Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-11
AUTHOR OF THE NAN IN slAen',
a GENTLEMAN OF FRANCE ,, ETr Enc.

VVE9IJVlNW.
RANCE ErEm.
HING co. ALL RIGHTS REseRES
reach the deck unassisted and sit in thu
sunshine ON a pile of rugs which Mistrcs.
Anne, my constant nurse, had laid for mt
in corner sheltered from tho wind.
Fortunately tho weather was mild ant
warm, and the sunshine fell brightly on the
wide river and the wider plain of pasture
which stretched away on either side of thu
horizon, dotted here and there only by q
windmill, farmhouse, tho steep1e of 9
church, the brown sails of barge or al
most broken by low dixie or line oil
sand dunes All was open, free; all was
largeness, space and distance. gazed as
tonished. The husband and wife, who
were pacing tho deck forward, came to
cast round. This is new to your" he
snid. smiling.
Quite, quito new" answered. ~
never imagined anything SO fiat and yet
in its way SO beautiful.
you do not know Linoolnshirei"
mo"
.sAh, that is my native county," he
answered. st is much like this. But you
arc better, and you can talk again. Now,
/ and my wife have been discussing
whether we shall tell you more about our
selves. And, since there is no time like
the present, may say that We have de-
cided to trust you.
''All In all or not at all" Mistress Ber-
tram added brightly.
murmured my thanks.
"Then, first, to tell you who we are. For
myself, am plain Richard BERTHE Of Lin
colnshire, at your service. My wife is
something more than appears from this,
orn-with a smile-"from her present
not too graceful dress She is''-
stop, Richardl This is not sufficiently
formal" my lady cried prettily. II have
the honor to present to you, young gentle
man" she went on, laughing ,merrily and
making very grand courtesy before me-
Katherine, duchess Of Suffolk.
I made shift to get to my feet and
bowed respectfully, but she forced me to
sit down again. Enough Of that" she
said lightly, until we go back to Eng
land. Hero and for the future we nre Mas
ter Bertram and his wife. And this young
lady, my distant kinswoman, Anne Bran
don, must pass as Mistress Anne. You
wonder how we came to be straying In the
streets alone and unattended when you
found usH.
did wonder, for the name OF the gay
and brilliant Duchess Of Suffolk was we'll
known ever to me, a country lad. Her
former husband, Charles Brandon, duke
of Suffolk, had been not only the one
trusted and constant friend Of King Henry
VIII, but the kings brother-in-lAw, his
first wife having been Mary, princess Of
England and queen dowagcr Of France.
Late In his splendid and prosperous career
the duke had married Katherine, tho
heiress of Lord Willoughby do Crosby, and
she it was who stood before mo, still young
and handsome After her husband . death
she had made England ring with her
name, first, by love match with Lin
colnshire squire, and, secondly, by her fear
less and outspoken defense OF the REFORM
Iers. I did wonder indeed how she had
come to be wandering in the streets at
daybreak, an object Of q chance passer's
chivalry and pity.
ut is simple enough, she said dryly.
st am rich, I am Protestant, and have
an enemy. When do, not like q person, /
speak out. Do not, Richard?n
You do indeed, my dear, ;, he answered,
smiling.
iner. Whatl Do you know Stephen Gard
inerf'
For had started at the name, after
which could scarcely have concealed my
knowledge II would. So answered sim
ply, ..Yes; / have seen him. was think
ing how wonderful this WAS These people
had been utter strangers to me until a day
or two before, yet now We were all looking
out together from the deck Of Dutch
boat on the low Dutch landscape, united
by one tie, the enmity of the Same man.
"He ia man to he dreaded, the OUCH
ess continued, her eyes resting on her ba-
by, which lay asleep on my bundle Of rugs.
and I guessed what fear 1t was had tanned
her pride to flight. His power In Eng
land is absolute. We learned that 1t was
his purpose to arrest mo and determined
to leave England. But our very house
hold was full of spies, and though We
chose time when Clarence, our steward,
whom we had long suspected of being
GARDENERS chief tool, was away, Philip,
his deputy, gained clew to our design
and watched us. We gave him the slip
with difficulty, leaving our luggage, but
he doeged and overlook us, and the rest
you know
Ibowed. As gazed at her my admira-
ton, know, shone In my eyes. She
looked, as she stood on the deck, an exile
and fugitive, so gay, so bright, SO indom-
liable, that in herself she was at once a
warranty and an omen OF better times.
Tho breeze had heightened her color and
loosened here and there tress of her au-
burn hair. Nd wonder Master Bertio looked
proudly on his duchess.
Suddenly 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 a packet-two pack
ets--there wero three pairs Of eyes upon
me. Tho seal dnngled from one missiye
s.What have you therea" the duchess asked
briskly, for she was a woman and curious
" Do you carry tho deeds of your property
about with your"
No. said, not unwilling to mako a
small sensation. This touches your
grace"
"Hushp' she cried, raising one imperi-
Gus finger. "Transgressing already From
this timo forth am Mistress Bertram,
remember. But come, /" she went on, ey-
ing the packet with the seal inquisitiyely
show does 1t touch lne?"
/ put it silently into her hands, and she
opened it and read few lines, her hus-
band peeping over her shoulder. AS she