Morris tribune., 1904-09-10

| than DE COufcy, Win an 1mpetuOuS
movement that startled the girl, flung
himself at her feet. Her first impulse
was to step quickly back but she
checked it and stood her ground.
"Oh, divine Frances he cried, chow
| impatiently l have waited for this rapt
moment when might declare to YOU
"Sir, beg of you to rise. IT'S not
seemly you should demean yourself
thus"
""Tis seemly that the whole world
should grovel at your feet, my lady of
the free forest, for all who look upon
you must love you, and for me, who
have not the cold heart of this north
ern people, adore you, and do here
avow it."
"You take me at disadvantage, sir.
I have never been spoken to thus.
am but a child and unaccuStOmed; on
ly sixteen this very day. / ask you
to-
"Most beauteous nymph! How many
| grand ladies of our court would give
all they possess to make such confess
sion truly. Aye, the queen herself
do assure you, sweetest, such argu-
ment will never daunt lover"
II implore you, sir, to arise. My ia
Their may return"
'That he will not And if he did
'twould pleasure him to see my suit
advancing. loved you from the first
moment l beheld you, and, though you
used me with contumely, yet solaced
my wounded heart that twas me you
noticed, and me only, even though your
glance was tinged with scorn.''
Notwithstanding a situation that
called for tact, she was unable to re-
sist a touch of the linguistic rapier, and
her eyes twinkled with suppressed
merriment as she said, "You forget.
sir, that l also distinguished the keep
| er of the hounds with my regard but,
seeing he WINGED, she recollected her
position and added: "In truth, l was
most churlishly rude in the forest, and
am glad you spoke Of it, that 1 now
have opportunity to beg your pardon
very humbly. 1 have learned since
then that you stand high in my dear
fathers regard, and indeed he chided
me for my violence, as twas his duty
to do by hayward child"
The gallant was visibly f1attered by
this tribute to his amour propre He
seized her hand and pressed his lips to
it, the tremor which passed over her
at this action being probably misinter-
preted by his unquenchable vanity.
The tension was relieved by low roar
from the street, a sound that had in it
the menace Of some wild beast reused
ito anger. 1t brought to the girl a rem
iniscence Of her disturbed Dreams
"Good heaven, what is it? she ex-
claimed, snatching away her hand
and running to the window. Her suit
or rose to his feet daintily busted the
knees Of his silken wear with film Of
lace that did duty for a handkerchief
and followed her.
The street below was packed with
people bowling round carriage that
seemed blocked by the press. The
stout coachman, gorgeous in splendid
livery, had some ado to restrain the
spirited horses, maddened and pranc-
ing with the interference and the out
cry. Cudgels were shaken aloft in the
air, and there were shouts of "Trai-
tor" ''Tyrantw and other epithets so
degrading that Frances put her hands
to her ears in Mortified dismay.
"Whom are they threatening so fiend-
ishly ?" she whispered.
'"That is your fathers carriage" an !
Bwered De Courcy.
Before she could make further in |
1uiry there came up to them the cold, |
dominating tones Of her fathers voice,
clear above that tumult:
"Strike through
The stout coachman laid about him
with his whip, and the curses for the
abandoned the head Of Straf-
ford to alight on that of the driver.
The horses plunged fercely into the
crowd. The cruel progress changed
the tenor of the cries, as if a wailing
stop of a great organ had suddenly
taken the place of the open diapason.
The press was so great that those in
front could not make for safety, and
the disappearing coach was greeted
with screams Of terror and was fol-
lowed by groans Of agony. Men went
lown before it like ripe grain before
sickle. S'sT'F"~st.'r;.,
"Oh, oh, .oh?' moaned the girl, all
,olor leaving her face.
''It serves the dogs right" said De
Courcy. "How dare ley block the
way Of a noble, and the chief minister
# state"
IL cannot l9ok On this lamented
Frances, shrinking back to the table
Ind leaning against 1t as one about to
faint, forgetting her desire to avoid
further demonstration from her COM
oanion in the trepidation which fol-
Owed the scene she had witnessed.
Indeed they were most mercifully
dealt with, those solutions. The king
If France would have sent troop Of
horse to saber them back into their
Strike through! cried his