Willmar tribune., 1903-07-08


than death, Is now lying In -a~rayless
dungeon, a place of frightful filth, such
as you would not walk across for all
the wealth of London bridge; is sur
rounded by: loathsome, creeping things
that would sicken you but to think Of:
is resting under charge whose penal
ty is that he be hanged, drawn and
quartered? And yet you stop. to eat
and bathe and dress! In Gods name
Mary Tudor, of what stuff are YOU
made? If he had waited but one little
minute, had stopped for the drawing
of breath, had held back for but one
faltering thought from the terrible
odds Of four swords to one, what would
you now be? Think, princess; thinkv
was little frightened at the length
to which my feeling had driven me.
but Mary took it all very we'll and said
slowly and absentmindedly:
"You are right. I will go at once.
despise my selfish neglect. There is
no other way-I have racked my brain
there is no other way. 1t must be
done. and I will go at once and do it."
"And will go with you," said I.
II do not blame you," she said, "for
doubling me since have failed once.
But you need not doubt me now. It
shall be done, and without delay, re-
gardless Of the cost to me. I have
thought and thought to find some other
way to. Hberate him, but there is none.
will go this instant"
"And I will go with you, Lady Ma
ry," said doggedly.
took me by the hand, saying, Gomez
We at once went off to find the king,
but the smile had faded from 'Mary's
face, and she looked as if she were 60
ing to execution. Every shade of color
had fed, and her lips were the hue of
ashes.
We found the king in the midst of
his council, with the French ambassa-
dors, discussing the all absorbing topic
of the marriage treaty, and Henry,
fearing an outbreak, refused to see
the princess. AS usual, opposition but
down in the anteroom and said she
would not stir until she had seen the
king.
After we had waited a few minutes
one Of the kings pages came up and
said he had been looking all over the
palace for me and that the king desired
my presence Immediately. l went in
with the page to the king, leaving
Mary alone and very melancholy in
the antechamber.
Upon entering the kings presence he
asked: "Where have you been, Sir Ed
win? I have almost killed a good half
dozen pages hunting you. l want you
to prepare Immediately to go to Paris
with an embassy to his majesty King
Louis. You will be the Interpreter.
The ambassador you need not know.
Make ready at once. The embassy
will leave London from the Tabard inn
one hour hence"
Could command to duty have come
at more inopportune time? l was
distracted, and upon leaving the King
went at once to seek the Lady Mary
where had left her in the anteroom.
She had gone, SO l went to her apart
ments, but could not find her. I went
to the queens salon, but she was not
there, and l traversed that old ram
bling palace from one end to the other
without finding her or Lady Jane.
The king had told me the embassy
ho nd hat
to speak Of it to nobody, least Of all to
the Lady Mary. No one was to know
that was leaving England, and l was
to communicate with no one at home
while in France.
The kings command was not to be
disobeyed. To do so would be as much
as my life was worth; but, besides that,
the command of the king served was
my highest duty, and no Caskoden ever
failed in that. may not be as tall as
some men, but my fidelity and honor
but you will say boast.
was to make ready my bundle and
ride six miles to London in one hour,
and almost half that time was spent
already. I was sure to be late, so l
could not waste another minute.
went to my room and got together
a few things necessary for my journey,
but did not take much in the way of
clothing, preferring to buy that new
in Paris, where could find the latest
styles in pattern and fabric.
I tried to assure myself that Mary
would see the king at once and tell him
all and not allow my dear friend Bran
don to lie in that terrible place another
night, yet persistent fear gnawed at
my heart, and sort Of intuition that
seemed to have the very breath Of GER
tainty in its foreboding made me doubt
her.
As could find neither Mary nor
Jane, did the next best thing-l
wrote letter to each of them, urging
Immediate action and left them to be
delivered by my man Thomas, who
was one Of those trusty souls that nev-
eF fail. l did not tell the girls was
about to start for France, but intimat-
ed that-1 was compelled to leave Lon