The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-07-01
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE SIREN COUNTRY.

wv for affection, a mistake fire.
I%EHS!y Quently made by people not
E&&SSD given to self analysis, and In
a day or two a reaction set In toward
Brandon which inspired q desire to
make some amends for his harsh
treatment. This he could not do to
any great extent on B~uckingham's nc
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
riagc stimulated that rare flower in
Henry's heart, n good resolve, and
Brandon was offered his old quarters
with me until such time MS he should
sail for Now Spain.
He had never abandoned this plan,
and now that matters had taken this
turn with Mary and the king his reso-
luton was stronger than ever in that
the scheme held two recommendations
and n possibility.
The recommendations were, first, 1t
would take him away from Mary, with
whom, when out of the inspiring In
fucnce Of her buoyant hopefulness,
he knew marriage to be utterly impos-
sible, and, second, admitting md fac
ing that impossibility, he might find
Mt least partial relief from his heart
ache In the stirring events and adven-
lures Of that faraway land of monsters,
dragons, sayages and gold. The posi-
bility lay In the gold, and n very raint-
ly burning fame Of hope held out the
still more family 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 a price
less n treasure as n certain princess of
the royal blood.
Brandon Mt once accepted the kings
offer Qf 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 SEQ MS 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 80
acute during this period hat it affect
ed Inc like n contagion.
1t did not make Il NOPE of him, but
came in spasms that almost drove him
wild. He would at times pace the
room and cry out: "Jcsu, C%askoden,
what shall I do? 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. 1 shall find the bearing of Paris
and look In her direction until my brain
melts in my effort to see her, and then
/ shall wander In the woods, a suffer
Ing imbecile, feeding on roots and nuts.
Would to God one Of us might die! II
1t were not selfish, 1 should wish I
might be the one"
1 said nothing III 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, Mt which Mary, feeling that each
time she saw Brandon might be the
last, would sit and look Mt him with
glowing yes that in turn softened and
burned as lie spoke. She did not talk
much, but devoted all her time and ell
ergies to looking with her whole soul.
| Never before or since was there a girl
SO much in love. a young girl thor
oughiy in love is the most beautiful
| object ON earth-beautiful even in ug-
Illness. Imagine, then, what 1t made Of
Mary!
Growing partly, perhaps, out OF hIg
Observation-Disclosures ho was as far out
Of her reach as Ii 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 sacri-
flee In refusing to compromise her In
order to save himself, had presented
him to her In 80 noble q light that she
had come to look up to him as her SUI
pcriOr. Her surrender had been com.
| plete, and she found in 1t 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 parior. 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
we'll enough that the unusual element
In our parties was their exceeding
smallness. A. company of eight or ten
young persons was well enough, al
though 1t Of course created jealousy OH
the part OF those who were left out,
| but fOur-two OF each sex-mnde a 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 a
Jealous person about the court ready
to carry tales and that 1t was impossi.
bic long to keep our meetings secret
among such a host as then lived in
Greenwich palace.
One day the queen summoned Jane
and put her to the question. Now, Fpn0
thought the truth WAS made only to be
told, n fallacy into which many good
people have fallen, to their utter de,
struction, 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
was like to faint She went with her
hairJjfting horror 10 the king and
poured into his ears n tale of impru-
dence and debauchery we'll calculated
to start his righteous. virtue-prompted
indignation into n threatening flame.
Mary, Jane, Brandon and myself
were at ono summoned to the presence
OF both their majesties and soundiy
SSprimanded. Three of us were order
ed to leave the court before we could
speak a word IN self defense, and Jane
had enough of her favorlte trith for
49, IT,. - .-.. $3.50.