Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-02-29

have adventures seized upon me. Yet
I did nct speak at once He had told
me that my tongue Outran my thoughts
and ! stood silent until he asked me
curtly well silrah what do you say?'
I say, my lord bishop" l replied re-
specttully, that the prospect you hold
out 10 me would tempt me were | a
younger son or without those ties of
gratitude which hold me 10 my uncle.
But, my father excepted, ! am Sir An
thongs only heir"
"Ah, your father" he said contempt
uously. You do wei remind me of
him. for / see you are forgetting the
first part Of my speech In thinking
of the last Should ! have promised
first and threatened later? You would
fam, / expect 10 stay here and WOO
Mistress Petronilla2 Do / touch there?
You think 10 marry the maid and be
master of Cotton End in Gods time,
do YOU? Then listen, Francis Cludde.
Neither one nor the other, neither maid
nor meadow, win be yours should you
stay here till doomsday!'
/ started and stood glowering on him.
speechless with anger and astonish-
meht.
You do not know who you are" he
continued, leaning forward with "A sud
den movement and speaking with one
clawlike finger extended and a male
me a nameless child awhile ago, and
so / was. Yet / have risen to be ruler
of England, Master Cludde! But you-
| VIII tell you which of us is base born.
] will tell you who and what your fa-
ther, Ferdinand Cludde, was He was
hay, he is-my tool, spy, jacl.al DO
you understand, boy? Your father is
one of the band of foul creatures to
whom such as /, base born though l
be, fling the scraps from their table!
He is the vilest of the vile men who
do my dirty work, my lad"
He had raised his voice and hand
In passion real or assumed. He dropped
them as | sprang forward You lier'
/ cried, trembling all over.
Easy easy" he said. He stopped
me where / was by a gesture of stern
command Think" he continued
calmly and weightily. Has any one
ever spoken TO you OF your father since
the day seven years ago when you
came here n child, brought by a SER
want? Has Sir Anthony talked OF him?
Has any servant named his name to
you? Think. boy If Ferdinand Cludde
be father to be proud Of why does
his brother make naught of him?'
He Is a Protestant" | said faint
ly, family because l had asked myself
this very question not once. but often.
Sir Anthony so seldom mentioned my
myself, / had thought ii strange too
that the servants who must remember
Ferdinand Cludde, never talked to me
about him. Hitherto had always been
satisfied 10 answer He is a Prot
estant,' but face TO face with this ter
rible old man and his pitiless charge
the words came but family from my
lips.
"A Protestant" he replied solemnIy.
Yes, this comes of schism. that VIII
lains cloak themselves i'm il and parade
for true men. a Protestant YOU call
him, boy? He has been that-aye, and
all things to al men-and he has be-
trayed all things and all men, He was
i'm the great cardinals confidence and
forsook him, when he fell for Crom-
well. Thomas Cromwell. although they
We're of the same persuasion, he be-
trayed to me. | have here" and he
struck the letters I'm his hand a scorn-
ful blow, "the offer he made to me and
his terms. Then eight years back, when
the late King Edward came to the
throne /, too, fell on evil DAYS, and Mas
ter Cludde abandoned me for my Lord
Hertford, but did me no great harm.
But he did something which blasted
him-blasted him at last"
(Continued Next Week)