |
smile now seem 10 be aware of his /
presence. Finally he found their con-
duct. and particularly that of the |
Queen, almost unenduring. although /
II was natural enough. He was de-
ci1ed to drop note into the Queens /
lap as he passed, but that was too
risky and might only lead to his being /
removed from his post. Thinking over
the riddle, at last one object came 10 I
have q fascination, it's possession I
sdearer than ambition Of love or for
anne, that the key-ring Master Fergu |
son had at his giTdle, and then our
young gentlemen Of the Dougiascs be- /
gan almost u@cons@i ou&ly TO curry fa-I
9or with the keeper tried the art Of q /
player. maIigned the Queen 10 the
Keepers delight while iHwafdly ours
ing him. used the cantin@ phrases Scot +
Dissenfprs affected. aud silly discussed
sheolo2 vh "oraoon topic
I8lit fl#afa tAvse aexa uc. Acr5
place at the keepers girdie, unless he +