Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-23

| the delicate straight nose, the childish
| mouth. AS in a hellish panorama he SUD
denly saw the whole hideousness OF the
| mistake which had wrecked his ltfe's hap
piness, and half-dazed, helpless, he gazed
on as upon the risen specter of his past
| murmur cose behind him broke the
spell of this magic moment.
$50 like the Lady Ursula" whispered
one lady to her gallant.
But the name seemed to have reached
the woman's dulled ears. and to have
struck upon a sensitive fiber of her in
tellect.
Ursula again. she said vehemently,
| turning now to face the group of the ele-
CANT ladies who stood staring at her
why do you all plague me with that
name?-I am Mirrab. the soothsayer-Ive
been taught to read the secrets Of the
stars, of the water, the air and the winds:
I foretell the future and br the elixir OF
life. Wessex saved my life! tits his!-l
read In the stars that he was In great
danger and came to warn him."
Her apathy had totally deserted her
now She was gradually working herself
up to a fever of excitement, talking more
and more wildly, and letting her eyes
roam restlessly on the brilliant groups
before her, the ladies, the courtiers-the
queen.
Then they alighted upon the Cardinal
de Moreno who. pale to the lips, STRIVING
In vain to smother the growing agitation
which had mastered him from the MON ent
when he, too, first recognized Mlrrab. Her
passion at sight of him now turned 10
fury, and pointing a venSeful niger al
him she shouted wildly:
TWAS he who tricked and fooled me-
with smooth AMI lying tongue he caJoled
me!-he and his friend-then they threat
ened to have me whipped-T L did not de-
part in peace"
Awed. Mortified. every one listened:
Mary Tudor herself hung upon the girls
Tho a
to preserve his outward composure.
"a madwomanr' he murnured, with a
shrug of the shoulders. Your majesty
would do we'll to retire; there's danger IN
the creatures eyes.
But Wessex was slowly coming to him.
self His horror had vanished. leaving
him calm before this terrible revelation.
With the privilege ever accorded to MN
by the fond queen, he now placed hrm
hand upon her arm.
"In the name of your majesty's ever
| present graciousness to me. l entreat you
| to listen to this woman" he said. quietly
"Meseems that some dastardly trick hath
| been played upon us all.
The cardinal tried to protest, but already
Mary had acquiesced in Wessex's wish
with nod of the head.
Il have naught to refuse you, my dear
lord she said, sadly.
Vaguely she. 100. had begun to guess
| the appalling riddle which had puzzled her
| for so long and though her heart dimly
| felt that she was even now losing for
| ever the man whom she so ardenty
| loved. she was too fearless a queen, too
| much of a proud Tudor. not to see justice
| done in the face of so much treachery.
| Then WesseX once more turned to Mir
| rab
Tell me- girl" he said. with utmost
| calm and gentleness. lest he should scare
| again her poor wandering wits tell me
without any fear-I am the Duke of Wes-
/ T +I,,- hnt dds
| the wish to warn me of some danger
and came to the palace here-and my lord
cardinal trcked thee. How?
81 do not know" she said. piteously.
turning appealing, dog-like eyes upon him:
| 'fhey dressed me up in fine clothes-and
| then-then-when i saw thee-and wished
| to speak with thee-he-the dark foreign
er barred the way-and l know not how it
| happened" she added. as a trembling
| suddenly seized her whole body, he
| jeered at me-and--and / killed him.
Twas thou wencn, who Killed Don
| Miguel?" calculated the queen, Mortified.
"Oh.-"
But Wessax only bent his head and muir
, INJURED in the intensity of his misery:
Heaven above me.-that l shouid nave
! been so blind"
Il killed him. repeated Mirrab. with
strange persistence. II killed him-he
would not let me go to thee"
A madwOman and wanton. mere
at his command surely your majesty
will not believe this miserable creature S
calumnes.
mo. my lord replied Mary. with quiet
! dignity well believe nothing until we
have heard what Lady Ursula Glynde has
| to say Lady Alicia" she added. turning
to. one Of her maids OF honor, Il pray
you find the Lady Ursula. Tell her what
has happened and bid her come to M.
In the meanwhile, however Mirrab
seemed to have become aware OF the con-
sequences of her vehement confession.
Her wandering wits came slowly back to
her; terrified. she looked from one TO the
other of the grave faces which were fixed
upon her.
What will they do to me-" she muir
INJURED. turning appealing eyes on the one
man whom she dared to trust.
Nay. Mirrab, have no fear" said Wes-
sex kindly. as he took her rough hands in
his, and tried to soothe her sacred spir-
it's, with gentle touch. "Once by chAnce