The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-04-15


seemed not to grleve eel her defeat,
but dimpled as though 1t were a huge
joke, the thought Of which rather
pleased her than otherwise. Victory
had grown stale for her, although so
young.
What do 1 think of my new friend?'
1 repeated after her, and that gave me
a theme upon which L could enlarge
e%loquently. | told her of his learning,
Notwithstanding the fact that he had
been In the continental wars ever since
he was a boy. 1 repeated to her stories
of his daring and bravery that had
been told to me by his uncle, the mas
ter of the horse, and others, and then
I added what 1 knew Lady Jane had
already said. 1 had expected to be
brief, but to my surprise found a close
and interested listener, even to the
twice told parts, and drew my story
out a little, to the liking of us both.
"Your friend has an earnest advocate
in you, Sir Edwin" said the princess.
"That he has," 1 replied. There ia
nothing too good to say Of him."
1 knew that Mary, with her better,
clearer brain, held the king almost In
the palm of her hand, so I thought to
advance Brandon's fortune by q timely
word.
II trust the king will see AT to favor
him, and 1 hope that you will speak q
wo.d In his behalf should the opportu-
nifty occur"
"What, in the name of heaven, have
we to give him?" cried Mary impa-
tiently, for she kept an eye on things
t,NltftaaI A-N,, 10 aho 81. ,-I, H.
1.-THE king has given away everything
that can be given already, and now
that the war is over and men are COM
ing home there are hundreds waiting
for more. My fathers great treasure is
squandered, to say nothing of the mon
ey collected from Empson, Dudley and
the other commissioners. There is moth
ing to give unless it be the titles and
estate Of the late Duke of Suffolk.
Perhaps the king will give these to
your paragon If you Will paint him In
as fair a light as you have drawn him
for me-" Then, throwing back her
head, with n laugh, Ask him."
at would be none too much for his
deserts" 1 replied, falling in with her
humor.
1--WE will so arrange 1t, then" went
on Mary baIteringly. Captain Bran
don no longer, but Charles Brandon,
duke of Suffolk. How sounds 1t, Mas
ter Caskoden?"
"Sweet in my ears" / replied.
81 really believe you would have the
kings crown for him, you absurd man,
IL you could get it. We must have so
interesting a person at court. I shall
at least see that he is presented to the
queen at once. 1 wonder If he dances.
1 suppose not. BE has probably been
too busy cutting and thrusting." And
she laughed again at her own pleas
antry.
When the mirth began to gather in
her face and the dimples came respon-
sive to her smiles, when she threw
back her perfectly poised head, stretch
ing her soft, white throat, so full and
round and beautiful, half closing her
big brown eyes till they shone again
from beneath the shade Of those long,
black, sweeping lashes; when her red
lips parted, showing her teeth of pearl,
and she I'VE the little clap Of her
hands, Il sort Of climax to the soft, low,
ripping laugh, she made n picture of
such exquisite loneliness that 1t Is no
wonder mel were fools about her and
caught love as n catches q c%ontagion.
L had 1t once, as you already know, and
had recovered. All that prevented a
daily relapse was my fair, sweet anti
dote, Jane, whose image rested in my
heart, a lasting safeguard.
II wonder if your prodigy plays
cards-that is, such as we ladies' play2"
asked Mary. "You say he has lived
much in France, where the game was
invented, but I have no doubt he
would scorn to waste his time at so
frivolous a pursuit when he might be
Strengthening armies single handed and
alone"
~ do not know as to his dancing
and card playing, but I dare venture
a wager he does both," I replied, not
liking her tone of sarcasm. She had
yet to earn who Brandon was.
II will hazard ten crowns" said
Mary quickly, for she loved a wager
and was a born gambler.
"Taken," said I.
owe will try him on both tomorrow
night in my drawing ROOM" she con-
tinued. "You bring him up, but tell
no one. I will have Jane there with
her lutte, which will not brighten you
away I know, and we Will try his step.
] will have cards, too, and we shall see
what he can do at triumph. Just we
four, no one else at all. You and Jane,
the new Duke Of Suffolk and I. Oh,
I can hardly waltz And she fairly
danced with joyous anticipation.
The thing had enough %irregularIty
to give 1t zest, for while Mary often
had a few young people in her drawing
room, the companies were never 80
small as two couples only, and the
king and queen, to make up for greater
faults, were wonderful sticklers in the
matter of little proprieties.
The ten crown wager, too, gave spice
to 1t, but to do her Justice sine cared
very little for that. The princess
loved gambling purely for gambling
sake, and with her the next best thing
to winning was losing.
When / went to my room that night,
J awakened Brandon and told him of
the distinguished honor that awaited
him.
well, I'll be- But he did not say
what he would "be." He always halt
ed before an oath, unless angey, which
was seldom, but then beware. He
had learned to swear in Flanders.
How she did fly at me the other
morningI 1 never was more surprised