The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-08

| ence unoDSerVed. Horses were awaiting in an obscure place, and they rode forth from the castle to glen, where they again drew their swords and stood with blades opposed. After short but furious combat Tresslian was dsarmed and at the mercy of his adversary With rage in his face the Earl shortened his sword to run his antagonist through, when his arm was seized by boy. who cried out 10 him to desist. Shaking him off, the Earl turned to Tressilan and said: "Confess thy villainy to me and prepare for death "I have no villainy toward thee to con fess," answered Tressilian
 "Die a liar. thou hast livedt cried the Earl but the boy, now cling to his knees, besought him to hear what he had to say.
 My folly, My follyl' cried the boy '.has been the cause of these bloody quar- rels between you two and of much more evil, I fear" It was DiclSle Sludge, the boy who had greeted Wayland Smith and Amy on their arrival at Kenilworth. He | now confessed that he had stolen from Wayland packet addressed to Leicester. This packet he now handed the Earl. lm- pressed by the earnestness of the boys 1, manner, Leicester paused in his passion. opened the letter and read it. When he
 had finished he turned to Tressiiian and
 said: "Tahe my sword and run 1t through my heart, as I was about to run 1t through yours" So saying, he handed the letter to Tressilian
 It was the missive Amy had dispatched to Leicester. In It she told how Varney had come to her at Cumnor Hall and de- clared that by the Earl's command she
 must pose for a while as Varneys wife. Varney had not only told her this, but had deeply insulted her by infamous pro- posals so that she had driven him from
 her presence. The letter further told how
 poisoned drink made at Varney's order
 by an astrologer whom Leicester main tained at Cumnor, one Alasco. had been given her and that she would have died had she not been supplied with an anti
 dote by Wayland She had fled to Kenil-
 worth. she said. and besought Leicester by their mutual love to come to her and to do her. justice. 'The villainsr' cried the Earl: That
 villain. varney! She is even now in his power"
 But trust In God" said Tressilian.
 with no commands of fatal import NO, nor replied the Earl. 1T said something in madness, but recalled It by a trusty messenger. She is she must be- safe"
 MY lord" replied Tressilian. my quar- rel with you is ended but have now q quarrel with the seducer of Amy Rob- sart'
 
 Say her husbandl Her misguided, blind ed unworthy husband. She Is as surely Countess of Leicester as l am belted Earl" Then he explained that he had wished to keep iiis' marriage secret for awhile until he could find some fitting manner to break the news to Elizabeth, whose anger he feared. Several times he had been on the point of avowing it., when Varney had found some way of preventing him and of inducing him to postpone the disclosure which would have meant his ruin
 When the Queen had ordered that Amy | be brought to Wentworth he had sent Varney to her to ask her to play sick. l and if sought out and questioned. not to deny that she was Varney's wife. Other l than this he had not ordered nor counte- | nanced When he learned of Amy's pres | ence at Wentworth Varney had told him l that Tressilian WAS still Amy's lover and l was beloved by her in return. He brought proof that she had lodged in Tressiian' s apartment and also that Tressilian had | visited her at Cumnor and besought her | to fly with him. Hence his anger with Tressiian and the words half eonsenting ! to the death of the Countess with which l he had left Varney-words which he had 1 unsaid in the letter he had dispatched by l Lanlbourne.
 Now, when Leicester found that Var ney had sought to dishonor Amy. and l fearful that she would tell all to her l husband. had attempted her life. he fath- l omed the depths Of his followers rascali- | ty and gave ready credence to the pro- 1 testations of Tressilian that what he had | done fin behalf of the Countess he had done as the representative of her father
 alone. Tressilian admitted that he had