The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-08-05

W Sty y IlItIluSulD ~ oIitliuOl
IgiS$@S1 was Mary's promise to marry
G8@agJ Louis.
Mary wanted to send Il message at
once to Brandon, telling him his life
would be spared and that she had
made 10 delay this time-a fact Of
which she was very proud-but the
Tower gates would not open until
morning, so she had to wait. She COM
pensatcd herself as we'll rs she could
by writing a letter, which 1 should like
to give you here, but II Is too long. She
told him of his pardon, but not one
word upon the theme he so wished yet
feared to hear Other promise never
TO we'd any other man. Mary had not
told him of her final surrender i'm the
matter of the French marriage, for the
reason that she dreaded to pain him
and feared lie might refuse the sacri-
flee.
1T will almost kill him, l know"
she said to Jane that night, and I
fear 1t Is n false kindness 1 do him.
He would, probably, rather die than
that 1 should marry another. know
that ] should rather die or have any
thing else terrible to happen than for
another woman to possess him. He
promised me he never would, but sup
pose he should fail. in his word, as I
have today failed i'm mine? The thought
of 1t absolutely burns me-" And she
threw herself into James arms, and
that little comforter tried to soothe
her by making light Of her fears.
ooh. but suppose he should?"
"Wcll, there is no need to borrow
trouble. You said he promised you, and
you know he is who keeps his
word"
"But l promised, too, and think of
what am about to do. Mary In heav-
en-, help me! But he Is made of differ
ent stun from me. l can and do trust
his word, and when l think OF all my
troubles and when it seems that 1 can.
not bear them the one comforting
thought comes that no other woman
will ever possess him-no other woman,
no other III 1 am glad that my
only comfort comes from him."
81 hoped that 1 might have been
some comfort to you. 1 have tried
hard enough said Jane, who was jeal.
Gus.
"Oh, yes, my sweet Jane. You dc
comfort me. You are like II soothing
balm to an aching pain" And she kiss,
cd the hands that held hers. This was
all that modest little Jane required
She was content to be n humble balm
and did not aspire to the dignity of al
elixir.
The girls then said their prayegs in
concert, and Mary gently wept herself
to sleep. She lay dreaming and toss
Ing nervously until sunrise. when she
got up and added more pages to her
letter until 1 called to take 1t.
l was on hand soon after the Tower
gates had opened and was permitted
to see Brandon at once. He read
Mary's letter and acted like every 9th
er lover since love letters first began
He was quick to note the absence OF
the longed for but not expected assur.
ance, and when lie did not see 1t went
straight TO the point.
"Shc has promised to marry the
French king TO purchase my life. Is
that not true?"
II hope not" / answered evasively
II have seen very little Of her, and she
has said nothing about It,"
You are evading my question, I see
Do you know nothing of TT"
Nothing" 1 replied, telling an un.
necessary lie.
"Caskodcn, you are either u liar or q
~blockhead.'
"A1akc 1t n liar, Brandon" said l.
lauglingly, for / was sure of my place
I'm his heart and knew that he meant
no offcnsc.
l never doubt n friend. One would
better be trustful of ninety-nine friends
who are false than doubtful Of one who
is true. Suspicion and representative
ness are Mt once the badge md the
bane of n little soul.
/ did not leave the Tower until noon
IL Brandon's pardon had been deliv-
cred to him before I left. He was glad
hat the first news OF IT had come from
Mary.
He naturally expected his liberty at
once, and when told that lie was to be
lOnorably detained for Il short time
turned to mo and said: 81 suppose they
arc. afraid to let me out until she Is off
for France. King Henry nattcrs me-"
L looked out of the window ND Tower
street and said nothing.
When 1 left, I tOok II letter to Mary,
which plainly told her he had OWNED
1t all, and she wrote n tear stained an
swer, begging him to forgive her for
than her own.
For several days / was kept busy
carrying letters from Greenwich to The
owe and back again, but soon letters
ceased to satisfy Mary, and she made
mp her mind that she must soc him.
Nothing else would do. She must not,
could rot and, in short, would not 20
another day without seeing llm-no.
not another hour. Jane and | opposed
hcr all we could, but the best we could
accomplish was to induce licr for Bran
don's sakc-for she was beginning TO
see that he was the one WHO bad to
suffer for her i~ndiscrctiOms - TO ask
Henry permission. and if lie refused,
tien Try some other way. 10 deter
mine was to act with Mary, so off she
went without delay to hunt the King.
taking Jane and me along as escort.
How full we were of important bust.
ness as VIC scurricd along the corridors.
one OH each side Of Mary, all talking
excitedly at once! When anything was
to be done, 1T always required three of
us to do 1t.
We found the king, and without any
prelude Mary profrcrcd her request.
OF course 1t was refused. Mary pouted
and was getting rcndy for nh Outburst