Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-28
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE SIREN COUNTRY.

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 ESTd quently made by people not tSs&AD given to self analysis, and in day or two a reaction set in toward Brandon which inspired a desire to make some amends for his harsh treatment. This he could not do to any great extent on Buckingham's ac- count-at least not until the London loan was in his coffers-but the fact that Brandon was going to New Spain so soon and would be out of the way both of Mary's eyes and Mary's mar riage stimulated that rare flower in Henry's heart, good resolve, and Brandon was offered his old quarters with me until such time as he should sail for New Spain.
 He had never abandoned this plan, and now that matters had taken this turn with Mary and the king his reso- lution was stronger than ever in, that the scheme held two recommendation and possibility.
 The recommendations were, first it would take him away from Mary, with whom, when out of the inspiring in. fuence of her buoyant hopefulness, he knew marriage to be utterly impos- sible, and, second, admitting and fac ing that impossibility, he might find at least partial relief from his heart ache in the stirring events and adven- lures of that faraway land of monsters, dragons, savages and gold. The possi- biAty lay in the gold, and very faint ly burning flame of hope held out the still more faintly glimmering chance that fortune, finding him there almost alone, might for lack of another lover smile upon him by way of squaring ac-. counts. She might lead him to a cav ern of gold, and gold would do any, thing, even perhaps purchase price less treasure as certain princess of the royal blood.
 Brandon at once accepted the kings offer of lodging in the palace, for now that he felt sure of himself in the mat ter of New Spain and his separation from Mary he longed to see as much as possible of her before the light went out forever, even though it were play Ing with death itself to do so.
 Poor fellow! His suffering was so acute during this period that 1t affect ed me like contagion.
 1t did not make nope of him, but came in spasms that almost drove him wild. He would at times pace the room and cry out: 'Jesu, Caskoden, what shall dor She will be the wife of the French king, and I shall sit in the wilderness and try every moment to imagine what she is doing and think ing. shall find the bearing of Paris and look in her direction until my brain melts in my effort to see her, and then I shall wander in the woods, suffer Ing imbecile, feeding on roots and nuts. Would to God one of us might diel If 1t were not selfish, should wish I might be the one."
 said nothing in answer to these out bursts, as had no consolation to offer.
 We had two or three of our little meetings of four, dangerous as they were, at which. Mary, feeling that each. time she saw Brandon might be the last, would sit and look at him with glowing eyes that in turn softened and burned as he spoke. She did not talk much, but devoted all her time and en- ergies to looking with her whole soul. Never before or since was there girl so much in love. A young girl thor oughly in love is the most beautiful object on earth-beautiful even in ug- Illness. Imagine, then, what 1t made of Maryi
 Growing partly perhaps, out of his unattainab bility-for he was as far out of her reach as she out of his--she had long since begun to worship him. She had learned to know him so well, and his valiant defense of her in Billings gate, together with his noble self sacrf- flee in refusing to compromise her in order to save himself, had presented him to her in so noble a light that she had come to look up to him as her su- perior. Her surrender had been com plete, and she found in it a joy far ex- ceeding that of any victory or triumph she could imagine.
 The trouble began in earnest with the discovery of our meetings in Lady Mary's parlor. There was nothing at all unusual in the fact that small com panies of young folk frequently spent their evenings with her, but we knew well enough that the unusual element in our parties WAS their exceeding smallness. A company of eight or ten young persons was we'll enough, al- though it of course created jealousy on the part of those who were left out. but four--two of each sex-made diff ference in kind, however much we might insist 1t was only in degree, and this, we soon learned, was the kings opinion.
 You may be sure there was many q jealous person about the court ready to carry tales and that it was impossi- ble long to keep our meetings secret among such host as then lived in X Greenwich palace.
 One day the queen summoned Jane and put her to the question. Now, Jane
 thought the truth was made only to be told, faiiacy into which many good people have fallen, to their utter de- btruction, since the truth, like every other good thing, may be abused.
 We'll, Jane told 1t all in a moment, and Catherine was so mortified that she waB Ike to raint. She Went with her aair-lifting horror to the king and
 sured into his ears a tale of impru.
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