Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-03-31

you bring any message from her?"
The face Of Pembroke famed scar
let with sudden wrath Message
said he Message from Lady Catha-
rine Knollys to you? BY God! sir.
her only message could be her hope
that she might never hear your name
again. "
You have still your temper, Sir
Arthur, and you speak harsh enough.
Harsh or not, rejoined Pembroke,
Il scarce can endure her name upon
your lips You, who secuted her, who
left her, who took up with the lewdest
woman in all Great Britain, as it now
appears you who would consort with
this creature
I'm this matter said John Law,
simply, you are not my prisoner, and
beg you to speak frankly It shall
be man and man between us"
How you could have stooped to such
baseness is what mortal man can never
understand, resumed Sir Arthur, bit
terly Good Cod! to abandon wom-
an like that so heartlessly
Sir Arthur" said John Law, his
voice trembling, Il do myself the very
great pleasure of telling you that you
liei"
For moment the two stood silent,
facing each other, the face Of each
stony, gone gray with the emotions
back of it.
There is light said Pembroke,
"and abundant space
They turned and paced back farther
toward the open forest glade Yet now
and again their steps faltered and half
paused. and neither man cared to go
forward or to return Pembroke's
face. stern as it had been. again took
on the imprint of a growing hesitation.
Mr.. Law, said he, there is some
thing in your attitude which | admit
puzzles me. ask you in all honor, /
ask you on the hilt of that sword which
know you will never disgrace, why
did you thus fiout the Lady Catharine
Knollys? Why did you scorn her and
take up with this woman yonder in
her stead2"
Sir Arthur, said John Law, with
trembling lips, l must be very low in
deed in reputation, since you can ask
me question such as this
But you must answer" cried Sir
Arthur, and you must swear!
IF you would have my answer and
my oath. then give you both. | did
not do what you suggest, nor can
conceive how any man should think me
guilty of It. loved Lady Catharine
Knollys with a my heart Twas my
chief bitterness keener than even the
thought of the gallows itself, that she
forsook me in my trouble. Then, Bit
ter as any man would be, persuaded
myself that | cared naught Then
came this other woman. Then T.
well, was man and fool-a fool,
Sir Arthur, a most miserable fool!
Every moment of my life since first
/ saw her. / have loved the Lady Cath
arine; and, God help me, / do row.
Sir Arthur struck his hand upon the
hilt of his sword You were more
lucky than myself, as / know" said he,
and from his lips broke half a groan.
Good Cod" broke out Law. Let
us not talk of it. / give you my word
of honor, there has been no happiness
to this. But come! We waste time.
Let us cross swords.
Wait Let me explain. since we are
in the way Of it. You must know that
twas within the plans of Montague
that Lady Catharine Knollys should
be the agent of your freedom. l was
pledged to the Lady Catharine to as
sist her, though, as you may perhaps
see, sir" and Pembroke gulped in his
throat as he spoke, " twas difficult
enough, this part that was assigned to
me- It was |, Mr.. Law, who drove the
coach to the gate, the coach which
brought the Lady Catharine. Twas
she who opened the door of Newgate
Jail for you. My God! sir, how could
you walk past that woman coming
there as she did. with such purpose!"
At hearing these words, the tall fig
ure of the man opposed to him dropped
and sank, as though under some fear
full blow He staggered to a nearby
support and sank weakly to a seat,
his head falling between his hands, his
whole face convulsed.
"Aht" said he, you did right to
cross seas in search of me! God hath
indeed found me out and given me my
punishment Yet | ask God to bear
me witness that knew not the truth.
Come Cir Arthuri Come I hnsnnch
you! Let us fall to-!
II shall be no mans executioner for
his sentence on himself | could not
fight you now His eye fell by chance
upon the blotch in Laws blood-stained
tunic. And here he said; .'see!
You are already wounded
Twas but one woman's way OF
showing her regard, said Law.
Twas Mary Connynge stabbed me,
But why?"
Nay, | am glad of it; since it proves
IL =