The San Francisco call., 1903-01-11

beauty and brightness would have failed
to do, her honest, open acknowledgment
of wrong, following so quickly upon the
heels Of her fault, accomplishing easily;
1t drew him within the circle OF her fatal
attractions. and when Jane told me Of it
/ knew his fate was sealed, and that,
sooner or later, his untouched heart and
cool head would fall victim to the shafts
that surely winged ell others.
later hf Since aR9 as BTaR0n hsG Haid he
was not one Of those who wore his heart
upon his sleeve. Then he had that strong
vein of prudence and caution, which, IN
probably come to his help. But never was
mans heart strong enough to resist Mary
Tudor's smile for long.
don and most others; he would be slow to
love, but when love should once fairly
take root I'm his intense nature he would
not do to trife with.
The night after the meeting Mary cud-
died up to Jane, who slept with her, ana
whispered, half bashfully:
Tell me all about Brandon; / am inter-
ested In him. l believe II / knew more
persons like him ] should be better girl,
Notwithstanding he is one of the boldest
men / ever knew. He says anything he
wishes, and, with all his modest manner,
IS as cool with me as if | were burgh-
er's daughter. His modesty is all on the
must be on the outside to be useful. 1
wonder If Judson thought him modest?''
Jane talked of Brandon to Mary, who
II
When Jane told me Of this I became
frightened; for the surest way TO any wo-
mans heart is to convince her that you
make her better and arouse in her breast
purer impulses and higher aspirations. 1t
wound be bad enough should Brandon fall
In love with the Princess, which was al
most sure TO happen but for them TO fall
in love with each other meant Brandon's
head upon the block. and Mary's heart
bruised, broken and empty for life. Her
strong nature, filled to the brim with lat
ent passion was the stuff of which love
makes a conhagration that burns to de-
struction. and should she learn to love
Brandon she would move heaven and
earth to possess him.
She whose every desire from childhood
up had been gratified. whose every whim
would stop at nothing when the dearest
wish a woman's heart can coin was to be
gained or lost. Brandons element of pru-
dence might help him and might forestall
any effort on his part to win her. but
Mary had never heard Of prudence, and
mans caution avails but little when set
both should love they were sure to try for
each other. and in trying We're equally
sure to find ruin and desolation
A few evenings after this met the
Princess in the Queens drawing-room.
She beckoned me to her. and resting her
elbows on the top Of cabinet: her s chin
Captain Brandon, day or two ago. Did
he tell you?"
No" I answered; Jane told me. but
he has not mentioned It"
1t wasftrue Brandon had not said a
word of the matter, and l had not spoken
Of II, either. l wanted to see how long he
would remain silent concerning an adven-
ture that would have set most men Of the
court boasting away at a great rate. To
have a tilt with the ever-victorious Mary
and TO come off victor was enough. L
think. to loosen any tongue less given to
Dragging than Brandon's.
So continued Mary, evidently some
what piqued, "he did not think his pre-
sentation to me thing worth mention
ing? We had a little passage at arms,
and, to tell you the truth, I came off sec
ond best, and had to acknowledge it, too:
Now what do you think Of this new friend
Of yours? And he did not boast about
having the better Of me? After all there
thought" And she threw back her head
and clapped her hands and laughed with
the most contagious little ripple you ever
heard. She seemed not to grieve. over 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; j..
What do think Of my new friend?' I
repeated after her; and that gave me a
theme upon which I could enlarge elo-
quently. l told her OF his learning. not
wfthstanding the fact that he had been IN
the continental wars ever since he was a
boy. ] repeated to her stories of his dar-
ing and bravery, that had been told to me
by his uncle, the Master of the Horse, and
others, and then I added what 1 knew
Lady Jane had already said I had ex-
pected to be brief. but to my surprise
found close and interested listener. even
to the twice-told parts, and drew my
story out 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 Is
nothing too good TO say Of him"
knew vt. that M Mary T;na With her better. % S
palm Of her hand, so I thought to advance
Brandon's fortune by timely word.
Il trust the King will see fit to favor
him and hope that you will speak word
IN his behalf should the opportunity oc-
cur"
''What in the name Of heaven have we
TO give him?" cried Mary. impatiently,
for she kept an eye on things political.
even If she were only a girl-"the King
has given away everything that can be
given, already, and now that the war is
over, the men are coming home, there are
hundreds waiting for more. My fathers
great treasure is squandered, to say moth
ing Of the money collected from Emp
son, Dudley and the other commission
ers. There is nothing to give unless II be
the titles and estate of the late Duke of
Suffolk. Perhaps the King will give these
as fair a light as you have drawn him
for me-" Then throwing back her head
with a laugh, Ask him"
1T would be none too much for his de-
serts," replied, falling IN with her hu-
eve will so arrange IT, then" went on
Mary banter1ngly; captain Brandon no
longer, but Charles Brandon, Duke OF
Suffolk How sounds It, Master Casko-
den?"
Sweet IN my ears" replied
'T really believe you would have the
Kings crown for him, you absurd man, II
you could get II. We must have so in
teresting a person at court; l shall at
least see that he is presented to the Queen
at once. / wonder If he dances; 1 sup
pose not. He has probably been too busy
cutting and thrusting." And she laughed
again at her own pleasantly.
When the mirth began to gather in her
face and the dimples came responsive to
her smiles: when she threw back her
perfectly poised head, stretching her soft,
white throat, so full and round and beau
tiful 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 gave the little clap
of her hands-a sort of climax to the soft
low. ripping laugh-she made a picture
OF such exquisite loveiness that II is no
wonder men were fools about her, and
caught love as one catches a contagion.
! had IT once, as you already know, and
had recovered. All that prevented a daily
relapse was my fair, sweet antidote, Jane,
whose image rested in my heart, a last
ing safeguard.
1J wonder ~ vour urodfev nlavs "a rds.