Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-01-05
rounded by loathsome, creeping thing

rounded by loathsome, creeping things
that would sicken you but to think OF
Il resting under charge whose penal
ty Is that he be hanged, drawn and
quartered? And yet you stop to ca
and bathe and dress! In Gods name
Mary Tudor, of what stuff are yor
made? II he had waited but one httlt
minute, had stopped for the drawing
Of breath, had held back for but ont
faltering thought from the terrible
odds of four swords to one, what would
you now bei Think, princess; think"
Twas a little frightened at the length
to which my feeling had driven me
but Mary took it all very well and sale
slowly and absentmindedly:
"You are right. I will 60 at once.
despise my selfish neglect. There Ii
no other way-I have racked my brail
there Is no other way. 1t must b.
done, and will 60 at once and do It,
And will go with you," said I.
II do not blame you," she said, "tee
doubling me since l huye failed once.
But you need not doubt me now. II
shall be done, and without delay, 70
gardless Of the cost to me. l havs
thought and thought to find some other
way to liberate him, but there Is none
l will go this instant"
And will 60 with you, Lady Ma
ry," said doggedly.
She smiled at my persistency and
took me by the hand, saying, Gomez
We at once went of to find the king,
but the smile had faded from Mary's
face. and she looked as II she were go
ing to execution. Every shade Of color
had fled, and her lips were the hue OF
ashes.
We found the king in the midst of
his council. with the French ambassa-
dors, discussing the all absorbing topic
Of the marriage treaty. and Henry,
fearing IN outbreak, refused to see
the princess. As usual. opposition but
spurred her determination, so she sat
down In the anteroom and said she
would not stir until she had seen the
king.
After we had waited a few minutes
one Of the kings pages came up and
said he had been looking oil over the
palace for me and that the king desired
my presence Immediately. / went In
with the page to the king, leaving
Mary alone and very melancholy In
the antechamber.
Upon entering the kings presence he
asked: Where have you been, Sir Ed
win? have almost killed a good half
dozen pages hunting you. I want you
to prepare Immediately to 90 to Paris
with an embassy to his majesty King
Louis. You will be the interpreter.
The ambassador you need not know.
Make ready at once. The embassy
will leave London from the Tabard inn
one hour hence"
Could a command to duty have come
at a more inopportune time? was
distracted, and upon leaving the king
went ut once to seek the Lady Mary
where | had left her In the anteroom.
She had gone. so went to her apart.
ments, but could not find her. went
to the queens salon, but she was not
there, and | traversed that old ram.
bling palace from one end to the other
without finding her or Lady Jane.
The king had told me the embassy
would be q secret one and that was
to speak Of it to nobody. least Of all to
the Lady Mary. No one was to know
that I was leaving England, and was
to communicate with no one at home
while in France.
The kings command was not to be
disobeyed. To do so would be as much
as my life was worth; but, besides that,
the command of the king l served was
my highest duty. and no Caskoden ever
failed in that. may not be as tall as
some men. but my fidelity and honor
but you will say boast.
was to make ready my bundle and
ride six miles to London In one hour,
and almost half that time was spent
already. was sure to be late. 80 |
could not waste another minute.
went to my room and got together
a few things necessary for my journey.
but did not take much in the way OF
clothing. preferring to buy that new
in Paris, where | could find the latest
styles in pattern and fabric.
I tried to assure myself that Mary
would see the king at once and tell him
all and not allow my dear friend Bran
don to lie in that terrible place another
night. yet a persistent fear gnawed at
my heart. and a sort Of intuition that
seemed to have the very breath Of GER
tainty in its foreboding made me doubt
her.
As could find neither Mary nor
Jane, did the next best thing-l
wrote a letter to each of them, urging
Immediate action and left them to be
delivered by my man Thomas. who
was one of those trusty souls that new
er fail. did not tell the girls I was
about to start for France, but intmat-
ed that was compelled to leave Lon
don for time and said, Il leave the
fate of this man. to whom we all owe
30 much. in your hands, knowing full
we'll how tender you will be Of him."
l was away from home nearly a
month, and as l dared not write. and
even Jane did not know where was
I did not receive nor expect any let
ters. The king had ordered secrecy,
and If have mingled with all my
faults a single virtue 1t is that OF
faithfulness to my trust. So had no
news from England and sent none
home.
During all that time the same old
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