The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-05-08


cape rather than by an order for his
release. The citizens are greatly
aroused over the alarming frequency
of such occurrences. and as many of
the Offenders have lately escaped pun
ishment by reason of court interfer-
erce fear this man Brandon will have
TO bear the brunt. in the London mind
of all these unpunished crimes. 1t
will be next to impossible to liberate
him except by arranging privately
with the keeper for his escape. He
could go down into the country and
wait In seclusion until it is all blown
over or until London has a new victim.
aud then an order can be made pardon
| Ing him. and he can return"
'Pardoning him. What are you talk
ing of. my lord? He has done nothing
10 be pardoned for. He should be and
shall be rewarded" Mary spoke i'm
petuously. but caught herself and tried
TO remedy ber blunder. THAT is. IL
have heard the straight of 1t. l have
been told that the killing was done in
tie defense of two-women." Think
of this poor. unconscious girl. so full
of grief ard trouble. talking thus to
buckingham. who knew so much more
about the affair than even she who had
, taken so active part In it!
WHO told you of it?" asked the
du,ie.
Mary saw she had made a mistake
and. after hesitating for a moment.
answered: "Sir Edwin Caskoden. He
had II from Master Brandon. sup
pose" Rather adroit this was, but
eSuidistant from both truth and ef-
fectiveness.
Il will go at once to London and ar.
range for Brandon's escape" said
buckingham. preparing to leave. But
you must not divulge the fact that
do II. 1t would cost me all the favor
though I would willingly lose that ia.
vor thousand times over for a smile
from YOU"
| She gave the smile. and as he left
followed his retiring figure with her
eyes and thought. AFTER all. he has 9
kind heart"
She breathed a sigh Of relief. too. fol
she felt she had accomplished Bran
don's release and still retained her dan
gerous secret. the divulging of which
she feared would harden Henry's hear
against her Establishments and strand
her upon the throne of France.
But she was not entirely satisfied
with the arrangement. She knew tha
her obligation to Brandon was such a,
to demand OF her that she should no
leave the matter of his release to any
other person. much less to an enemy
such as Buckingham. Yet the cost o
his freedom by n direct act of her owl
would be so great that she was tempt
ed to take whatever risk there nigh
be In the way that had opened itself t,
her. Not that she would not have
made the sacrifice willingly or woult
not have told Henry all II that wer'
the only chance to save Brandon's life
but the other way. the one she had tax
en- by Buckirgham's help. seemed safe
and. though not entirely satisfying, sh,
could not see how 1t could miscarry
Buckingham was notably jealous o.
his knightIy word. and she had un
bounded faith in her influence owe
/ III pei
son. she was as wrong as possible jus
at the time when she thought she wal
entirely right. and when the cost of ,
mistake was at its maximum.
She recoiled also from the though
of Brandon's escape" and II hurt he
that he should be a fugitive from thu
justice that should reward him. ye
she quieted these disturbing sugges