The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-09-14
THE STORY OF
FRANCIS CLUDDE
BY STANLEY ]. wEYMAN.
copyright, 1871, by Casscii Publishing %. Al
rights reserved.


burn hair. No wonder Master Berthe looked
proudly on his duchess
Suddenly n thing had clean forgotten
flashed into my mind, and | thrust my
hand into my pocket. Tho action was so
abrupt that It attracted their attention,
and when pulled out packet-two pack
ots--there were three pairs Of eyes upon
me. The seal dangled from ono missive.
what have you theref' the duchess asked
briskly, for she was woman and curious.
"Do you carry the deeds of your property
about with your
mo-" ! said not unwilling to mako a
small sensation This touches your
grace"
"Hushl" she cried, raising ono imperi-
Gus finger. "Transgressing already From
this time forth l am Mistress Bertram,
remember But come, " she went on, ey-
ing the packet with the seal inquisitively,
"how does II touch mel"
put IL silently into her hands, and she
opened it and read n few lines, her hus-
band peopng over her shoulder As she
read her brow darkcucd, her eyes grew
hard. Master Bertios face changed with
hers and they both peepcd suddenly at
mo over the edge of the parchment, sus-
picion and hostility in their glances.
How came you by this, young sirY'' he
said slowly, after long pause. Have we
escaped Peter to fall into the hands Of
/ Pnuly'
"No, nor cried hurriedly. / saw that
had made q greater sensation than / had
harpained for. l hastened to tell them
how / had met with Gardeners servant at
Stony Stratford, and how l had become
possessed of his credentials. They laughed,
of course. Indeed they laughed so loudly
that the placid Dutchmen, standing aft
with their hands in their breeches pockets,
stared open mouthed at us, and the kin
dred cattle on the bank looked mildly up
from the knee deep grass.
"And what was the other packetf' the
duchess asked presently. is that 1t in
your handS'
"Yes, " answered, holding it up with
some reluctance 1T seems to be letter
addressed to Mistress Clarence"
"Clarencel' she cried "Clarence"
resting the hand she was extending.
"Whatl Here is our friend again, then.
What is in it, You have opened it''
! mo"
You have noti Then quick, open itl''
she exclaimed This, too, touches us,
will bet penny. Let us see at once what
1t contains. Clarence indeed Perhaps
l we may nave MN Ou the mp you bho arm
traitorp'
But held the pocketbook back, though
my cheeks Redeemed, and knew must
seem foolish. They made certain that
this letter was communication to some
SOY, probably to Clarence himself under
cover of feminine address. Perhaps il
was, but it bore woman's name, and II
was sealed, and, foolish though l might
be- would not betray the woman's secret
mo, madam, " l said, confused awk
ward, stammering, yet Withholding i
with a secret obstinacy. Pardon me If
do not obey you-if l do not let this b.
opened. 1t may be what you say" add
ed, with an effort, but 1t may also contain
an honest secret, and that a woman s"
What do you sayi" cried the duchess
Here are scruples' At that her husband
smiled, and / looked in despair from hin
to Mistress Anne Would she sympathiz
with my feelings? / found that she ha
turned her back on us and was gain
over the side. DO you really mean,
continued the duchess, tapping her foe
sharply ON the deck, that you are not &c
d ing to open that, you foolish boyi"
Il do, with your grace's leave, " an
swered.
"Or without my graces leavel ThaG
. what YOU mean" she retorted pettishl,
a red spot in each check. when peopl
will not do what l ask it is always grace
gracel gracel But know them now"
l dared not smile, and would not loo
up, lest my heart should fail me and
should give her her way.
you foolish boyl" she again said al
shifted. Then with a toss of her head 81
went away, her husband following HI
obediently.
feared that she was grievously offen'
ed, and l got up restlessly and went aero
the deck to the rail on which Mistre
Anne was leaning, meaning to say som
thing which should gain for me her syn
pathy, perhaps her advice But the wort
died on my lips, for as ] approached 81
turned her face abruptly toward me, nj
It was so white, so haggard, so draw
that uttered cry of alarm. You a
mr. | exclaimed. Let me call Il
duchessl"
She gripped my sleeve almost flercel
Hush" she muttered, do nothing
the kind am not well. 1t is the waite
But it will pass off, II you do not notice
hate to be noticed, she added, with q
angry shrug.
was full of pity for her and reproach'
myself sorely. What selfish brute
have been" l said. You have watchC
by me night after night and nursed II
day after day, and have scarcely thank'
4 you. And now you are i'll yourself. 1t
my fault"
She looked at me, a wan smile on b
face. A little, perhaps" she answer
family. But it is chiefly the water.
shall be better presently. About that le
ter Did you not come to speak to II
about iti"
Never mind it now, " 1 said anxiousl
"Will you not lie down on the ru
awhilei Let me give you my place, u
pleaded.
mo, mol" she cried impatiently, al
seeing vexed her by my Importantly
desisted. THE letter, " she went on. ~,
will open it by and by'"
In mo, " said slowly, considering, to t.
the truth, the strength Of my resolutio
Il think / shall not"
you will, you will" she repeatc
with kind of scorn The duchess W
ask you again, and you will give 1t to hi
OF course you Will
Her tone was strangely querulous, a
her eyes continually flashed keen, biti
glances at me. But l thought only tn
she was Ill and excited, and fancied
was best to humor her. well, perhaps
SHALL" said soothingly Possibly.
is hard to refuse her anything, and yet
hope l may not. Tho girl-it may be
girls secret. -
'Welli" she asked, interrupting
abruptly, her voice harsh and unmusic
What Of herf" She laid her hand on
bosom as though to still some secret pa
! looked at her, anxious and wonderiI
bnt she had again averted her face. xvi
Of herr" she repeated.
"Only that would not willingly hi
. berl'' / blurted out,
She did not answer. She stood a n
ment; then, to my SURPRISE she turr
away without "A word and merely co
manding me by gesture of the hand |
TO follow walked slowly away, ! watci
her cross the deck and pass through
doorway into the deckhouse. She did !
once turn her face, and my only fear v
that she was i'll, more seriously i'll, ,
haps, than she had acknowledged.