Evening star., 1908-01-26

drawn nature. l fear me. hath not in
tended you for diplOmatist.
| How SOP
This interview tonight with me. was
| It necessary"
Il could not rest said Everingham.
impulsively. until
Until you had proclaimed to the en-
tire court in general and to his grace
of WesseX in particular. that you had a
secret understanding with his political
rival the Spanish ambassador rejoined
his emnence drily.
An Interview"
Have you ever honored me thus be-
fore. my lord?-you or any of your
| friends?''
"No-perhaps not-I only requested a
brief tete-a-tete.'
And had / refused that dangerous tete-
a-tete what would you have done?.
Demanded it, replied Everingham
hotly. Il must know what has happened
and what you intend to do
His eminence threw a, quick look at tho
young man. look half of pity. half oe
contempt For moment il seemed as If
an angry retort lowered upon his lips.
But he merely shrugged his shoulders
and said blandly:
You are very expert at the game of
chess. my lord. so they tell me.
II have PLAYED it q great many times.
rejoined Everngham. a little astonished
at the sudden transition.
Ah. and have become very proficient
understand. VIII you honor me by play
ing game with me-"
why noto''
''The lateness OF the hour-I start for
Scotland almost directly
: Yet in spite of these difficulties You
sought casual interview with an avowed
political enemy"
NO one need know" stammered the
young man. slightly abashed.
| Every one inside this palace knows by
innate friend Of his grace of Wessex. is
closeted alone with the envoy of his
majesty. the King of Spain." rejoined his
eminence with slow emphasis. Believe
me, my lord. q game of chess is the
wiseSt course
will YOU tell me FIRST
Il can tell your lordship nothing ex-
cept across the chess board"
/ "Well-since you wish it"
My wishes have naught to do with this
matter. / was following the most e'e-
mentary dictates of prudence"
He touched the handbell and rang. A
lireried servant appeared.
| Had l not told thee, sirrah" " said his
eminence that my lord Everingham had
kindly consented to give me my revanche
at chess. ere he departed? How is it that
the board has not been prepared?''
Il crave your eminence's most humble
pardon, protested the man in confusion,
II had not understood
mot understood" laughed the cardinal
good naturedly. Marry! the knave doth
imDuen my knowledge of the English
tongue"
i would not presume. your eminence"
Iush. man. hold thy tongue and repair
thy negligence. Where's the board? His
lordship hath but an hour to spare"
Everinsham watched with ill concealed
lnpatence the elaborate prepa ratiOns
| made for the game. He thought ii Quite
unnecessary. and. had he dared. he would
have refused to join in the senseless de-
n f1rfc
to trust his own judgment and. much
against his will, was allowing the cardinal
to take the lead. He felt out of his own in
tenectual depths in this slough of in
tfiSue wherein he had so impulsively ven
tured and out of which he now felt in
capable of extricating himself
olmpie-niinded and loyal to the core he
mad a horror of any treachery against
ms friend. No other consideration would
ever nave prompted him to join in IN un-
derhand scheme with the Sapnish car
dlnal. save his own earnest faith in the
ultimate good which would accrue there
from, both to the country at large and
to WesseX himself With his whole heart
and soul he believed that, at this moment.
the dukes marriage with Lady Ursula
Glynde would be nothing short of ma
tional calamity.
Reluctantly. he sat down to the board
at last. His eminence, opposite him. was
shading his face with his delicate white
hand, and at first seemed absorbed in the
intricacies of the game Two servitors
We're still busy about the room. One of
them asked if his emince would desire
more light.
But the cardinal preferred the fitful
flicker of few wax tapers. He liked the
fantastic shadows which left the greater
part of the vast chamber in gloom. Lord
Everingham was a noted and very pro-
ficient player. His eminence was enjoying
the game thoroughly.
Check to your king. my lord cardinal
said the young Englishman. at last
Only temporary check. you see. my
lord rejoined his eminence. as with slen-
der, tapering fingers he moved one of the
ivory pieces on the board. by the help
of this one little pawn. the safety of the
whole cobinaton is assured. and 'tis
your knight now which is in serious Ham
ger"
| Not serious, think, your eminence.
and once more check to your king"
Even as he spoke. the two servitors
finally left the room. closing the heavy
doors noislessly behind them.
| OH said the cardinal thoughtfully,
this will necessitate a hoder move on
my part. You mark, my SON. he added,
as he had made move. "how
beautifully nature herself plas into our
hands: you and / desired to part his
grace of Wessex effectually and forever
from his beautiful and affianced bride.
Two hours ago this seemed impossible,
and. lo.-a girl comes across our path.
yet the very physical counterpart of vir-
tuous Lady Ursula, and"
Check" said Everingham. dryly, as he
moved his castle.
May! nay! well once more move this
little pawn" rejoined his eminence. with
his usual pleasant benevolence, ''and see
how simple the plan becomes"
"'Tis of that plan l longed to hear
$50 you SHALL my son, so you shall.
said the cardinal very kindly. What
would Won wish to knOwr'
This girl Mrrab-where is she?"
'In Don Miguel de Suarez's rooms,
} ed for the purpose by my faithful servant
Pasquale, who has a valuable female
friend in the queens own encourage.
silk kirtle, rich white robes, some fam
taStc ornaments for the hair. and the
likeness twiXt our Mirrab and the high
born Lady Ursula will be more strangely
apparent than ever Your turn to move,
my lord. l pray you do not lose the
thread of this interesting game"
Ills easy enough to lose oneself in the
mazes of your eminence'S diplomacy.
! quoth the young man anxiously. 'Hav-
ing dressed the girl up in all that finery,
what do you propose to do?'
i His eminence was silent for awhile: he
seemed absorbed in an elaborate strateg
ical combination, directed against his
opponents king. Then he moved his
queen right across the board and said
quietly:
What do | propose to do, my lord"
Only with the aid of that diplomacy
which you English affect TO despise con-
trive that his grace of WesseX should
see a lady-whom he Will naturally mis-
take for the Lady Ursula Glynde-in a
I,ifr ny,,ir rir cit fllaf ia