Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-04-03

Cont - trO
was given to such spasnls; SO with this
emphasized hint she walked OH ahead.
half sulky at the indignity put upon
her and half amused at her whimsical
mistress.
Mary lost no time. but began the at
tack at once.
Nov, sir, l want you to tell me the
truth. Why do you refuse my invita-
tions and so persistcntly keep away
from me? / thought at first | would
simply let you go your way. and then
/ thought IL would not Don't deny
it. l know you won't. With all your
faults, you don't tell even little lies;
not even to a woman-I believe. Now
there is a fine COMPLIMENTS it not?-
when l intended to scod your She
gave q huttering little laugh. and, with
hanging head, continued: Tell me,
is not the kings sister of quality suf-
ficient to suit you? Perhaps you must
have the queen or the Blessed Virgin?
Tell me now?' And she looked up at
him, half in banter, half in doubt
"My duties began Brandon.
"Oh, bother your duties! Tell me
the truth"
81 will, if you let me- returned
Brandon, who had no intention what
ever of doing anything of the sort.
"My duties now occupy my time in the
evening"
"That will not do" interrupted Mary,
who knew enough of a guardsman's
duty to be sure it was not oncrous.
"You might as well come to it and tell
the truth; that you do not like our So
ciety." And she gave him Il vicious
| little glance without shadow of
smile.
, "In Gods name, Lady Mary, that is
not it," answered Brandon, who was
on the rack. please do not think it.
l cannot bear to have you say such
thing when it is so far from the real
/ truth"
"Then tell me the real truth"
81 cannot; l cannot. | beg of you
not to ask. Leave me- or let me leave
you. ! refuse to answer further" The
latter half of this sentence was uttered
doggedly and sounded sullen and ill
humored, although of course it was not
so intended. He had been so perilous-
| ly near speaking words which would
probably have lighted, to their destruc-
tonic his certainly-the smOldering
flames within their breast that it
frightened him, and the manner in
which he spoke was but a tone giving
utterance to the pain in his heart
Mary took it as it sounded and in I'M
feigned surprise exclaimed angrily:
leave you? Do | hear Alright? l
never thought that l. the daughter and
sister of king. would live to be dis
missed by a-by AMY one"
"Your hiShness''- began Brandon,
but she was gone before he could
speak.
He did not follow her to explain,
knowing how dangerous such an eX-
PLANTATION would be. but felt that it
was best for them both that she should
remain offended, painful as the thought
was to him.
OF course. Mary's womanly self es-
TEEN, to say nothing of her royal pride,
was wounded to the quick. and no
wonder
Poor Brandon sat down upon a stone,
and as he longingly watched her retir
ing form wished in his heart he were
dead. This was the first time he really
knew how much he loved the girl. and
he saw that, with him at least, it was
matter of bad to worse and at that
rate would soon be-worst.
Now that he had Internationally of
Tended her and had permitted her to
go without an explanation she was
dearer to him than ever, and as he sat
there with his face in his hands he
knew that if matters went on as they
were going the time would soon come
when he would throw caution to the
dogs and would try the impossble-to
win her for his own. Caution and
judgment still sat cnthroned, and they
told him now what he knew full well
they would not tell him after n short
time-that failure was certain to fol-
low the attempt and disaster sure to
follow failure. First, the king would
in all probability cut off his head upon
an intimat!on of Mary's possible fond
ness for him, and, second. if he should
be so. fortunate as to keep his head
MARY cOulu not anu certainly WOulu
not marry him even if she loved him
with all her heart. The distance be-
tween them was too great, and she
knew too well what she owed to her
position. There was but one thing left
New Spain, and he determined while
sitting there to sail with the next ship
The real cause of Brandon's manner
had never occurred to Mary. Although
she knew her beauty and power, as she
!, | w " A.1x