Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-07-18
Story Of Francis Cludde
A Romance Of Queen Mary's Reign.
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN
BY STANLEY J. wEYMAN.

hHeeS were tremDilng under me, and
stood faccid and unnerved, leaning on
my friend.
We'll" I said, family.
Patience! Patience awhile lad!" he
answered.
But, thank heaven, I had not long
TO wait. The words were scarcely off
his tongue when another hand sought
mine and shook II wildly. and I saw
van Tree before me, his face radical
with Joy, while a man whom he had
knocked down in his hastily leap from
the scafold was rising beside me with
a good natured smile. AS If at a sig
nal every face now turned toward me.
A dozen friendly hands passed me up
the steps amid fresh outburst of
cheering. The throng on the scaffold
| opened somehow, and / 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!"
/ muttered something, ! know not
what, nor did 1t matter, for it was lost
In burst of cheering When this was
over and silence obtained, the magis-
trate continued: You are required.
however, to attend the duke at the
court mouse, whittier we had better
proceed at once"
Il am ready, SIR" I muttered.
A road was made for us to descend,
and walking in a kind of beautiful
dream l passed slowly up the street by
the side of the magistrate, the crowd
willingly standing aside for us. l do
not know whether all of those thou
sands Of faces really looked toyfully
and kindly on me as l passed or
Ia 4, Il.
choken me and brought the tears con-
tinualy to my eyes transfigured them
and wave them a generous charm not
| their own. But this / do know-that
the sunshine seemed brighter and the
air softer than ever before; that the
clouds trailing across the blue expanse
were things of beauty which / had
never met before; that to draw breath
was JOY and to move delight and
that only when the dark valley was
left behind did ! comprehend its full
gloom-by heavens mercy. So may it
be with all.
AT the door of the court house,
with numbers Of the people had al
ready run, the press was so great that
we came to a standstill and were much
ouneted about, though in all good hu-
NOR before, even with the aid of the
soldiers, we could be got through the
throng When ] at last emerged
found myself again before the table,
and saw, but only dirnly, for the light
now fell throuh the stained window
directly on my head, a commanding
ngure standing, behind it. Then a
strange thing happened. A woman
passed swiftly round the table and
came to me and flung her arms round
nay neck and kissed me. 1t was the
duchess, and for a moment she hung
upon me, weeping before them all.
Madam" / said, softly, then 1t is
you who have done this!'
All she exclaimed holding me off
from her and looking at me with eyes
which glowed through her tears, and
1t was you who did that"
She drew back from me then and
took me by the hand and turned i'm
petuously to the duke Of Cleves.
who stood behind smiling at her
IN frank amazement. This" she
sald; rs the man who gave
his life for my husband, and to whom
your highness has given it back"
Let him tell his tale" the duke an
sWered' graVely: And do you, my
cousin. sit here beside me-"
She left me and walked round the
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 a hundred places the
stood by her with his hand on the back
of the seat. He was tall, burly man,
with bold, quick glancing eyes,
flushed face and a loud manner-a
fierce, blusterous prince, as have
heard. He was plainly dressed in a
leather hunting suit and wore huge
gauntlets and brown boots, with a
broad leaved hat pinned up on one side,
yet he looked a prince.
Somehow ! StammpraI ollt tho IN 10 ~
the surrender.
But why, why, why, man." he asked,
when l had finished, why did you let
them think 1t was you who wounded
the burgher, If 1t was not?"
Your highness," l answered, It had
received nothing out good from her
grace. l had eaten her bread and been
received into her service. Besides it
was through my persuasion that we
came by the road which led to this mis-
fortune instead of by another way.
Therefore 1t seemed TO me right that l
should suffer, who stood alone and
could be spared, and not her husband"
1T was a great deed" cried the
prince loudly. Il would l had such a
servant. Are you noble, lad?"
l colored high, but not in pain or NOR
tification. The Old wound might re-
open, but amid events such as those Of
this morning it was a slight matter
Il come of noble family, may it please
your highness," l answered modestly,
but circumstances prevent me claim
ing kinship with it,"
He was about, l 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 own
feet?" he cried TO me. rs that so?"
1T is, sire" l answered
Then so be it," he replied. loudly,
looking round on the throng with a
frown. Il will ennoble you. You would
have died for your lord and friend, and
therefore ] give you rood of land in
the common graveyard of Santon to
hold of me. and name you Won San
tonkirch, and l, William, duke Of
Cleves. Julich and GueldeTs, prince of
the empire, declare you noble and give
you for your arms three swords of just
ice and the motto you may buy of
clerk. Further, let this decree be en-
rolled in my chancery. Are you salts
fied?"
AS dropped on my knees, my eyes
sparkling, there was a momentary dis
turbance behind me. 1t was caused by
the abrupt entrance of the subdean. He
took in part of the situation at glance
that is, he saw me kneeling before
the duke, but he could not see the
duchess of Suffolk, the dukes figure
being interposed. AS he came forward,
the crown making way for him, he cast
an angry glance at me and scarcely
smoothed his brow even to address the
prince. Il am glad that your highness
has not done what was reported to me, y
he said hastily, his oheisance brief and
perfunctory. II heard an uproar in the
town and was told that this man was
pardoned."
1T is SOL" said the duke curtly. eye
ing the ecclesiastic with no great favor.
He is pardoned."
"Only in part. presume" the priest
rejoined urgently, "or, If otherwise, 1
am sure that your highness has not re-
ceived certain information with which
can furnish you"
ttENiixtniSh q sir ~ flllAfh The dixie