The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-12-31

'aAc your WORD as gentle
man pledged that you win say nothing
10 the girl of this until you are clear of
Oxiord- Know that was once her be-
trothed. She was to have been nv
wire, and would have been my wife to-
day had her father not fallen.'
your wifer'
Yes. Her father gave me permits
sion to pay my court to her. She could
not have been much more than sixteen
then, and was her first lover. a per
sonage that girl never forgets. Her
fathers ruin changed my plans. and |
refused to marry her. l ANNOUNCED this
refusal to her In the seclusion of my
own room in Whitehall and"-
"Sir, you lier
Armstrong; sword seemed to spring
Of its own will from the scabbard. ana
his hand drew it a-swish through the
air with the hiss Of deadly serpent.
The Frenchman shrugged his shout
ders, but did not move. The three
words OF his opponent had been spoken
very quietly, despite his impulsive ac-
ton. De Courcy did not raise his voice
as he asked:
(which Of my statements do you
question:"
mo matter for that We fight on
this phrase in Scotland. No man ever
called me liar and lived"
-"'Tis coarse phrase, 1 admit, and
did l not represent my king-were as
free as you-you should have had my
response In steel ere this. But / cannot
wreck the king in private quarrel of
my own. Whether you killed me or I
you, 'twould be equally disastrous to
bis majesty"
II care nothing for the king. Draw,
you poltroon, or l shall kill you where
you Sit"
"My dear Armstrong, l refuse to bs
murdered under a misrepresentation or
your part. 1 have said nothing agains
the girl. IT'S all your own hot blood
And indeed your brawling is the girl.
greatest danger; she might well trem
BILE If she knew your present occupa
ton. If you run your nimble swort
through me, you give the girl to tn
fate that befell her father"
At the first word of danger to Fran
ces the point Of Armstrong; blad
!, sank to the floor, and he stood hesitat
ing. A CLEAN of triumph glinted an
died in the eye Of the Frenchman. 81
' knew he was the victor, although th
chance he had run at one stage of til
game almost made his heart stop bea
ing
: 'How can any action Of mine jeopa
! die Lady Frances Wentworth
. IF the king knew this girl was witt
in his jurisdiction, she would be Il
: stantly arrested, tried and condemne
!. She entered Whitehall the day h
:, father was executed for the sole pu
pose of numbering Charles. / proven
= ed the carrying out of that purpos
: and these scars on my face are {
! results of my interference with a ma
dened woman"
S again, you lie, yet if she had kill
:, you both she would have accomplish
+. but justice"
n "As to the truth or falsity of u
Is statements, regarding which you ma
II comments of unseemly terseness, y
may ask the king when you see hi
- or you may ask the lady herself VIII
!. YOU get her out of Oxford. If you pl
9, cipitate a turmoil here, you are like
n. tumble her pretty head In the bask
When this war is done with 1 will
| 1. r11afhnd
IA addressing a gentleman"
ifl Armstrong; sword dropped II
m scabbard again, and he drew brea
Ia that was a sigh. The poison was
ready at work. He remembered
n. distress of the girl on the road, and
90 wall, 81 am not worthy the love of a
on honest man"
nj 81 shall never question her or
n other. but will believe her light
h. word against the world when she C
ds descends to tell me. Meanwhile sh
or get her out of this thieves den as SC
" as may be. and when / meet YOU
TO De Courcy had risen, and now bow
~ slightly to his perturbed guest
or '.Sir, you shall meet me at IL,
TO 1t will be my privilege to conduct
er to his majesty. Good morning
he He stood by the window overlook
lis the quadrangle and watched his
visitor cross it, staggering once az
GU he had partaken freely Of the W
,k- which remained untasted on the
BILE. AS the Scot disappeared under
es- archway De Courcy laughed.
l l "My fine, strutting cockerel,' he u
est tered, 9TH lay you by the heels bel
for two days are past Cromwelfs
n.y. Broughton, curse his tattling tons
oes How many more has he told OF
n" Never mind. He's the coming n
. IN The kings game is up, and 81
the dust Of oxford from my feet
In night. ST. Denis, II she had
knownl Every man I'm Oxford distr
re- me except the king"
"a