Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-10-19
CHAPTER III.


some face was marrcd by ln
imperious querulousness that for the
moment detracted from its acknowl-
edged nobility.
"Strafrord," he cried impatiently, II
have been kept waiting. Servants are
ut this moment searching palace and
park for you. Where have you becn?"
~ was in the forest, your majesty.
l am deeply grievcd to learn that you
needed me-"
II never needed you more than now.
Arc you ready to travel?"
Strafrord's gloomy face almost light
ed up.
ION the instant, your majesty" he
replied, with a sigh of relief
"Tllat is well. trust your malndy
| is allcviated in some measure Mt least.
Still, know that sickness has never
been bar to duty with you. Yet !
ask no man to do what am not will
ing to do myself for the good of the
state, and shall be shortly on the road
ut your heels"
whittier, your majestyY' asked the
earl, with falling countenancc, for 1t
was to Ireland he desired to journey,
and he knew the king had no inten-
ton of moving toward the west.
ITO London, of course; short stent
over bad roads. But If you are ailing
and fear the highway, barge on the
river is Mt your disposal"
"To Londonv' echoed the earl, some
thing almost akin to dismay in his
tone. 81 had hoped your majesty would
order me to Ireland, which, assure
your majesty, has been somewhat neg
lected Of late"
Eyes, yes" exclaimed ngbrusque-
ly; ~ know your anxiety in that
quarter. A man ever thinks that task
the most important with which he In
timately deals, but my position gives
me view over the whole realm, and
the various matters of state assume
their just proportions in my eyes, their
due relations to each other. Ireland Is
well enough but it is the heart and not
the limbs Of the empire that requires
the physicians care. Parliament has
opened badly and is like to give trouble
: unless treated with firm hand"
The hand Of the earl appeared any
thing but firm. 1t wayered rs it sought
the support Of the chairs arm.
"Have l your majcsty's permission
to be seated? am not WELL" STRAIT
ford said family.
"Surely, surely! cried the king, him
self taking n clair. II am deeply
gricved to see you SO unwell, but n
Journey to London is small matter
compared with march upon Dublin,
which is like to have killed you in your
present condition"
"Indeed, your majesty, the smaller
journey may well have the more fatal
termination" murmured the earl, but
the king paid no attention to the re-
mark, for his wandering eye now
caught sight of third in the confer
encc, which brought surprised displeas-
ure to his brow. The girl was stand
ing behind the high back of the chair in
which she had been seated, in a gloomy
angle where the freight which played
SO plainly on the king and STAFFORD did
not touch her.
"Whom have we here? The flippant
l pAophSe Va tAS AoACoSp VI LILY SSCS oV-
ceive me! How comes this girl in my
palace, SO intimate with my Lord
STAFFORD, who seemed to meet her as
q stranger but yesterday"
The slumbering suspicion Of Charles
was aroused, and he glanced from one
to the other in naughty questioning.
II never met her until encountered
her In the forest when had the honor
to accompany your majesty. Today,
as walked with De Courcy and 9TH
ers, there came second accosting from
her, us unexpected US the first. The
girl craved private speech with me,
which l somewhat reluctantly grant
ed. The upshot is she brings me proof,
which cannot deny, that she is my
eldest daughter"
Your eldest daughterl" cried the
king, amazed. els your family, then,
SO widely scattered and SO fur un-
known to you that such claimant
may spring up at any moment?"
II was married privately to the
daughter of Sir John Warburton. Cir
cumstances separated me from my
wife, and, although her father CURLY
Informed me Of her death, he said moth
ing Of issue. There was feud be.
tween us-entirely on his part had
paught against him. 1t seems he has
been dead this year past, and my
daughter, getting news of her father
among Sir Johns papers. comes thus
southwark to make inquiry"
"You fall into good fortune, my girl.
Your extraordinary claim is most read
lily allowed"
Frances, finding nothing to soy, kept
silence and bowed her head to the king,
whom she had regarded throughout
with rapt attention.
"Where got you your gift of prophe-
cy? Is prescience hereditary, and has
your fathers mantle already fallen on
your shoulders3 He is my best friend.
you said. and my worst enemy. Mad
nm, you did not lack for boldness, but
the force Of the fattery of your father
is lessened by my knowledge of your
me-"
"Your majesty, 1t has hitherto been
concealed from myself" said the earl
YEARLY.
HAS the girl no tongue? It wagged
freely enough in the forest. Come,
masquerader, what have you to say
for yourselfT
"Your majesty, humbiy crave your
pardon. Tho words used yesterday
were not mine, but those Of gypsy in
the north, who told me was the
daughter Of the Earl of STAFFORD ut q
time when such tale seemed SO alb
surd that laughed ut her for connect
ing my namo Of Wentworth with one
so exalted as the Earl of STAFFORD.
Later, when I received proof that such
indeed was the case, her words re-
turned to me. had no right to use
them In your august presence, but the
encourage of the Lord STAFFORD pre-
vented my meeting him. Thus baffled,