The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-04-29
CHAPTER v.

kSSa@<J audience and presented to the
G@&$SJ king and queen. He was now
eligible to all palace entertainments
and would probably have many invita-
lions, being II fayorite with both their
majesties. AS to his standing with
Mary, who was really the most impor-
tant figure socially about the court, 1
could not exactly say. She was such q
mixture Of contradictory impulses n
rapid transitions, and was 80 full Of
whims and caprice, the inevitable out
growth of her blood, her rank II the
adulation amid which she u always
lived, that / could not predict for a
day ahead her attitude toward any one
She had never shown so great favor
to any man as to Brandon, but just
how much of her. condescension was
n mere within, growing out OF the i'm
pulse of the moment and subject to
reaction, I could not tell. L believed,
however, that Brandon stood upon a
firmer foundation with this changing,
shifting Quicksand of a girl than with
either Of their majesttes.
In fact, 1 thought he rested upon her
heart itself. But to guess correctly
what a girl of that sort will do or think
or feel would require inspiration.
OF course most of the entertainments
given by the king and queen included
as guests nearly all the court, but
Mary often had little fetes and dane
ing parties which were smaller, more
select and informal. These parties were
really with the consent and encourage
ment of the king, to avoid the respon-
sibility Of not inviting everybody. The,
larger affairs were very dull, and
smaller ones might give onfense to
those who were left out. The latter,
therefore, were turned over to Mary,
who cared very little who vas Offend
ed or who was not, and invitations to
them were highly valued.
One afternoon a day or two after
Brandon's presentation a message ar
rived from Mary notifying me that she
would have a little fete that evening
in one of the smaller halls and direct
ing me to be there as master of the
dance. Accompanying the message was
n note from no less a person han the
princess horself, inviting Brandon.
This was an honor i~ndeed-an auto
graph invitation from the hand OF Ma
ry! Blu the masterful rascal did not
seem to consider 1t anything unusual,
and when 1 handed him the note upon
his return from the hunt he simply
read it carelessly over once, tore 1t in
pieces and tossed it away. I believe
the Duke Of Buckingham would have
given 10000 crowns to receive such a
note and would doubtless have shown
1t to half the court in triumphant con-
hdence before the middle Of the night.
To this great captain Of the guard 1t
was but a scrap Of paper. He was glad
to have 1t, nevertheless. and with all hiq
self restraint and stoicism could not
conceal his pleasure.
Brandon at once accepted the invita-
ton in a personal note to the princess.
The boldness Of this actually took my
breath, and 1t seems at first to have
startled Mary a little also. AS you
must know by this time, her dignity
royal was subject to alarms and quite
her most troublesome attribute-very
apt to receive damage In her relations
with Brandon.
Mary did not destroy Brandon's note,
despite the fact that her sense Of dig
nifty had been disturbed by 1t, but after
she had read 1t slipped off into her pri-
vate room, read 1t again and put 1t on
her escritoire. Soon she picked 1t up.
reread 1t and, after n little hesitation,
put 1T in her pocket. 1t remained in
the pocket for n moment or two, when
out 1T came for another perusal, and
then she unfastened her bodice and put
1T in her bosom. Mary had been so in
tent upon what she was doing that she
had not seen Jane, who was sitting
quietly In the window, and when she
turned and saw her she was SO angry
she snatched the note from her bosom
and threw 1t upon the floor, stamping
her foot in embarrassment and &
"How dare you watch me, hussyf"
she cried. you lurk around as still as
the grave, and I nave to look into every
nook and corner wherever I go or have
you spying o. me-"
II did not spy upon you, Lady Mary"
said Jane quietly.
Don't answer me! / know you didi
I want you to be less silent after this.
Do you hear2 Cough or sing or stun
BILE; do something, anything, that I
may hear you"
Jane rose, picked up the note and Of
fered 1t to her mistress, who snatched
1t with n hand while she gave her a
yharp slap with the other. Jane ran
out, and Mary, full of anger ana shame,
slammed the door and locked 1t. The
note, being the cause Of all the trouble,
she impatiently threw to the floor
again and went over to the window
bench, where she threw herself down
to pout. In the course Of five minutes
she turned her head for one feeting
instant and looked at the note, and
then, after a little hesitation, stole
over to where she had thrown 1T and
picked 1t up. Going back to the light
at the window she held 1t in her hand
a moment and then read it once, twice,
thrice. The third time brought the
smile, and the note nestled In the
bosom again.
Jane did not come off so we'll, for her
mistress did not speak to her until she
called her in that evening to make her
toilet. BY that time Mary had forgot
ten about the note In her bosom; SO
when Jane began to array her for the
dance 1t fell to the floor, whereupon
both girls broke into n laugh, and Jane
kissed Mary's bare shoulder, and Mary
kissed the top Of James head, and they
were friends again.
So Brandon accepted Mary's invita-
ton and went to Mary's dance, but his
going made for him an enemy of the