The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-07-17
THE
Storyof Francis Cludde
ARomance of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. WEYMAN
What is it?" / cried. What is i.
cried in inpatient Mnnder
BY N J. Y M

strom answered, his face close to mine
and the tears running dow his cheeks.
ut is crue! If it be not true! Cruel!
They cry a pardon!"
"A pardon?" I echoed.
AYE, lad. a pardon. But it may not
be true" he said. putting his arm
about my shoulder. Do not make too
sure of it. 1t is only the mob cry it
out"
seemed to stand stili. There was a
loud surgtng in my brain. and a mist
rese before my eyes and hid every
thing. The clatnor and shouting OF the
street passed away and sounded vague
and distant. The next instant. it is
true. l WAS myself again. but my
knees were trembling under me. n 1
stood daccid ara unnerved, leaning on
my friend.
Well" 1 said. family.
"Patience! Patience awhile lae." he
answered.
But. thank heaven, I hac not long
TO wait. h words were s,afcAy off
his tongue when another hand sought
mine and shook it wildly. and 1 wv
with JOY. while a man whom he had
knocked down in his hastily leap from
the scaffol1 was rising beside me with
u good natured Smile. AS IL at a sig
nal every face now turned toward me.
A dozen friendly hands passed me up
A.iA u IkCol OulDuTSl OF
cheering. The throng on the scaffold
opened somehow. and I found myself
IN a second. as it seemed, face to face
with the president Of the court. He
smiled on me gravely and kindly
what smiles there seemed to be on all
those faces-and held out a paper.
In the name of the duke" he said.
speaking In Spanish in a clear, loud
voice. "a pardon!"
! lnuttered something. I know not
What; o did it matter, for 1t was lost
IN a burst of cheering. When this was
over and silence obtained. the magis-
trate continues: You are ren,1irad
however. to attend the duke at the
court house. whittier we had. better
proceed at once"
u am ready. sir 1 muttered.
A o "a was made for us to descend
ana ana %alklng in a kind of beautiful
the side of the magistrate, the crowd
Willingly standing aside for us. l do
not knoW whether all OF those thou
and kindly on me as 1 passed or
whether the deep thankfulness which
cnoken me and brought the tears con-
.ilualy to my eyes TRANSPORTED them
Inc wave them a generous charm not
their own. But this | do know-that
the sunshine seemed brighter and the
ar softer n ever before: that the
clouds trailing across the blue exnanse
We're things of beauty which / had
never met before; that to draw breath
Vas a Joy and to move delight. and
mat only when the dark valley was
left behind did 1 comprehend its full
gloom--by heavens mercy. So NAV #
be with all. as :.
At the door of the court house.
VIII VII numbers OF the people had al
we came to "a standstill and were much
puiteted about. though in all good nm
NOR before, ever with the aid Of the
soldlers. We could be got through the
ehrong. When l at last emerged I
apuiia a.. mys a again before the table,
now fell throuh the stained window
alrectiy on my head. a commanding
inquire standing behind it. Then .
strange thing happened. A woman
passed swiftly round the table and
came to me and flung her arms ro,,nd
my neck ard kissed me. 1t was the
ouchess, and for a m she hung
upon me, weeping before them all
Madam" I said. softly, then it is
you Who have done this!"
An. she exclaimed, holding me off
from her n looking at me with ewes
which glowed through her tears. and
1t was you who did that," ~
Sne drew back from me then and
TOOK me by the hand and turned i'm
petuously to h duke of Cleves.
StCON OeLluu smiling Mt her
IN frank amazement. This" she
said, us the man who gave
his life for my husband, and to whon'
your highness has given 1t back"
Let him tell his tale" the duke an
sMerea' e fhvely And do you. my
II left me and walked round tbe
table. and he came forward and placed
her In his own chair amid a great hush
OF wonder. for she was still meanly clad
and showed in q hundred places the
MARKS and stains of travel. Then he
of the seat. He was a tail, burlv nan
with bold. quick CHANGING ewes. a
rushed face and q loud lnanner-a
herce, blusterous prince. as I have
heard. He was plainly dressed In a
lea,neL nunting suit end wore huge
broad leayed hat pinned up on one side
yet he looked q prince.
Somehow I stammered out the tale of
the surrender "a
But why. why. why. man." he asked,
when I had finished. why did You let
them think it was you who wounded
the burgher. II 1t was not? 2"
Your highness." l answered. IT had
received nothing u good from her
grace. I had eaten her bread and been
received into her service. Besides it
was through my persuasion that we
came by the o which led to this mis-
fortune instead Of by another way
Therefore it seemed to me right that !
should suffer. who stood alone and
could be spared. md not her husband
1T was a great deed!" cried the
prince loudly. II would I had such a
servant. Are you noble. lad?"
I colored high. but not in pain or NOR.
tifcation. The old. wound might re-
open. but amid events such as those OF
this morning it was a slight matter,
| Il come Of a noble family. may 1t please
your %highness." I answered modestly,
but circumstances prevent me claim.
ing kinship with it."
, He was about. I think. to question me
further when the duchess looked up and
| said something to him, and he some.
thing to her. She spoke again, and he
answered. Then he nodded assent
/ You would fain stand on your owr
feet" he cried to me. us that so?"
1T Is. SIRE" I answered.
Then SO be it," he replied. loudly
l looking round on the throng with a
frown. ST will ennoble you. You would
have died for our ord and friend, and
therefore I give you a rood of land ir
the common graveyard OF Santon tc
hold of me. and I name you Won San.
I tonkirch. and I. William, duke Of
D Cleves. Julich and Guelders. prince ~