Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-06-19

KINDLY tell ne uhere my friend ca,
Udit upon a friend Of his grace"
mind Judson's Fate. did no. care fol
aay more. They had met by accident
and Brandon, full Of smiles and as po
lite as Frenchman, greeted him.
Doubtless my lord, having crossed
swords twice with me, will do me the
great honor to grant that privilege the
third time and will kindly tell me
where my friend can wait upon a
friend Of his grace"
"There is no need for US to meet over
that little affair. You had the best Of
1t, and If am satisfied you should be.
I was really in the wrong, but ! did
not know the princess had invited you
to her ball."
"Your lordship is pleased to evade."
returned Brandon. 1T is not the ball
room matter that l have to complain
of. AS you have rightly said. If you are
satisfied certainly should be, but 1t is
that your lordship, in the name Of the
king, instructed the keeper Of Newgate
prison to confine me in an underground
cell and prohibited communication with
any OF my friends. You SO arranged 1t
that my trial should be secret both as
to the day thereof and the event. in or
der that it should not be known to
those who might be interested in my
release. You promised the Lady Mary
that you would procure my liberty, and
thereby prevented her going to the
king for that purpose. and afterward
told her that ii had all been done, as
promised, and that l had escaped to
New Spain. 1t is because Of this, my
Lord Buckingham, that / now de-
nounce you as liar. a coward and
perjured knight, and demand of you
such satisfaction as one man can give
to another for mortal injury. If you
refuse, will kill you as would cut
throat the next time meet you"
II care nothing for your rant, fel-
low, but out of consideration for the
feelings which your fancied injuries
have put into your heart, l tell you that
did what l could to liberate you and
received from the keeper a promise
that you should be allowed to escape.
After that a certain letter addressed
to you was discovered and fell into the
hands of the king matter in which
had no part. AS to your confinement
and noncommunication with your
friends, that was at his majesty's COM
mand after he had seen the letter, as
he will most certainly confirm to you.
| say this for my own sake, not that
care what you may say or think"
This offer Of confirmation by the king
made it all sound like the truth, SO
much will even a little truth leaven a
great lie, and part Of Brandon's sails /
came down against the mast. The
whole statement surprised him, and
most of all the intercepted letter. What /
etter could it have been? 1t was puz-
ling and yet he dared not ask.
AS the duke was about to " u away
Brandon stopped him; "One moment,
FOUR grace; am willing to admit what
you have said, for l am not now pre-
pared to contradict it, but there is yet
mother matter we have to settle You
lttacked me on horseback and tried to
murder me in order to abduct two la
lies that night over in Billingsgate.
That You cannot deny. l watched you
ollow the ladies from Bridewell to
irouche's. and saw your face when
our mask fell OF during the melee as
'lainly as see it now. II other proof
) wanting, there is that sprained knee
lpon which your horse fell, causing
'ou to limp even yet 1 am sure now
hat my lord will meet me like a man,
r would he prefer that should 60 to
be king and tell him and the world the
vhole shameful story? I have con-
called II heretofore thinking it my per-
onal right and privilege to settle with
ou."
buckingham turned shade paler as