The San Francisco call., 1903-01-25

ef-her promise never to wed any other
man Mary had not told him of her final
surrender in the matter of the French
marriage for the reason that she dreaded
to pain him and feared he might refuse
the sacrifice.
'It Will almost kill him. I know" she
said to Jane that night, "and fear IT Is
a false kindness I do him. He would,
probably, rather die than that I should
marry another; know that should rath-
er die, or have anything else terrible to
happen, than for another woman to pos
sess him. He promised me he never
would; but suppose he should fail in his
word, as I have to-day failed in mine. The
thought of it absolutely burns me-" And
she threw herself into James arms, and
that little comforter tried to soothe her
by making light Of her fears.
"Oh! but suppose he should?'
well, there is no need to borrow
trouble. You said he promised you, and
you know he is one who keeps his word"
But 1 promised, too, and think of what
I am about to do. Mary in heaven, help
me! But he is made of different stuff
from me. can and do trust his word,
and when think of all my troubles, and
when it seems that 1 cannot bear them,
the one comforting thought comes that no
other woman will ever possess him: no
other woman; no other woman. 1 am
glad that my only comfort comes from
him"
81 hoped that might have been some
comfort to you; I have tried hard
enough" said Jane, who was jealous.
oh! yes! my sweet Jane; you do
comfort me; you are like a soothing balm
to an aching PAIN and she kissed the
hands that held hers. This was all that
modest little Jane required. She was con-
tent to be an humble balm and did not
aspire to the dignity of an elixir
The girls then said their prayers in con-
cert and Mary gently wept herself to
sleep. She lay dreaming and tossing ner-
vously until sunrise, when she got up and
added more pages to her letter, until I
called to take 1t.
] was on hand soon after the Tower
gates had opened and was permitted to
see Brandon at once. He read Mary's let
ter and acted like every other lover,
since love-letters first began He was
quick to note the absence of the longed-
for, but not expected. assurance, and
when he did not see it went straight to
the point.
She has promised to marry the French
King to purchase my life. Is that not
true?'
Il hope not" I answered, evasively; 'T
have seen very little of her, and she has
said nothing about it,
You are evading my question, I see. Do
you know nothing Of it2''
Nothing" / replied, telling an unneo-
essary lie.
"Caskoden, you are either liar or q
blockhead."
Make it a liar, Brandon" said I,
laughingly, for 1 was sure of my place
in his heart and knew that he meant no
offense.
I never doubt a friend; one would
better be trustful of ninety-nine friends
who are false than doubtful of one who is
true. Suspicion and supersensitiveness are
at onee the badge and the bane of a lit
tie soul.
I did not leave the Tower until noon,
and Brandon's pardon had been delivered
to him before left. He was glad that the
first news of it had come from Mary.
He naturally expected his liberty at
once, and when told that he was to be
honorably detained for a short time,
turned to me and said: 81 suppose they
are afraid to let me out until she is off
for France. King Henry f1atters me-"
I looked out of the window up Tower
street and said nothing.
When / left l took q letter to Mary,
which plainly told her he had OWNED It
all, and she wrote tear-stained answer,
begging him to forgive her for having
saved his life at a cost greater than her
own.
For several days I was kept busy car
rying letters from Greenwich to the Tow
er and back again, but soon letters
ceased to satisfy Mary. and she made up
her mind that she must see him. Nothing
else would do. She must not, could not,
and, in short, would not go another day
without seeing him; no, not another hour.
Jane and I opposed her all we could, but
the best we could accomplish was to in
-
beginning to see that he was the one who
had to suffer for her indlscretions-to
ask Henry's permission, and If he re-
fused, then to try some other way. To
determine was to act with Mary. so off
she went without delay to hunt the King
taking Jane and me along as escort. How
full we were OF important business as
we scurried along the corridors, one on
each side of Mary, all talking excitedly
at once. When anything was to be done,
ii always required three of US to do it,
We found the King, and without any
prelude, Mary proffered her request OF
course ii was refused. Mary pouted and
was getting ready for an outburst when
Wolsey spoke up: with your Majesty s
gracious permission 1 would subscribe to
the petition of the Princess. She has been
good enough to give her promise in the
matter Of so much importaice to us, and
y
may see your way clear toward favoring
her The interview will be the las. and
may help to make her duty easier" Mary
gave the Cardinal a feeting glance from
her lustrous eyes full of surprise and
gratitude, and as speaking as a book.
Henry looked from one to the other of
us for a moment, and broke into a bois-
ferrous laugh:
"Oh, don't care, so that you keep 1t a
secret. The old King will never know.
We can hurry up the marriage He is
getting too much already; four hundred
thousand crowns and a girl like you; he
cannot complain If he have an heir. 1t
would be a good joke on the misery old
dotard, but better on 'Ce Gros Garcon.' -
Mary sprang from her chair with a cry
of rage. you brute! Do you think l am
as vile you because L have the misfor-
tune to be your sister, or that Charles
Brandon is like you simply because he is
a man?" Henry laughed his health at
that time being too good for him to be Ill
natured. He had all he wanted out of
his sister, so her outbursts amused him.
Mary hurriedly left the King and walked
hack to her room filed with shame and