Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-05
CHAPTER XIX.


INV the value received for VOL
t> sey's friendship to Brandon
I@Sss was Mary's promise to marry
le99J Louis.
Mary wanted to send q message at
once to Brandon, telling him his life
would be spared and that she had
made no delay this time-a fact Of
which she was very proud-but the
Tower gates would not open until
morning, so she had to wait. She COM
pensated herself as well as she could
by writing letter. which should like
to give you here, but 1t Is too long. She
told him Of his pardon, but not one
word upon the theme he so wished yet
feared to hear Other promise never
to wed any other man. Mary had not
told him of her final surrender In the
matter of the French marriage, for the
reason that she dreaded to pain him
and feared he might refuse the sacr1-
flee.
1T will almost kill him, / know"
she said to Jane that night, land
fear it is a false kindness do him.
He would, probably. rather die than
that I should marry another. l know
that l should rather die or have any
thing else terrible to happen than for
another woman to possess him. He
promised me he never would. but sup
pose he should fail in his word, as
have today failed in mine? The thought
of It absolutely burns me-" And she
threw herself into James arms, and
that little comforter tried to soothe
her by making light Of her fears.
"Oh, but suppose he should?
"Well. there is no need to borrow
trouble. You said he promised you, and
you know he is one who keeps his
word"
"But l promised, too. and think OF
what am about to do. Mary in heav-
en-. help me! But he is made Of differ
ent stuff from me. I can and do trust
bis word, and when think Of all my
troubles and when it seems that l can
not bear them the one comforting
thought comes that no other woman
will ever possess him-no other woman,
no other woman. I am glad that my
only comfort comes from him."
II hoped that 1 might have been
some comfort to you. I have tried
hard enough" said Jane, who was jeal-
GUS.
"Oh, yes, my sweet Jane. You do
comfort me. You are like a soothing
balm to an aching pain" And she kiss
ed the hands that held hers. This was
all that modest little Jane required.
She was content to be humble balm
and did not aspire to the dignity OF an
elixir.
The girls then said their prayers in
concert and Mary gently wept herself
to sleep. She lay dreaming and toss
ing nervously until sunrise. when she
got up and added more pages to her
letter until called to take 1t.
was on hand soon after the Tower
gates had opened and was permitted
to see Brandon at once. He read
Mary's letter and actec like every 9th
er lover since love letters first began.
he was quick to note the absence OF
the longed for but not expected assur-
ance, and when he did not see it went
straight to the point.
"She has promised to marry the
French king to purchase my life. Is
that not true?"
II hope not" answered evasively.
II have seen very little Of her, and she
has said nothing about it."
"You are evading my question, see.
Do you know nothing Of it?'
Nothing" replied. telling an un-
necessary lie.
"Caskoden. you are either liar or q
blockhead."
Make it liar, Brandon" said I,
laughingly. for was sure Of my place
in his heart and knew that he meant
no offenSe.
never doubt q friend. One would
better be trustful Of ninety-nine friends
who are false than doubtful Of one who
is true. Suspicion and representative
ness are at once the badge and the
bane of little soul.
did not leave the Tower until noon,
and Brandon's pardon had been deliV-
cred to him before left. He was glad
that the first news Of it had come from
Mary.
He naturally expected his liberty at
once, and when told that he was to be
honorably detained for short time
turned to me and said: 81 suppose they
are afraid to let me out until she is Off
for France. King Henry fatters me-
looked out of the window up Tower
street and said nothing.
When I left. l took letter to Mary,
which plainly told her he had OWNED
it all, and she wrote tear stained an
swer begging him to forgive her for
having saved his life at cost greater
than her own.
For several days I was kept busy
carrying letters from Greenwich to the
Tower and back again, but soon letters
ceased to satisfy Mary, and she made
up her mind that she must see him.
Nothing else would do. She must not,
could not and, in short, would not 20
another day without seeing him-no,
not another hour. Jane and opposed
her all we could. but the best we could
accomplish was to induce her for Bran
don's sake-for she was beginning to
see that he was the one who had to
sufrer for her indiscretions to ask
11a..r,s normiSsinn and IL lie refused