Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-06-26

forever. he loves me, anu Cdu u
anything with him when try. know
/ can obtain his consent to our-our-
marriage. He cannot know how l SUI
fer, else he would not treat me so.
will let him see; will convince him
I have In my mind everything l wan
to say and do. l will sit on his kne,
and stroke his hair and kiss him." Ant
she laughed softly as her spirit revived
in the breath of glowing hope. "TheI
I will tell him how handsome he is ant
how l hear the ladies signing for him
and he will come around all right by
the third visit. Oh, l know how to dc
1t. l have done it so often. Meyer
fear. l wish had gone at it long ago.
| Her enthusiastic fever Of hope was
really contagious. but Brandon, whose
life was at stake, had his wits quick.
ened by the danger.
MARY, would you like to see me a
corpse before tomorrow noon?" he ask
ed.
"Why, of course not! Why do you
ask such dreadful question:"
Because, If you wish to make sure
of 1t, do what you have Just said-go to
the king and tell him all. doubt If
he could wait till morning. / believe
he would awaken me at midnightAto
put me to sleep forever-at the end Of
a rope or on block pillow"
"Oh, no; you are all wrong. know
what can do with Henry"
"If that is the case, l say goodby
now, for l shall be out of England, If
possible, by midnight You must promise
me that you will not only not 60 to the
king at all about this matter, but that
you will guard your tongue, jealous Of
its slightest word, and remember with
every breath that on your prudence
hangs my life, which, know, is dear
to you. Do you promise? If you do
not, must fly. So you will lose me
one way or the other if you tell the
king-either by my fight or by my
DEATH"
II promise" said Mary, with droop-
ing head, the embodiment Of despair,
all life and hope having left her again.
After few minutes her face bright
ened, and she asked Brandon what ship
he would sail in for New Spain, and
whence.
I'VE sail in the Royal Hind from
Bristol" he replied.
How many go out in her, and are
there any women"
"No, no!' he returned. mo woman
could make the trip, and, besides, on
ships of that sort, half pirate, half mer-
chant, they do not take women. The
sailors are superstitious about it and
will not sail with them. They say
they bring bad luck-adverse winds,
Gains, storms, blackness, monsters
from the deep and victorious foes"
''The ignorant creatures" cried Mary.
Brandon continued, "There will be a
hundred men if the captain can induce
so many to enlist"
"How does one procure passage" in
Quired Mary.
"By enlisting with the captain, man
named Bradhurst, at Bristol, where the
ship is now lying. There is where l
enlisted by letter. But why do you
ask"
"Oh, only wanted to know"
We talked awhile on various topics,
but Mary always brought the CONVEX
81 ton back to the same subject, the
Royal Hind and New Spain. After
asking many questions she sat in ST.
lence for a time and then abruptly
broke into one of my sentences. She
was always interrupting me as II
were a parrot.
81 have been thinking and have made
up my mind what l will do, and you
shall not dissuade me. l will go to
New Spain with you. That will be
glorious-far better than the hum
drum life of sitting at homeland will
solve the whole question"
"But that would be impossible,
Mary" said Brandon, into whose face
this new evidence of her regard had |
brought a Frightening look; utterly /
To begin with, no woman /
could stand the voyage, not even you,
strong and vigorous as you are"
"Oh, yes l can, and l will not allow
you to stop me for that reason. | could
bear any hardship better than the tor
lure of the last few weeks. In truth,
cannot bear this at all. 1t is killing
ne; so what would it be when you are
gone and | am the wife of Louis?
Think of that, Charles Brandon; think
If that. when l am the wife of Louis
Even if the voyage kills me, | might
is well die one way as another, and
hen l would be with you, where it
we're sweet to die" And had to sit
here and listen to all this foolish talk!
Brandon insisted: But no women
Ire going. As / told you, they would
lot take one. Besides, how could you
scape? Will answer the first ques-
hon you ever asked me. You are OF
sufficient consideration about the
eourt for all your movements to at
tract notice. 1t is impossible. We
must not think of it. 1t cannot be done.