The San Francisco call., 1903-01-25

painted for Charles of Germany, but had
never been given-and a curl of her hair,
and 1t looked as if this was all he would
ever possess Of her.
De Longueville heard of Henry's brutal
consent that Mary might see Brandon
and. with a Frenchmans belief In Wo-
mans depravity, was exceedingly ANXIOUS
to keep them apart. To this end ne re-
Quested that a member of his own ret1nue
be placed near Brandon To this Henry
readily consented and there was emo 10
even the letter-writing. Opportunities In
crease in value doubly fast as they drlft
behind US, and now that the Princess
could not see Brandon, or even write 10
him, she regretted with her whole soul
that she had not gone to the Tower Wnen
she had permission, regardless OF What
any would say think.
Mary was imperious and impatient, py
nature, but upon rare and urgent occa-
siono could employ the very smoothese
sort of finesse.
Her promise to marry Louis Of France
had been given under the stress OF
frantic fear for Brandon, and without the
slightest mental reservation for 1t was
given to save his life, as she would have
given her hands or her eyes, her life or
her very soul itself; but now that the I'M
minent danger was passed she began to
revolve schemes to evade her promise and
save Brandon Notwithstanding. She knew
that under the present arrangement MS
life depended upon her marriage, but she
had never lost faith in her ability to ham
die the King If she had but a little time
in which to operate, and had secretly re-
gretted that she had not, in place OF
flight. opened up her campaign along the
line of feminine diplomacy at the very
beginning.
Henry was dullard mentally, while
Mary's mind was keen and alert-two
facts of which the girl was perfectly
a.ware-so it was no wonder she had such
confidence in herself. When she first
heard of Brandon's sentence her fear for
him was so great, and the need for action
so urgent, that she could not resort to her
usual methods for turning matters her
way. but eagerly applied the first and
quickest remedy offered. Now, however,
that she had a breathing spell, and time
in which to operate her more slowly
moving, but, as she thought, equally sure
forces of cajolery and persuasion, she de-
termined to marshal the legions Of her
wit and carry war into the enemy's coun-
try at once.
Henry's brutal selfshpess in forcing
upon her the French marriage, together
with his cruel condemnation Of Brandon,
and his vile insinuations against herself,
had driven nearly every spark of affec-
she felt that she might feign an affec-
ton she did not feel, and that what she
so wanted would be cheap at that price.
Cheap? 1t would be cheap at the cost
of her immortal soul Cheap? What she
wanted was lifes condensed sweets-the
man she loved: and what she wanted to
escape was Iife's distilled bitterness
marriage with the man she loathed. None
but a pure woman can know the torture
n " " H.
paign from start to finish. Mary began
with a wide flank movement conducted
under masked batteries and skillfully eX-
ecuted She sighed over her troubles and
cried a great deal, but told the King he
had been such a dear kind brother to
her that she would gladly do anything to
please him and advance his interests.
She said it would be torture to live with
that old creature, King Louis, but she
would do it willingly to help her hand
some brother, no matter how much she
might suffer.
The King laughed and said: Poor old
Louis! What about him? What about
his suffering? He thinks he is making
such a fine bargain, but the Lord pity
him when Nhe has my little sister in his
side for a thorn. He haj better employ
some energetic soul to prick him with
needles and bodkins, for l think there is
more power for disturbance in this little
body than in any other equal amount of
space in all the universe. You will fur
nsh him all the trouble he wants, won t
you. sister?''
II shall try" said the Princess. demure-
ly. perfectly willing to obey in every
thing
Devil a doubt of that and you will
succeed, too, or my crowns a stew-pan" 4"
and he laughed at the huge joke he was
about to perpetrate on his poor old royal
brother.
1t would seem that the tremendous dose
of flattery administered by Mary would
have been so plainly self-interested as to
alarm the dullest perception, but Henry
vanity was so dense, and his appetite for
flattery so great, that he accepted It all
without suspicion, and it made him quite
affable and gracious.
Mary kept up her show of affection and
docile obedience for week or two until
she thought Henry's suspicious were al
layed; and then, after having done
enough petting and fondling, as she
thought to start the earth itself a-mov-
ing-as some men are foolish enough TO
say 1t really Goes-she began her attack
direct of putting her arms around the
Kings neck, and piteously begging him
not sacrifice her whole life by sending
her to France.
Her pathetic, soul-charged appeal
might have softened the heart of Caligula
himself; but Henry was not even cruel.
He was simply an animal so absorbed in
himself that he could not feel for others.
''Oh! it is out a last" he said with a
laugh. 81 thought all this sweetness
must have been for something. So the
lady wants her Brandon and doesn't want
her Louis, yet is willing to obey her dear,
kind brother? WE'LL we'll take her at her
word and let her obey You may as well
understand, once and for all. that you are
to go to France. You promised to go de-
Gently If ] would not cut off that fellow s
head, and now l tell you that If l hear
another whimper from you. off il comes,
and you will go to France. too"
This brought Mary to terms quickly
enough. 1t touched her one vulnerable
spot-her love.
''I will go; 1 promise it again. You
shall never hear another word of COM
plant from me IL you give me your royal
word that no harm shall come to him
TO him." and she put her hands over her
face to conceal her tears as she softly
wept.l
1.-THE day you sail for France Brandon
k-,1N