Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-06
When he saw Frances he did not trouble
to make an explanation to the captain of
the guard, but babe her enter at once.
al hau talxa h1z a a xrlara


the guard. but babe her enter at once.
II shall take you by a private way where
you will encounter no one" he said with a
leer.
They threaded their way through devious
passages until at last they reached door.
which he pushed open, saying: "If you
will wait here for a moment I will go to
the king
He bowed gracefully and ushered the girl
into a square room, the walls of which
were decorated by groups of swords ami
rapfers of various sorts-a veritable armory.
A table occupied the center and there were
several chairs. with lounge against the
wall. A door opened upon an inner room.
De Courcy, instead of taking his departure,
stepped in quickly after the girl, closed the
door and turned the key in the lock- With
the grating of the key came the first sus-
picion to the mind of Frances that her
guide was treacherous. Much as she had
always distrusted him, it seemed incredible
that, knowing her to be the daughter of the
Earl of STAFFORD, anything disastrous
might befall her here In the very palace of
the king, the sworn protector Of his people.
The leer on De Courcy's face and his words
speedily disillusioned her.
IF you will be seated, my dear, we may
have some converse, interesting and enter
tanning to US both. You can scarcely i'm
agine my joy at seing so lovely visitor
in my poor apartments"
Sir, you said you would bring the king.
gentleman keeps his word"
"Oh. the king in good time, my pretty one.
Charles is but doleful companion Just
now, and we are we'll quit of him. As for
mans. word, the fashion seems to be the
breaking of it. example set us poor gentle
men in the highest places. For instance,
our last discussion related to marriage. but
times have changed since that day, and you
willsnot be so cruel as to expect me to
carry out the good domestic intentions l
then expressed
''Sir. I am very glad shall hear no more
of them
''Trufy? Then so much the better. I ex-
pected tears and reproaches, but am pleased
you are not given to complaining. BY my
honor, love you the more for it. So, then.
III steal a kiss from those ripe lips to seal
the new compact to make, and 1
warn you that scream Is not likely to be
heard from this chamber"
81 do not need your warning. You shall
neither hear me scream nor see me weep"
by ST. Denis. I like your spirit. Some
scream and some weep. but they all end by
clinging"
proach not another step nearer me. or my
father shall know of this insult. to punish
1t when he is Free
when he is free?' echoed De Courcy.
Powers of heaven! Then you have not
come to reproach the king, but to plead
with him!"
.'Why should reproach him."
cit would surely be useless enough, but
don. with one good stoke, severed the kings
word and Strafford's neck on Tower Hill
this morning"
The girls face went white as the kerchief
about her throat, and swaying half an in
slant she leaned against the table for sup
port. Something in the brutal method of
the announcement convinced her of its
truth more surely than If he had spoken
with all the solemnity of which he might
be capable. Yet she struggled not to be-
lieve. He had been edging toward her,
cat like. but she paid no heed to him.
Then with a spring he caught her wrists.
to free herself. She looked duly at him,
as if wondering why he acted so. You
will be pleased to withdraw yourself, sir,
and let me go. My heart is broken"
She spoke with forced calmness, but there
was tremor in her tone that cast DOUBT
on her former assertion regarding the
tears. ..-...
''Your heart is not broken, and If it was
I'd mend it for you. Absurd! Why. you
knew the man for scarce a day. and that
time is full short for the growth of any
large affection
II shall never love any as I have loved
him
"Tush How little you know of your.
self. You are very goddess of love, and
l will '-
He was off his guard for moment. In
that moment, she whisked herself free of
him. and darting to the other side of the
room, whipped down thin rapier from the
wall.
you will be we'll advised to put an end
to this fooling. l am now in no humor for
it, and. with you, never. If you have not
the gift to see it, l would have you know
that detest you and despise you, and have
done so since first l saw you
Indeed" cried De Courcy with a laugh
as he possessed himself of similar weapon
to that which threatened him, ARE you for
duel then?'
eff you are coward enough to lift blade
to a woman
81 meet kiss with kiss, and steel with
steel; always ready for either. Guard your
self madame
His pretended antagonism was but a
feint to throw her off the guard he adj
vsed her to maintain, for being one of the
best swordsmen of his time, he knew by
her holding of the blade that she was
ignorant of it's practice. He brushed her
sword aside. dropped his own and sprang
upon her, grasping again her helpless
wrists, her arms pinioned thus tranSverSeiy
across her body, her right hand still cling
ing to the useless hilt, with the blade ex-
tending past her shoulder and behind her.
His sneering, grinning face so close to hers
that his breath famed her cheeks, he
pressed her back and back against the wall,
the sword bending and bending behind her
until the blade snapped off some six inches
from the hilt and fell ringing to the floor.
There, sweetest of AmazonS, you ara
stingless now and naught but the honey Is
to be gathered.
The very ease with which he had over
come her hoodwinked him to his danger
The proud dominant blood of the Went
worths flushed her face with an anger
that steeled every nerve in her 1.-the body.
AS, with a victorious laugh he released he"
wrists and slipped his arms around her,
she struck him twice with lightning swift
ness, first across the brow, then down the
face. Nothing could well be more terrible
than the weapon she had used, for the jag
ged iron tore his flesh like the stroke of
tigers claw The red cross showed for
brief moment, then was obiterated in
crimson flood.
"Cowardly poltroon, wear the brand of
CAIN ,ss
He had warned her not to scream, but
now his own cries filled the room as he
staggered back, his hands to his face. Yet
previously wounded as he was, he seemed
resolved she should not escape him, and,
after the first, shock CROPPED blindly for
her. She flung the broken weapon to the
further side of the room, and the noise of
it's fall turned him thither, striking against
the table, and then against chair. She
tiptOed cautiously to the door, turned the
key and threw it open. before he could re-
cover himself, for he had lost all sense of
direction, and could see nothing. She took
the immediate risk of pulling the key from
the door, to ward off the greater danger of
pursuit, and calmly locked him in. If
screams were Intellectual as he had in
sisted, he would take little good from his
battering of the door for some time to
come. Frances now threaded her way
through the maZeS of passages, meeting no
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