Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-02

night of suspense drove him to a desperate
resolution. He would breach the matter
TO the Duke of Devoushire, and learn the
best and the worst of it.
Desiring to do this in a manner the least
formal, he took occasion to dismiss his
coach at the next council meeting, and.
telling the duke that he wished to mention
a matter to him, he begged a seat in his
equipage- But whether the lord steward
ioresaw what was coming. and parted the
subject discreetly, or my lords heart failed
him. they reached the square and nothing
said. except on general topics There my
lords people coming out to receive them 1t
seemed natural TO ask the Duke of Devon
shire to enter; but my lord, instead. begged
the duke to drive him round and round a
while: and when they were again started.
Il have not been well lately he said
winch was true, more than one having
commented on it at the council table-'and
l wished 10 tell you that fear I shall
for time
To Roehampton?' said his panion,
after word or two of regret.
No; to Eyford.''
For a moment his grace of Devonshire
was silent. and my lord, without looking al
him. had the idea that he was startled.
AT length as the coach went by London
house. Il would not do that just at this
lime" he said quietly
by not?' asked my lord.
"Beoause-welI. for one thing, the kings
service may suffer-
That is not your reason!' auoth my
lord stubbornly. you are thinking of the
Fenwick matter"
Again the other duke delayed his answer
but when he spoke his voice was both kind
ana earnest. Frankly. 1 am" he said
II you know SO much. duke YOU know
mat II would have an i'll appearance"
How" said my lord. Let me tell YOU
that all Sir John knows, or can know. the
King knows-and has known for some
time"
This time there was no doubt that the
iord steward was startled. you cannot
mean 1t. duke" he said in a constrained
voice, and with a gesture of reproach
You cannot mean that it was with his
maJestys knowledge you had meeting
with Sir John, he being outlawed at the
time and under ban? That were to make
his majesty at best an abettor of treason
and at worst vi!er thing, For to incite to
treason and then to prosecute the traitor
but it is impossibler'
Il have not the least notion what your
grace means" my lord said, in freezing
tone What is this folly about a meeting
with Sir John?'
The Duke of Devonshire was as proud as
my patron, and nothing in the great man
sion which he was then building in the
wilds of the Derbyshire peak was likel,
TO cause the gaping peasants more astonish.
ment, than he felt at this setback. II DOM
understand your grace" he said at last In
tone of marked cffeDse.
Nor / you" my lord answered, thor
oughiy reused.
Il am afraid-I have said too much" said
the other stiffiy
"Or too little" nv lord retorted ''You
must go on now"
Must? Must?' quoth the duke, whose
nigh spirit had ten years before led him
TO strike a blow that came near to costing
him his estate.
lay. muslin justice" said my lord. sir
justice TO me as well as to Others"
After brief pause, THAT is another
thing, answered the lord steward ciyilly
Butts 1t possible. duke, that you know
so much, and do not know that Sir John
asserts that you met him at Ashford? Two
days only before his capture? and intrussed
him with a ring and a message-both fol
St Germain's?"
AT Ashford?''
YES"
This is sheer Madness" my lord cried
holding his hand to his head. Are you
mad, Devonshire, or am II"
Whether the duke, having heard Sir
johns story and marked his manner OF
telling it. had prejudged the cause. OF
thought that my lord over-acted surprise
ne did not Immediately answer; and when
he did speak, his tone was dry, though
courteous. We'll. of course-it may be Sit
John who IS mad" he said.
'D-n Sir JOHN my lord answered, sit.
ting up In the coach and fairly facing his
that you believe this story Of a cock and
bull, and-a-at"
"A ring said the Duke of Devonshire
quietly.
well, duke, it is this way" the lord
steward replied. 'Sir John has Sometime
to say about three others, Lord MarIbor
ough, Ned Russell and Godolphin. And
what he says about them 1 know in RI.
main to be true Therefore,"
You infer that he is telling the trutf
about me?' cried my lord, Tuning. We
covering his rage with a decent appear
ance. since a hundred eyes were on then
as they drove slowly around in the gias
coach.
Not altogether. There are other things.
What other things?''
The talk there was about your grace
and Middleton at the time of your resigna.
ticn."
My lord groaned. "All the world know.
| that. it seems" he said. "And should
know that 1 have never denied it,"
True"
But this. 1t is the most absurd, tn,
most ridiculous, the most fantastical story
| How could go out of town for twenty
| four hours and the fact not be known Il
day"
| He LAS" the other duke answered
| He lays 1t on the 10th of June"
There was Land bank meeting O
the council on that day. But your grac.
did not attend It,"
/ mo? No, 1 remember did not Il
was the day my mother was taken III. Sh,
| sent for me. and I lay at her house tina
| night and the next"
Ills grace of DevonshIre cougbed saTha
Is unfortunate" he said. and leaned for
| ward to bow to the bishop of London
whose chariot had just entered the square
Whyr said my lord. ready to take OF
Tense at anything.
Because, though do not doubt you
word. the world will require witnesses
And Lady shrewsbury's housshold Is sus