The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-09-03
THE,
Storyof Francis Cludde
ARomance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN.

do you know where my sword is?
he asked in a matter of fact tone. a
one might ask a question of an oil
!, cornrade.
| found it cast aside behind the door
RE o 1t from me, grumbling over
nick in the edge, which he had cause
by some desperate blow when he wa
seized. He fastened 1t on with an oath
1 could no look at the sword withou
remembering how nearly he had takel
my life with it. The recollection dit
not trouble him in the slightest.
Now farewelI!'' he said, carelessly
Il am going to turn over a new lea
ana begin returning good for evil. d.
you go to your friends and do youl
work. n will go to my friends ant
do mine"
Then. with a nod. he walked briskl,
away, and l heard him climb the ladder
and depart.
h was he going to do? I was sc
oeeply amazed by the interview that
did not understand. l had thought him
a wicked man, but had not conceived
the hardness of his nature. Az l stood
alone looking around the vault l could
hardly believe that l had met and
spoken to my father and told him |
was his Son-and this was all | could
hardly believe that he had gone away
with this knowledge, unmoved and UNI
~repentant, alike unwarned by the Proc
tSiiI WHICH Hou uSeu me 10 thW3lt
ms schemes and untouched by the BEN
eflcence which had thrice held him back
from the crime of killing me-aye. proof
even against the long suffering which
had plucked him from the abyss and
given him n more chance of repent
ance.
l found Master BERTHE In the stables
waiting for me with some Impotence,
of which. upon the whole, l was glad,
Tor l had no wish to be closely cues
tloned, and the account 1 gave him of
the interview might at another time
have seemed disjointed and incoherent.
he listened to 1t, however, without a
clear that he had other matters in his
mind.
I do not know what to do about
Fetching the duchess over" he said.
RMS news seems to be true. and she
ought to be here"
Certainly l agreed.
me country in general is well af-
fected to the Princess Elizabeth" he
continued. Yet the interests of the
bishops. OF the Spanish faction and of
some of the council will lie in giving
trouble. To avoid this we should show
our strength. Therefore I want the
duchess to come over with all speed.
VIII You fetch herr" he added sharply.
turning to me.
VIII II" l cried in surprise.
Yes. you. cannot well go myself
at this crisis. Will you go instead?"
0 course 1 WILL" 1 answered.
And the prospect cheered me wonder
ruby. 1t gave me something to do and
opened my eyes to the great change Of
Which P~enruddocke had been the her
aid a change which was even then be-
ginning. AS we rode down Highgate
hill that day messengers were speeding
north and south and east and west to
Norwich and Bristol and Canterbury
and Coventry and York with the tidings |
,hat the somber rule under which Eng
land had groaned for five years and !
more was coming to an end. If in a |
dozen towns of England they roped
their bells afresh; If in every country.
as P~enruddocke had prophesied, they
got their tar barrels ready; il ali. save
a few old fashioned folk and a few
gloomy bigots and hysterical women.
awoke as from an evil dream: If even
men saw in the coming of the
Young queen a anacea for all their Ills
. q~uenching of Smithfield fires a Calais
recovered. a cure for the worthless
coinage which hampered trade, and a
iaaance OF worthless foreigners who
1t. with better roads. purer
Justice. a fuller ex%cheauer, more IA
voraple reasons-if England read all
his In that news OF P~enruddocke,s. was
not something to us also?
II was indeed. We were saved at the
asst moment from the dangerous enter
rise on which we had rashly en-
parked We now had such prospects
oerore US only the success of that
scheme could have ordinarily onenad
aaSe n honor instead of the gallows
TO lie warm instead of creaking in
wind! Thinking of this, I fell into
. Deter frame OF mind as I logged
toward London. For what, after
VI, was my father to me, that his ex-
stence should make me unhannv or
mine of all pleasure? / had rnada
place for myself in the world. I had
friends for myself. He might
axe away my pride in the one, but
le could rob me of the love of
he others-of those who had eaten and
runk and fought and suffered hasiaa
and for whom I. too, had fought
md suffered!
a TRANCE time for the swallows to
ON back" said my lady. turning ~
mile at me as I rode on her Off side
!. Wouid nave been strange indeed If
was the end of December. The roads
frost bound and the trees Leaf.
ess. The east wind. gathered force in
Is rush across the Essex marshes
yhirled before It the last trophies Of
Iainauit forest and seemed as -
- dIl0 shaved our
TO grudge us the shelter to which
We We're Fastening. The long train ha-
lind us-for the good times Of which.
We had talked so often had come
we're full OF the huge fire we expected
Q find at the inn at Barking. our last
on the road to London. And e
ne duchess and 7 bore the cold more
satiently 1t was probably because we
more food for thought and perhaps
Kicker ralnment.
Do not shake your head, she con-
lnued, CHANGING at me with mischief
2 her eyes. and fiatter yourself Won
WIN no go back. but will go on MAX
ne yourself and some one else IN
lappy. You viii do nothing of the
sind. francis Before the spring comes
sou and / Will ride over the drawbridge
M"
II cannot see that things are
hanged" I said.
Not changed?" she replied. .When
gu left, you were nobody. Now you
somebody, II 1t be only in having
: sister With a dozen serving men IN
ier train. Leave it to me. And now.
IanN heaven, we are here. Z am 90
TIT and cold YOU must lift me down
We have not to ride far after dinner.
only seven miles. I answered az
ne most. who had been warned by an