Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-25

CHAPTER viii.
AS the day went on, therefore, looked
eagerly for Mistress Anne's return, but
she appeared no more, though maintained
close watch on the cabin door. All the
afternoon, too, tho duchess kept away
from me. and feared that had seriously
offended her, SO that it was with no very
pleasant anticipntioEs that, going into that
part OF the deckhousc which served us
Tor common room, to see If the evening
meal was set, l found only the duchess and
Master BERTHE prepared to sit down to 1t.
suppose that something Of my feeling was
expressed in my face, for while I was yet
half way between door and table my lady
gave way to peal of merriment.
Come, sit down and do not be afraid!'
she cried pleasantly, her gray eyes still
full Of laughter. Il vow the lad thinks I
shall eat him. Nay, when all Is said and
done, l like you the better, Sir knight
Errant, for your scruples. see that you
are determined to act up to your name.
But that reminds me-" she added in a
more serious vein. I'VE have been frank
with you. You must be equally frank
with us. What are we to call you, pray!'
looked down at my plate and felt my
face grow scarlet. The wound which the
discovery of my fathers :reachery had
dealt mo had begun to heal In the action,
the movement, the adventure Of tho last
fortnight, had we'll nigh lost sight of
the blot on my escutcheon, Of the shame
which had driven mo from home But the
question, what aro we to call your" re-
vived the smart, and revived it with an
added pang. 1t had been very we'll, In
theory. to proudly discard my old name.
1t was painful in practice to DO unable to
fhS Il ssr -
Cotton, nephew to Sir Anthony, formerly
esquire Of the body to King Henry. am
no unworthy follower and associate even
for you, and to have instead to reply: Il
have no name. am nobody. l have all
to make and VIM Yet this was my i'll
fortune
Her woman's eye saw my trouble as l
hesitated, confused and doubling, what
should reply. Come" she said good ma
turedly, trying to reassure me. You are
of gentle birth. OF that we feel sure"
shool; my head. Nay, am OF no
birth, madam" answered hurriedly. II
have no name, or, at any rate, no name
that can be proud of. Call mccall me,
II 1t please you, Francis Carey"
1T Is good name" quoth Master Ber-
tie, pausing with his knife suspended in
the air. "A right good Protestant nnme!"
but l have no claim to it, rejoined,
more and more hurt. Il have all to make.
l am new man. Yet do not fear!" l
added quickly as l saw what took to DO
n cloud of doubt cross my lady's face. Il
will follow you no less faithfully for thato
WELL" said the duchess, smilo again
transforming heI open features. II will
answer for that, Master Carey. Deeds are
better than names, and as for being new
al. H.. 4 lo,
and Spcnccrs, VIC have naught but new
men nowadays So cheer up!' she con-
tinued kindly. And we will poke no
questions at You, though doubt whether
you do not possess mere birth and breed
ing than you would have us think. And
il, when VIC return to England, as trust
we may before we are old men and wom
on, we can advance your cause, then let
us have your secret. No one can say that
Katherine Willoughby ever forgot her
friend"
''Or forgave her enemy overquickly,"
quoth her husband naively.
She raped his knuckleS with the back
Of her knife for that, and under cover Of
this small diversion l had time to regain
my composurc. But the matter left mo
sorc ut heart and more than little home
sick. And l sought leave to retire early.
You are right" said the duchess, ris-
ing graciously. Tonight, after being out
in the dir, you will sleep soundly, and to-
morrow you will be new man." with n
faint smile. Believe me, I am not I'M
grateful, Master Francis, and will dill
gently seek occasion to repay both your
gallant defense of tho other day and your
future service" She gave me her hand to
Kiss, and / bent over 1t. Now, she con-
tinued, do homage to my baby. and then
shall consider that you are really one OF
US and pledged to our cause"
kissed the tiny fist held out to mo. n
soft pink thing looking like some dainty
scashcll. Master BERTHE cordially grasped
my hand. And so under the oil lamp in
the neat cabin Of that old Dutch boat,
somewhere on the Waal between Gorcum
and Nimuegcn, wo pli2htcd our troth to
one another, and in n sense I became one
OF them.
Iwcnt>to my berth chccrcd and encour-
aged by their, kindness. But the inter
view, satisfactory as it was, had set up no
little excitement In my brain, and it was
long before slept When did, had a
strange dream. dreamed that l was sit
ting in the hall mt Cotton, and that Petro-
nilla was standing ON the dais looking fix
Ctlly ut me with gentle, sorrowful eyes.
wanted to go to her, but could not move.
Every dreamer knows tho sensation.
tried to call to her. TO ask her what was
the matter, and why she SO looked n. me.
But could utter no sound. Ard still She
continued to fix me with tho same, Fad,
rrproachful eyes. in which read q warn.
Ing, yet could not ask its meaning.
struggled so hard that at last the spell
was in n degree broken. Following the