The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-06-03

to consult you again before proceeding
further. l fear there is no doubt that
Brandon Is the right man. 1t seems he
was ont with Il couple OF wenchcs con-
corning whom lie got into trouble n
stabbed two men I'm the back. 1t Is q
very aggravated case, ana the citizens
are much incensed about it. owing
purity to tho fact that such occurrences
have been so frequent OF late. 1
thought under the circumstances and
I'm view Of the fact that your majesty
will soon call upon the city for n loan
to make up the Lady Mary's dover 1t
would be wise not to antagonize them
in this matter. but to allow Master
81 andon to remain quietly in contine-
mont until the loan is completed. and
then we can snap our fingers at them"
I'VE will snap our fingers at the
scurvy burgbers now and have the
loan, too returned Henry angrily. II
want Brandon liberated ut once, and 1
shall expect another report from you
Immediately. my lord"
buckingham felt that his revenge
had slipped through his fingers this
time, but lie was patient where evil
was to be accomplished and could wait.
Then X was that the council was called
during the progress of which Mary
and | had tried to obtain an audience
of the king.
buckingham had ono to pay his re-
spccts to the queen and on his way
back had espicd Mary waiting for the
king In the antcroom and went to her.
At first she was irritated ut the sight
Of this man, whom she SO despised,
but n thought came to her that she
might make use of him. She knew his
power with the citizens and city au
thOritics Of London and also knew, or
thought she knew, that n smile from
her could accomplish everything with
him. She had ample evidence OF his
~infntuation, md she hoped that she
could procure Brandon's liberty through
Buckingham without revealing her
dangerous secret.
Much to the dukes surprise, she
smiled upon him and gave n cordial
welcome, saying: my lord, you have
been unkind to us of late and have not
shown us the light OF your counte-
nance. l am glad to see you once
more. Tell me the news"
~ cannot say there is much Of inter
est. L have learned the new dance
from Caskoden, If that is news, and
hope for Il favor at our next ball from
the fairest lady in the world"
"And quite welcome" returned Mary,
complacently appropriating the title,
"and welcome to more than one, l
hope, my lord"
This graciousness would have looked
buckingham, but he saw no craft In 1t.
He did see, however, that Mary did
not know who had attacked her in
B~illingsgate, md he felt greatly re-
lievcd.
The duke smiled and smirked and
was enchanted Mt her kindness. They
walked down the corridor, talking and
laughing, Mary awaiting an opportu-
nifty to put the important question with
out exciting suspicion. AT last it came,
when buckingham, half in%quirtngly,
expressed his surprise that Mary
should be found sitting at the kings
door.
81 am waiting TO see the king" said
she Little Caskodcn's friend, Bran
don, has been arrested for a bfawl Of
some sort over in London, md Sir Ed
win and Lady Jane have im%portuned
me to obtain his release, which l have
promised to do. Perhaps your grace
will allow me to petition you in place
OF carrying my request to the king.
You are quite us powerful as his maj
esty In London, and l should like to
ask you to obtain for Master Brandon
his liberty ut once. 1 Shall bold my
self infinitely obliged IL your lordship
will do this for me-" She smiled upon
him her sweetest smile and assumed
IN Indifference that would have de-
ceivcd any one but buckingham. Upon
him under the circumstances 1t was
worse than wasted. Buckingham ut
once consented and said that notwith-
standing the fact hat he did not like
Brandon, to oblIge her highncss he
would undertake to bcfriend n much
more disngrceable person.
II fear" he said, at will have to be
done secretly-by conniving at his es-