The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-07-08
1T is not. Have you read itf'

1T is not. Have you read itr'
mo, but that's soon DONE"
He united the cord and unfolded the
sheepskin. She leaned eagerly forward
and scanned the writing, while Arm
strong read 1t aloud.
You see" he cried gleefully. "Of
course It is the commission. There are
the names Of Traquair and all the rest,
just as l gave them to the secretary,
and there is Charles Req in the kings
own hand"
1T Is duplicate. Cromwell has the
original. You never left De Courcy
alive within mile Of Broughton cas-
tle?'
II did that very thing. Not as lively
as have seen him, yet alive neverthe-
less.'
Then ride. ride for the north. We
have stood too long chattering here"
"An in good time. Frances. There
is no more hurry than ever there was:
less, indeed, for it seems to me that
Cromwell, for some reason. wants to
come at this by fraud and not by force.
But now that De Courcy's name is
mentioned between us, / ask you what
you know against him more than
have told your
Against him? I know everything
against him. Would that you had kill
ed him. He would sell his soul, If he
has one. He robbed my dying father,
and on the day Of his death. when I
was the only one in London who did
not know he was executed. De Courcy
lured me to his apartments at White
hall under pretense Of leading me to
the king that l might plead for my
fathers life. There he attempted to en-
trap me. snapped in my hand the sword
which l had clutched from the wall to
defend myself, and struck him twice
in the face and blinded him with his
own false blood and so escaped. Judge,
then, my fear when saw him there at
Oxford"
1.-The truth! The truth! At last the
TRUTH shouted Armstrong. as If
weight had fallen from his shoulders.
1.-The truth has ring like honest steel
and cannot be mistaken when once
you hear 1t. He lied to me about you
in Oxford, and called him liar and
would have proven it on him but
that he told me you were in danger. I
should have killed the whelp this morn
ing but that he could not defend him.
SELF"
1.-The truth! Yes, but only part Of 1t.
He did not rob you last night. robbed
you. stole into your room and robbed
you. l carried the original of that doc
ument to Cromwell himself, and 1t is
now In his hands. 1t was the price of
my brothers life. My brother was set
on your track by Cromwell. and. being
wounded, took up his task. Do you
understand? That was my mission to
Oxford-to delude you. to rob you.
and have done It,"
You are saying that to shield some
one"
Look, William Armstrong! For two
hours and more last night you held me
by the wrist. There is the bracelet
with which you presented me-black
proof Of the black guilt l confess to
you"
She held her hand aloft, and the
sleeve fell away from the white and
rounded arm, marred only by the dark
circles where his fingers had pressed.
do you say did that?"
Eyes. II still you do not believe me.
measure your fingers with the shadow
they have cast"
She reached out her hand to him, and
he took it In his left, strOking the
bruised wrist with his right, but look
ing into her eyes all the while.
Frances, is it this secret that stood
between us"
EYES,"
'Is this all that stood between usr'
"All! Is it not enough? All! 1t Is q
mountain Of sin that bears me to the
very ground"
He laughed very quietly. fondling her
hand
"Bless me, bow little you know!
What is Quarreling king or rebellious
country to me compared with you? No
wonder my beating heart did not awak-
en- mo with your hand upon 1t, for 1t
was co-conspirator with you and wholly
your own. Heaven mend my broken
patriotismlbut II you had asked me
I would have ridden myself to Crom-
we'll with the kings signature"
do you-can you forgive me, then"
Forgive you? You are the bravest
lass In all the land" and with that
before she was aware or could ward
of his attack, II she had wished to do
SO, he reached impulsively forward,
caught her off her horse and held her
In his arms as If she were child, kiss
Ing her wounded wrist, her eyes, her
hair, her lips.
"And now. do you forgive me.
Frances?"
"Oh, willingly, willingly! Trespass
for trespass. AS we forgive them that
trespass against u.s. But set me on
my horse again, I beg Of you"
II can hardly believe you are here
yet"
cease, cease, I beg Of you! The
moments are too precious for It."