The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-07-25

a luNN tiob hdi SlOhh stern,
"My dear comrade there are other
relationships between a young man and
handsome woman than the ties of
kinship. But those days are long past.
and l should never have recalled them
had it not been that you two have been
travelling about the country together,
l make no doubt, with an innocence
that recalls the sylvan days OF yore.'
'Tell me in plain words what this re-
lationship was to which you have re-
ferred.'
First answer me a question. Are
you betrothed to Frances Wentworth? 2"
mo. told you acted the brothers
part toward her in this Journey"
"Oh, we all say that. But / am not
in the least curious. If you intended
to marry her, then were my mouth
sealed. Very well, since you will have
1t, and / take your word as a gentle
man pledged that you will say nothing
to the girl of this until you are clear Of
oxford. Know that was once her be-
trothed She was to have been my
wife, and would have been my wife to-
day had her father not fallen"
"Your wife,
Eyes. 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 a girl never forgets. Her
fathers ruin changed my plans, and
refused to marry her. / 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, and
his hand drew it a-swish through the
air with the hiss of a 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:
"No matter for that We fight on
this phrase in Scotland. No man ever
called me liar and lived"
"'Tis n coarse phrase l admit, and
did l not represent my king-were / as
free as yorI-you should have had my
response II steel ere this. But l cannot
wreck the king in private quarrel of
my own. Whether you killed me or I
you 'twould be equally disastrous to
his majesty"
Il care nothing for the king. Draw,
you poltroon, or shall kill you where
you sit"
My dear Armstrong, / refuse to be
murdered under a misrepresentation on
your part. | have said nothing against
the girl. IT'S all your own hot blood.
And indeed your brawling is the girls
greatest danger; she might well trem-
bic if she knew your present occupa
ton. If you run your nimble sword
through me, you give the girl to the
fate that befell her father"
At the first word of danger to Fran
ces the point of Armstrong; blade
sank to the floor, and he stood hesitat-
ing. A CLEAN of triumph glinted and
died in the eye of the Frenchman. He
knew he was the victor, although the
chance he had run at one stage of the
game almost made his heart stop beat
ing.
How can any action of mine jeopar-
die Lady Frances Wentworth"
IF the king knew this girl was with
in his jurisdiction, she would be in.
stantly arrested, tried and condemned
She entered Whitehall the day her
father was executed for the sole pur-
pose of numbering Charles. l prevent
ed the carrying out of that purpose,
and these scars on my face are the
results of my interference with a mad
dened woman"
Again, you lie, yet if she had killed
you both she would have accomplished
but justice"
"As to the truth or falsity of my
statements, regarding which you make
comments of unseemly terseness, you
may ask the king when you see him,
or you may ask the lady herself when
you get her out of oxford. If you pre-
cipitate a turmoil here, you are like to
tumble her. pretty head in the basket.
When this war is done with l will go
far to teach you the correct method of
addressing gentleman"
Armstrong; sword dropped into
scabbard again, and he drew a breath
that was sigh. The poison was al
ready at work. He remembered the
distress of the girl on the road, and her
wall, Il am not worthy the love of any
honest man"
Il shall never question her or any
other, but will believe her lightest
word against the world when she con-
descends to tell me. Meanwhile shall
get her out of this thieves den as soon
as may be, and when meet you
De Courcy had risen, and now bowed
slightly TO his perturbed guest.
''Sir, you shall meet me at IL, and
1t will be my privilege to conduct you
to his majesty. Good morning."
Lie stood by the window overlooking
the quadrangle and watched his late
visitor cross it, staggering once as If
he had partaken freely of the wine
which remained untasted on the Ia
BILE. AS the Scot disappeared under the
archway De Courcy laughed.
MY fine, strutting cockerel," he NUT
tered, "fll lay You by the heels before
two days are past Cromwells at