Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-05-15
Condnued from page 3.

ened, and she asked Brandon what SIND
he would sail in for New Spain, and
whence.
1--WE sail in the Royal Hind from
Bristol" he replied.
"How many go out in her, and are
there any womenW
"No nor 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,
calms storms, blackness, monsters
from the deep and victorious foes"
"The ignorant creatures.' cried Mary.
Brandon continued, "There will be a
so many to enlist"
"How does one procure passage?" in
quired Mary.
by enisting with the captain, man
named Bradhurst, at Bristol. where the
ship is now lying. There is where
enlisted by letter. But why do you
ask"
ooh, only wanted to know"
We talked awhile on various topics,
but Mary always brought the CONVEX
sa ton back to the same subject. the
Royal Hind and New Spain. After
asking many questions she sat in 81
lence for a time and then abruptly
broke into one of my sentences. She
was always interrupting me as if |
were parrot.
81 have been thinking and have made
up my mind what l will do and you
shall not dissuade me. I 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
impossible. 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
ture of the last few weeks. In truth,
l cannot bear this at all. 1t is killing
me- so what would it be when you are
gone and ! am the wife of Louis?
Think of that Charles Brandon; think
of that, when | am the wife of Louis
Even if the voyage kills me, l might
as well die one way as another, and
then l would be with you, where it
were sweet to die" And l had to sit
there and listen to all this foolish talk!
Brandon insisted; But no women
are going. AS l told you, they would
not take one. Besides, how could you
escape? | will answer the first ques-
ton you ever asked me. You are Of
sufficient consideration about the
court for all your movements to at
tract notice. 1t is impossible We
must not think of it. 1t cannot be done
Why build up hopes only to be cast
down.
ooh, but it can be done. Never doubt
1t. | will go, not as a woman. but as a
man. l have planned all the details
while sitting here. Tomorrow | will
send to Bristol sum of money asking
separate room in the ship for a young
nObleman who wishes to go to New
Spain incognito. and will 90 aboard
just before they sail. | will buy a
mans complete outfit and will practice
being a man before you and Sir Ed
win" Here she blushed 50 that
could see the scarlet even in the gath
ering gloom. She continued: AS to
my escape. | can go to Windsor, and
then perhaps on to Berkeley castle,
over by Reading, where there will be
no one to watch me. You can leave at
once, and there will be no cause for
them to spy upon me when you are
gone. so it can be done easily enough.
That is it. l will 90 to my sister who
is now at Berkeley castle, the other
side of Reading, you know, and that
will make Il shorter ride to Bristol
when we start"
The thought. of course, could not but
please Brandon, to whom, in the
warmth of Mary's ardor, it had almost
begun to offer hope, and he said mus
ingly: 81 wonder if it could be done?
If it could-if we could reach New
Spain. we might build ourselves a
h'AiN III thp SlNNh
and hide ourselves safely away from
all the world, in the lap of some cozy
valley, rich with natures bounteOus
gift of fruit and flowers, shaded from
the hot sun and sheltered from the
blasts, and live in little paradise all
our own. What glorious dream, but
it is only dream, and we had better
awake from it,
Brandon must have been insane.
'No, no. 1t is not n dream" inter
rupted downright determined Mary.