The San Francisco call., 1903-01-18

eat and drink themselves red in the face
short, they were ready to be tickIed near
ly to death for the honor OF paying 10
wretched old lecher a wagon load OF
gold to accept, as a gracious gift. the
most beautiful heart-brOken girl in the
world That is, she would have been
heart-brOken had she not been inspired
with courage. AS 1t wasS she wasted none
it all to fight with Heavenst how she
did fight. If a valiant defense ever de-
served victory, II was in her case. When
the Queen went To her with silks and
the trousseau, although the theme was
one which would interest almost any
woman she would have none Of IL. and
when Catherine insisted upon her trying
on certain gown she called her a black
amoor, tore the garment to pieces and or
dered her to leave the room.
Henry sent WO!sey 10 tell her that the
18th day Of August had been fixed upon
the day of the marriage. De Tongue
Nilie 10 act as the french King proxy,
and Wolsey was glad to come off with h-s
life.
Matters were getting into a pretty tan
gle t the palace Mary would not speak
10 the King. and poor Catherine was
afraid to come within arms length OF
her; WOlsey was glad to keep out of her
way, and she few at buckingham with
talonS and beak upon first sight As to
the battle with Buckingham, it was short
but decisive, and this was the way II
came about: There had been passage
between the Duke ana Brandon. IN WnlCn
the latter had tried TO coax the former
into a duel. the only way, of course, to
settle the weighty matters between them.
Buckingham however, had had a taste
bearing in mind Judson's fate, did not
care for any more. They had met by ac-
cident and Brandon full of smiles and
as polite as a 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
Grace"
There is no need for us to meet over
that little affair. You had the best of
] was really in the wrong but 1 did not
know the Princess had invited you TO her
ball"
Your Lordship is pleased TO evade." re-
turned Brandon. 1T is not the ballroom
matter that ! have to complain Of; as
you have rightly said. If you are salts
ned, certainly should be- but it Is that
instructed the keeper Of Newgate prison
to contine me in an underground cell and
prohibited communication with any OF
my friends. You so arranged IT that my
trial should be secret, both to the
day thereof and the event. in order that
1t 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,
anu dlNclWdIu lOlu nel IL ndd all Oeen
done, as promised and that / had escaped
to New Spain. 1t is because of this my
Lord Buckingham, that ! now denOunce
you as a liar q coward and a periured
knight, and demand of you such satisfac-
tion as one man can give to another for
mortal injury. If you refuse. ! will kill
you as l would cut-throat the next time
/ meet YOU"
Il care nothing for your rant, fellow.
but out of consideration for the feelings
which your fancied injuries have put into
hnn nEr toll Afar.N IL =
could to Hberate you. and received from
the keeper 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 Kinr-a
matter in which I had no part AS to
your confinement and non-communicat tion
with your friends that was at his Maj
eSty command after he had seen the
letter. as he will most certainly confirm
to you. i say this for my own sake, not
that l 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 Brandons sails came
down against the mast The whole state
intercepted letter. What letter could IL
have been? 1t was puzzling, and yet he
dared not ask.
AS the Duke was about to walk away
Brandon stopped him. "One moment.
your Grace; | am willing to admit what
you have said, for 1 am not now prepared
matter we have to settle. You attacked
me on horseback and tried to murder me
In order to abduct two ladies that night
over in Billingsgate. That you cannot
deny. I watched you follow the ladies
from BrfdeWell to Grouche's, and saw
your face when your mask fell off dur
ing the melee as plainly as l see it now.
If other proof is wanting. there is that
sprained knee upon which your horse fell
causing you to limp even yet. / am sure
now that my Lord will meet me like
Ho hot 7 4
go to the King and tell him and the world
the whole shameful story2 / have con-
cealed 1T heretofore, thinking II my per-
sonal right and privilege TO settle with
Buckingham turned a shade paIer as he
replied Il do not meet such as you on
the field of honor, and have no fear Of
your slander inJur1ng me-
He felt secure in the thought that the
girls did not know who had attacked
them and could not corrOborate Brandon
would have appealed to him for help.
I was with Brandon-at little distance,
that is-when this occurred, and after
buckingham had left we went to find the
be looking for US, although they would
pretend surprise when they saw us. We
soon met them. and the very leaves Of
the trees gave a soft, contented rustic
in response to Mary's low. mellow laugh
Of joy.
After perhaps half an hour we encoun-
knight Johnson. They had evidently
walked out to this quiet path to consult
about the situation. AS they approached
Mary spoke to the Duke with a vicious
sparkle in her eyes
My Lord Buckingham, this shall cost
you your head. Remember my words
when you are on the scaffold. just when
your neck fits into the hollow OF the
block
He stopped, with an evident desire to
explain, but Mary pointed down the path
and said: 60, or I will have Master
Brandon spit you on his sword. Two to
one would be easy odds compared with
the four to one you put against him In
Billingsgate. Got" And the battle was
over. the foe never having struck a blow.
Tt hurt me that Mary should speak OF
the odds being two to one against Bran
don when l was at hand. It is true. I
was not very large. but 1 could have
taken care of a lawyer.
Now 1t was that the lawyer-knight
earned his bread by his wits, for II was
he l know, who instigated the next move
"a master stroke in its way. and one
which proved checkmate to US. 1t was
this: The Duke went at once TO the King
and, in tone of injured innocence, told
him OF the charge made by Brandon with
Mary's evident approval, and demanded
redress for the slander. Thus II seemed
that the strength Of our position was
about to be turned against US Brandon
was at once summoned and promptly ap-