Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-11
CHAPTER XVII.
Poison.

But the idea for SuDue revenge Alau Coiii0
to him and on the way to court he pro-
ceeded to wreak it.
He invited the Scot to his room on pre-
tense that it still was too early to see the
king. There he set out wine and asked his
guest to be seated.
Has the lady who accompanied you
quite recovered from her fatgue?' asked
De Courcy. indifferently.
well, as told you. met her yesterday
for few moments only. and l am sorry
she was not in the highest spirits, but she
will be the better for seeing the green fields
again. Like myself, she is of the country
and does not thrive within the walls of
town
yes I noticed that when she was in
'In London? Did you know her in Lon
dom"
"Oh hasn't she told you of our relation
ship? Perhaps l should not have mentioned
1t"
What do you mean by your relation
ship? You are French; she is pure Eng
lish."
De Courcy threw back his head and
laughed. unheeding. and indeed unnotcing
the angry color mounting in face that
had grown suddenly stern.
"My dear comrade there are other rela-
eionships between a young man and hand
some woman than the ties of ldnship But
those days are long past, and L should
never have recalled them had 1t not been
that YOU two have been travelling about
the country together. | make no doubt,
with an innocence that recalls the sylvan
days of YOre'
Armstrong pushed back his chair and
rose to his feet
"Sir, the lady took her brothers place,
he being Unexpectedly and grievously
wounded My position has been that OF
true comrade to her"
''That is precisely what l have said. l
A4tl i,.t,r, nt1n of n
nocence.'
"Those were YOUR words, but your tone
bears meaning l resent"
You are quite In error. l will say no
more about her"
you have already said too much or
too little. Tell me In plain words what
this relationship was to which you have
referred"
betrothed to Frances Wentworth"
mo. 1 told you 1 acted the brothers
part toward her in this journey"
''oh we all say that, but 1 am not IN
the least curious If you intended to
marry her then were my mouth sealed.
Very well: since you will have It, and l
take your word as a gentleman pledged
that you will say nothing to the girl OF
this until you are clear of Oxford know
that l was once her betrothed. She was
TO have been my wife, and would have
been my wife today had her father not
fallen
Yves Her father gave me permission to
pay my court to her. She could not have
been much more than sixteen then, and L
was her first lover, parsonage that a
girl never fOrgets. At first she was
frightened but that stage did not last long.
Her fathers ruin changed my plans and l
refused to marry her. l announced this
refusal to her In the seclusion of my own
room In Whitehall and
''Sir you liei"
Armstrong; sword seemed to spring of
its own will from the scabbard, and his
hand drew II a-swish through the air with
the hiss of deadly serpent The French
man shrugged his shoulders, but did not
move The three words of his opponent
had been spoken very quietly despite his
impulsive action. De Courcy did not raise
his voice as he asked. (which of my state
ments do you question:
mo matter for that We fight on this
phrase in Scotland No man ever called
me liar and lived"
"'Tis Il coarse phrase I admit. and.
did l not represent my king-were l as
free as you-you should have had my re-
Spouse In steel ere this. But I cannot
wreck the king In a private quarrel of my
OWL V'h~+Nar rou killed me. / you.
'twould be equally disastrous to his ma
jes'y.
Il care nothing for the king. Draw,
you poltroon. or 1 shall kill you where you
SIT"
my dear Armstrong, I refuse to be
murdered under misapprehension on your
part. | have said nothing against the
girl. IT'S all your own hot blood. And, In
deed your Drawing Is the girls greatest
danger; she might well tremble If she knew
your present occupation. If you run your
nimble sword through me. you give the girl
to the fate that befeil her father"
At the first word OF danger to Frances
the point of Armstrong; blade sank to the
floor, and he stood hesitating. CLEAN
of triumph glinted and died in the eye
OF the Frenchman. He knew he was the
victor. although the chance he had run
at one stage OF the game almost made
his heart stop beating.
"How can any action of mine jeopardize
Miss Wentworth"
''If the king knew this lady within
his Jurisdiction she would be instantly ar
rested. tried and condemned. SIZE entered
Whitehall the day her father was executed
for the sole purpose of numbering Charles.
! prevented the carrying out of that pur-
pose. and these scars my face are the
results of my interference with a maddened
woman"
Again you lie. yet II she had killed you
both she would but have accomplished the
Justice of God"
LAS to the truth or falsty of my state
ments. regarding which you make COM
nents of unseemly terseneSS, you may ask
the king when you see him. you may ASK
the lady herself when you get her out of
Oxford If you precipitate a turmoil here
you are like to tumble her pretty head In
the basket. When this war is done wItn /
will go far to teach you the correct method
of addressing gentleman"
Armstrong sword dropped into scabbard
again. and he drew "a breath that was a
sigh The poison was already at work. lie
remembered the distress of the girl on the
road and her wall, II not worthy OF the
love of any honest man"
81 shall never question her or any other,
but Will believe her lightest word against
the world when she condescends to tell me.
Meanwhile / shall get her out of this
thieves den soon as may be. and uy God
when | meet you--
De Courcy had risen and now bowea
slightly to his perturbed guest. Sir. you
shall meet me at II, and II will be my
privilege to conduct you to his majesty
Good morning"
He stood by the window overlooking the
quadrangle and watched his late visitor
cross H. staggering once II he had par
taken freely of the wine which remained
untasted the table. AS the Scot disap-
peared under tie archway De Courcy
laughed.
MY fine. strutting coCkrel." he muttered;
TN lay you by the heels before two da3 s
are past Cromwells at Broughton, curse
his tattling tongue. How many more ha :
he told OF me? Never mind. He's the COM
ing man. The kings games UP, and
shake the dust of oxford from nv feet to-
night Saint Denis. If she had only known!
Every man In oxford distrusts me except
the king
When Armstrong was brought before
nj. lnl ~